bread givers paper
Feminine identity in the Anzia Yezierska’s Bread Givers
The novel, Bread Givers, by Anzia Yezierska explores the life of the Smolinsky family living in the poor conditions of the lower east side in New York City. The novel’s narrator and main protagonist, Sara, struggles to find her identity as an independent woman throughout the novel. Sara’s struggle illuminates the transition of women from being undervalued to independent and self-fulfilling individuals. Sara’s struggle is characterized by her search for independence by rebelling against the belittlement of women. Sara must struggle against the traditional Jewish views of women and her father Moshe’s radical employment of these gender traditions, and modern American society’s devaluation of women. It is through her struggle that Sara is able find her own identity as an independent woman and find true fulfillment.
Sara is forced to face her father’s radical interpretation of Jewish tradition in which women are devalued. Sara must witness Moshe’s view that women are less valuable than men when he and Sara engage in an argument about her pursuit of education. Moshe exclaims that a women’s purpose “is to be a man’s wife, the mother of a man’s children” (206). Here women are seen not as an equal partner in marriage or parenthood but rather the possession of the husband. Being a wife and mother is merely a function of serving the husband. Women are also seen as having limited capabilities outside of the familial realm as when Moshe further questions Sara, “for what does a girl need to be so educated?” (174). This statement by Moshe exemplifies the attitude that women are not fit for formal society; the function of women is in the household where they are to be subservient to the men. Furthermore, Moshe displays his negative attitude towards women when he states to Sara, “You think millions of educated old maids like you could change the world one inch? Woe to America where women are let free like men”
The novel, Bread Givers, by Anzia Yezierska explores the life of the Smolinsky family living in the poor conditions of the lower east side in New York City. The novel’s narrator and main protagonist, Sara, struggles to find her identity as an independent woman throughout the novel. Sara’s struggle illuminates the transition of women from being undervalued to independent and self-fulfilling individuals. Sara’s struggle is characterized by her search for independence by rebelling against the belittlement of women. Sara must struggle against the traditional Jewish views of women and her father Moshe’s radical employment of these gender traditions, and modern American society’s devaluation of women. It is through her struggle that Sara is able find her own identity as an independent woman and find true fulfillment.
Sara is forced to face her father’s radical interpretation of Jewish tradition in which women are devalued. Sara must witness Moshe’s view that women are less valuable than men when he and Sara engage in an argument about her pursuit of education. Moshe exclaims that a women’s purpose “is to be a man’s wife, the mother of a man’s children” (206). Here women are seen not as an equal partner in marriage or parenthood but rather the possession of the husband. Being a wife and mother is merely a function of serving the husband. Women are also seen as having limited capabilities outside of the familial realm as when Moshe further questions Sara, “for what does a girl need to be so educated?” (174). This statement by Moshe exemplifies the attitude that women are not fit for formal society; the function of women is in the household where they are to be subservient to the men. Furthermore, Moshe displays his negative attitude towards women when he states to Sara, “You think millions of educated old maids like you could change the world one inch? Woe to America where women are let free like men”