The Influence Of Tradition In Fiddler On The Roof

In the movie, Fiddler on the Roof, one of the main characters, Tevye, begins with a song about tradition. He says because of his tradition he is the master of his house and must take care of his wife and children. Not only does he sing about tradition, but he lives them. His whole community is based on tradition. They learn how to run things, how to discipline, how to work and live based on tradition. They know their schedule every day of the week, month, and holiday. They know where they will be and when because their Jewish and work traditions keep them on a tight schedule.
The master of the house isn’t just a man who controls his family, it’s a person who must work hard to provide for his wife and children. He must make sure everything is in order. If there is something wrong with the house or community, he works and fights to fix it. This isn’t a law or demand by anyone, it’s just a tradition. Tevye’s father and his father before him followed this and because of it, they are what they are. The men always led the work load so Tevye took it over and became a dairyman as well. Golde’s family, Tevye’s wife, had a tradition, like most families, of marrying their daughter off to a richer man. Although Tevye wasn’t the richest in town it is mostly
likely the best she could do. Family is just one of many traditions that the people of Anatevka follow.
His family lifestyle may be based on tradition, but so his community life.
In the movie, when his horse’s foot first becomes lame, we watch as Tevye goes into town to sell his milk right before the Sabbath. Because of the tradition that Tevye built, the people waiting for their milk were concerned when he didn’t show up at the same time as he has been doing for years. Tevye knew the exact amount to give them and they knew the exact amount to pay. Even the beggar knew the tradition that he will beg, and they will serve. He went to Tevye, and before even trying very hard, Tevye poured him some milk for Shabbat. They knew what to do, when, and how to do it because they have been following that tradition for most of their
lives.
But it’s not just where to get their milk from, it’s where to be during their long days. Tevye’s daughters know when their mother needs them to go into town to buy certain items. Golde knows what, and how to cook what she needs. She most likely cooks meals for her family that have been past down from her ancestors. Golde has made it a tradition to eat that certain item on a certain day. For example, she eats her kosher, family recipe turkey every thanksgiving. It’s all tradition. At night where they go, what they do, who they talk to.
Even in our modern day, everything we do is tradition. It’s something that our parents did and that we now do. We go to school, eat family recipes, and pray when we should. Tevye takes his father’s job and becomes a dairyman, while Golde joins the family to take care of the daily chores and the people themselves. The children go to the market for their parents and work for their fathers. All of the things they do, they do because of tradition, because it’s what they grew up with, what makes sense. Tradition will stay tradition until someone breaks it but until then, life will continue to the same.