Timidity In Melanie Crowder's Audacity
As Mahatma Gandhi once said, “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” During the World War II time period, many Russian immigrants were forced from their homes and propelled into a new life. The Lemlich family in the novel, Audacity, by Melanie Crowder, is a prime example of a Russian family going through this hardship. One of the Lemlich’s children, Clara is initially a meek voiceless girl, but she transforms into a brave fearless woman throughout her immigration to America. Clara has stumbled upon many problems on journeying, arriving, and working in America. Therefore, she experiences immense waves of emotion; such as timidity, enragement and finally resolution. Timidity plays a big part in the first portion of the novel, which takes place in Russia, back in the Leimlich’s shtetl. Clara Lemlich seems to be nothing more than a timid young girl working in her family's kosher shop, but she proves to be more than what meets the eye. Clara is full of aspiration and yearns for an education, but she learns to keep these hopes and dreams to herself due to her
…show more content…
severely stern parents. On page 14, Clara expresses her longings: “How can I tell Mama who toils sunup to sundown to be a good mother a good wife that this life (her life) is not enough for me, that I dream instead of words, ideas a life that stretches far beyond the bounds of this shtetl?” Clara seems torn between disappointing her beloved parents, and showing them who she really is, but most importantly who she wants to be. The severity of her parents' beliefs continues in the story when Clara has to sneak into the woods just to be able to read a few lines from a book. They seem to believe that a girl like Clara doesn’t need an education, instead she needs how to cook, clean and work at their family shop. Even with her brilliant and curious mind being suppressed, Clara eventually breaks out of her cocoon and really shows the world her true colors.
After viewing the horrors of sweatshop abuse, Clara Lemlich was simply enraged. Her rights and the rights of other working women in sweatshops are being denied, whether it is because they are being overworked, not receiving pay, or suffering from excruciating injuries. It was not right, but what could a small Russian girl do? “ There is no reason for them to work us so hard, to strip our dignity from us. In this country where all are free to speak their minds, it is becoming difficult, to say nothing.” (pg. 179) Clara witnesses this injustice and unites with the labor union to help fight. “I have only been in this country for two years, but quickly I learned you have to fight for what you want, you have to take what you need.”(Pg. 236) Overtime Clara accepts this built-up anger and transforms it into inspiration and power to fight.
After going through the stages of being timid and enraged, Clara finally finds her voice and her power.
She decided to dedicate her life to fight against this inhumanity. Her ambition to be a doctor is put on hold while she strike and fights women’s equality. The long hours of working in the sweatshop are replaced with rallies, strikes, and even a period of time spent in jail. Despite being violently battered by men 3 times her size and then detained, Clara managed to persevere through it all. Clara describes the brutality of the gorillas by saying “‘Stand fast girls! I shout.’ That is all I can get out before I am driven to my knees by a fist on the gut. I am gasping to draw a single breath- I do not even feel the blows to my chin and cheek all I can think is ‘I can not breath’.” (pg.343) Without courageous women to fight for our rights like Clara who knows what our world would be like
now?
Clara advances through stages of timidity, enragement, and resolution. As Frederick Douglass once said “Without a struggle, there can be no process.” This applies to Clara’s situation because there are times where she could have easily thrown in the towel or just quit and given in like every other working woman. What makes her story stand out is that she does not give up; she keeps fighting for what she believes in and eventually she wins this “war”. In the end, Clara’s struggle only made her stronger. Who knows what our world would be like now without strong women like Clara to fight for women’s equality?
severely stern parents. On page 14, Clara expresses her longings: “How can I tell Mama who toils sunup to sundown to be a good mother a good wife that this life (her life) is not enough for me, that I dream instead of words, ideas a life that stretches far beyond the bounds of this shtetl?” Clara seems torn between disappointing her beloved parents, and showing them who she really is, but most importantly who she wants to be. The severity of her parents' beliefs continues in the story when Clara has to sneak into the woods just to be able to read a few lines from a book. They seem to believe that a girl like Clara doesn’t need an education, instead she needs how to cook, clean and work at their family shop. Even with her brilliant and curious mind being suppressed, Clara eventually breaks out of her cocoon and really shows the world her true colors.
After viewing the horrors of sweatshop abuse, Clara Lemlich was simply enraged. Her rights and the rights of other working women in sweatshops are being denied, whether it is because they are being overworked, not receiving pay, or suffering from excruciating injuries. It was not right, but what could a small Russian girl do? “ There is no reason for them to work us so hard, to strip our dignity from us. In this country where all are free to speak their minds, it is becoming difficult, to say nothing.” (pg. 179) Clara witnesses this injustice and unites with the labor union to help fight. “I have only been in this country for two years, but quickly I learned you have to fight for what you want, you have to take what you need.”(Pg. 236) Overtime Clara accepts this built-up anger and transforms it into inspiration and power to fight.
After going through the stages of being timid and enraged, Clara finally finds her voice and her power.
She decided to dedicate her life to fight against this inhumanity. Her ambition to be a doctor is put on hold while she strike and fights women’s equality. The long hours of working in the sweatshop are replaced with rallies, strikes, and even a period of time spent in jail. Despite being violently battered by men 3 times her size and then detained, Clara managed to persevere through it all. Clara describes the brutality of the gorillas by saying “‘Stand fast girls! I shout.’ That is all I can get out before I am driven to my knees by a fist on the gut. I am gasping to draw a single breath- I do not even feel the blows to my chin and cheek all I can think is ‘I can not breath’.” (pg.343) Without courageous women to fight for our rights like Clara who knows what our world would be like
now?
Clara advances through stages of timidity, enragement, and resolution. As Frederick Douglass once said “Without a struggle, there can be no process.” This applies to Clara’s situation because there are times where she could have easily thrown in the towel or just quit and given in like every other working woman. What makes her story stand out is that she does not give up; she keeps fighting for what she believes in and eventually she wins this “war”. In the end, Clara’s struggle only made her stronger. Who knows what our world would be like now without strong women like Clara to fight for women’s equality?