Immigrant Reality Exposed in Bread Givers Essay - 3294 Words

Immigrant Reality Exposed in Bread Givers For thousands of years people have left their home country in search of a land of milk and honey. Immigrants today still equate the country they are immigrating to with the Promised Land or the land of milk and honey. While many times this Promised Land dream comes true, other times the reality is much different than the dream. Immigration is not always a perfect journey. There are many reasons why families immigrate and there are perception differences about immigration and the New World that create difficulties and often separate generations in the immigrating family. Anzia Yezierska creates an immigration story based on a Jewish family that is less than ideal. Yezierska’s text is a†¦show more content†¦When the family is packing to come to America, Mr. Smolinsky discourages his wife from bringing her dishes by telling her that, in the new golden country, where milk and honey flows free in the streets, you’ll have new golden dishes to cook in, and not weigh y ourself down with your old pots and pans (9). He has an incredibly unrealistic picture of America. He even believes all America will come to my feet to learn (9). Mr. Smolinsky expects, like many immigrants, that in America he will not have to do anything, he will simply be rich. Unfortunately, his dream is quickly shattered once in the United States. The Smolinsky family soon discovers the difficulties that come with being immigrants in America. Discrimination is one such problem. The family lives in an apartment building and they encounter discrimination from the rent collector. The Smolinskys, because of financial problems, cannot pay the rent regularly and when the landlady shows up on their doorstep, she is upset and says, The cheek of those dirty immigrants! A fool I was, giving them a chance another month (17). These words are a far cry from the father’s expectation that all America will come to my feet to learn (9). Discrimination is certainly not what the family expects upon their arrival in America. They expect a welcome with open arms and what they receive is just the opposite. The Smolinsky parents come to America with Old World ideals ingrained into them. They do not take intoShow MoreRelatedHistory of Social Work18530 Words   |  75 Pageshome is established, and children under 6 are placed with families. Many private entrepreneurs are replaced by municipal employees as managers of the remaining workhouses. Speemhamland system establishes earliest poverty line based on the price of bread and number of dependents in a workers family; subsidization provided when wages dipped below the poverty line. 1800 -1900 1600-1800 Social Work during 1800 -1900 A.D. 1800-1900 1800s Reforms to Elizabethan Poor Laws. Denigrating principles