Anzia Yezierska's Bread Givers

Bread Givers

Anzia Yezierska's Bread Givers boldly asks why certain social and religious traditions continue throughout the centuries without the slightest consideration for an individual's interests or desires. It attacks several social norms of both her traditional Polish homeland and the American life she has come to know. Being brought up Jewish, Sara was exposed to a life dominated by patriarchal control; when she came to New York, she found that her gender would stand in her way of seeking out the American Dream. Ignoring social barriers, Sara’s mother encouraged her to break free from the norm, and make something of herself.

Many immigrants have come, and still do come to the United States in search for the American Dream, but what exactly is it? The American Dream has come to signify individual goals and lifestyles for each citizen; while one person might believe the American Dream is a home with a white picket fence, another might think it is financial prosperity and their own business. Clearly, there is no cut and dry definition of the American Dream as long as any two people hold a different meaning. What it does universally represent, however, is the opportunity for people like Sara to seek out their individual and collective desires under a political umbrella of democracy.

Coming to the United States because of the oppression taking place in Poland, Sara's family may have believed that America’s streets were paved with gold, and opportunities led to lifelong prosperity, however, none of them found out for themselves. Rather, they were happy scraping out a meager living just to have adequate food on the table and a roof over their heads. Sara did not agree with this, she realized early that she would have to work much harder if she was to make something of herself, a sacrifice she was more than willing to make if it meant establishing a life of her own.

Sara's experiences during her migration to the United States mirrors those of others like her, who were looking for a better life than the one they left behind. Held back by frequent struggles and frustration, the life of an immigrant was also a source of happiness and celebration for those who found their ultimate dream in America. Addressing such questions as why did people come to seek a new life in the United States, what were their expectations and did they change after they arrived, as well as how do autobiographies help society to understand historical issues surrounding immigration, Yezierska effectively resolves such details with her insightful account.

Bread Givers reflects a time of drastic change, both within Sara's personal life as well as in the lives of her family. The author's account of the American Dream was not as beautiful as she had hoped, her reality was in a constant state of chaos lacking discipline. By this, Yezierska became quickly disillusioned with American capitalistic customs and habits, stating that they were at the root of social demise. However, this was not the case for the majority of immigrants from that period. Eager to leave behind social oppression, gender discrimination and seek a significantly more prosperous existence,