Alexis Arroyo – April 28, 2017
Introduction: Geography as Truth-Teller
Anzia Yezierska’s writings captivate her audience not only because of their artistic merit but also because what they leave out– the truth. This has led many of her critics to ask: How autobiographical are her works?[1] Even her autobiography, Red Ribbon on a White Horse (1950), is generally considered to lack credibility regarding its potential insight into the author’s life.[2] However, by contextualizing the geography of Yezierska’s life and one of her most autobiographical[3] novels Bread Givers (1923), one can better understand both Anzia Yezierska as a writer and as a narrator.
Freedom Through Learning: A Brief Summary of Anzia Yezierska’s Life
In 1882,[4] Anzia Yezierska was born to her parents, Baruch (Bernard) and Pearl, in Plinsk, Russian Poland.[5] Yezierska was the youngest of nine children.[6] She and her family migrated to the United States, through Ellis Island,[7] around 1890. Throughout the 1890s, about 100,000 Eastern European Jews migrated to the United States annually.[8] Anzia Yezierska and her family settled in a tenement in the Lower East Side.[9] According to The Tenement Museum’s website, an organization dedicated to preserving the history of the communities of New York City’s Lower East Side Tenements, these buildings were cramped.[10] Simply put, it was normal “for a family of ten to live in a 325-square foot apartment.”[11]
Yezierska’s family, like many others in the Lower East Side, struggled economically. Her Orthodox Jewish parents, particularly her father who was a Talmudic scholar,[12] believed that Yezierska’s role in the family was to be a “bread giver” as she was only enrolled for a couple of years in elementary school before working in sweatshops.[13] Meanwhile, Yezierska’s brothers were encouraged by her parents to get a college education.[14]
In order to actualize her own education goals, Anzia Yezierska had to leave home. As a teenager, she lived and studied at the Clara de Hirsch Home for Working Girls, “a residential trade school for young immigrant Eastern European Jews.”[15] Girls who lived in this home were referred by a variety of both non-Jewish and Jewish groups including the National Council of Jewish Women, the Board of Education, and the Hebrew Sheltering Guardian Society.[16] The home, ran by “uptown” German Jews, was located at 225 East 63rd Street in Manhattan.[17] Eventually, the Home’s patrons awarded Yezierska a full-ride scholarship to Teachers College, Columbia University’s[18] domestic science teacher program.[19] Anzia Yezierska graduated from Columbia in 1905 and started teaching elementary school in 1908.[20] In 1913, Anzia Yezierska became a writer.[21]
Figure 1 Inside the Clara de Hirsch Home for Working Girls. Source: https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/clara-de-hirsch-home-for-working-girls
Anzia Yezierska’s works were greatly influenced by the Lower East Side. The first book she published, Hungry Hearts (1920), was a selection of short stories about this community.[22] One of the most important protagonists of the stories, Shenah Pessah, embodies Yezierska’s fixation with depicting “realistic scenes of Ghetto life” and the role of Americanization in escape said scenes of life in the Lower East Side ghettos.[23] These themes are most evident in her autobiographical novel, Bread Givers (1923). The following YouTube video, a discussion about Bread Givers at The Tenement Museum underscores her writing’s central themes, metaphors, and autobiographical nature.
Cultivating Success: The Lower East Side’s Role in Sara Smolinsky’s Success in Bread Givers (1923)
Protagonist Sara Smolinsky deals with many internal conflicts: She has to choose between being a part of the Old World or the New World, as well as between the Eastern European Jewish tradition of her parents or the new opportunity of America.[24] Anzia Yezierska’s Bread Givers utilizes the Lower East Side to show Sara Smolinsky’s family’s geographical and cultural displacement in visible terms. Thus, the setting is important in understanding how Sara Smolinsky perceives the world and how these conflicts arise.
Figure 2 Jacob A. Riis’s Talmud School in a Hester Street Tenement, (1888 – 95). Source: https://www.moma.org/collection/works/51377?locale=en
Sara is the youngest of Rabbi Smolinsky’s three daughters and lives on Hester Street with her family. The novel starts off with a ten-year-old peddling leftover herring in order to provide for her family, after her mother is unable to gain any more credit from a local shopkeeper.[25] The reader is immediately drawn into the vibrancy and chaos of Hester Street, as the young Sara Smolinsky remembers,
My voice was like dynamite. Louder than all the pushcart peddlers, louder than all the hollering noises of bargaining and selling, I cried out my herring with all the burning fire of my ten old years.[26]
Hester Street was the central nexus between all facets of Jewish life in the Lower East Side during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It was where the five-cent and ten-cent shops (where Smolinsky’s family bought a variety of goods)[27] and other Jewish businesses were located.[28] Photographer Jacob A. Riis brought mainstream attention to Hester Street’s urban poverty in his photograph, “Talmud School in a Hester Street Tenement” (1888-9). This photo captures both the economic struggles and the Jewish culture and religion that existed in a tenement just like the ones in which Anzia Yezierska and Sara Smolinsky grew up. The hustle and bustle of Hester Street contradicted the Old World piety that Reb Smolinsky imposed on his wife, Shenah, and daughters, Bessie, Mashah, and Sara.
Figure 3 “A Scene in the ghetto, Hester Street” Source: http://hdl.loc.gov.loc.pnp/ds.10253
From an early age, Reb Smolinsky told Sara that the women of his family needed to take care of him in order to gain a spot in Heaven.[29] While the women in her family were risking their wellbeing for jobs at sweatshops, Sara witnessed her father existing comfortably in his constant Talmudic studies. Sara resents her father’s stubbornness to assimilate to the American ways of living (viz. getting a job) and begins to pull away from his domineering influence, particularly when he imposes on the love lives of her two older sisters, Mashah and Bessie.
The Lower East Side begins to represent an environment that fosters resilience, and eventually success, for Sara Smolinsky. She has been gone for some time from Hester Street before returning, living with just her parents as her older sisters are now married, in Elizabeth, New Jersey. This prompt relocation occurs because Reb Smolinsky buys a half-empty grocery store with all of their family’s savings.[30] When returning to the Lower East Side, Sara hustles from dawn to dusk; she works as a seamstress in a dangerous sweatshop,[31] takes night classes,[32] and deals with all of the planning and budgeting that constitutes independence. This independence fosters a sense of isolation within Sara, as she is in between the Old World and the New World, and her expectations of being free in American society are checked by reality. This reality check comes most harshly when she is attending college and once again is away from the Lower East Side.
When once again returning to the Lower East Side with a teaching job at hand, Sara introduces a more glamorous, indulgent side of the Lower East Side. In a way, the Lower East Side and the way we view it changes simultaneously with the way Sara’s character develops socioeconomically and independently. Now, Sara frequents jazz concerts in the park,[33] attends Board of Education meetings,[34] and goes to the Grand Street Theatre—all things her Old World father would despise.[35] There is much written on this website about the historic Grand Theatre as it was a pinnacle of Jewish culture at the turn of the 20th century.[36] Meanwhile, Sara’s parents have returned to Hester Street.[37]
A formative relationship helps Sara understand the role of the Lower East Side in her personal development towards the end of the Bread Givers. Sara finally meets Hugo Seelig, a Jewish-American man with a similar assimilation narrative, including this Lower East Side context. Hugo helps Sara understand her internal conflicts; she eventually is able to mediate between her two worlds, the Old and the New, by forming a relationship with her father towards the end of the novel. The Lower East Side, as a character, also facilitates Sara’s mediation between her Father’s Old World and her American New One as well—it is a space that Hugo also understands and therefore makes Sara feel comfortable in her own skin.
Lower East Side: Space or Character?
The Lower East Side was just another fictionalized character in Yezierska’s most renowned autobiographical novel, Bread Givers. After being unable to locate several places that she mentions in the novel, I argue the idea that these places are actually based on real-life institutions. There are two main examples: the Ghetto News[38] and Orloff’s Café.[39] The newspaper that Reb Smolinsky advertises his matchmaking services in, Ghetto News, is no doubt supposed to a fictionalized version of The Forward. The Forward was not only a news source but also a cultural publication during this time period and would have eagerly posted an ad like Reb Smolinsky’s.[40] The fancy restaurant that Sara eats at with her beau, Hugo Seeling, Orloff’s Café on East Broadway, seems to resemble the now-closed Garden Cafeteria. Located on the corner of Rutgers and Broadway, the Garden Cafeteria “earned some of its flair from proximity to The Forward newspaper”[41] and was “also the eatery of choice for many circles aside from the Jewish intelligentsia.”[42] Even more compelling about the Lower East Side’s Character is that we may never be able to map it, and thus see the actual truth about the way Yezierska’s experienced the Lower East Side. However, her emotional attachment to this community is clear. Yezierska treats the Lower East Side as a constant in the life of Sara Smolinsky, in which Smolinsky can be challenged, reflective, successful, and most importantly, be herself.
Works Cited:
Drucker, Sally Ann. “Anzia Yezierska (1881? – 1970). Georgetown University. (Viewed on April 27, 2017). <http://faculty.georgetown.edu/bassr/heath/syllabuild/iguide/yeziersk.html>.
Erens, Patricia Brett. “Anzia Yezierska.” Women’s Film Pioneers Project. (Viewed on April 27, 2017) https://wfpp.cdrs.columbia.edu/pioneer/ccp-anzia-yezierska/.
Friedman, Reena Sigman. “Clara De Hirsch Home for Working Girls.” Jewish Women: A Comprehensive Historical Encyclopedia. 1 March 2009. Jewish Women’s Archive. (Viewed on April 27, 2017) <https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/clara-de-hirsch-home-for-working-girls>.
Horowitz, Sara R.. “Anzia Yezierska.” Jewish Women: A Comprehensive Historical Encyclopedia. 20 March 2009. Jewish Women’s Archive. (Viewed on April 27, 2017) https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/yezierska-anzia.
Jewish Women’s Archive. “Introduction: The life and stories of Anzia Yezierska.” (Viewed on April 27, 2017) https://jwa.org/article/introduction-life-and-stories-of-anzia-yezierska.
Lauter, Paul. “Anzia Yezierska: (1881?-1970).” In The Heath Anthology of American Literature, 5th Ed. Edited by Paul Lauter. Viewed on April 27, 2017. https://college.cengage.com/english/lauter/heath/4e/students/author_pages/modern/yezierska_an.html.
Library of Congress. “Lower East Side.” (Viewed on April 27, 2017). https://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/presentations/imigration/polish6.html.
Mapping Yiddish New York. “The Grand History of The Grand Street Theatre.” (Viewed on April 27, 2017) https://myny.ccnmtl.columbia.edu/content/grand-history-grand-street-theatre.
Tenement Museum. “103 Orchard: Our Story. Your Story.” Viewed on April 27, 2017. http://103orchard.tenement.org/stories/103-orchard/.
The Municipal Art Society of New York. “Garden Cafeteria, A Place That Matters.” (Viewed on April 27, 2017) https://www.mas.org/garden-cafeteria-a-place-that-matters/.
Yezierska, Anzia, and Alice Kessler-Harris. Bread Givers: A Novel. (New York: Persea Books, 2003).
Footnotes:
[1] Horowitz, Sara R.. “Anzia Yezierska.” Jewish Women: A Comprehensive Historical Encyclopedia. 20 March 2009. Jewish Women’s Archive. (Viewed on April 27, 2017) https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/yezierska-anzia.
[2] Horowitz, Sara R.. “Anzia Yezierska.” Jewish Women: A Comprehensive Historical Encyclopedia. 20 March 2009. Jewish Women’s Archive. (Viewed on April 27, 2017) https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/yezierska-anzia.
[3] Horowitz, Sara R.. “Anzia Yezierska.” Jewish Women: A Comprehensive Historical Encyclopedia. 20 March 2009. Jewish Women’s Archive. (Viewed on April 27, 2017) https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/yezierska-anzia.
[4] Yezierska, Anzia, and Alice Kessler-Harris. Bread Givers: A Novel. (New York: Persea Books, 2003), xxiii.
[5] Horowitz, Sara R.. “Anzia Yezierska.” Jewish Women: A Comprehensive Historical Encyclopedia. 20 March 2009. Jewish Women’s Archive. (Viewed on April 27, 2017) https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/yezierska-anzia.
[6] Erens, Patricia Brett. “Anzia Yezierska.” Women’s Film Pioneers Project. (Viewed on April 27, 2017) https://wfpp.cdrs.columbia.edu/pioneer/ccp-anzia-yezierska/.
[7] Jewish Women’s Archive. “Introduction: The life and stories of Anzia Yezierska.” (Viewed on April 27, 2017) https://jwa.org/article/introduction-life-and-stories-of-anzia-yezierska.
[8] Yezierska, Anzia, and Alice Kessler-Harris. Bread Givers: A Novel. (New York: Persea Books, 2003), xxiii.
[9] Horowitz, Sara R.. “Anzia Yezierska.” Jewish Women: A Comprehensive Historical Encyclopedia. 20 March 2009. Jewish Women’s Archive. (Viewed on April 27, 2017) https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/yezierska-anzia
[10] Tenement Museum. “103 Orchard: Our Story. Your Story.” Viewed on April 27, 2017. http://103orchard.tenement.org/stories/103-orchard/.
[11] Tenement Museum. “103 Orchard: Our Story. Your Story.” Viewed on April 27, 2017. http://103orchard.tenement.org/stories/103-orchard/.
[12] Horowitz, Sara R.. “Anzia Yezierska.” Jewish Women: A Comprehensive Historical Encyclopedia. 20 March 2009. Jewish Women’s Archive. (Viewed on April 27, 2017) https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/yezierska-anzia.
[13] Jewish Women’s Archive. “Introduction: The life and stories of Anzia Yezierska.” (Viewed on April 27, 2017 https://jwa.org/article/introduction-life-and-stories-of-anzia-yezierska.
[14] Ibid.
[15] Ibid.
[16] Friedman, Reena Sigman. “Clara De Hirsch Home for Working Girls.” Jewish Women: A Comprehensive Historical Encyclopedia. 1 March 2009. Jewish Women’s Archive. (Viewed on April 27, 2017) https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/clara-de-hirsch-home-for-working-girls.
[17] Ibid.
[18] Jewish Women’s Archive. “Introduction: The life and stories of Anzia Yezierska.” (Viewed on April 27, 2017 https://jwa.org/article/introduction-life-and-stories-of-anzia-yezierska.
[19] Lauter, Paul. “Anzia Yezierska: (1881?-1970).” In The Heath Anthology of American Literature, 5th Ed. Edited by Paul Lauter. Viewed on April 27, 2017. https://college.cengage.com/english/lauter/heath/4e/students/author_pages/modern/yezierska_an.html.
[20] Horowitz, Sara R.. “Anzia Yezierska.” Jewish Women: A Comprehensive Historical Encyclopedia. 20 March 2009. Jewish Women’s Archive. (Viewed on April 27, 2017) https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/yezierska-anzia.
[21] Horowitz, Sara R.. “Anzia Yezierska.” Jewish Women: A Comprehensive Historical Encyclopedia. 20 March 2009. Jewish Women’s Archive. (Viewed on April 27, 2017) https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/yezierska-anzia.
[22] My Jewish Learning. “Anzia Yezierska.” (Viewed on April 27, 2017).
[23] Drucker, Sally Ann. “Anzia Yezierska (1881? – 1970). Georgetown University. (Viewed on April 27, 2017). http://faculty.georgetown.edu/bassr/heath/syllabuild/iguide/yeziersk.html.
[24] Drucker, Sally Ann. “Anzia Yezierska (1881? – 1970). Georgetown University. (Viewed on April 27, 2017). http://faculty.georgetown.edu/bassr/heath/syllabuild/iguide/yeziersk.html.
[25] Yezierska, Anzia, and Alice Kessler-Harris. Bread Givers: A Novel. New York: Persea Books. p. 7.
[26] Yezierska, Anzia, and Alice Kessler-Harris. Bread Givers: A Novel. New York: Persea Books. p. 21.
[27] Yezierska, Anzia, and Alice Kessler-Harris. Bread Givers: A Novel. New York: Persea Books. p. 6.
[28] Library of Congress. “Lower East Side.” (Viewed on April 27, 2017). https://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/presentations/imigration/polish6.html.
[29] Yezierska, Anzia, and Alice Kessler-Harris. Bread Givers: A Novel. (New York: Persea Books, 2003), 9, 11-12.
[30] Yezierska, Anzia, and Alice Kessler-Harris. Bread Givers: A Novel. (New York: Persea Books, 2003), 111-119.
[31] Yezierska, Anzia, and Alice Kessler-Harris. Bread Givers: A Novel. (New York: Persea Books, 2003), 160.
[32] Yezierska, Anzia, and Alice Kessler-Harris. Bread Givers: A Novel. (New York: Persea Books, 2003), 162.
[33] Yezierska, Anzia, and Alice Kessler-Harris. Bread Givers: A Novel. (New York: Persea Books, 2003), 193.
[34] Yezierska, Anzia, and Alice Kessler-Harris. Bread Givers: A Novel. (New York: Persea Books, 2003), 283.
[35] Yezierska, Anzia, and Alice Kessler-Harris. Bread Givers: A Novel. (New York: Persea Books, 2003), 195.
[36] See Mapping Yiddish New York. “The Grand History of The Grand Street Theatre.” (Viewed on April 27, 2017) https://myny.ccnmtl.columbia.edu/content/grand-history-grand-street-theatre.
[37] Yezierska, Anzia, and Alice Kessler-Harris. Bread Givers: A Novel. (New York: Persea Books, 2003), 242.
[38] Yezierska, Anzia, and Alice Kessler-Harris. Bread Givers: A Novel. (New York: Persea Books, 2003), 93.
[39] Yezierska, Anzia, and Alice Kessler-Harris. Bread Givers: A Novel. (New York: Persea Books, 2003), 283.
[40] Yezierska, Anzia, and Alice Kessler-Harris. Bread Givers: A Novel. (New York: Persea Books, 2003), 91.
[41] The Municipal Art Society of New York. “Garden Cafeteria, A Place That Matters.” (Viewed on April 27, 2017) https://www.mas.org/garden-cafeteria-a-place-that-matters/.
[42] The Municipal Art Society of New York. “Garden Cafeteria, A Place That Matters.” (Viewed on April 27, 2017) https://www.mas.org/garden-cafeteria-a-place-that-matters/.
