Bread Givers

Bread Givers The book, Bread Givers is a novel written by Anzia Yezierska following the lives of woman who have to go through struggle because of new tradition verses old tradition. In the book I found that there are several themes within the book Bread Givers. Woman Rights, being one of them, seem to be an issue throughout the book. This book revolves around the lives of woman in a household on Hester Street in New York City. In the 1920’s times were not easiest for immigrants. In this book there are four girls and a mother who live under the roof of their father.

The father, who goes by the name of Reb Smolinsky does not exactly comprehends his true place in the United States, or understand the culture. There was a scene that explicates that very well. In the book Bead Givers father got mad at the rent lady who was nagging the family about paying their rent and got himself arrested. He was then called the “speaking mouth of the block”. As the book Bread Givers goes on the father continues to give the woman hard time, and they happen to be his own wife and his own four daughters. The mother of the house is Shena Smolinsky. For a long time she had to put up with her husband’s beliefs.

She really does not like how he just studies the bibles all day, preaches to the family, does not work, and makes her and their children go out for the work. All the wages made go straight to the father. Shena Smolinsky also treats her husband like gold, and that is the way he likes it. At the dinner table, with already not very much food, she gives her husband all at fat. The women suffer the most because they are the house that cook, clean, and work. A scene from the book Bread Givers where she tells her girls the story of her life back home and how good it was.

And how she thought she really fell in love with their father, and how he doesn’t understand the true meaning of marriage. Most of the book Bread Givers revolves around men and woman. All the daughters find someone they truly love until their father pushes them away. The first daughter who fell in love was Mashah Smolinsky. Mashah was the daughter who was into herself. She dressed the nicest, never really cleaned, and all the money she worked for was really just for her. Boys liked her a lot. Mashah fell in love with Jacob Novak who enjoyed music as much as Mashah did. Mashah started changing her ways after she met Jacob.

She started cleaning around the house more and cooking. She was a really happy girl. When Jacob met her father, things changed from there. Jacob’s father comes in town for Jacob’s piano concert and does not like the choice Jacob has made with the girl he loves. His father thought the family was to poor. Jacob’s concert went on and Mashah had yet to hear from him. She went up to the gates of his performances since she did not have the money for a ticket to get in. She heard him play and ran back home. She was so hurt and never was able to feel or care about anything again.

Bessie, who is another daughter, falls in love with Berel Berenstein. He was a man who had plans. He wanted to open up his own shop, and wanted Bessie to be by his side and help him. He strongly felt that Bessie was the perfect girl that would help him is successful. When he was brought to the house to be met by her father the father did not like the idea he wouldn’t get paid and lose the wages of his girl Bessie. Berel walks out because he feels that Bessie’s father beliefs are not right. Berel just strongly feels that times have changed and does not like how Bessie’s father feels towards him.

Reb Smolinsky pushed all the boys who loved their daughters away, as well as Fania. Reb decided to pick out the men for their daughters at a matchmakers place. The guys he brought home were not what the girls wanted. The girls just had to deal with it because in reality they really didn’t have a choice. Mashah got stuck with a guy who lied about all his diamonds. He goes by the name Moe. Reb thinks he is putting his daughters with the best men ever. Later on in the book you find out that Moe lost his job after he gave her everything in the jewelry store. He lies and abused Mashah.

Abe Schmukler is the man that Reb picks out for his daughter Fania. Abe is a cloaks and suits dealer and is really into his money. After they get married they move away to California. At first Fania wanted to move away it was her chance to get away from home because at that time that’s all she wanted. Fania later realizes that Abe is a gambler who goes out almost every night. It makes Fania want to come back home because she rather live poor then be with a man like that. Father did not want her to come home because then everyone would see his mistake. Bessie got stuck with the fish peddler who already had a son.

This was another man who Reb Smolinsky picked out. She had no choice she had to stay home with her father, or run away from the hectic life she lived at home. Her father did not want to let her go because of her wages, just like the rest of the girls. She felt if she ran away she wouldn’t be able to support herself. The reasons I picked woman rights for the theme of this book is because Reb Smolinsky treated his girls like slaves. They did not have the same right as the men did. The woman had to cook, clean, and work while the father sat at home. The woman had no choice in choosing a husband.

They also could not leave their home because of their father. Another thing that caught my eye while reading the book Bread Givers was the way Reb Smolinsky talked to his daughters. Reb would say things like “Woman! Stay in your place! ”, “Either you listen to what I say, or out you go of this house! ”, “old maid”, and “empty head”. Those choice of words to woman, let alone is own daughters was there rude. Now-a-days, woman can be stay at home moms, work, clean and the men can help to. Woman are also stronger headed and would feel disrespected if they were ever talked to like Reb talked to the females in his life.