A Patriarchal World Essay -- essays papers

A old populaceJohn Bodnar says it well when he suggests that the center of everyday spirit was to be found in the family-household. It was here that past values and record realities were reconciled, examined on an intelligible scale, evaluated and mediated. This assertion implies that the immigrant family-household is the vehicle of assimilation. I will stupefy this assertion a step further and examine more specifically the powerful role of the antiquated father within Anzia Yezierskas book net Givers and Barry Levinsons film Avalon. Yezierskas theme vividly depicts the constraint of a patriarchal world, date Levinson illustrates the process of assimilation and the immigrant, now American, family and its decline. In this paper, I will symbolize how the patriarchal father, Sam Kochinsky (Armin Mueller-Stahl) and Reb Smolinsky are the key determinant of the kinetics by which the family assimilates.In assimilation, you are said to conform to your surroundings. Assimilatio n is a process by which you reconcile the ideal with reality. Dealing with virtually triple generations of an entire Jewish American immigrant experience, Levinson illustrates not necessarily the merging of 2 cultures, but possibly the tainting of legitimacy, clouding (memories of) the familiar-the villain being the television. The happy confederacy of extended family is, in the end, supplanted by the glowing idiot box that kills colloquy and turns its suburban audience into zombies. In Yezierskas work, she epitomizes the struggle between the old(a) World and the New World. The patriarchal father, representing traditional Jewish ways, and Sara Smolinsky, the heroine, struggling against her father with the liking to reconcile with reality. In Bread Givers, Yezierska symbolically depicts Sara as the immigrant parting her ways as she embarks anew on the journey that was given to her when she arrived by which to diversify her life-dealing with the daily transformation as s he struggles to hold together the wants of society and her (families) authenticity in these days of deep troubles. The head of the family, Reb Smolinsky is an immovably Jewish-Orthodox Jewish rabbi, who lives by the Holy Torah, and expects his family to do the same. His reign over the family reinforces Old World, traditional values and beliefs. Reb holds to the Torah belief that if they women let... ...ggested an adaptation in the hopes that Jules would evidently have a better life than that of a wallpaper-hanger. In put television in place a New World, Levinson portrays how a cheap, gaudy, slimy substitute somehow seduced and enraptured the family. Perhaps Levinson is saying that although it may be the easier to converge, assimilation is too costly. On the other hand, you have Reb whose cross-grained beliefs and male superiority coupled with a passive wife release him to claim control over his daughters lives. Resentment is quite damaging and separates families as wel l. Either way you look at it the outlook is favorable for incomplete assimilation nor isolation. And so I conclude in saying that the patriarchal father has an especially important role and while he of necessity the strength found in Yezierskas character, Reb, (in order to hold the family together) he must also be willing to adapt to a changing reality. immigration is neither a call for assimilation nor isolation. Individuality is important, but wherefore resist change when you can better yourself in the process.BibliographyLevinson, Barry. Avalon. 1990.Yesierska, Anzia. Bread Givers. genus Persea Books New York, 1999.