Bound by Ci cums ances: Explo ing Social De e minism
in Anzia Yezie ska’s Na u alis ic B ead Gi e s
Iza o A asa e Rios
Deg ee in English S udies
Depa men o English and Ge man Philology and T ansla ion and
In e p e ing
Ins uc o : Maja Daniel
Academic yea : 2023-2024
Abs ac
Li e a y na u alism aims o depic li e wi h ha sh ealism, emphasizing he
in luence o en i onmen al and social ci cums ances on human beha io . Na u alis ic
wo ks o en highligh he s uggles and ad e si ies aced by he lowe classes wi hou
oman icizing hem. In luenced by scien i ic heo ies like Da winism, na u alism
sugges s ha people’s ac ions a e de e mined by ac o s beyond hei con ol, such as
biological and social condi ions. Wi h a pessimis ic pe spec i e and an objec i e
na a i e one, na u alis ic li e a u e e eals he powe ul ex e nal o ces ha de e mine
human a e. Anzia Yezie ska’s B ead Gi e s exempli ies his app oach, po aying he
s uggles o Jewish immig an amilies in ea ly wen ie h-cen u y Ame ica. This hesis
explo es how la ge social o ces, including po e y, immig a ion, and social
expec a ions, shape he des inies o cha ac e s in B ead Gi e s. I a gues ha social
de e minism is a cen al heme in he no el, examining he impac o hese o ces on he
cha ac e s’ oppo uni ies, choices, and ou comes.
The s udy begins wi h an o e iew o he his o ical and cul u al con ex o ea ly
wen ie h-cen u y Ame ica, highligh ing he signi ican ad ancemen s, u baniza ion and
he a i al o nume ous immig an s ha in luenced Yezie ska’s w i ing. This
backg ound p o ides a ounda ion o comp ehending he socio-economic condi ions
ha in luence he li es o he no el’s cha ac e s. Following his con ex ualiza ion, he
disse a ion in oduces li e a y na u alism, i s o igins and i s de ining cha ac e is ics,
demons a ing how hese aspec s a e mi o ed in Yezie ska’s wo k, si ua ing B ead
Gi e s wi hin he na u alis ic adi ion. The analysis examines Yezie ska’s depic ion o
social de e minism h ough he immig an expe ience, po e y, amily ela ionships,
gende oles and he ambigui y o success. Key passages a e iden i ied o e eal how
cha ac e s’ li es a e go e ned by inescapable o ces. The indings demons a e ha
B ead Gi e s e lec s he ha sh eali ies o immig an li e and unde sco es he
de e minis ic na u e o na u alis ic li e a u e. The e o e, he no el se es as a clea
example o how social and amilial p essu es shape indi idual des inies, illus a ing he
b oade hemes o na u alism in Ame ican li e a u e.
Keywo ds: Na u alism; Social de e minism; Ame ican li e a u e; Anzia
Yezie ska; B ead Gi e s
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Abs ac ..............................................................................................................................
1. In oduc ion..................................................................................................................1
2. Me hodology and Jus i ica ion................................................................................... 3
3. Twen ie h-Cen u y Ame ican His o ical and Cul u al Con ex ............................. 4
4. De ining Na u alism as a Li e a y Mo emen ..........................................................6
4. 1 O igins o Li e a y Na u alism............................................................................. 6
4.2 Cha ac e is ics o Na u alism................................................................................ 8
5. Anzia Yezie ska: A Na u alis ic W i e .....................................................................9
6. B ead Gi e s by Anzia Yezie ska: Po ayal o De e minism in he
Twen ie h-Cen u y Immig an Li e............................................................................. 11
6.1 The Immig an Expe ience..................................................................................12
6.2 The In luence o Po e y in Social Mobili y.......................................................14
6.3 Family Rela ionships...........................................................................................15
6.4 Gende Roles and Expec a ions...........................................................................17
6.5 Ma iage...............................................................................................................18
6.6 The Ambigui y o Success...................................................................................20
7. Conclusions.................................................................................................................21
Wo ks Ci ed....................................................................................................................22
1. In oduc ion
Li e a u e has long played a c ucial ole in en iching eade s’ li es, o e ing no
only en e ainmen bu also a means o connec wi h he wo ld. By del ing in o li e a y
wo ks, eade s can expand hei knowledge and lea n abou p e ious pe iods, as w i e s
o en cap u e he cul u al and ideological mo emen s o hei ime wi hin hei
na a i es.
In he con ex o Ame ican li e a u e, he ea ly wen ie h cen u y was a pe iod o
p o ound ans o ma ion. Following he Ame ican Ci il Wa and he subsequen Gilded
Age, he Uni ed S a es expe ienced signi ican echnological and indus ial g ow h.
Inno a ions such as elec ic s ee ca s, skysc ape s, and ail oads adap o he Ame ican
landscape and economy. These ad ancemen s led o u baniza ion, wi h many
indi iduals om u al a eas and immig an s om ab oad immig a ing o ci ies like New
Yo k and Chicago in sea ch o be e oppo uni ies and he p omise o he Ame ican
D eam.
Signi ican immig a ion du ing his ime, mos ly om Jewish g oups, al e ed he
demog aphic composi ion o Ame ican ci ies. These immig an s o en encoun e ed
challenges ha included o e c owded enemen s, po e y, and disc imina ion. Thei
wo king condi ions we e also ha d, especially o women and child en. Despi e hese
ad e si ies, Ame ica o e ed g ea e eedoms and oppo uni ies han hei coun ies o
o igin, p omp ing many o pu sue educa ion and p o essional g ow h.
The li e a u e o his pe iod was in luenced by hese social and economic
changes, con ibu ing o he ongoing de elopmen o li e a y mo emen s such as
na u alism. Na u alism aims o depic he li es o he lowe classes wi hou idealiza ion.
In addi ion, unlike ealism, na u alism emphasizes he de e minis ic o ces o
en i onmen ha shape human des iny and highligh he cha ac e s’ s uggles agains
hese opp essi e in luences. I was i s p oposed by F ench w i e Émile Zola, who
applied scien i ic me hods o li e a u e and emphasized en i onmen al in luences on
cha ac e s. By he end o he nine een h cen u y, Zola’s wo k had p o oundly in luenced
Ame ican na u alism, which was in oduced o he Uni ed S a es by F ank No is.
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Na u alis ic w i e s p esen li e wi h objec i i y, a oiding mo al judgmen and
idealized po ayals. Cha ac e s a e depic ed as cons uc ed by hei en i onmen , o en
shaped by o ces beyond hei con ol, in oducing a pessimis ic one o he na a i e.
In luenced by de e minism and Da winism, na u alis ic li e a u e explo es hemes o
po e y, disc imina ion, and social de e minism, ques ioning he no ion o ee will. A
clea example o his app oach is he no el B ead Gi e s (1925) by Anzia Yezie ska.
The no el desc ibes he ha sh li ing condi ions o Jewish immig an s in New Yo k Ci y
du ing he ea ly wen ie h-cen u y and compels he eade o examine he in luence o
he en i onmen on he cha ac e s’ li es.
This disse a ion’s aim is o examine he no el as an illus a ion o Ame ican
li e a y na u alism, wi h a pa icula emphasis on social de e minism, by analyzing how
he socioeconomic se ing shapes cha ac e s’ li es. The e o e, he esea ch ques ion ha
I a emp o answe is he ollowing: How does B ead Gi e s by Anzia Yezie ska
ep esen he concep o social de e minism which holds ha en i onmen al o ces
shape he des inies o he cha ac e s?
To accomplish his goal, his disse a ion is s uc u ed in o ou main
componen s. In he i s sec ion, I shall gi e an o e iew o he Ame ican his o ical and
cul u al con ex o he ea ly wen ie h cen u y. This his o ical con ex will aid in
unde s anding how he hemes and cha ac e s in he no el migh ha e been a ec ed by
hei his o ical and cul u al pe iod. In o de o iden i y he na u alis ic po ayal, he
second sec ion will ocus on he concep o na u alism as a li e a y mo emen , i s
de elopmen in Ame ican li e a u e and i s de ining cha ac e is ics. The hi d sec ion
p o ides backg ound in o ma ion abou he au ho ’s li e and w i ing s yle, which helps
eade s unde s and he his o ical, cul u al, and pe sonal con ex in which he no el was
w i en. The ou h and las sec ion will deal wi h he analysis o he no el B ead
Gi e s, which will be desc ibed as a ep esen a ion o social de e minism. The main
elemen s o he p o agonis ’s li e—he li ing ci cums ances as a Jewish immig an in
New Yo k Ci y, he po e y and disc imina ion she mus deal wi h in addi ion o he
amilia ela ionships, and he s a us as a woman in he con ex o he wen ie h
cen u y—will all be explo ed in o de o add ess his analysis. Las ly, I will conclude
he analysis by ou lining he key conclusions om he no el’s examina ion o
de e minism.
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In his s udy, I asse ha Anzia Yezie ska’s no el B ead Gi e s exempli ies he
na u alis ic gen e. The no el’s depic ion o social de e minism, a key cha ac e is ic o
na u alism, is e iden h ough i s his o ical and cul u al con ex , na u alis ic app oach,
and speci ic na a i e elemen s.
2. Me hodology and Jus i ica ion
To add ess he esea ch ques ion and objec i es ou lined in his disse a ion, I
adop a quali a i e me hodology. This app oach in ol es a de ailed examina ion o
Anzia Yezie ska’s no el, ocusing on iden i ying key passages, cha ac e desc ip ions
and hema ic elemen s ha demons a e he in luence o socioeconomic condi ions on
he cha ac e s’ li es, he eby highligh ing i s na u alis ic quali ies, pa icula ly in e ms
o social de e minism.
The esea ch also includes a e iew o p e ious s udies, schola ly a icles, and
academic publica ions ha discuss Ame ican li e a y na u alism. This s ep has been
c ucial o con ex ualizing Yezie ska’s wo k wi hin he li e a y and his o ical amewo k
o ea ly wen ie h-cen u y Ame ica. By analyzing he da a om hese sou ces, he
esea ch aims o connec hese ideas wi h he disse a ion’s goals, ul ima ely p o iding a
deepe unde s anding o he na u alis ic elemen s in B ead Gi e s.
While in es iga ing wen ie h-cen u y Ame ican li e a y na u alism, I ound he
heme o social de e minism cen al o he li e a y mo emen . Na u alis ic au ho s o en
highligh how en i onmen al ac o s shape human li es, using hei wo ks o e eal he
ha sh eali ies o socie y. Anzia Yezie ska’s B ead Gi e s s ands ou o me as an
exempla y ex o explo ing his concep .
By analyzing he de e minis ic elemen s in he no el, I aim o o e a mo e
p o ound unde s anding o how na u alism ope a es wi hin he no el. This analysis also
aims o con ibu e o he b oade discou se on social de e minism in li e a u e, p o iding
aluable con ex o eade s in e es ed in his li e a y app oach. Mo eo e , h ough his
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ocused s udy, he disse a ion in ends o highligh he signi icance o na u alism in
Ame ican li e a u e.
3. Twen ie h-Cen u y Ame ican His o ical and Cul u al Con ex
In Ame ica, he wen ie h cen u y was a pe iod ma ked by subs an ial social
changes. Following he Ame ican Ci il Wa (1861-1865), he na ion en e ed he Gilded
Age1, an e a ma ked by signi ican ad ancemen s ac oss echnological, ag icul u al,
economic and indus ial ields. These de elopmen s had an impac on he li e a u e o
he ime, wi h w i e s mi o ing he changes occu ing in Ame ican cul u e.
The e a saw signi ican echnological and indus ial ad ances, including elec ic
s ee ca s, skysc ape s and he cons uc ion o ail oads, undamen ally al e ing he li es
o Ame icans and e olu ionized he na ion’s economy. This ans o ma ion no only
saw he eme gence o new business oppo uni ies a ise bu also he es ablishmen o
ac o ies (The Ame ican Women’s College). The ise o ac o ies and he esul ing
eme gence o new business oppo uni ies p o oked a ans o ma i e wa e ha swep
ac oss he socioeconomic landscape, p omp ing nume ous indi iduals om u al a eas
o emba k on he jou ney o u ban cen e s in pu sui o new job oppo uni ies. As a
consequence, “ he Uni ed S a es was ans o med om a p edominan ly u al ag a ian
socie y o an indus ial economy cen e ed in la ge me opoli an ci ies” (Hi shchman and
Mog o d 897). This shi ma ked a signi ican u ning poin in Ame ican his o y since
“by 1900, i was well on i s way o becoming one o he la ges indus ial powe s in he
wo ld” (The Ame ican Women’s College).
In addi ion o people om u al a eas, indus ial de elopmen made immig an s
pu sue eloca ion o majo u ban cen e s such as New Yo k o Chicago, d i en by
aspi a ions o eaching new oppo uni ies and he iconic pu sui o he Ame ican
D eam. The magni ude o his mig a ion wa e is e iden om his o ical eco ds, which
indica e ha “o e one- hi d o he 105 million Ame icans in he 1920 popula ion
1This e m was i s used by Ma k Twain and Cha les Dudley Wa ne in The Gilded Age: A Tale o Today
(1873) o e e o he pe iod om 1877 o 1900, a ime cha ac e ized by apid economic g ow h,
pa icula ly wi hin he Uni ed S a es.
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belonged o he ‘immig an communi y’ ” (Hi shchman and Mog o d 897). Such
demog aphic shi s highligh he p o ound impac o his socie al ansi ion on he
composi ion o he na ion du ing ha e a.
Wi hin he con ex o he in lux o immig an s in o he coun y, he Jewish
communi y eme ged as one o he mos apidly g owing communi ies in he Uni ed
S a es. Acco ding o Sa na and Golden, “whe e be o e 1900, Ame ican Jews ne e
amoun ed e en o 1 pe cen o Ame ica’s o al popula ion, by 1930 Jews o med abou 3
pe cen ”. This demog aphic shi was pa icula ly p onounced in New Yo k, whe e hal
o he coun y’s Jewish popula ion esided. Howe e , his g ow h in popula ion also
b ough abou nume ous challenges, including po e y, unsani a y li ing condi ions, and
disc imina ion. This si ua ion e eals he wide gap be ween he uppe and lowe classes
in he Uni ed S a es o he ime. While he majo i y o immig an s aced po e y and
inancial ha dship, he o ces o indus ializa ion and he c ea ion o new companies
en iched a ew, allowing hem o main ain hei economic powe and in luence. (The
Ame ican Women’s College).
As immig an s se led in ci ies like New Yo k, Jewish immig an s aced
obs acles in secu ing sui able housing. O en, he a ailable accommoda ions we e
o e c owded enemen s, sha ed by a mul i ude o wo ke s who had immig a ed du ing
he same pe iod in sea ch o employmen oppo uni ies. These enemen s we e
cha ac e ized as small li ing spaces wi h inadequa e ligh and en ila ion. Due o hei
economic si ua ion, “ amilies o en could no a o d an en i e apa men o hemsel es
and would ake in boa de s o help pay he en . E en wi h his addi ional income, in
many amilies, e e y membe had o wo k, e en he li les child en” (Rosenbaum and
Shalle ). This socioeconomic eali y unde sco ed he immense challenges con on ing
immig an amilies as hey sough o es ablish hemsel es in a new land.
Mo eo e , he employmen oppo uni ies hey we e able o ind o en en ailed
endu ing ha sh wo king condi ions and low wages, especially o child en and women
since “in he ab ics he e was no minimum wage, and child en and women we e paid
less han men” (Rosenbaum and Shalle ). Such ci cums ances encou aged he wo king
class o uni e in ad oca ing o be e sala ies and imp o ed wo king condi ions.
Howe e , hese collec i e mo emen s did no ac i ely ad oca e o women’s igh s, as i
5
was assumed ha women would only emain in he wo k o ce un il ma iage.
Consequen ly, he e was a widesp ead belie ha he e was no need o enhance he
wo king condi ions o women (Rosenbaum and Shalle ).
None heless, wi hin he con ex o Ame ica, women ound hemsel es wi h
g ea e oppo uni ies and a bigge sense o eedom compa ed o he cons ain s
imposed upon hem wi hin hei coun ies o o igin. Recognizing his a o able
ci cums ance, a signi ican numbe o women began o ac i ely pu sue educa ion. By
“ he ea ly 19 h cen u y, some Jewish women a ended he new emale academies,
becoming eache s, social e o me s, and w i e s” (An le ).
The socioeconomic eali y o he ime was una oidably mi o ed in he li e a u e
o he day, leading o he ise o se e al well-known w i e s who success ully con eyed
he social and economic changes ha he Uni ed S a es was going h ough a he ime. A
clea example was Anzia Yezie ska, whose no els explo e he immig an expe ience
and he s uggles o Jewish immig an amilies in he Ame ica o he wen ie h cen u y
(Ho owi z).
4. De ining Na u alism as a Li e a y Mo emen
Na u alism eme ged as a li e a y mo emen in he la e nine een h cen u y,
de eloping bo h in Eu ope and Ame ica. I is cha ac e ized by a commi men o
depic ing li e as i is, wi hou idealizing i , which links i closely wi h ealism. Howe e ,
al hough i has always been ela ed o di e en gen es, as F ank No is poin ed ou :
“This is no oman icism - his d ama o he people, wo king i sel ou in blood and
o du e. I is no ealism. I is a school by i sel , unique, sombe , powe ul beyond wo ds.
I is na u alism” (No is 1108).
4.1 O igins o Li e a y Na u alism
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6.1 The Immig an Expe ience
Th ough he lens o Sa a Smolinsky and he amily, B ead Gi e s i idly
po ays he s uggles o many immig an s a emp ing o es ablish hemsel es in a new
and un amilia land in he wen ie h cen u y. As Jewish immig an s, he Smolinsky
amily no only embodies he challenges aced by newcome s o he Uni ed S a es bu
also he hopes and d eams o coun less immig an s seeking a be e li e in Ame ica.
Re lec ing on hei jou ney, Sa a s a es ha “when e e y hing was gone om us, … ou
only hope was o come o Ame ica” (Yezie ska 34). While belie ing Ame ica was going
o p o ide hem p ospe i y and eedom, upon a i al, hey a e me wi h ha sh eali ies
ha con as hei hope ul expec a ions. The an icipa ed land o oppo uni y e eals
i sel as a landscape augh wi h economic ha dship and social ba ie s, o cing hem o
na iga e a challenging and o en hos ile en i onmen . This con as be ween
expec a ions and eali y highligh s how ex e nal ac o s beyond hei con ol can limi
hei oppo uni ies.
The enemen o he Smolinsky amily is depic ed wi h i id de ail ha
unde sco es he ha sh eali ies o immig an li e in ea ly wen ie h-cen u y Ame ica. I
is desc ibed as a c amped, o e c owded, and poo ly main ained li ing space. The ooms
a e small and da k, wi h li le en ila ion, con ibu ing o an opp essi e a mosphe e. The
walls a e desc ibed as ha ing “ he plas e ... c acked and ull o holes” (Yezie ska 14),
e lec ing he economic s uggles and social challenges aced by he amily. Despi e
ha ing ini ially iewed Ame ica as “ he new golden coun y, whe e milk and honey
low ee in he s ee s” (Yezie ska 9), hey encoun e he b u al eali y o po e y. This
si ua ion emphasizes he social de e minism cen al o na u alism, whe e cha ac e s’
li es a e dic a ed by hei en i onmen s. The si ua ion o he mo he , Shena Smolinsky,
ha ing o ask o ood om he shops, illus a es he despe a e eali y o immig an li e,
o en ma ked by social humilia ion. This unde sco es he heme o social de e minism in
na u alis ic li e a u e, as Shena’s ac ions a e dic a ed by he ex e nal o ces o po e y.
Yezie ska also desc ibes he ypes o employmen a ailable o immig an s,
highligh ing he limi ed and o en exploi a i e na u e o hei wo k oppo uni ies. Many
immig an s, including Sa a Smolinsky, ul ima ely ind hemsel es wo king in ac o ies,
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which ypically in ol e low-paying, long hou s and ha sh condi ions. Sa a wo ks in a
laund y, a physically demanding job equi ing signi ican s eng h. These wo king
condi ions p o ide ano he illus a ion o how ou side economic ac o s in luence
cha ac e s’ des inies.
Th ough he expe iences o he Smolinsky amily, he no el also e eals he
socie al ba ie s ha ma ginalize immig an s and es ic hei oppo uni ies. The
amily’s s uggles a e exace ba ed by he condescending a i udes o na i e-bo n
Ame icans, who o en iew hem as unwelcome ou side s. An example Yezie ska
p o ides is when he Smolinsky amily is unable o pay en on ime, p omp ing he
landlo d o say, “The cheek o hose di y immig an s! A ool I was, gi ing hem a
chance ano he mon h” (17). Sa a, oo, aces disc imina ion om he wo kma es due o
he appea ance and language: “a e ha I was shu ou like a “g eenho n” who didn’
alk hei language. When hey gossiped beaux, o dances, o he la es s yles, hei
mou hs snapped igh when I go nea . When hey planned any picnics o pa ies, I was
le ou ” (Yezie ska 180). This po ayal no only highligh s he challenges o ea ly
wen ie h-cen u y immig an li e, bu also ein o ces he na u alis ic heme ha
indi iduals a e p o oundly in luenced by hei en i onmen and ci cums ances.
6.2 The In luence o Po e y in Social Mobili y
In B ead Gi e s, po e y se es as a pe asi e and opp essi e o ce ha
p o oundly impac s he li es o he cha ac e s, illus a ing he p inciples o na u alism
and social de e minism. Thei economic si ua ion no only limi s hei ma e ial com o ,
bu also hei oppo uni ies when i comes o pe sonal de elopmen , making he
cha ac e s wan o imp o e hei economic si ua ion in o de o imp o e hei u u e.
Sa a’s sis e s iew ma iage as hei only op ion o escaping om po e y. This
pe spec i e is oo ed in he belie ha men ep esen a much easie pa h o inancial
s abili y and social mobili y han pe sonal achie emen . Sa a, on he o he hand,
embodies a di e en esponse o po e y. F om he age o en, she wo ked o suppo
he amily, highligh ing he necessi y o child labo among immig an amilies. As she
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e lec s, “I was abou hen yea s old hen. Bu om always i was hea y on my hea he
wo ies o he house as i I was mo he ” (Yezie ska 1). Despi e hese ba ie s, Sa a sees
educa ion as he key o social mobili y and d eams o a li e beyond he po e y o he
enemen . He aspi a ions cause many ensions since “ hose who sha ed he mobili y
aspi a ion o a la ge socie y had o iola e amily and communi y adi ion in o de o
achie e hem” (Kessle -Ha is xxx ). Howe e , he ambi ions a e cons an ly hinde ed
by po e y, which o ce he o p io i ize su i al o e independence and pe sonal
g ow h.
The opp essi e na u e o po e y is u he exempli ied by he cha ac e o Reb
Smolinsky, who, no sa is ied wi h he lack o economic s abili y, pu chases a g oce y
s o e in an a emp o achie e social mobili y. Mo i a ed by he desi e o aise he
amily’s s anda d o li ing, his p ojec ul ima ely ails as he s o e u ns ou o be
unp o i able, lea ing Reb wi hou money and unable o ecoup his in es men . Reb’s
e o s unde sco e he de e minis ic o ces, illus a ing how he ex e nal condi ions o
po e y can nulli y e en he mos de e mined a emp s o imp o e one’s li e.
Th ough hese na a i es, Yezie ska po ays how po e y se es as a ba ie o
social mobili y. The cha ac e s’ li es a e go e ned by economic cons ain s ha limi
hei choices and hinde hei p og ess. This s uggle agains po e y is consis en wi h
he na u alis ic idea ha social and en i onmen al ac o s ou side an indi idual’s con ol
a ec hei des iny.
6.3 Family Rela ionships
The Smolinsky amily, headed by he au ho i a ian pa ia ch Reb Smolinsky,
embodies he con lic s ha a ise wi hin immig an amilies as olde adi ions clash wi h
he aspi a ions o he younge gene a ion. As a de ou O hodox Jew, Reb places a
s ong emphasis on eligious obse ance o Jewish law. He is commi ed o p ese ing
he amily’s cul u al and eligious he i age, iewing i as a sou ce o iden i y and
s eng h in he ace o assimila ion and cul u al change. In his way, he aims o con inue
wi h he alues o ma iage, educa ion, gende oles and pa en al au ho i y, among
o he s.
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As a man om he Old Wo ld, espec owa ds a man, pa icula ly owa ds hei
a he , is he main quali y his daugh e s mus exhibi . Bessie, he eldes daugh e , is a
clea example o his espec , as she con o ms closely o he a he ’s expec a ions o
adi ional eminini y and obedience. He dedica ion o he a he is so unwa e ing ha
he a he ’s well-being is e en mo e impo an han he desi es. Consequen ly, when she
has he oppo uni y o go wi h he lo ed one, she decides no o as she s a es “I couldn’
lea e my a he , he needs me” (Yezie ska 50). This loyal y o he a he is also e iden
when she says “I couldn’ ma y a man ha don’ espec my a he ”.
Fania, al hough mo e opposed o he a he ’s demands, ul ima ely yields o
h ea s such as “ei he you lis en o wha I say, o ou you go o his house!” o “such
shameless unwomanliness as a gi l elling he a he his man I wan o ma y!”
(Yezie ska 76). In con as , Sa a challenges Reb’s au ho i y and he old-wo ld alues he
ep esen s as she is he one who s ands up o he a he he mos o wan ing o ollow
he own pa h in li e. Reb’s inabili y o unde s and Sa a’s desi e o au onomy is e iden
in his lamen : “Wha ’s he wo ld coming o in his wild Ame ica? No espec o
a he s” (Yezie ska 135).
Wi nessing he limi ed oppo uni ies and opp essi e condi ions aced by he
ma ied sis e s, Sa a becomes e en mo e de e mined o o ge he own pa h and pu sue
he d eams, despi e he amilial and socie al p essu es o con o m o adi ional
expec a ions. She asse s he independence by decla ing “he e, in Ame ica, ... gi ls pick
ou o hemsel es he men hey wan o husbands” (76). Yezie ska showing Sa a’s
de e mina ion o li e on he own li e is u he illus a ed when she s a es “Should I le
him c ush me as he c ushed hem? No. This is Ame ica, whe e child en a e people”
(135). Sa a’s ecogni ion o he indi idual igh s as an Ame ican con as s wi h he
a he ’s igid adi ional alues.
Sa a inally ealizes ha any a emp o gain he a he ’s unde s anding is
poin less: “I saw he e was no use alking. He could ne e unde s and. He was he Old
Wo ld. I was he New” (Yezie ska 207). He ecogni ion o his di ision highligh s he
no el’s heme o na u alism and social de e minism, whe e he cha ac e s’ li es a e
shaped by adi ion and changes. Reb’s a emp s o main ain his old-wo ld au ho i y in
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he ace o new-wo ld independence unde sco e he s uggles o immig an amilies as
hey na iga e he ension be ween cul u al p ese a ion and assimila ion.
6.4 Gende Roles and Expec a ions
In B ead Gi e s, gende oles and expec a ions play a c ucial ole in shaping he
des inies o he cha ac e s, e lec ing he de e minis ic hemes cen al o na u alism. The
no el del es in o he s ic pa ia chal no ms o ea ly wen ie h-cen u y Jewish amilies,
highligh ing he limi a ions aced by women, pa icula ly Sa a and he sis e s.
Socie y expec s women o p io i ize hei oles as wi es and mo he s abo e
e e y hing else as “women could ge in o Hea en because hey we e wi es and
daugh e s o men” (Yezie ska 9). They a e expec ed o dedica e hemsel es o hei
amily’s well-being, childca e and house du ies. Men seek wi es p ima ily o hei
u ili y in managing household esponsibili ies, as illus a ed by he sen ence “I a man
wan s a wi e, he looks o one who can cook o him, and wash o him, and ca y he
bu den o his house o him” (Yezie ska 64). Ou side he home, women ha e limi ed
au onomy and a e o en inancially dependen on hei husbands. The no ion ha “No
gi l can li e wi hou a a he o a husband o look ou o he ” and ha “Only h ough a
man has a woman an exis ence” (Yezie ska 137) unde sco es he socie al belie ha
women’s iden i ies a e ied o men.
Unma ied women a e subjec o ha sh social judgmen as women a e only
espec able a e ma iage, as highligh ed by he belie ha “People would espec he
and no poin hei inge s on he o a cu sed old maid ha no man wan s” (Yezie ska
95). This p essu e om socie y is an ob ious example o social de e minism, in which
women’s li es a e la gely de e mined by hei ma iage s a us. Socie y also imposes
expec a ions on women’s beha io and appea ance. Modes y, chas i y and obedience a e
alued i ues o women o he pe iod. Bessie, o example, is conside ed a sui able
candida e o a ma iage o being “quie as a do e” and o “looking up o a man wi h
ha highes espec ” (Yezie ska 102). Consequen ly, Reb Smolinsky closely moni o s
his daugh e s’ in e ac ions wi h men and imposes s ic ules o sa egua d hei i ue.
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Women’s appea ance is also subjec o socie al c i icism. In he no el, Reb
Smolinsky imposes s ic ules on his daugh e ’s clo hing and appea ance, insis ing ha
hey d ess espec ing adi ional s anda ds o eminini y. Fo ins ance, when Reb decides
ha Zalmon is going o ma y Bessie, he goes o ge he ines d ess on G and S ee so
ha his daugh e can wea i and look good o he u u e husband (Yezie ska 98). This
in luence o e hei looks se es o highligh how ex e nal socie y no ms shape he
cha ac e s’ iden i ies and choices.
Th ough he po ayal o hese gende oles and expec a ions, B ead Gi e s
illus a es he opp essi e impac o hese no ms on women’s li es. The no el e eals
how he cha ac e s’ a es a e linked o adi ional alues and belie s o he communi y,
highligh ing he lack o pe sonal eedom o women. This pic u e emphasizes how hei
su oundings a e de e minis ic, wi h ex e nal social in luences dic a ing how hei li es
will de elop.
6.5 Ma iage
Ma iage is depic ed as a es ic i e o ce ha p o oundly in luences he li es o
he cha ac e s, pa icula ly women. The no el del es in o he adi ional and o en
opp essi e expec a ions su ounding ma iage wi hin ea ly wen ie h-cen u y Jewish
immig an amilies. Th ough he expe iences o Sa a and he sis e s, he no el
highligh s he social p essu es and expec a ions ha shape women’s li es.
Reb Smolinsky a anges he ma iages o his daugh e s based on inancial gain
and social s a us a he han hei happiness. Fo him, his daugh e s se e as he p ima y
means o his suppo , allowing him o li e in eedom wi hou ha ing o wo k.
The e o e, when he decides i is ime o ma y o his daugh e s, he i s hing
Smolinsky asks he sui o s is, “Who is he? Wha is he? By wha does he wo k?”
(Yezie ska 68) and “How much wages do you ea n?” (Yezie ska 43). He seeks no only
inancial s abili y o his daugh e s bu also o himsel , e en going so a as o ask he
sui o s o money o ma y his daugh e s, a guing hey should no o ge ha when one
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o hem “ge s ma ied, who’ll ca y me he bu den o his house? She ea ns me he
bigges wages” (Yezie ska 45).
The only hing ha ma e s o him is he money he ma iage could b ing him,
and he e o e, he chooses his daugh e s’ sui o s wi hou e en knowing hem pe sonally.
When he mo he asks him “Bu wha do you know abou him? Who is he? Wha is
he?”, he only hing ha seems o ma e o Reb is hei wo k as he esponds: “a
diamond-deale ! Wha mo e can you ask?” (Yezie ska 74). He belie es ha “wi h his
diamond-deale in he amily, all ou oubles a e o e ” (Yezie ska 77). Besides
inancial s abili y, wha socie y and he neighbo s migh hink is impo an o him, and
he despises he men his daugh e s like o hei appea ance o job. This is he case wi h
Mo is Lipkin, Fania’s sui o , whom he despises o his wo k as a poe , as seen in
sen ences such as, “How would I look be o e he wo ld i I in oduced such a
hunge -squeezed nobody o a son-in-law?” (Yezie ska 75).
This app oach e lec s he na u alis ic hemes o he no el, whe e cha ac e s’
li es and decisions a e de e mined by ex e nal o ces beyond hei con ol. Fo ins ance,
when a anging he ma iage be ween Zalmon and Bessie, Reb had al eady made he
decision be o e consul ing his daugh e . He p io i izes Zalmon’s inancial s abili y o e
Bessie’s eelings. The daugh e s, consequen ly, a e unhappy wi h hei husbands as he
a angemen s a e no based on lo e bu on economic and social con enience. They eel
mise able and used, as Fania admi s while alking abou he husband, “He buys me
jewel y, only o show me o o his iends ha he’s so ich”. Bessie, oo, eels apped,
con essing ha “ca p, lounde , pike, mo ning, noon, and nigh ” a e he only hings in
he li e (Yezie ska 176). The only solace in hei li es was hei child en, as Sa a no es
ha alking abou hem was he only ime he sis e s’ eyes spa kled.
Conside ing ha ma iages a e a way o achie e social s a us, economic s abili y,
o some o he bene i , lo e akes a back sea . The e o e, when one pa ne dies, he pain
is nonexis en . This is he case wi h Zalmon, who, a e his wi e died, decides o
app oach Reb: “In ano he week, he hi y days a e my wi e’s dea h will be up. So I
could ma y mysel again. Ha e you go some hing good o me on you lis ?”
(Yezie ska 91).
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The way ha ma iage is po ayed in B ead Gi e s highligh s he de e minis ic
ac o s a wo k and shows how he cha ac e s’ li es and ac ions a e shaped by social
and economic cons ain s. I d aws a en ion o he social de e minism subjec by
demons a ing how socie al expec a ions and demands limi people’s eedom o choice.
6.6 The Ambigui y o Success
Unlike he sis e s, Sa a is de e mined and clea abou he aspi a ions om he
e y beginning. She does no wan o dedica e he sel o he amily o he husband,
ins ead decla ing, “Knowledge was wha I wan ed mo e han any hing else in he
wo ld” (Yezie ska 208). This pe sis en desi e o knowledge and independence is
shown as a alian s uggle agains he socie al and amilial limi a ions placed upon he
h oughou he cou se o he no el. Despi e he ul ima e achie emen o a eache ’s
diploma, he success is inged wi h p o ound ambigui y.
Sa a’s a ainmen o he eache ’s diploma ep esen s a signi ican iumph o e
he ad e si ies she aced as an immig an and a woman in ea ly wen ie h-cen u y
Ame ica. In addi ion o becoming a eache , she wins a con es ha ea ns he a housand
dolla s. She is able o ea and buy wha e e she wan s and en he oom she had always
d eamed o since “ he da k nigh o po e y was o e ”. Ye , his achie emen is
jux aposed wi h he p o agonis ’s incomple e sa is ac ion as she can no unde s and he
eelings: “Now I was he eache . Why didn’ I eel as I had supposed his supe io
c ea u e el ?” and “ he goal was he e. Why was I so silen ? So emp y?” (Yezie ska
269). Rega dless o he achie emen , she ealizes wha she has los in he p ocess: “So
his is wha i cos , da ing o ollow he u ge in me. No a he . No lo e . No amily. No
iend. I mus go on and on. And I mus go on — alone” (Yezie ska 208).
As he no el concludes, “Success ul a las , she isi s he pa en s, eache ’s
diploma in hand” bu “she is only good o he wo ld, no o he a he .” This s a emen
unde sco es he complex na u e o he success. While she has gained ecogni ion and a
sense o sel -con idence om he mo he and he ex e nal wo ld, she emains sepa a e
om he a he as he is unable o ecognize he achie emen s o he daugh e due o he
adi ional alues he ep esen s. Whene e she achie es some hing and eels happy, he
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image o he a he would come o mind, and she could no help bu eel guil y because
“I lea e him in his old age, when he needs me mos . Helpless as a child he is”
(Yezie ska 285). Fo his eason, Sa a always eels he need o help he a he again and
ake him home i he needs i , e en i ha means e u ning o he beginnings when Sa a
spen so much ime wi h he a he ha she came o ha e him and yea n o he eedom.
This ealis ic po ayal challenges he oman icized no ion o he Ame ican
D eam and ins ead emphasizes he na u alis ic idea ha success is no solely a p oduc
o indi idual e o . Ins ead, i is deeply in luenced by de e mined ex e nal o ces.
Sa a’s jou ney unde sco es he ha sh eali y ha , despi e he pe se e ance and e en ual
p o essional achie emen , she canno en i ely escape he cons ain s o he backg ound.
This c i ical iewpoin on he Ame ican D eam highligh s he di icul ies ha
immig an s and o he opp essed people equen ly endu e.
Mo eo e , he pessimism o he ending u he unde sco es he na u alis ic
hemes wi hin he no el. Despi e Sa a’s clea achie emen s, she s ill s uggles o ind
emo ional and amily ul illmen . He a he ’s ongoing disapp o al and he un esol ed
issues wi hin he amily show he s ong in luence o social and biological de e minism.
The no el ends on a sad no e, highligh ing ha pe sonal successes o en come wi h big,
una oidable cos s. This pessimis ic iew makes he eade hink abou how much
con ol indi iduals eally ha e, and he ha sh eali ies aced by hose who da e o de y
socie al expec a ions.
7. Conclusions
The p ima y objec i e o his disse a ion was o analyze Anzia Yezie ska’s
B ead Gi e s h ough he lens o social de e minism, a c ucial p inciple o Ame ican
li e a y na u alism. This analysis aimed o unde s and how socio-economic
en i onmen s shaped he des inies o he cha ac e s and es ablished Yezie ska as a
signi ican igu e wi hin he na u alis ic li e a y adi ion.
Fi s ly, he cul u al and his o ical con ex o ea ly wen ie h-cen u y Ame ica,
ma ked by signi ican ad ancemen s, u baniza ion, and in lux o immig an s, in luenced
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Yezie ska’s w i ing. Besides, he pe sonal expe iences as a Jewish immig an he sel
p o ided he wi h a unique pe spec i e, which she showed in he na a i e by
highligh ing he ha sh eali ies and s uggles in he new wo ld. This con ex was c ucial
o unde s anding he de e minis ic o ces in he li es o he cha ac e s, as hey
na iga ed he challenges o po e y, cul u al assimila ion, and gende oles.
The explo a ion o na u alism as a li e a y mo emen e ealed i s undamen al
ideas, including an emphasis on de e minism, objec i e na a i e, pessimism, and a
ocus on he lowe classes. These ideas we e e y much in line wi h Yezie ska’s wo k.
He po ayal o he Smolinsky amily’s li e in New Yo k Ci y cap u ed he
de e minis ic o ces men ioned, emphasizing how cha ac e s’ oppo uni ies and choices
we e limi ed by socie al p essu es, po e y, and cul u al expec a ions. This ocus on
ex e nal in luences and he lack o con ol o e one’s a e was a c ucial ea u e o
na u alis ic li e a u e, ein o cing he no el’s place wi hin his gen e.
Fu he mo e, he s udy highligh ed Yezie ska’s dis inc i e con ibu ion o
na u alism h ough he po ayal o he immig an expe ience, emphasizing he
challenges aced by Jewish immig an s in Ame ica, especially women. B ead Gi e s
illus a ed how economic ha dship and cul u al con lic s collec i ely cons ained he
cha ac e s’ li es, unde sco ing he no el’s na u alis ic quali ies. Po e y se ed as a
powe ul ex e nal o ce ha limi s cha ac e s’ oppo uni ies. Family ela ionships,
pa icula ly be ween Sa a and Reb Smolinsky, we e po ayed as complex as hey we e
in luenced by cul u al expec a ions and socio-economic p essu es, highligh ing social
de e minism. Gende oles u he illus a ed he de e minis ic na u e o hei li es,
con ining women o speci ic oles.
Ma iage in B ead Gi e s was po ayed as a means o economic su i al as
well as a socie al equi emen . Cha ac e s’ choices we e dic a ed by inancial necessi y
a he han pe sonal desi e, exempli ying de e minis ic o ces. Mo eo e , he ambigui y
o success in he no el highligh ed he pe sis en in luence o social de e minism. The e
was an emphasis ha success did no co espond o eedom om he de e minis ic
o ces ha con olled hei exis ence. Thus, Yezie ska’s wo k wen beyond a simple
de e minis ic na a i e by p o iding an explo a ion o hese o ces, demons a ing how
hey collec i ely shaped indi idual des inies.
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