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Breadgivers

Anzia Yezierska's Bread Givers is the story of Sara Smolinksy, a young Jewish girl, growing up in New York City in the early twentieth century in an extremely impoverished family. Even as a young girl, Sara rejects the Orthodox Jewish teachings of her father, a rabbi. She refuses to accept the Torah's idea that without a man, a woman is "less than nothing" (205). Instead, she embraces American culture. "In America, women don't need men to boss them" (137). She sets out to find her own life. She sees how the lives of her mother and sisters are dominated by her father and does not want that for herself. "Thank God, I'm not living in olden times. Thank God, I am living in America! You made the lives of the other children! I'm going to make my own life!" (138). Sara views success as the attainment of individuality through hard work. Sara's vision of the American Dream contrasts sharply with her father's traditional beliefs and his desire to be wealthy without working although once Sara does achieve her professional goal, she realizes that without family and love, she is unfulfilled. Sara discovers that personal success does not necessarily mean happiness and contentment, but is a critical part of developing her own identity.
Even as a very young girl, Sara's quest for self-sufficiency and willingness to work hard is evident. One day she decides she is not going to sift through the ash cans for coal. "...that morning, I had refused to do it any more. It made me feel like a beggar and thief when anybody saw me" (7). She does go out later to find coal, as she feels guilty for disappointing her mother. The idea of balancing family obligations with her own wishes ends up being an important one in the novel. In order to help her family, she decides to find a way to help support the family. "No---no! I'm no beggar! I want to go into business like a person. I must buy what I got to sell" (21). With a quarter, she buys 25 herring and sells them on the street for two cents...