After the 19th Amendment was passed in 1920, giving women the right to vote, America became a world of opportunity for women. Women were taking on new roles and embracing their personal styles in distinctive, modern ways. The Equal Rights Amendment was introduced in 1923, guaranteeing women equality to men. The 20’s were a prosperous and daring time for most women, but many new immigrants and African Americans struggled through this. Immigrants and African Americans traveling to America during this time found themselves with little money and much pressure to succeed. These women were confined to stereotypes and labeled as “ignorant” “subordinate” or “promiscuous.” Rather than settle for the old world stereotypes, African American and immigrant women succeeded in countering the cultures preconceived notions and developing American identities. Yezierska’s Bread Givers is the perfect example of an immigrant family struggling to adapt to the ideals of the new woman. Peiss’ article Making Faces shows how African Americans were able to take advantage of the new cosmetic culture. In addition, photographer James Van Der Zee’s photos show how he was able to use photography to create a new representation of the African American women. Immigrant and African American women of the 20’s were unyielding in their drive to cultivate a newly American identity, and because of their unwillingness to give up, unique way of embracing social trends, and ability to band together to display their new image, they were able to redefine their cultures. Sara Smolinsky not only embodies the true struggles and pains that immigrants of the 20’s were forced to go through but also shows how they were able to then succeed in the new world. At the start of Anzia Yezierska’s Bread Givers, Sara shows her drive to succeed when she turns 25 cents into 50 by selling herring. Sara’s sisters are representations of the ways that many immigrant daughters went wrong; because of their strongly religious father, Bessie and Mashah end up in disappointing marriages and leading unfulfilling lives. Mr. Smolinsky tries to take control of his family in every way, showing how overbearing men were being in a time when women were supposed to be given more power in the household. Smolinsky represents all that women had to fight at this time. His beliefs that “women have no brains” and that “God doesn’t listen to women” [Yezierska; pp 9] are instilled in his daughters, who believe they can be nothing without a man. Sara finally runs away from home to become a teacher—and pays for her tiny apartment using wages earned working in a laundry. She chooses to take classes, taking advantage of this new luxury offered to women. Through her troubles and tumult, Sara, like all immigrant women, must triumph over adversity and overcome the doubts of those around her. Persecuted endlessly by those she works with and looked down upon for living alone, it is clear that immigrant women of the 20’s were given no easy task in assimilating with society. Like the ideal immigrant woman, Sarah doesn’t let this get in the way of her dreams, and this is shown in her unwillingness to marry Max Goldstein, who shows no interest in Sara’s ambitions. When she gets a job in the New York school system, Sara is able to buy a nicer apartment and finally dress like the woman she has always wanted to be. In the end, her life comes full circle when she finally meets a man that accepts her and wants to grow with her, the way she is. Hugo, the principal of Sara’s school, bonds with her over a common Polish heritage and is the first man in Sara’s life to treat her as an equal human being. Through realizing her own independence, ignoring the roles she had been taught, and showing those around her that she did not need a man to succeed, Sara was able to create her own identity as an “American” and achieve her dreams. James Van Der Zee’s photographs created an African American womanhood that emphasized consumerist insight and financial affluence over the previously assumed roles of black women as standing in the shadows of “true Americans.” African American women in the 20’s were able to publicly cast a more professional identity in light of the extreme political and economic instability that came with the 20’s. Van Der Zee’s photographs rejected these stereotypes of the African American woman and offered something new. She was no longer seen as ignorant and inferior, but as a prosperous, educated, and cultured woman. These photographs allowed women of Harlem to see that they could achieve their dreams of defying stereotypes. Van Der Zee’s ‘Harlem Socialites at 5’o clock Tea’ shows the women of Harlem as well kept and stern looking. Their dress shows that they are prosperous and successful, while the looks on their faces show that they are not innocent, unscathed women. Their faces show the onlooker that they have triumphed over hard times and achieved the American dream. Van Der Zee’s photograph of Alelia Walker’s successful beauty salon shows Afraican-American women’s ability to assert their own economic independence, an unheard of idea. These photographs, and many more, played a large role in circulating images of a “new” prototype of African American women. Because of his photos, viewers associated black women with economic prosperity, business, and class. Van Der Zee was able to counter societies representation of black women and change the rhetoric of African-American social and economic advancement, creating a new representation all together. In ‘Making Faces: The Cosmetics Industry and the Cultural Construction of Gender,’ Kathy Peiss argues that all women embraced cosmetics in the newly driven society of the 20’s, and that African-American entrepreneurs were able to create their own cosmetics lines and thus further shape their new identity. Before 1900, only prostitutes and aristocrats used cosmetics, but with the age of consumerism, that quickly changed. Cosmetics became essential for women, allowing them to bring out their beauty and femininity. In this visually driven world, appearance became more important than character. Peiss argues that this “new woman” is seen as insufficiently feminine and needing to buy cosmetics to increase her beauty. The new woman was sensual and free spirited, and could be looking for marriage or just a dance—all aspects of womanhood were embraced, as long as they were feminine. The market for cosmetics, according to Peiss, was divided into the “class” market, the “mass” market, and the “ethnic” market. The class was clearly for the wealthy, mass for the middle class, and ethnic was for African American women. According to Peiss, the goal for African American women was to look more white- and Madame CJ Walker made this possible. “Beauty culture offered black women good employment opportunities in the sex-and race-segregated labor market,” states Peiss, “it was much in demand.” [Peiss; pp 383] Society had labeled African Americans as promiscuous, and in light of this, looking well kept became very important for Black women who wished to defy this stereotype. While black women drove to escape the stereotypes of being inferior, ignorant, and promiscuous, they erred in that they were driven by the assumption that the appearance of being white was better. Popular cosmetics of the time included skin lightening creams and hair straightening products. Ironically, skin color being the only thing that African Americans couldn’t control, it was the one that they worked the hardest to change. Black women created their own culture with music, their own identity through photographs, and gained the respect of others by asserting themselves; but they were preoccupied with having lighter skin. The ethnic market for cosmetics did, however, foster a flourishing population of black-owned commercial enterprise- further perpetuating the new idea that African Americans could be successful in business. It was because African American women were working together, that they managed to make ethnic cosmetics marketable. Madame CJ Walker would create “relationships with women’s clubs and churches, offering promotions, beauty shows, and product sales…[it was the] integration of the industry with aspects of Black community life and politics that set it apart from white industry.” [Peiss; pp 384] Because white was seen as the pillar of beauty, African Americans worked as hard as they could to achieve similar appearances, while still branching out culturally to create their own identity. The cosmetics industry “linked whiteness with social success and refinement” [Peiss; pp 388] At the heart of women’s identity in the 1920’s, was their appearance- and though immigrants and African Americans succeeded in creating unique cultures and dispelling stereotypes, cosmetics were always a universal expression of femininity, in which the goal was to be pale. However, because of the huge job market that this opened up for African Americans, it did assist in driving out the stereotype of the “ignorant and incapable black woman.” The 20’s brought limitless change to America; it represented the switch from an agrarian to a consumer driven society. Novelists and historians alike reference the 20’s as the beginning of modern day America. Women stood at the hub of the social change occurring in the 20s; embracing what it meant to be a woman. Women were going to jazz bars, wearing makeup, and even getting jobs in the work force- it was a time of triumph, experimentation and adventure. American women found themselves caught between the older ideals, focusing on domesticity and inferiority and new ideals of independence and embracing womanhood. Immigrant and African American women struggled to identify and relate to these new trends, finding themselves trapped by stereotypes labeling them as ignorant, classless, and promiscuous. These women, however, were able to take this in great stride- and used the advances of the time to create their own unique identity and alter the perception they gave off. Sarah Smolinsky was a model for overcoming adversity; Smolinsky abandoned the constraints of her family, trapped in old ideals, to find her own identity. She was able to earn money on her own and despite persistent discouragement, she finally found herself with the American dream- only because she was willing to sacrifice who she was to embrace the possibility of who she might become. James Van Der Zee used photography seen by millions to create a new definition of the African American woman by photographing black women in situations that embodied their new identity- one of competence, independence, and style. Even when it came to cosmetics, although African American women were unable to create a distinct image in that regard, they were able to use the cosmetics industry to perpetuate the notion that African American women were now hard workers, capable of creating large, successful businesses. These, of course, were not the only ways that African Americans and immigrants found themselves able to clarify their new identities—African American literature, art, music, and dance boomed in Harlem, beginning the Harlem Renaissance. Immigrants got jobs and paying wages and let go of some of their oldest principles in order to attain the American dream. Overall, immigrants and African Americans did not give themselves any room to falter, they held themselves to high standards and worked hard to achieve acceptance in America. While white women were exploring their boundaries, immigrants were breaking theirs and setting new ones. It is because of this readiness to sacrifice and refusal to let go of their dreams that we see the vastly successful and rich African American and immigrant culture in our country today.
I think that you have an extremely good draft so far. Your usage of quotes is good and helps to argue your point of immigrants and African American struggling to fit into the larger American culture.
it wont let me copy and paste the paper. this is so frustrating.
ReplyDeleteAfter the 19th Amendment was passed in 1920, giving women the right to vote, America became a world of opportunity for women. Women were taking on new roles and embracing their personal styles in distinctive, modern ways. The Equal Rights Amendment was introduced in 1923, guaranteeing women equality to men. The 20’s were a prosperous and daring time for most women, but many new immigrants and African Americans struggled through this. Immigrants and African Americans traveling to America during this time found themselves with little money and much pressure to succeed. These women were confined to stereotypes and labeled as “ignorant” “subordinate” or “promiscuous.” Rather than settle for the old world stereotypes, African American and immigrant women succeeded in countering the cultures preconceived notions and developing American identities. Yezierska’s Bread Givers is the perfect example of an immigrant family struggling to adapt to the ideals of the new woman. Peiss’ article Making Faces shows how African Americans were able to take advantage of the new cosmetic culture. In addition, photographer James Van Der Zee’s photos show how he was able to use photography to create a new representation of the African American women. Immigrant and African American women of the 20’s were unyielding in their drive to cultivate a newly American identity, and because of their unwillingness to give up, unique way of embracing social trends, and ability to band together to display their new image, they were able to redefine their cultures.
ReplyDeleteSara Smolinsky not only embodies the true struggles and pains that immigrants of the 20’s were forced to go through but also shows how they were able to then succeed in the new world. At the start of Anzia Yezierska’s Bread Givers, Sara shows her drive to succeed when she turns 25 cents into 50 by selling herring. Sara’s sisters are representations of the ways that many immigrant daughters went wrong; because of their strongly religious father, Bessie and Mashah end up in disappointing marriages and leading unfulfilling lives. Mr. Smolinsky tries to take control of his family in every way, showing how overbearing men were being in a time when women were supposed to be given more power in the household. Smolinsky represents all that women had to fight at this time. His beliefs that “women have no brains” and that “God doesn’t listen to women” [Yezierska; pp 9] are instilled in his daughters, who believe they can be nothing without a man. Sara finally runs away from home to become a teacher—and pays for her tiny apartment using wages earned working in a laundry. She chooses to take classes, taking advantage of this new luxury offered to women. Through her troubles and tumult, Sara, like all immigrant women, must triumph over adversity and overcome the doubts of those around her. Persecuted endlessly by those she works with and looked down upon for living alone, it is clear that immigrant women of the 20’s were given no easy task in assimilating with society. Like the ideal immigrant woman, Sarah doesn’t let this get in the way of her dreams, and this is shown in her unwillingness to marry Max Goldstein, who shows no interest in Sara’s ambitions. When she gets a job in the New York school system, Sara is able to buy a nicer apartment and finally dress like the woman she has always wanted to be. In the end, her life comes full circle when she finally meets a man that accepts her and wants to grow with her, the way she is. Hugo, the principal of Sara’s school, bonds with her over a common Polish heritage and is the first man in Sara’s life to treat her as an equal human being. Through realizing her own independence, ignoring the roles she had been taught, and showing those around her that she did not need a man to succeed, Sara was able to create her own identity as an “American” and achieve her dreams.
James Van Der Zee’s photographs created an African American womanhood that emphasized consumerist insight and financial affluence over the previously assumed roles of black women as standing in the shadows of “true Americans.” African American women in the 20’s were able to publicly cast a more professional identity in light of the extreme political and economic instability that came with the 20’s. Van Der Zee’s photographs rejected these stereotypes of the African American woman and offered something new. She was no longer seen as ignorant and inferior, but as a prosperous, educated, and cultured woman. These photographs allowed women of Harlem to see that they could achieve their dreams of defying stereotypes. Van Der Zee’s ‘Harlem Socialites at 5’o clock Tea’ shows the women of Harlem as well kept and stern looking. Their dress shows that they are prosperous and successful, while the looks on their faces show that they are not innocent, unscathed women. Their faces show the onlooker that they have triumphed over hard times and achieved the American dream. Van Der Zee’s photograph of Alelia Walker’s successful beauty salon shows Afraican-American women’s ability to assert their own economic independence, an unheard of idea. These photographs, and many more, played a large role in circulating images of a “new” prototype of African American women. Because of his photos, viewers associated black women with economic prosperity, business, and class. Van Der Zee was able to counter societies representation of black women and change the rhetoric of African-American social and economic advancement, creating a new representation all together.
In ‘Making Faces: The Cosmetics Industry and the Cultural Construction of Gender,’ Kathy Peiss argues that all women embraced cosmetics in the newly driven society of the 20’s, and that African-American entrepreneurs were able to create their own cosmetics lines and thus further shape their new identity. Before 1900, only prostitutes and aristocrats used cosmetics, but with the age of consumerism, that quickly changed. Cosmetics became essential for women, allowing them to bring out their beauty and femininity. In this visually driven world, appearance became more important than character. Peiss argues that this “new woman” is seen as insufficiently feminine and needing to buy cosmetics to increase her beauty. The new woman was sensual and free spirited, and could be looking for marriage or just a dance—all aspects of womanhood were embraced, as long as they were feminine. The market for cosmetics, according to Peiss, was divided into the “class” market, the “mass” market, and the “ethnic” market. The class was clearly for the wealthy, mass for the middle class, and ethnic was for African American women. According to Peiss, the goal for African American women was to look more white- and Madame CJ Walker made this possible. “Beauty culture offered black women good employment opportunities in the sex-and race-segregated labor market,” states Peiss, “it was much in demand.” [Peiss; pp 383] Society had labeled African Americans as promiscuous, and in light of this, looking well kept became very important for Black women who wished to defy this stereotype. While black women drove to escape the stereotypes of being inferior, ignorant, and promiscuous, they erred in that they were driven by the assumption that the appearance of being white was better. Popular cosmetics of the time included skin lightening creams and hair straightening products. Ironically, skin color being the only thing that African Americans couldn’t control, it was the one that they worked the hardest to change. Black women created their own culture with music, their own identity through photographs, and gained the respect of others by asserting themselves; but they were preoccupied with having lighter skin. The ethnic market for cosmetics did, however, foster a flourishing population of black-owned commercial enterprise- further perpetuating the new idea that African Americans could be successful in business. It was because African American women were working together, that they managed to make ethnic cosmetics marketable. Madame CJ Walker would create “relationships with women’s clubs and churches, offering promotions, beauty shows, and product sales…[it was the] integration of the industry with aspects of Black community life and politics that set it apart from white industry.” [Peiss; pp 384] Because white was seen as the pillar of beauty, African Americans worked as hard as they could to achieve similar appearances, while still branching out culturally to create their own identity. The cosmetics industry “linked whiteness with social success and refinement” [Peiss; pp 388] At the heart of women’s identity in the 1920’s, was their appearance- and though immigrants and African Americans succeeded in creating unique cultures and dispelling stereotypes, cosmetics were always a universal expression of femininity, in which the goal was to be pale. However, because of the huge job market that this opened up for African Americans, it did assist in driving out the stereotype of the “ignorant and incapable black woman.”
The 20’s brought limitless change to America; it represented the switch from an agrarian to a consumer driven society. Novelists and historians alike reference the 20’s as the beginning of modern day America. Women stood at the hub of the social change occurring in the 20s; embracing what it meant to be a woman. Women were going to jazz bars, wearing makeup, and even getting jobs in the work force- it was a time of triumph, experimentation and adventure. American women found themselves caught between the older ideals, focusing on domesticity and inferiority and new ideals of independence and embracing womanhood. Immigrant and African American women struggled to identify and relate to these new trends, finding themselves trapped by stereotypes labeling them as ignorant, classless, and promiscuous. These women, however, were able to take this in great stride- and used the advances of the time to create their own unique identity and alter the perception they gave off. Sarah Smolinsky was a model for overcoming adversity; Smolinsky abandoned the constraints of her family, trapped in old ideals, to find her own identity. She was able to earn money on her own and despite persistent discouragement, she finally found herself with the American dream- only because she was willing to sacrifice who she was to embrace the possibility of who she might become. James Van Der Zee used photography seen by millions to create a new definition of the African American woman by photographing black women in situations that embodied their new identity- one of competence, independence, and style. Even when it came to cosmetics, although African American women were unable to create a distinct image in that regard, they were able to use the cosmetics industry to perpetuate the notion that African American women were now hard workers, capable of creating large, successful businesses. These, of course, were not the only ways that African Americans and immigrants found themselves able to clarify their new identities—African American literature, art, music, and dance boomed in Harlem, beginning the Harlem Renaissance. Immigrants got jobs and paying wages and let go of some of their oldest principles in order to attain the American dream. Overall, immigrants and African Americans did not give themselves any room to falter, they held themselves to high standards and worked hard to achieve acceptance in America. While white women were exploring their boundaries, immigrants were breaking theirs and setting new ones. It is because of this readiness to sacrifice and refusal to let go of their dreams that we see the vastly successful and rich African American and immigrant culture in our country today.
ah yes! alright so i had to post it as a comment...but theres the paper ...im gonna see if i can attatch it as well
ReplyDeletesorry!
I think that you have an extremely good draft so far. Your usage of quotes is good and helps to argue your point of immigrants and African American struggling to fit into the larger American culture.
ReplyDelete