Chenny's Writing Portfolio

Essay Draft Three

Chenny Qian
June 12, 2007
Draft Three

Retaining Tradition Makes Perfect

At the turn into the twentieth century, it was hard for Jewish immigrants to survive and establish a reputation in America. In order to escape religious persecution, they fled their familiar ghettos of Russia to the totally strange ghettos of New York only to receive unfriendly disgust and indifferent glances. As a result, many of these Russian Jews decided to be Americanized by wearing and behaving in the American way. Some of them even abandoned their own religion and custom. However, others may not. While struggling to earn a living and win local people’s respect, these people still clung to their deep-rooted beliefs and values (45).

The hero of “The Americanization of Shadrach Cohen” by Bruno Lessing is such an example. As a newly landed Russian Jew, Shadrach Cohen experienced strong cultural shock and intense disagreement on being Americanized with his two sons, Abel and Gottlieb. With great effort, Shadrach Cohen adapted to the American culture and succeeded in his business while sticking to his long-held beliefs and customs, which contrasted greatly with that of his two sons who thoroughly changed to look like Americans but made comparatively less progress. Isn’t it better to retain traditional beliefs and values when living in America as an immigrant? The characters in this story have given us a positive answer.

At the beginning of Shadrach Cohen’s American life, his appearance of a perfect Jewish immigrant contrasts greatly with the totally American style of his two sons. Their differences remind me of the recent debate on American cultural identity. While the two sons can be well representatives of the melting pot metaphor which indicates that the highest qualities of intellect and physical strength fused into a new race of man in America, Shadrach Cohen is the symbol of the salad bowl in which every race can be easily recognizable and is distinctive of its traditional way of living although they mix together in the same country.

From the view point of melting pot believers, the two sons believe that Americanization means to look like Americans and to do as Americans do. This can be shown from each of them wearing “flaring necktie with a diamond in it” (46) and their “consternation” at Shadrach Cohen’s praying after meal. The word “consternation” here can mean a kind of distance between two generations as well as between the two cultures. It presents two images who have lost their symbols of descent, melted their personalities into the so-called fashion and immerged their culture in the ocean of assimilation. On the other hand, however, although at sons’ frequent request of being Americanized, Shadrach Cohen insists not to change. That he sticks to keeping his beard and wearing as a traditional Jew reveals his character of a strict observer of disciplines and a loyal patriot of the country he comes from. Thus, his retaining traditional beliefs and values enable him to be a unique and confident individual in the American society where he can take advantage of the Jewish brilliant sense of business and absorb the liberty and flexibility of America at the same time. As a matter of fact, Shadrach Cohen’s clinging to his values and customs finally works wonder. He becomes much more successful than his two sons.

In the mercantile realm, Shadrach Cohen shows extraordinary talent and finesse. That he has “the true money-maker spirit” suggests the inherent sense of business he possesses, thus makes it possible to “[grasp] the most intricate phases of trade” swiftly and turn failures aright by “instinct” (50). It can be inferred from the word “instinct” that Shadrach Cohen masters these excellent skills by birth. It is his Jewish brilliant sense of business that guides him to the ultimate goal of selling and shows him a way to establish himself as a respectable tradesman. Conversely, as Abel and Gottlieb abandoned their traditional beliefs and customs, their sense of business also melted into the vapor of melting pot in the process of Americanization. That is why Abel and Gottlieb come to realize that “in the mercantile realm they were as children compared with their father” (49). The word “children” serves as a pun here, demonstrating their inferior ability in running a business, and at the same time, indicating the renewal of their love and respect to their father. This can also be proved by the fact that the sons look upon their father “with increasing respect” (50). The word “increasing” can mean hope here, a hope for the reconstruction of love between two generations and a hope for the revival prosperity of the family. Thanks to Shadrach Cohen’s making full use of the talent in the nature of his descent, as well as the hard working spirit in the blood of his body, he becomes a good businessman worth respecting and, the most important, a model of strict but amiable father merit sons' love and trust.

Shadrach Cohen does not succeed in business and in winning back his sons’ respect only. He also makes it in teaching them the value of discipline, the beauty of filial reverence and the severe joy of the earnest life (50). It is clear that what Shadrach Cohen taught them is also what he used to benefit from. Knowing the value of discipline provides him with strong moral fiber which serves as a foundation in the society. Experiencing the severe joy of the earnest life enables him to be a diligent businessman and responsible father. Retaining traditional religion gives him moral support and spiritual consolation in times of difficulty. All these elements concerning the traditional values and beliefs makes up a successful Shadrach Cohen, whose insistence and faithfulness finally influenced his sons to go back to their religion and custom. The author describes this change within the reaction of Gottlieb who responds to his father’s prayer after meal that “Blessed be He!” (51). The simple three words may mean little to him before, but at this moment, it means a lot to this family. It suggests the revival of the family’s spirit, the return of sons’ filial reverence and the reestablishment of the father’s influence.

Moreover, besides Shadrach Cohen’s success in the realm of business and generation gap, he also wins American girl’s admiration. When Gottlieb’s girl-friend comes to their home, she is moved by Shadrach Cohen’s “eye of shrewdness” (51) and impulsively runs toward him to ask his blessing, although she is surprised at the first sight of his wearing and looking as a traditional Russian Jew. It can be proved from the American girl’s attitude that Shadrach Cohen’s moral integrity as well as his way of getting along with people overweighs his appearance. In addition, his being who he is makes him a unique and confident man the virtues of whom play an important role in his being successful.

Shadrach Cohen’s story provides us with lots of food for thought. What role to play when living in America as an immigrant? He has answered the question clearly. Be yourself, retaining traditional beliefs and values while adapting to the new environment confidently and smartly. Shadrach Cohen’s insisting on being who he is not only presents the local people with a loyal and honest individual worth trusting but also shows a kind of respect towards both American and hometown custom. His so-called Americanization tells us that being Americanized does not mean to yield to American culture, or to melt your own belief into vapor just like the two sons, but means to respect both cultures, to adapt to the liberty and democracy, to become broader-minded and more flexible (50). Sometime we will be foreigners in America and if we want to be successful, or at least, to be respectable, we should remember to retain our own traditional beliefs and values and earn our life by our wisdom, diligence and multicultural background. And it will work wonder! 

                                           Work Cited
Lessing, Bruno. “The Americanization of Shadrach Cohen.” 1903. Rpt. in The International Story: An Anthology with Guidelines for Reading and Writing about Fiction. Ruth Spack. New York: St. Martin’s, 1994. 45-51.

26.5.07 14:45