The concept of the American Dream is different for each person, but the hope associated with it is a commonality amongst every immigrant. However, the reality of American life is often filled with poverty and sacrifices that get in the way of dreams, as the Smolinsky family learns in Bread Givers. Sara, her father, and her older sister Mashah all have different definitions of the American Dream, which affect their family greatly.
Sara’s version of the American Dream involves finding her passion and being successful. Success, in Sara’s eyes, is being able to find something she loves as much as her father is dedicated to studying the Torah, while still maintaining her independence and financial stability. Sara is extremely independent even from an early age, and is deeply affected by the way her father’s influence has created hardships for her older sisters. After seeing what her sisters went through, Sara is determined to make a better life for herself. She continues to pursue her education despite the many sacrifices it entails, and becomes conflicted between her own goals and those of her family and culture.
Sara’s father, Reb Smolinsky, has a different take on the concept of the American Dream. In his version, the American Dream means being able to study and express his religion freely, with the complete support of his family. Reb Smolinsky’s dedication to his learning of the Torah often leads to the negligence of his daughters’ happiness and ability to become independent. The steps he takes in achieving his American Dream have taken a strain on his family both financially and emotionally.
Mashah, Sara’s older sister, is established as being self-centered from the very beginning of the novel. She often spends the money she makes on herself before helping out her family, and is blissfully unaware of the magnitude of their financial hardships. Mashah is caught up in the superficiality of the American Dream – her prioritization of beauty and music over familial obligations creates distress amongst her family members, and later, in her marriage.
