Author: Sabrina Cohn

Bread Givers – Sara and her Father

Sara and her father are very similar in one respect; they are both very determined and often stubborn. Sara’s father is determined to be fully dedicated to his religion no matter how much it makes him or his family suffer. He refuses to work and makes his family support him so that he can continue his studies of religion. His books take up much of the space in their tiny home.

Sara is very different from her father in most respects except for her similar sense of determination to follow her dreams. Her sister and mother work themselves endlessly to help support the family. Her sister Bessie works especially hard and gives all her earnings to her father without any hesitation. Sara on the other hand feels a sense of entitlement to the money she earns. She does not understand why her father can just sit around all day while her and her sister work tirelessly just to keep food on the table. Her father is very unappreciative because he just simply expects all of this from his family. Being stubborn like her father Sara is more reluctant to jump at her father’s every command.

Sara has her own idea of the American Dream. Being the youngest she is able to witness the choices her sisters make and the fates they meet. Sara does not just want to be married off to a man of her father’s choosing. She is determined to make a life for herself on her own terms. This sense of determination is something her and her father share strongly.

Gangs of New York

I decided to begin my analysis with the scene were Amsterdam first emerges in public from his severe beating by Bill. The use of camera angle was very impactful. They made it so that the viewer was experiencing the moment along with the character from his point of view. All of the heads of the townspeople turning and staring at the camera had a great emotional impact. This scene is a turning point in the movie. There is a change in Amsterdam after this point. His determination to rise against the Nativists and avenge his father grows considerably. This is when his true character comes out. At first he made believe he was loyal to the nativists but after this point he does not try to hide anything. His facial expressions change and you can see the determination in his eyes. When he hangs the dead rabbit in the square he is letting his intentions be known. It is like a declaration of war. The intensity of the cinematography increases and the plot begins to move faster. Right up until the moment that Amsterdam and Bill face off you can see his determination. Even when bombs are flying all around them and people are fleeing Amsterdam holds his ground.

The contrast between the actual war and the war between the gangs is an ongoing theme throughout the movie. They are interconnected but also separate in some ways. The climax of the film happens right in the height of draft riots when the gangs decide to face off. This is when the two wars collide into one big mess. I also really appreciated the shots from above that give a birds-eye view of the city. I think that they create a good image of what was going on in the city at the time and its dynamic.

The First Alien Wave Summary

The chapter begins with an introduction of the attitudes towards Irish Catholic people throughout history. Although technically white these people are often compared to Negro people in terms of the treatment they receive from their society. Throughout history there has also been an ongoing conflict between Protestantism and Catholicism.

The early part of the chapter discusses the what situation was for Irish people in Europe and what caused so many of them to immigrate to the US during the mid 1840’s. “The history of the poor is the history of Ireland” (pg 134). This is a general trend for the Irish people. In Europe they faced oppression from British rule and were viewed as inferior. What made this worse was the political and economic unrest that Europe was facing during this time period. Ireland was hit especially hard. Most of them were peasants and relied heavily on agriculture. When faced with failed harvests they had no choice but to move. This is what caused that huge influx of immigration to the US. In addition to Irish immigrants there were a great deal of Germans who came.

By the Mid 1850’s there were huge concentrations of Celts in the US, especially in the cities (specifically NY). Once arriving in America the Irish immigrants faced further struggle. Since they were poor peasants their place in American society was limited. They concentrated in slums and were viewed negatively by natives. This is when stereotyping emerges. Cartoon played a big role in the emergence of the Paddy stereotype. Irish people were often depicted as ape like figures. The author includes some images of cartoons from the time. Many of these cartoons featured Negros and Irish people as similar figures.

Nativism became relevant in the politics of this time. American felt threatened by this influx of people from Europe. This effected the political environment of the country as well. The development of the Know Nothing Party is a prime example of the nativist sentiment of the time. There was generally a lot of political tension regarding immigration and the Irish became the focus of discrimination. Coupled with the religious tensions this was an especially hard time for that group of people.

 

Memories

Question: Read the first sentence carefully and analyze. What bearing does it have on the essay?

“Memory is unique to each one of us, and it is familial, tribal, communal, the seepage into our minds of other memories, an intravenous inheritance, the past in our bloodstream, elixir, narcotic, stimulant, poison, antidote.”

This sentence draws the line between reality and memory. Different people can remember the exact same moment in their own unique way and that memory stays with them their entire life. These memories can also effect people in different ways. People tend to think back on certain moments that can trigger an emotional reaction even after the fact. This is what Quinn is saying when he lists of elixir…antidote. Although multiple people may share memories of certain events or moments they have their own personal perception of what happened.

Throughout his essay Quinn talks about trying to trace his family history and their experience with the famine. Family history is often told by word of mouth from one generation to the next. Some may say that it is the responsibility of the older generation to pass on the history to the younger generation. When it comes to recounting huge historical events this idea of memories can make it more complicated. Perception and emotional connection to events can play a huge role in how people tell their story. This can make it hard to get the facts strait. Quinn found in his own research that there really were not many primary sources available relating to the Famine and all of the Irish people who came to the states. Tragic events like this can often create painful memories which survivors prefer not to recount. This can make it hard to paint a complete picture. It is a shame that these memories have faded through the generations but maybe it is better that way. It is not always good to dwell on moments of pain and suffering.