Immigrant Adjustment to a New Industrialized Culture Thomas Bells Out of this Furnace is a very fine example of so-called socialist literature, which used to be popular in America prior to the outbreak of Second World War. Young people were being attracted to Socialism because of its idealistic properties. Out of this Furnace is actually a propaganda piece, concerns for workers lot here is nothing but a mean of winning more people for the Socialist cause. Nevertheless, it realistically describes American social realities at the turn of the century. Out of this Furnace is an epical story of three generations of Slovak immigrants. Djuro Kracha comes to America, just like so many other highly adventurous but uneducated romantics that were willing to sacrifice everything, in order to try its luck with winning American dream.
The reality proved to be much harsher then he could ever think of. At the beginning, he works in railway industry but then decides to follow one of his friends to Homestead, where he gets hired to work at the steel mill. Krachas health begins to deteriorate rapidly, since hes required to work 7 days a week, 12 hours a days, while constantly inhaling harmful fumes from blast furnaces. Being unable to succeed economically, because of these impossible odds, Kracha finds himself indulged in drinking and finally dies, leaving behind an extended family without the provider a typical conclusion of many new immigrants high hopes. The second part of the novel is the story of Michael Dobrejcak, who marries one of Krachas daughters Mary. There are so many similarities between him and Kracha that it appears to be only matter of time, before he would end up like his father in law.
The Essay on Out of this Furnace – Immigrant life
... Pennsylvania than of anything American.The family of immigrants that Out of this Furnace explores had a similar viewpoint regarding America as ... of a family of Hungarian immigrants who came to America during the late nineteenth century. George Kracha settled in Pennsylvania in ... was unacceptable. As Mike says about Kracha's generation, "They had come to America to find work, to make a living. It was ...
Yet, the action takes place in different America unions begin to gain political influence. Being able to speak fluent English, Michael gradually gets to be aware of his basic human rights and it prompts him to become one of mills most prominent union members. Although, still being unable to provide decent living to his family, Dobrejcak never losses his optimism. The most important difference between him and Kracha is that he joins other workers in their never-ending struggle for the fair wages and better working conditions. This doesnt bring any immediate results, but even while being poor and miserable, Michael never lets go of his self-respect The last part of Out of this Furnace tells us the story of Dobie, the son of Mary and Michael. Just like his farther, he works at the same mill and also, like his father, he becomes politically active.
But unlike two previous generations of his family, hes no longer handicapped by immigrants mentality. Furthermore, he realizes himself as having a great orators talent, while addressing the crowd of workers during the strike. Dobie gets elected to lead the union, which brings him an immediate material dividends. Bells novel ends quite optimistically. Not only that Dobie has become an influential member of Homesteads society, but hes also shown as having even higher political aspirations In times, when Americans are required to celebrate diversity, regardless of whether they like it or not, reading Out of the Furnace came as very refreshing experience to me. This novel effectively shows that the key to success in America for new immigrants lies in their ability to become part of American society. Krachas close association with Slovak ethnic community only held him back.
The reading of this book can serve a great deal of good for many contemporary immigrants to America, who often dont even bother to learn English, upon coming to this country. In Bells novel, the plot revolves around many issues that have lost its actuality in modern times, since we live in post-modern society. The role of heavy industry in American economy now becomes increasingly less important. People are no longer required to work 12 hours a day. Yet, it is crucial that we pay tribute to those many European immigrants, whose industriousness and hard work enabled America to become the most powerful country in the world within a few decades, after they started to arrive here in big numbers at the turn of twentieth century.
The Essay on Middle East America Immigrants Eastern
America has always defined itself as a great melting pot of differing cultures, however, when the safety or the well being of current citizens is in danger the government is forced to step in and regulate who enters the US. On September eleventh a great travesty occured, and some of the assassins and others plotting against America were immigrants who betrayed the American ideals. It is necessary ...
Bibliography:
Bell, Thomas.
1976. Out of This Furnace. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press.
