Immigration, Hester Street

From the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean, our country is a nation of immigrants. We have heard this in many presidential speeches and are constantly reminded of such. Look about and you will see people, faces that were born in a different place or are descendant of people born elsewhere. From New York to California, our country illustrates, with every human encounter, a nation of diversity, blend, and economic expansion. The strength of character this county has, in which tall skyscrapers were constructed, was build with the hands and manual labor that can trace to heritage miles across oceans. We are a country that has reached successes with a diversity of a nation who exemplified the American Dream.

The late nineteenth century and early twentieth century were incredibly significant with regard to immigration in our American history. This precise time in our history is distinguished by one of the prevalent sources of immigrants, in any era, where the majority arrived from countries Southern and Eastern Europe (Italy, Poland, Russia, and the Balkans). The families and individuals that arrived at our ports, principally Ellis Island, were predominantly a peasant people. They were refugees fleeing political and religious persec

. . .

View the whole essay, without interruption

We must remember the unforgettable and intolerable atrocities to so many, nevertheless remember to look beyond and see a cornucopia of elements holding and driving a force that leads all else. "We're still growing, still evolving, still a magnet for immigrants. The director, with some limitations due to a small budget, encompassed a belief and emotion that countless immigrates experienced. Immigration pours itself into some many arenas and fundamentals of what makes this country. Where would we be if immigrates did not work unimaginably long hours? Where would we be if immigrates did not trek a torturous journey?

"In 100 years, we've come full cycle," says Robert Lang, an urban analyst with the Fannie Mae Foundation and a Census consultant for USA TODAY. One cannot place limitations of time or pages onto the history of immigration.

The environment in which immigrants meet at Ellis Island was evidently represented in the scene wherein Jack's (Steven Keats) wife, Gitl (Carol Kane) unwearyingly awaits his arrival with their son Joey (Paul Freedman).

The movie Hester Street (Director: Joan Micklin Silver) captures the very fundamental nature of immigrants and their enormous effort, together with their ambitions, to live the American Dream and absorb their new environment; their new home.

Viewing Hester Street only solidified and expanded my thoughts on immigration. Hester Street, the movie, takes the view throughout the early years of the Garment District.

The primary constant for new life in the America, particular related to Hester Street, was economic pressures at home, the underemployed, and the unemployed. Noted is the search for religious tolerance and escape from political oppression, also played a role in the passage across the ocean and into Ellis Island. Where would we be, today, if it weren't for the Polish-Jews, the enslaved African's, the border crossing French Canadians, the Mexican, and hundreds more immigrants? America would not be the great country it is. The Polish-Jewish immigrates, depicted in Hester Street, and was one of the most influential people in the streets of New York at the turn of the century. Immigration is not a topic of interested discussed within a timed course.

Approximate Word count = 829
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Simply subscribe to view this paper, and 100,000 others.