Tiphanie
June. 13 2007
Draft Two
Shadrach Cohen's Americanization
Bruno Lessing, as the author of “The Americanization of Shadrach Cohen” demonstrated a vivid process of the main character, Shadrach Cohen to be Americanized in a positive way， but not just on surface. Shadrach, under the request of his two sons, came to the U.S.A to help them out of the biz difficulty, however suffered a cultural shock when encountering with his two sons’ big change to appear more like an American, abandoning most of treasured religion customs. To win his two sons’ respect back, and prove own values, he helped to recover his two sons’ business, and through his efforts to make business boom, he remained cultural diversity when absorbing the good values of Americans’ democracy, liberty, the efficiency of performance-oriented management and the faculty of adaptability.
The author provided two ways of being Americanization, why and what are they? Through the writing, the author wanted to convey what kind of values? How the description of Shadrach contributed to author’s tendency to one of these two ways of being Americanization?
Bruno compared Shadrach with his two sons, to show a natural, positive adaptation into a new culture, while absorbing good sides of new cultures, retaining treasured original cultural characteristics. Being Americanized seems preferred to to be Americanized in view of Bruno. That’s to say, Americanization should just be a way of adaptation instead of transforming oneself deliberately to behave like the mainstream，and only in this way, one can really win respect of people in the new environment, the way Shadrach survived the cultural shock in the U.S.A and won respect from all walks of life.
Evidences go as follows: “Two dapper-looking young men took him(Shadrach) some time to realize who they were.” (46)By comparison, “Abel and Gottlieb looked at each other in dismay.” And when the sons questioned Shadrach’s beard, “Shadrach looked from one to the other in surprise” and said, “Then I will keep my beard as it is. I am a newly landed Russian Jew.” (46) is a set of responses of when two sons first meet their long-time-no-see father.
From the story, we see clearly that, after a short warm atmosphere of reunion and fresh feeling of this new land, Shadrach encountered so called “cultural shock” caused by the virtual “Americanization” of his 2 sons. It is the first phase of Shadrach’s Americanization.
Shadrach bore the characteristics of conservativeness, traditionalism, and integrity. It went against two sons’ trend to integrate into American style. Culture shock always occurs when cultures meet, conflict and be felt, and that’s what Shadrach suffered and what everyone who culture-shocked experiences.
As the passage goes, “He realized immediately that there was a wall between him and his sons. He was distressed and puzzled.” Yes, there is “a wall”! What is the wall? What was Shadrach puzzled and distressed about? What’s the wall between him and his sons? Let’s go back to the passage.(46)
“We-er-have grown out of-er-done away with-er- sort of fallen into the habit, don’t you know, of leaving out the prayer at meals. It’s not quite American!” said by Abel. What was Shadrach’s answer?(47)
“It is wrong to omit the prayer after meals. It is part of your religion.” put by Shadrach.(47)
The sons thought, “After he gets used to things, he will become Americanized like us.”(47)
The two sons held that their father would change just as they did. They forgot their religion tradition, they didn’t pray before meals, and they even did their utmost to get away with their original habits!He was raged by his dear son’s behaviors, and words. And he chose to show his personal charm and capability and for sure the authority as a father to win back these 2 “Americanized” son’s respect. Embracing this objective, not trying to be “Americanized” deliberately, he underwent the forth phase and gradually “Americanized” positively with a change in intonation in his voice, in ways to take care of 2 sons, in attitudes to manage his sons’ business, accompanied by the increased biz of Shadrach, the sons saw vistas of prosperity beyond their wildest dreams; they began to look upon their father with increasing respect.
Meanwhile, “He was slowly undergoing a change. A new life was unfolding itself before his eyes, he became broader-minded, more tolerant, and above all, more flexible in his tenets.” And “contact with the outer world had quickly impressed him with the vast differences between his present surroundings and his old life in Russia.” (50)
“not a word”,” tomorrow we become Americanized—you and I”, “throw the cigar away” “tomorrow, my sons, you will begin to lead a new life”, “let him go. Abel will take his place over the sales”(48), these sentences indicate the changes in intonation in his voice, in ways to take care of 2 sons as well as in attitudes to manage his sons’ business.
The sentence impressed me most when I first read the story goes, “If becoming Americanized means becoming stupid, I must congratulate you upon the thoroughness of your work.” (49)Compared to the sons, the true money-maker spirit, the swiftness with which he grasped the most intricate phases of trade and the faculty of adaptability make Shadrach a Americanized success, but not an “Americanized” foreigner.
After the analysis of the four phases of Shadrach’s Americanization, we can see one thing clearly that he maintained the religion and customs from beginning to end, never change. And it is this point that makes me more respectful to this truly Americanized man, and distinguishes him from his two sons and all those Americanized like them.
In conclusion, becoming Americanized is a process covering fresh feeling, cultural shock, turning point and adaptation, which is a natural response to a new environment, seen clearly from Shadrach.
Becoming Americanized doesn’t mean fast food, wearing jeans, dancing hip-hop, neither means sacrificing original traditions to the mainstream of the new culture. It is manifested clearly, especially through the comparison and interaction between Shadrach and his two sons, who can win respect in the end, who can really establish himself in the mainstream, and who can lead a life noteworthy and worthy living? It is those who can retain diversity, carry forward self-strong-points and see clearly what is the right thing to do and do the right things!