The Struggles of Immigrant Women in the Early Twentieth...

Between the years of 1840 and 1914, about forty million people immigrated to the United States from foreign countries. Many of them came to find work and earn money to have a better life for their families. Others immigrated because they wanted to escape the corrupt political power of their homelands, such as the revolution in Mexico after 1911. Whatever the case, many found it difficult to begin again in a new country. Most immigrants lived in slums with very poor living conditions. They had a hard time finding work that paid enough to support a family. Not only was it difficult for immigrant men, but for women as well. Immigrant women faced many challenges including lack of education and social life as well as low wages and poor†¦show more content†¦When Sara is out selling herring to earn money for dinner, she says, â€Å"Nothing was before me but the hunger in our house, and no bread for the next meal if I didn’t sell the herring.† This shows just how de sperate Sara and her family are for money to put food on the table. Many immigrant families struggled to make ends meet even with all the members of their families working. They had to live in tenements and endure poor living conditions because they used the little income that they received to pay for food. In the book, the family’s kitchen at dinner time is described by saying, â€Å"The stove was cold. No food was on the table.† The Smolinsky family struggles to put food on the table every night, so they could not think about sending one of their daughters to school when they desperately need money themselves. Women were simply not given the opportunity to educate themselves and therefore it was hard for them to pursue any sort of career in America. With the lack of education for these women, it also took away from any kind of social life they may have had. It was hard for a young immigrant woman to go out and find a fitting husband because she was always working to support her family. Many families could not afford to let their daughters get married because that would mean less income for them. Several fathers only wanted to marry off their daughters toShow MoreRelatedA Fierce Discontent By Michael Mcgerr, The Jungle By Upton Sinclair And Industrial Workers911 Words   |  4 Pagesrevolution changed many things in America, and roles began to shift. Many farmers moved their families into the cities and began working in factories. Not only did men work in these factories, but many women did as well. 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