Draft Two

A Jewish father

The Jewish reveals the strong spirits and tough characteristics when they are given even little chances. This strong will to survive which internalized by their religious beliefs and national destiny helps them to overcome every challenge they meet, especially in the business realm. The Jewish really show the talents for operating business, especially the elderly who keep their tradition. I like this story about a shrewd father who got back his dignity and respect before his children who are trying to persuade him to be a real American. It discusses the question that whether minorities should melt into American society even at the cost of abandoning their religions and make us project to our real life.

From my further reading, the writer intended to tell the readers that it was Shadrach’s virtue --prudence, diligence, tolerance and his practice of religion that won back the respect from his sons. Reviewing the details about Shadrach’s sudden turning of attitude towards his sons which was described as a worm’s turn by the writer, I have a much clearer picture about his characters.

(evidence1 for tolerance )“To their chagrin, however, they began to realize, after a few months that their father was clinging to the habits and customs of his old life with a tenacity that filled them with despair.” From the passage we see that Shadrach refused the new lifestyle introduced by his sons. I think Abel and Gottlieb have their own reasons to persuade their father to trim his beard while rejecting the grace after meals. It is obvious that Abel and Gottlieb had conflicting emotions toward their father—on the one hand, they esteemed him and daren't disobey his orders; on the other hand, Shadrach's strict clinging to the Jewish habits and customs really agitated and embarrassed his sons. Meanwhile he seemed to take no interest in their business affairs, but he responded, almost cheerfully, to his son’s requests for money. In another word, he himself didn’t intend to overtake the business from his sons. He never lost his temper; never upbraided them. He knew the change happened on his sons, however, as a father, he showed the tolerance for his children. This is a clue for the readers to understand his turning in attitude with a crash.

(evidence 2 for diligence) “What you both lack is sense. If becoming Americanized means becoming stupid, I must congratulate you upon the thoroughness of your work.”
No one ever denied Shadrach’s sense as a business men, he blamed his sons’ Americanization as becoming foolish and lazy. He postponed the working hour from six to eight and daren’t his sons suffer from the long working time as a shop assistant. He knew one of the keys to success is being diligent and he was aimed to teach his sons the lesson.

(evidence 3 stick to his religion)  “ His was the true money-maker spirit; there was something wonderful in the swiftness with which he grasped the most intricate phases of trade; and where experience failed him some instinct seemed to guide him aright.” I should say that Shadrach’s instinct was caused by his essence as a Jewish who are famous for good sense as a “money-maker”. Their beliefs in God teach them being a candid person, being a piety son of God. The practice of religion inherited from Jewish ancestors guided Shadrach. He knew a nation without land, law and boundaries at least should stick to their religion. Ringlets, praying cap, grace after meals and all the respect behavior to Jehovah makes Jewish recognize their brothers and sisters throughout the world. They are a whole family even scattered in every corner of the world. They embrace people who respect their religion as Shadrach did to Gottlieb’s girlfriend- Miriam. He was previously raged at Gottlieb’s embarrassment to introduce his Jewish-styled father to Miriam.

The ending shows we welcome the consolation that religion brings, and we cling to it as a family. Shadrach Cohen succeeded in not only his business realm but also win his son’s filial reverence.

The only thing that from the very beginning, Jewish religion means the worship of Jehovah, who has chosen Jewish as His children on earth, and that the same Jehovah rules supreme over America. However, the pluralistic ideal in American civic life itself emerges in the struggles of excluded communities to join the mainstream while maintaining their own distinctive qualities, practices, and ways of life. That is why some young people chose to be in an Americanized style. They have to face more pressure than their parents when working or communicating with their peers. Fortunately, in the course of Shadrach Cohen's 'Americanization', Shadrach wisely produced a harmony of the Jewish and American value.  Being a human, you also have the rights to choose or modify your own religion.