Italian family arriving in NY in 1905.
An Italian woman ‘rag-picker’ in her living space, with her packs of junk, few possessions including her straw hat hung on the wall behind her, and a child in her lap.
Both of the people above are Italian immigrants, but the top one seems like have a better life than the woman at the bottom.During that period of time, if those immigrant can speak English and educated, probably they will have a easier life than the people who do not.
This is a main point that the textbook makes; one has to realize that every immigrant lives differently. People think all immigrants had a bad life, but some people came to America with more skills than others, and those people usually had better lives.
Yes, I agree that language is a significant fact to affect immigrants’ lives. Having a good is the basic need and an advance for immigrant when they live in other country.
I agree with the comments above, immigrants back then with a higher education are better off than those with minimal education. Those with higher education have better jobs compared to other immigrants.
Amongst every population of people there is the elite and then the “slightly” less fortunate. This status in most cases is associated with wealth, but also at many times, education. Immigrants coming into the United States also fit both of these classifications.
Education is important in any society. Although the family is well dressed in first picture, their life in NYC is not yet determined. The picture is taken at their arrival. On the other hand, the second picture depicts the struggles of Italian Immigrants in US. The picture is a reflection of Colonial time where the life in the new world is not as good as expected.