“At the Edge of the Storm” deals heavily with the course theme of immigration. The narrator moved to America from Germany in 1931 before the outbreak of World War II. Besides having the usual immigrant struggles, the speaker is viewed unfavorably due to his German nationality, the country the U.S was at war with. He came to the country with the same aspirations of getting rich quick. However, he found that he had to work very hard to even get his small business off the ground. Immigrants through the history of New York have had the same false promise. Many hear of these exaggerated tails of unbounded riches in America. However, when they arrive, they find themselves working tirelessly at menial jobs while facing discrimination from Nativists. The narrator captures the common immigrant’s struggle in trying to be successful in New York.
“At the Edge of the Storm” is the story of a man torn between two places and two identities. Shortly before World War II, there narrator of this story moved to New York City in pursuit of a better future. When the war broke, out, however, he began to struggle. His family had stayed behind in Germany; we never learn what happens to them, although the narrator does list some of the possibilities. In New York City, the narrator is faced with prejudice due to his German heritage. Since the United States went to war with Germany, all Germans were being viewed as enemies, especially recent immigrants. Some Germans even deny their heritage, changing their names in hopes of escaping discrimination. This story is truly heartbreaking, showing how war tore families and communities apart, forever scarring them. We may not know the narrator by name, but we know his story, allowing us to sympathize with him. He has not only lost his family, but pieces of his culture.
“At the Edge of the Storm” deals heavily with the course theme of immigration. The narrator moved to America from Germany in 1931 before the outbreak of World War II. Besides having the usual immigrant struggles, the speaker is viewed unfavorably due to his German nationality, the country the U.S was at war with. He came to the country with the same aspirations of getting rich quick. However, he found that he had to work very hard to even get his small business off the ground. Immigrants through the history of New York have had the same false promise. Many hear of these exaggerated tails of unbounded riches in America. However, when they arrive, they find themselves working tirelessly at menial jobs while facing discrimination from Nativists. The narrator captures the common immigrant’s struggle in trying to be successful in New York.
“At the Edge of the Storm” is the story of a man torn between two places and two identities. Shortly before World War II, there narrator of this story moved to New York City in pursuit of a better future. When the war broke, out, however, he began to struggle. His family had stayed behind in Germany; we never learn what happens to them, although the narrator does list some of the possibilities. In New York City, the narrator is faced with prejudice due to his German heritage. Since the United States went to war with Germany, all Germans were being viewed as enemies, especially recent immigrants. Some Germans even deny their heritage, changing their names in hopes of escaping discrimination. This story is truly heartbreaking, showing how war tore families and communities apart, forever scarring them. We may not know the narrator by name, but we know his story, allowing us to sympathize with him. He has not only lost his family, but pieces of his culture.