Education, Escape and Citizenship: America as the Promised Land
Millions of immigrants traveled hundreds of miles from their homes, with only what possessions they could carry, in order to obtain the freedoms and chase the American promise. In The Promised Land, Mary Antin illustrates how, if given the chance, immigrants would embody American ideals and truly adopt America as their own country. America provided many freedoms, such as education and freedom of expression, that born citizens may take for granted, but immigrants certainly did not. To immigrants, America offered access to public education, provided a safe haven from religious persecution, and safeguarded freedom of expression -- all of these are tools which immigrants used to …show more content…
For instance, Frieda’s only way of learning about American history was through Mary, as she gained no knowledge of American history through her work. By not attending school, not only Frieda became stuck in the Old World mentality in terms of education but also in terms of marriage. Her father “had put Frieda to work out of necessity. The necessity was hardly lifted when she had an offer of marriage, but [her] father would not stand in the way of what he considered her welfare” (Antin, 218). Frieda was deprived the opportunity to marry for love, as was the American way, but was married out of necessity for her welfare. This action is reminiscent of the Old World mentality where actions were performed based on necessity, rather than desire or choice. Public education provided Mary with the opportunity to escape the Old World mentality and execute decisions because she had the desire to. The stark contrast between Frieda’s life, representing the culture of the Old World, and Mary’s represents the positive change that coming to America offered immigrants. Through public education, Mary was able to become truly American by learning the country’s culture and values. Mary learns school about patriotic figures in American history, like George Washington, and the important ideals of America: freedom and equality. Mary believed that “the public school [had] done its best for... foreigners, and for the country, when it… made [them] into good Americans” (Antin, 175). By coming to America, immigrants like Mary were offered the opportunity to attend public schools and receive an education, a luxury in the Old World. With this new availability of education , immigrants were afforded the chance of upward mobility and of the American
Millions of immigrants traveled hundreds of miles from their homes, with only what possessions they could carry, in order to obtain the freedoms and chase the American promise. In The Promised Land, Mary Antin illustrates how, if given the chance, immigrants would embody American ideals and truly adopt America as their own country. America provided many freedoms, such as education and freedom of expression, that born citizens may take for granted, but immigrants certainly did not. To immigrants, America offered access to public education, provided a safe haven from religious persecution, and safeguarded freedom of expression -- all of these are tools which immigrants used to …show more content…
For instance, Frieda’s only way of learning about American history was through Mary, as she gained no knowledge of American history through her work. By not attending school, not only Frieda became stuck in the Old World mentality in terms of education but also in terms of marriage. Her father “had put Frieda to work out of necessity. The necessity was hardly lifted when she had an offer of marriage, but [her] father would not stand in the way of what he considered her welfare” (Antin, 218). Frieda was deprived the opportunity to marry for love, as was the American way, but was married out of necessity for her welfare. This action is reminiscent of the Old World mentality where actions were performed based on necessity, rather than desire or choice. Public education provided Mary with the opportunity to escape the Old World mentality and execute decisions because she had the desire to. The stark contrast between Frieda’s life, representing the culture of the Old World, and Mary’s represents the positive change that coming to America offered immigrants. Through public education, Mary was able to become truly American by learning the country’s culture and values. Mary learns school about patriotic figures in American history, like George Washington, and the important ideals of America: freedom and equality. Mary believed that “the public school [had] done its best for... foreigners, and for the country, when it… made [them] into good Americans” (Antin, 175). By coming to America, immigrants like Mary were offered the opportunity to attend public schools and receive an education, a luxury in the Old World. With this new availability of education , immigrants were afforded the chance of upward mobility and of the American