America, the Mosaic Society
The New Colossus poem became part of the Statue of Liberty, also known as Mother of Exiles, on Liberty Island in 1903. As the Statue of Liberty was essentially America’s welcome sign and beacon of hope for thousands of European immigrants arriving on Ellis Island, it was fitting for Emma Lazarus’s full poem to be engraved above the main entrance of the statue in 1945. Lazarus’s poem references and symbolizes freedom, opportunity, independence, and compassion to the tired, poor, homeless immigrants making the journey to America. Although most immigrants found freedom, opportunity, and independence in America, the compassion was scarce due to measures of xenophobia, discrimination, and prejudice. The message of the poem is to yield immigrants the desire to dream and hope for a prosperous life in a new world that’s free of war, tyranny, oppression, and economic instability. The poem suggests that the grand Mother of Exiles will welcome her children to America instead of reject them. The New Colossus poem and Lady Liberty may have been hopeful signs …show more content…
At first the poem’s promise failed them as they too came face to face with hatred and opposition at the hands of American Nativists. They dealt with poverty and political and social unrest as they were blamed for bringing discord to America. Looking for work during the depression, they were recruited as strike-breakers until they became the actual strikers themselves. This caused a major uproar on the east coast causing many deaths. Years later they were recognized as being the workers that made the factories, mills and mines bring America to hits economic heights. Success was meager for the Eastern Europeans, but later generations were successful in various occupations in America as Lazarus’s poem had
The New Colossus poem became part of the Statue of Liberty, also known as Mother of Exiles, on Liberty Island in 1903. As the Statue of Liberty was essentially America’s welcome sign and beacon of hope for thousands of European immigrants arriving on Ellis Island, it was fitting for Emma Lazarus’s full poem to be engraved above the main entrance of the statue in 1945. Lazarus’s poem references and symbolizes freedom, opportunity, independence, and compassion to the tired, poor, homeless immigrants making the journey to America. Although most immigrants found freedom, opportunity, and independence in America, the compassion was scarce due to measures of xenophobia, discrimination, and prejudice. The message of the poem is to yield immigrants the desire to dream and hope for a prosperous life in a new world that’s free of war, tyranny, oppression, and economic instability. The poem suggests that the grand Mother of Exiles will welcome her children to America instead of reject them. The New Colossus poem and Lady Liberty may have been hopeful signs …show more content…
At first the poem’s promise failed them as they too came face to face with hatred and opposition at the hands of American Nativists. They dealt with poverty and political and social unrest as they were blamed for bringing discord to America. Looking for work during the depression, they were recruited as strike-breakers until they became the actual strikers themselves. This caused a major uproar on the east coast causing many deaths. Years later they were recognized as being the workers that made the factories, mills and mines bring America to hits economic heights. Success was meager for the Eastern Europeans, but later generations were successful in various occupations in America as Lazarus’s poem had