“ Natasha ” and Vapnyar ’ s “ Love Lessons – Mondays, 9 am ” ) also distinguishes their
work from that of their literary forebears.
The distinctiveness of this new wave of Russian diaspora writing emerges most
forcefully, perhaps, in the insider ’ s glimpse these stories offer of the Soviet Union,
rather than of Tsarist Russia. Bezmozgis ’ s “ The Second Strongest Man ” documents
the economic deprivation and utter quashing of free ideas that defi ned Jewish life in
the formerly communist state; the brief reunion in the story between the protagonist ’ s
father and his former business partner from Riga also evokes the pain of separation
from one
’
s native home. Vapnyar
’
s
“
A Question for Vera
”
illustrates poignantly,
through a child ’ s eyes, the erasure of Jewish identity in the Soviet Union, while
Bezmozgis ’ s “ An Animal to the Memory ” depicts the concomitant struggle to reclaim
a Jewish identity in the new world – a sea change from earlier immigrant Jewish
fi ction, which typically, and conversely, documents the assimilation of protagonists
who had been reared in Orthodox Jewish European homes. Finally, the recent publica-
tion of the powerful story collections, Ellen Litman ’ s The Last Chicken in America
( 2007 ) and Sana Krasikov ’ s One More Year ( 2008 ), suggest that we are only at the
beginning of this new “immigrant” phase of the Jewish American short story.
Conclusion
As I hope I have made clear, the new immigrants aren ’ t the only young Jewish Ameri-
can writers to explore Jewish identity across national boundaries. It may be that the
accelerated globalization of our economy and mass culture – its deleterious effects
notwithstanding – has encouraged contemporary Jewish writers to examine Jewish
lives and fates across the diaspora, reinvigorating a Jewish consciousness of exile in
its multiform dimensions. Whatever the reasons, the Jewish American imagination
The Jewish American Story
463
is in its most expansive and elastic phase, stretching across generations and geographic
borders. The Jewish story, as Ilan Stavans has noted, has ever and always served as a
map “ across linguistic and geographical spheres, ” but never more so than now, and
nowhere more so than in America, I would argue, especially if we extend the defi ni-
tion of America to include Canada ( “ Language ” 25). All of which bodes well for a
new century of Jewish American stories.
References and Further Reading
Primary Texts
Apple , Max . Free Agents . New York : Harper-
Malamud , Bernard . The Complete Stories . New York :
Collins , 1984 .
Farrar, Straus & Giroux , 1997 .
Bellow , Saul . Collected Stories . New York : Viking ,
Moss , Barbara Klein . Little Edens . New York :
2001 .
W. W. Norton , 2004 .
Bezmozgis , David . Natasha . New York : Farrar,
Nissenson , Hugh . The Elephant and My Jewish
Straus & Giroux , 2004 .
Problem: Selected Stories and Journals . New York :
Bukiet , Melvin . A Faker ’ s Dozen . New York :
HarperCollins , 1988 .
W. W. Norton , 2003 .
Ozick , Cynthia . The Pagan Rabbi and Other Stories .
— — — . Stories of an Imaginary Childhood . 1991 .
1971 . Syracuse, NY : Syracuse University Press ,
Evanston, IL
:
Northwestern University Press
,
1995.
1992.
— — — . The Shawl . 1989 . New York : Vintage ,
— — — . While the Messiah Tarries . 1995 . Syracuse,
1990.
NY : Syracuse University Press , 1997.
Paley , Grace . Collected Stories . New York : Farrar,
Chabon , Michael . A Model World . New York :
Straus & Giroux , 1994 .
William Morrow , 1991 .
Papernick , Jon . The Ascent of Eli Israel . New York :
Clayton , John J. Radiance . Columbus : Ohio State
Arcade , 2002 .
University Press , 1998 .
Raphael , Lev . Dancing on Tisha B ’ Av . New York :
Englander , Nathan . For the Relief of Unbearable
St. Martin ’ s Press , 1991 .
Urges . New York : Knopf , 1999 .
Rosenbaum , Thane . Elijah Visible . New York : St.
Epstein , Joseph . Fabulous Small Jews . New York :
Martin ’ s Press , 1996
Houghton Miffl in , 2003 .
Roth , Philip . Goodbye, Columbus . 1959 . New York :
Goldstein , Rebecca . Strange Attractors . New York :
Random House , 1995.
Viking Penguin , 1993 .
Sandor , Marjorie . Portrait of My Mother Who Posed
Goodman , Allegra . The Family Markowitz . New
Nude in Wartime . Louisville : Sarabande , 2003 .
York : Farrar, Straus & Giroux , 1996 .
Schwartz , Delmore . In Dreams Begin Responsibilities .
— — — . Total Immersion . New York : Harper ,
Norfolk, CT : New Directions , 1938 .
1989 .
Shapiro , Gerald . Bad Jews . Cambridge, MA :
Grossinger , Harvey . The Quarry . Athens : Univer-
Zoland Press , 1999 .
sity of Georgia Press , 1997 .
— — — . From Hunger . Columbia : University of
Havazelet , Ehud . Like Never Before . New York :
Missouri Press , 1993 .
Farrar, Straus & Giroux , 1998 .
— — — . Little Men . Columbus : Ohio State Univer-
Krasikov , Sana . One More Year . New York : Spiegel
sity Press , 2004 .
& Grau , 2008 .
Shomer , Enid . Imaginary Men . Iowa City : Univer-
Leegant , Joan . An Hour in Paradise . New York :
sity of Iowa Press , 1993 .
W. W. Norton , 2003 .
Stern ,
Steve .
Lazar Malkin Enters Heaven .
Litman , Ellen . The Last Chicken in America . New
1987 . Syracuse, NY : Syracuse University Press ,
York : Norton , 2007
1995.
464
Andrew Furman
— — — . The Wedding Jester . New York : Graywolf
Vapnyar , Lara . There are Jews in My House . New
Press , 1999 .
York : Pantheon , 2003 .
Stollman , Aryeh Lev . The Dialogues of Time and Yezierska , Anzia . Hungry Hearts . 1920 . New York : Entropy . New York : Riverhead , 2003 .
Penguin , 1997.
General Anthologies
Bukiet , Melvin , ed. Neurotica: Jewish Writers on Sex .
Solotaroff , Ted , and Nessa Rapoport , eds. Writing
New York : W. W. Norton , 1999 .
Our Way Home: Contemporary Stories by American
Chametzky ,
Jules ,
John
Felstiner ,
Hilene
Jewish Writers . New York : Schocken , 1992 . Rpt.
Flanzbaum , and Kathryn Hellerstein , eds.
as
The Schocken Book of Contemporary Jewish
Jewish American Literature: A Norton Anthology .
Fiction . Eds. Ted Solotaroff and Nessa Rapoport.
New York : W. W. Norton , 2001 .
New York: Schocken, 1996.
>
Howe , Irving , ed. Jewish American Stories . New
Stavans , Ilan , ed. The Oxford Book of Jewish
York : NAL Penguin , 1977 .
Stories
.
New York
:
Oxford University Press
,
Shapiro , Gerald , ed. American Jewish Fiction: A
1998 .
Century of Stories . Lincoln : University of Nebraska
Zakrzewski , Paul , ed. Lost Tribe: Jewish Fiction from
Press , 1998 .
the Edge . New York : Perennial , 2003 .
Secondary Works
Baumgarten , Murray . City Scriptures: Modern Jewish
Gelfant , Blanche H. “ Introduction . ” Hungry
Writing . Cambridge, MA : Harvard University
Hearts , by Anzia Yezierska. 1920 . New York :
Press , 1982 .
Penguin , 1997. vii – xxxiv .
Berger , Alan L. “ American Jewish Fiction . ” Modern
Howe , Irving . “ Introduction . ” Jewish American
Judaism 10 ( 1990 ): 221 – 41 .
Stories . Ed. Irving Howe . New York : NAL
— — — . Children of Job: American Second - Generation
Penguin , 1977 . 1 – 17 .
Witnesses to the Holocaust . Albany : State Univer-
Kalman , Judith . The County of Birches . New York :
sity of New York Press , 1997 .
St. Martin ’ s Press , 1998 .
Blair , Sara , and Jonathan Freedman . “ Introduc-
Kremer , S. Lillian . “ Post - Alienation: Recent
tion. ” Jewish in America (Part One) . Special Issue
Directions in Jewish - American Literature . ” Con-
of
Michigan Quarterly Review (Fall 2002 ):
temporary Literature 34 . 3 (Fall 1993 ): 571 – 91 .
509 – 16 .
Krupnick , Mark . “ Jewish - American Literature . ”
Boyers , Robert T. “ Literature and Culture: An
New Immigrant Literatures in the United States: A
Interview with Saul Bellow . ” Salmagundi 30
Sourcebook to Our Multicultural Literary Heritage .
( 1975 ): 6 – 23 .
Ed. Alpana Sharma Knippling . Westport, CT :
Burstein , Janet Handler . “ In the Twilight of Tra-
Greenwood Press , 1996 . 295 – 308 .
dition: Trying the Myths in Jewish - American
Malamud , Bernard . “ Preface . ” The Stories of Bernard
Short Stories . ” YIVO Annual 19 ( 1990 ):
Malamud . New York : Farrar, Straus & Giroux ,
105 – 32 .
1983 . vii – xiii .
Dickstein , Morris . “ Dybbuks in Dixie . ” Review
Ozick , Cynthia . “ Farcical Combat in a Busy
of Lazar Malkin Enters Heaven , by Steve Stern.
World . ” Saul Bellow . Ed. Harold Bloom . New
New York Times Book Review (March 1, 1987 ):
York : Chelsea House , 1986 . 235 – 41 .
11 .
— — — . “ Toward a New Yiddish . ” Art and Ardor .
Fiedler , Leslie . Fiedler on the Roof: Essays on Litera-
New York : Knopf , 1983 . 151 – 77 .
ture and Jewish Identity . 1991 . Rpt. Boston :
Pinsker , Sanford . “ Dares, Double - Dares, and the
Godine , 1992.
Jewish - American Writer . ” Prairie Schooner 71 . 1
Furman , Andrew . Contemporary Jewish American
(Spring 1997 ): 278 – 85 .
Writers and the Multicultural Dilemma . Syracuse,
— — — . Jewish - American Fiction . New York :
NY : Syracuse University Press , 2000 .
Twayne , 1992 .
The Jewish American Story
465
Rapoport , Nessa . “ Summoned to the Feast . ” Intro-
Solotaroff , Ted . “ The Open Community . ” Intro-
duction.
Writing Our Way Home: Contemporary
duction.
Writing Our Way Home: Contemporary
Stories by American Jewish Writers . Eds. Ted
Stories by American Jewish Writers . Eds. Ted
Solotaroff and Nessa Rapoport . New York :
Solotaroff and Nessa Rapoport . New York :
Schocken , 1992 . xxvii – xxx .
Schocken , 1992 . xiii – xxvi .
Roth , Philip . “ Preface . ” Goodbye, Columbus . 1959 .
Stavans , Ilan . “ Language and Tradition . ” Introduc-
New York : Random House , 1995. ix – xii .
tion. The Oxford Book of Jewish Stories . Ed. Ilan
Shapiro , Gerald . “ Group Portrait . ” Introduction.
Stavans . New York : Oxford University Press ,
American Jewish Fiction . Ed. Gerald Shapiro .
1998 . 3 – 25 .
Lincoln : University of Nebraska Press , 1998 .
Wirth - Nesher , Hana . “ Defi ning the Indefi nable:
vi – xv .
What Is Jewish Literature? ” Introduction. What
Shechner , Mark . “ Is This Picasso, or Is It the
is Jewish Literature? Ed. Hana Wirth - Nesher .
Jews? ” Tikkun (November – December 1997 ):
Philadelphia : Jewish Publication Society , 1994 .
39 – 41 .
3 – 12 .
30
The Multiethnic American
Short Story
Molly Crumpton Winter
The multiethnic short story in America as a literary tradition refl ects the paradoxical
nature of the nation itself. The publication history of short stories written by people
of color and immigrant authors is the story of access and voice in a nation that his-
torically limited their participation in social and political life. Even as their stories
appear in popular periodicals, anthologies, and collections, their narratives refl ect the
prejudicial and sometimes violent opposition to the groups depicted. Viewing these
texts in association to each other reveals a nationwide multiethnic dialogue about the
personal and communal struggle to come to terms with the promise and betrayal of
American life. This discourse on ethnic identifi cation and national belonging, which
has continued for over one hundred years, served to reshape, and continues to expand,
our notions of American identity.
The publication of multiethnic American short stories began in earnest in the late
nineteenth century. The nation was experiencing changes that led to a dramatic
increase in the demand for reading material. Population growth, a rise in literacy
rates, urbanization, and immigration fueled the magazine, newspaper, and book pub-
lishing industry of the era. Periodicals served as forms of entertainment and diversion
as well as tools for education as the diversity of texts provided in magazines afforded
readers the opportunity to learn about the world outside their homes, communities,
and regions. This desire for variety opened the door for Native Americans, African
Americans, and immigrants to enter the public discourse as never before. Mainstream
periodicals peppered their issues with essays, autobiographical writing, poems, and
short stories by non - traditional writers, and major Eastern publishing houses began
to open their doors to immigrant authors and writers of color. In addition to these
venues edited by and marketed to the assimilated white American population, there
were a number of smaller presses and periodicals publishing within and marketing
to specifi c ethnic communities. African American, Jewish American, and Native
American newspapers and journals in particular have long been a part of America ’ s
publications history.
The Multiethnic Story
467
The challenge for ethnic American short story writers in the late nineteenth and
early twentieth centuries was to entertain readers even as they reminded them of recent
historical brutalities (slavery, Tsarist pogroms), alerted them to repressive contempo-
rary systems (segregation of blacks, exclusion of Chinese, literacy tests for immigrants,
programs of “ civilization ” for American Indians), and called their attention to eco-
nomic injustice (poverty, hiring restrictions, and unfair wage distribution). Taken
together, these stories constitute an indictment of a nation that expected conformity
and acquiescence from each group yet simultaneously upheld beliefs and practices that
prevented their full political and social participation. At the turn into the twentieth
century the mainstream perception of what it means to be “ American ” was limited
in its scope: the roots of the national character were held to be white, western Euro-
pean, and Protestant, and all who lived within the US borders were expected to
conform to this type. Assimilation, the model for citizenship at the time, was prob-
lematic for non - Christian immigrants and for Americans who were not white. Most
ethnic American stories during this era work on a personal and social level as charac-
ters negotiate their position within their ethnic communities in the US as well as
their relationship to mainstream American society. The course of these negotiations
often reveals the contrast between life, culture, and values in individual tribes, com-
munities, or countries of origin with those of the greater United States.
One of the earliest writers to address these themes in short fi ction was Norwegian
immigrant Hjalmar Hjorth Boyensen in his collection Vagabond Tales published in
1889 . Several stories set in America and Norway refl ect the international nature of
ethnic American literature and the confl icts that arise as immigrants move between
cultures. The best of these stories is “ A Disastrous Partnership, ” about two Norwegian
cabinetmakers, Truls Bergeson and Jens Moe. In this tale, Bergeson represents the
immigrant who holds on to the values and ways of his native country, while Moe
embodies the assimilationist ideal of the melting pot. Moe acculturates quickly,
changes his name, and marries an American girl. The story supports the mainstream
American perception of immigration and assimilation, for though Moe is looked down
A Companion to the American Short Story Page 100
