Bread Givers, published in 1925 by Anzia Yezierska, is a semi-autobiographical novel that tells the story of Sara Smolinsky, a young Russian-Jewish immigrant from what is now Poland, growing up in the Lower East Side of New York City in the early 20th century. Sara’s father is a religious scholar who refuses to work, leaving his wife and daughters to support the family. Sara’s struggle to break free from her father’s oppressive influence and to achieve independence drives the novel. Explore a plot summary, an in-depth analysis of Sara Smolinsky, and important quotes.

Summary

Read a full plot summary of Bread Givers.

Characters

See a complete list of the characters in Bread Givers and in-depth analyses of Sara Smolinsky, Reb Smolinsky, Bessie Smolinsky, and Mashah Smolinsky.

Literary Devices

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Quotes

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Further Study

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Bread Givers (SparkNotes Literature Guide)

 
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Bread Givers

 
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