The role in which traditional Italian codes of behavior and attitudes towards the family play in the Italian American immigrant experience represents the dynamic interplay in which a distinct Italian American culture developed as a fusion between Italian and American cultures. From this perspective, the changes occurring in Italian culture, as it integrates into the more dominant mainstream American culture, can provide insights to the Italian American immigrant experience. Contrary to the patriarchal nature of Italian culture, Lucia Santa’s perspective of men as incompetent, commenting how “folly” it was for “men should control the money in the house, have the power to make decisions that decided the fate of infants,” provides an example of the changes within family dynamics as a result of assimilation into American culture (Puzo 27). …show more content…
Instead of allowing Frank return to the family and disrupt the family’s stability, Lucia Santa decided to forsake Frank for the sakes of the family’s wellbeing. This is further emphasized through when Frank died, Lucia Santa refused to bring his body back to New York, commenting “[w]hy bring her husband’s body back all the way to New York, pay an undertaker, make a big fuss, remind everyone that her husband died insane?” (Puzo 218). This change in Lucia Santa’s attitude towards the family structure underlines more significant cultural changes occurring in the Italian American culture, particularly between in terms of gender roles, as a result of assimilation in American
Chapter 3 discusses the background of the Italians who came to the United States. Italy had free elections in the South, but the corruption from criminal organizations and nobles influenced politics. Southern Italy had a large part of the population until the late twentieth century and peasants worked in agriculture. The central government was weak and ineffective. Italians had strong family bonds and children started working in fields at very young ages. Family is one of the key defining aspects of the Italians with household that usually had a father or husband. When they came to the United States they migrated largely within New York and a large percentage were men. Typically residing in Little Italy neighborhoods, and having low
Many Americans believe that family values are only upheld when individuals belong to a “traditional family”, which consists of a working father, stay-at-home mother and their biological children. Any fluctuation from this ideal family model is considered “non-traditional”. In Barbara Kingsolver’s, “Stone Soup”, she shares her perspective about society’s negative vision of the non-traditional family. As a divorced single mother, Kingsolver suggests, “To judge a family’s value by its tidy symmetry is to purchase a book for its cover.” Similarly, Richard Rodriguez’s, “Family Values” also addresses the subject of family. However, his theme focuses on how immigrants and politicians view the family dynamic. Rodriguez believes that America severely
Family has a large impact on one’s life because they provide support and help guide one in the right direction when making decisions. In Nino Ricci’s Lives of the Saints and Frank McCourt’s Angela’s Ashes, family plays a large role in shaping the lives of the protagonists, Vittorio Innocente and Frank McCourt respectively. A distant father results in the boys’ innocence and naiveté as their fathers never had the chance to explain the mysteries of life to them nor did they serve as proper role models. Frank’s and Vitto’s grandparents results in their distrust towards their own families. The boys’ incapable mother’s results in them not knowing what a family structure is, which in turn causes them to look to alternate people for parental figures. The family dysfunction of absent fathers, unsupportive grandparents, and inadequate mothers forms Vitto’s and Frank’s personalities negatively as it deprives them of the positive influences they desperately need in order to grow up with the right morals.
In a recount by Addams, she explained how a young Italian girl was too embarrassed to enter her class with the presence of her traditional Italian mother wearing “a kerchief over her head, uncouth boots, and short petticoats” (Addams, 11). The younger generation appeared to be embarrassed by their parents and therefore, was embarrassed by their background and cultural heritage that they knew little about. The older generation did not grow up with the same luxuries as the younger generation. The parents, back in their home countries were oppressed and held under strict laws and religious grounds, limiting their behavior and abilities (Addams, 11). This way of living though for the older generation was a part of them. They grew up in this lifestyle and were not free until their arrival in the United
When placing the novel in the context of our course numerous topics are illuminated, such as, how these immigrants attempted to hold onto the values and traditions of their ancestors, how the immigrants faced discrimination and what certain immigrants had to do in order to make a living. The Italian Immigrants migrated to the United States eventually making their way to New York City and in particular the upper east side of Manhattan. This migration to a certain location demonstrates how the Italians felt more comfortable living with one another rather than assimilating into the American culture and living with other ethnic groups. Throughout the novel Orsi provides
When Italian families first arrived in America around 1900, they stayed true to the old proverb “father headed, but mother centered” when regarding to the family. The role of married women did not change that much if at all when coming to America, the only difference was serving the family in a different continent. Married women still could not handle or deal with money that the husband brought in, instead just inquire what was needed around the house. These women main job, as they were in Italy, stayed very
Today New York City is home to over 3 million Italian Americans. When the Italian immigrants first came to America many settled in downtown Manhattan, in an area that came to be known as Little Italy. Living conditions in Little Italy were terrible. Large families were forced to live in tiny tenement apartments with sometimes up to five or six family members sharing a tiny bedroom. When the immigrants were able to save up enough money many moved their families to Staten Island where it was more rural and land was relatively inexpensive. Phyllis Lamattina, a longtime resident of the Roosebank area, has the knowledge of the Italian immigrants’ relationship to St. Joseph by Rosebank Church and how important the values of family was to the immigrants. In this interview. Ms. Lamattina, shares a brief oral history of her family and tells of this importance of family and church to the Italian immigrants.
Families acquired a new form and with it a myth of the American family was created. The myth of the American family is one where “father knows best, mothers are never bored or irritated, and teenagers rush to the dinner table each night, eager to
Anna Romano was 24 years old when she, her husband Gino, and her expected daughter moved from Ponza, Italy to the United States in 1971. Her sister-in-law was the first of her relatives to move to the United States, in hopes of finding opportunity for her family. After hearing great things about
With Nicholas working in a factory and Florence as a schoolteacher they were able to scrape by and provide a modest life for their children. Growing up my grandfather described a general disdain felt towards his family by other members of the town. This attitude stemmed from the general dislike of Italian-Americans in the country during this time. Even after Nicholas returned from his time in World War 2, people still would treat him as second class. Luckily Italian-American families in the area developed a tight-knit community, mostly centered around going to church. These were the people my grandfather credited with helping pull his family up and comfort them during the hard times. For instance when my grandfather’s brother died in a car accident the community joined in the mourning and helped with the funeral. Or when my grandfather’s
Italian American and Greek American parents are devoted to raising their children, and caring to them well into their adult years. While the Irish American culture allows their children to move out, prepared or not, the Italian American and Greek American cultures would not do this willingly. The Italian American and Greek American cultures believe that they will not have as much an impact or closeness, and their children could venture into trouble if not advised everyday of their lives. With that being said, Italian American and Greek American children often live in their parent’s homes well into their adult years. What might be surprising to other cultures, especially the Irish American culture, is that even newly married couples are welcomed to live in their in-laws home until they find, or until they can afford, their own home. The Italian American and Greek American cultures are even big on assisting their relatives in finding employment, and this ties into the importance of family businesses, where they will hire and keep their success
This essay, The Myth of the Model American Family, is a discussion of the concept of an ideal family in the different perspective specifically social, cultural and economic. This is also an attempt to identify the structural changes in relation to the global development and the international economic crisis that immensely created impact on their lives. However, the discussion will limit itself on the different identifiable and observable transformations as manifested in the lifestyles, interrelationships and views of family members and will not seek to provide an assessment of their psycho-social and individual perceptions.
n the upcoming page’s I will answer the following questions. Why is family the most important agent of socialization? What caused the dramatic changes to the American family? What are the changes? I will discuss the differences in marriage and family, I will discuss how they are linked to class, race, gender, and personal choices. The purpose of this study is to explore the many different family functions and the paths that people are now choosing. I will give my opinion on whether these changes have had a positive or negative affect. I will finally discuss the trend of the modern family, back to pre-World War II family structure, how would that effect the strides that have been made in the progression of women rights.
As an Italian-American, I was and am still told by my mother, grandparents, and great-grandparents how proud I should be of my heritage. I was taught to respect my great-grandmother who, after arriving in America along side her husband, fully committed herself to raising her four sons and eight nieces and nephews in a two-bedroom house in Pennsylvania. She was motivated by the drive of a better life in a new, strong country for the young-ones she loved. I was taught to treasure both food and family, praying each night through the Blessed Mother. I was handed Pizzelles and Almond cookies as snacks throughout the day, and listened to Dean Martin through the stereo almost every night. My grandmother’s family came from Mezzogiorno, while my grandfather’s family hailed from the North Country. Though I had never been to Italy, as a child, I still knew the significance of being Italian and was thankful. It was not until I entered public school that I began to understand the teasing that my own ethnic group was subject to on a near daily basis.
The families in America are steadily changing. While they remain our most valued and consistent source of strength and comfort, some families are becoming increasingly unstructured. In the past, the typical family consists of a working father, a stay at home mother and, of course, well-rounded children. Today, less than 20 percent of American families fit nicely into this cookie cutter image. American households have never been more diverse. Natalie Angier takes stock of the changing definition of family in an article for the New York Times.