Before the Disney Renaissance, I watched Don Bluth and Steven Spielberg’s 1986 animated class, An American Tale, so many times. My grandparents had this fancy speed rewinding device I could use at their house if I wanted to rewatch it, and I had a giant Fievel plush I carried everywhere. At the time, I had no idea how much I was connecting back to my ancestors who crossed the Atlantic Ocean in a similar fashion to the Mousekewitz family — regardless of which European country they left. Of course, the building of Lady Liberty as a subplot in the movie spoke to me immediately, too, because I saw her almost regularly for the first 10 years of my life. As I’ve grown older, I realized the deeper meaning and rich history gently crafted into this beautiful story that continues to paint my view of the American immigrant experience.
The story of An American Tale can be viewed as an allegory for the immigrant experience. While the Mousekewitz family lived in Russia (or rather modern-day Ukraine) and experienced an anti-semitic attack by the Cossacks, this experience wasn’t fictional or unique to one location or religious group. The Russian Cossacks, Habsburgs, and British Empire were among several forces that persecuted my ancestors several generations ago. Although we cannot say for certain if my ancestor sought to escape the metaphoric cats of the Old World in all cases, the timeline seems to indicate these oppressors played in important factor when my ancestors decided to pack up and leave for parts unknown. For example, my grandmother’s ancestors likely traveled back and forth across the North Channel to avoid British occupation at times, I’m sure, but I know they likely had other reasons as well.
Papa Mousekewitz absolutely sold his family on America being the “Land of Opportunity” prior to Fievel falling overboard during the storm. I imagine disillusioned Europeans were fed stories about plentiful jobs, food, and housing waiting for them on the other side of the ocean, which obviously sold boat tickets out of Hamburg, Germany, more often than not. Reading ship manifests for my ancestors typically includes words like Zwischendeck, Arbeiter, Männlich, etc. Were you originally from Poland or Bohemia? No matter — the Hamburg Passenger Lists have ensured I learned several German words! Now, do not misinterpret what I’m saying: people in any country at any time have sought to turn a profit. I’m not accusing one group of people of being greedier than another because we are all guilty little humans. However, that isn’t the point I’m trying to make here. Back to business!
My ancestors set sail with little more than strength, perseverance, and hope that “the land of the free” would truly change their lives and offer brighter futures for their children. What they actually found was the industrialized city of New York — crowded, dingy, and less than opportune. That sounds rather derogatory considering I think of New York City as my homeland, but a true New Yorker accepts the good with the bad. Our history isn’t glamorous, and that’s why we strive to do better. That’s why the stereotypical New Yorker is depicted as scrappy and determined, after all! So, they made due with the conditions and treatment they received as “Foreigners.” They found work, started families, became naturalized citizens, and assimiliated into the culture while passing down traditions from home.
Scottish. Irish. German. Austrian. Polish. Bohemian. French. Ambiguously Slavic. They all eventually came together, united under the same struggles and bonded by a new community. Today, I am an amalgamation of that massive wave of immigration right before the United States passed legislation in 1924 to limit who came here. Because I know where I came from, I appreciate those who seek a better life. My family today has moved across the eastern states looking for our own “land of opportunity.” Though my nearest immigrant ancestor arrived in 1923, three generations ago, I still appreciate the strength it took to pack up a life and jump without knowing if the net would appear “somewhere out there.”
An American Tale. Directed by Don Bluth, Universal Pictures, 1986.
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