Evelyn Girón Oliva: "The Washwoman"

The Washwoman

By Isaac Bashevis Singer

Author’s biography

The novel Literature Prize in 1978.

Isaac Singer was born on July 14, 1904, in Radzymin, Poland. In 1950, he published his first major novel, The Family Moskat. Afterward, he wrote a string of acclaimed short stories, including "Gimpel The Fool." In the 1960s, he wrote the "The Spinoza of Market Street." In 1978, he won the Nobel Prize for Literature. He continued writing until shortly before his death, on July 24, 1991, in Surfside, Florida.

Born to a family of religious Jews in Radzymin, Poland, on July 14, 1904, Isaac Bashevis Singer was raised in an overcrowded, poor Jewish quarter of Warsaw. Singer's father was a Hasidic rabbi, while his mother came from a long line of Mitnagdic rabbis. His older brother, Israel Joshua (also known as I.J.), grew up to become a novelist, and his sister, Esther Kreitman, also became a known writer.

As a youngster, Singer was a voracious reader. Benedict de Spinoza, Nikolai Gogol and Fyodor Dostoyevsky all ranked among his earliest influences.

Beginning in 1921, Singer attended the Warsaw Rabbinical Seminary, where he was provided a traditional Jewish education. Although he was being groomed to become a Hasidic rabbi like his father, Singer followed in his older brother's footsteps instead—expressing a preference to become a writer rather than a religious leader.

Life itself is a Story” Fleeing persecution against Jews, Singer left Poland for New York City in 1935. In New York, Singer began to make a name for himself as a writer. He set many of his tales in the world of European Jewry he had left, ironically, as he wrote, World War II devastated that world.

Historical background

The Washwoman” takes place in the early XX century in what is now Poland. Centuries earlier, many Jewish people had settled there, drawn by the promise of religious tolerance. By Singer’s time, Poland had been conquered by other countries. Yet, Poland’s Jews held on to their traditions, continuing to speak. Yiddish, a language blending German with Herbrew and other languages.

Expectations/Predictions about the text

I thought it was a woman who finally was going to find, the love of his son, that all his effort was to be considered by him, and he could ask forgiveness for not having invited her to his wedding.

Which was so sad.

Analysis or Connection between literary work and historical background:

Storytelling always had an important place in Isaac Bashevis Singer’s life. He grew up in the city of Warsaw in what now is Poland. Singer’s father was a rabbi, a teacher of the Jewish faith and laws. Advice-seekers streamed through the family home, telling their stories as the fascinated young Singer listened and observed. He needed to explain how people, at that time suffered very hard work and discrimination, especially those people who offered his life for the other making this kind of job, that others despise. And despite all the suffering they had, they were so positive and teach us something very important in our life.

Literary movement (that the author belongs or represents and what that movement is)

Modernism

In term of literary, authors of the mid to late century were more interested in the modern possibilities of languages, style narrative techniques, etc. that connect to social issues.

Country

Takes place in what is now Poland.

Genre / Type:

Narrative Essay

Did you confirm your predictions?

Not really, the truth is that I thought the son would be considered with his mom, as she was, “An Excellent Mother” and he would finally take care of her. The reading leaves in suspense that the son did, only confirms that he buys the coffin for his mother.