Autobiographical Essay

"America and I" is one of three autobiographical pieces that Yezierska included in Children of Loneliness. All of these pieces explore the immigrant's preconceived notions about America, the inevitable disappointment, and finally the reconciliation of illusions and reality, which leads to the creation of a pragmatic, more helpful way of looking at life in this new country. In "America and I," Yezierska finds her own version of America. She introduces herself—and the story—by announcing that she represents all those "dumb, voiceless ones" who cannot speak for themselves. Yezierska presents her own experiences of arrival in a new country: the search for work, the inability to communicate, the feelings of not being welcomed. She delves into the transformation that she underwent emotionally during this period, as she comes to realize that America is not the people she meets or simply a country that can...