Religions
On page 45, Francie buys a pickle from a Jewish man:
"Give me a penny sheeny pickle."
The Hebrew looked at the Irish child with his red-rimmed eyes, small, tortured, and fiery.
The Hebrew looked at the Irish child with his red-rimmed eyes, small, tortured, and fiery.
"Goyem! Goyem!" he spat at her, hating the word "sheeny".
- Sheeny is an offensive term used towards Jews. It means whomever is called it is being called dishonest.
- Goyem (or Goyim) is a word used towards non-Jews. A person being called this is being called ignorant.
There was religious segregation between neighborhoods and harrassment between different religious groups in the early 1900s, especially between new immigrants and American citizens who had been in the US longer. As we learn in the book, Francie and her family have a hatred towards Jews. She is not friends with any and later on in the book it mentions they had have their home blessed before moving into it. Also, she has a friends only because they share a religion.
Your research truly clarified this scenario. I now understand that the term "sheeny" was used as an "offensive" term. This part of the story begins the "Religion" theme of the novel; as un-known terms are used, such as sheeny and goyem, allowing for the reader to clarify how they relate back to this theme. As you researched, I know see how this section relates to the newly developed theme.
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