Tateh to Baron

              Who is Baron Ashkenazy? It is Tateh after metamorphosing into a wealthy filmmaker. “It got him around in a Christian world. Instead of having to erase his thick Yidish accent he only needed to roll it off his tongue with a flourish” (259). There is no Baron Ashkenazy in real life, so presumably Tateh did not exist. Doctorow made a statement with Tateh’s name. Ashkenazim are Jewish people who settled in Central or Eastern Europe. Ashkenazi, the singular form, is very similar to Ashkenazy. The irony is lost on Mother, but to the reader it is an interesting blend of who Tateh is, and who he used to be.

This name reminds the reader that Tateh may not be completely transformed: “Sometimes he suffered periods of trembling in which he sat alone in his room smoking his cigarettes without a holder, slumped and bent over in defeat like the old Tateh. But his new existence thrilled him.” (258) Tateh is an allegory of the rags to riches story. He started in the slums of New York City and has moved to Atlantic City. The juxtaposition of the two cities juxtaposes the American dream with the nouveux riches Tateh and the poor Tateh.

                Doctorow does not have real names for his characters, and the hint that Tateh does not have a real name informs the reader that he is fictional. It is important that he represents a “rags to riches” story. Doctorow uses a metonym to name Tateh, but as his character grows and changes so does the name. It is like a film; the plot of Tateh’s life is being recorded. The rapid progression of film in this era is also p a ortrayed through Tateh, who has transformed or metamorphosed from a sad, grim man into an ebullient character.

             A cross-reference, to the Lusitania being sunk, gives a time reference of May in 1915. This is important because it is a direct time reference. As a time reference it also is a cultural indicator. The United States was involved, but not fighting, in WWI. The movies that the Baron mentioned do not exist. His First Mistake and A Daughter’s Innocence are purely reflections of his life. In this time era film making was becoming a lucrative business. A quick search of film in the magazine Life shows the amount of filming taking place. Things as trivial as a shark attack were filmed for the thrill value. Therefore, Doctorow used a realistic vehicle for Tateh’s success. Tateh’s success is one of many motifs in the story. 

By Elyse Curtis 

Ashkenazim, n.
Second edition, 1989; online version March 2011. ; accessed 09 May 2011. First published in A Supplement to the OED I, 1972.

Roberts, Priscilla. "sinking of RMS Lusitania." In Tucker, Spencer C., gen. ed.Encyclopedia of American Military History. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2003.American History Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?
ItemID=WE52&iPin=EMHII0219&SingleRecord=True (accessed May 9, 2011).

Shark Fight Filmed. Atlanta, GA, United States:, 1914. ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The Atlanta Constitution (1868-1945). Web. 10 May 2011.