Tateh

Tateh came over to America with his wife and daughter with hopes of attaining the American dream. He believed that in America, he could start with nothing and build himself up. Typically, this immigrant mentality fell short to the harsh realities of immigrant life, but in Tateh’s case, he was a true story of a man going from rags to riches. After the death of his wife, Tateh worried about the well being of his beautiful daughter and wondered if she’d be able to grow up without a mother. In fact, his passionate sense of responsibility and love for his daughter brought him to wealth. He created a flipbook of images that simulated a moving picture in order to entertain her. This gift brought him into the hands of Franklin Novelty Company, and eventually the movie business.
When Mother first sees Tateh, or Baron Ashkenazy as he is now known, he had a; “glass rectangle [that] was a tool of the trade which he could not forbear using even when on vacation”(254). This “peculiar rectangular glass”(255) could have been any type of camera from around 1910, but the fact that Doctorow doesn’t specify, makes Tateh’s accomplishments all the more fantastical. With his camera, Tateh sees life through a different lens, literally and figuratively. During the dinner between Tateh and his daughter, and Father’s family, Tateh is described as “ebullient” and “life excited him. He dwelled on his own sensations and like to talk about them”(255). Tateh seems to view life through his camera lens; he is filled with enthusiasm and intrigue, and his jovial emotions infect those around him.
Cameras at the time were for those solely in the business, and represented professionalism and prestige. So why did Tateh succeed where so many other immigrants fell short? The camera symbolized his motivation and persistent attitude through life, not just after he received the camera. He viewed life through the camera lens since his touchdown in America. Despite his transformation from a rugged and disorientated man to elegant and energetic Baron in light of his new job, it was just a physical change. Right from the start, Tateh’s vision had been; “he would buy her light and sun and clean wind of the ocean for the rest of her life”(259). The glass rectangle represented Tateh’s persistent personality and was a tribute to his determination. The reason the “preposterous frame”(257) was so significant to Tateh was because it captured moments in time. This ability to look into the past was especially important to Tateh so he could look back and see how he’d risen amongst such opposition.


By Peter Gilson

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