Analyzing The Story 'The Son From America'

“A little thought and a little kindness are often worth more than a great deal of money” John Ruskin said this. The story The Son from America by Isaac Bashevis Singer shows the potential for this quote. Family, friends, God, and community are worth more than the value of money. This quote connects to the short story because the story is about how people can live and love life without being wealthy. They show this in the story by explaining that God is true wealth and happiness above all else. This story is about a family whose son Samuel lives in America and is a millionaire. Samuel thinks that money solves all problems and can buy happiness, but he soon learns that he was wrong and that people do not need to have money to be wealthy: people can be wealthy in God. At first, Samuel’s motivation is to send his parents money every month because he thinks of them as poor. Consequently Samuel soon finds out that money is not the only thing in life, he figures out that people can live life and love it through the wealth of family, friends, God, and community. At last, Samuel discovers that money cannot buy happiness and love, through God people can be truly happy and filled with an endless

A person does not always need money for fixing things, especially when they do not need fixing. Berl said, “The Synagogue is big enough” (234). Samuel wanted to use his money to build a bigger Synagogue, but according to Berl it is fine just the way it is and does not need fixing. If God gives someone love and happiness, that is happiness that cannot be bought with money. A wise man in the synagogue said “If God gives health, one keeps on living” (234). According to the wise man, money is not a necessity if a person have God. People always try to use money to buy, fix, and spend, but money is not the only thing a person needs in life. Money cannot buy happiness. Happiness is found in God, a loving family, friends, and