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The Uprooted Oscar Handlin Analysis

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The Uprooted written by Oscar Handlin is one of the most thought provoking and powerful books written about the mass migration of European immigrants to the United States in the 19th century. The Uprooted was awarded the Pulitzer prize for history in 1952. Oscar Handlin was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1915 from parents of Jewish descent. Handlin started working at a very young age and entered Brooklyn College. Oscar Handlin at the age of 18 was accepted into Harvard University. Oscar Handlin was a well-educated citizen and in his book The Uprooted he writes from the perspective of an immigrant travelling to the United States in times of distress. Oscar Handlin offers an analysis of history in the most challenging way. Oscar Handlin’s thesis …show more content…

Handlin used statistical evidence to help enhance the low wages of the average immigrant “But it was significant that the most desirable forms of labor for municipalities in 1900 brought only two dollars a day” (Handlin 69). The invisible boundary that immigrants had to face or the alienation of coming to America was explained by Handlin. The housing arrangements for immigrants separated immigrants and religion played a large part in alienation. Handlin used various forms of rhetoric, including pathos, ethos, and logos in his novel to establish his credibility as a writer. Handlin uses vivid language when speaking of the housing arrangements of immigrants and the emotional appeal from imagery of life in the settlement is critical. Oscar uses historical evidence to enhance the book’s credibility and having a logical aspect of history is a necessity. The style of writing in the Uprooted was blissful and was full of confidence. Handlin wrote with confidence and this gains the trust of the reader and engages the reader in the historical significance of alienation being correlated with

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