| The Jewish Literature develops with special features in world literature. During one hundred history of American Jewish literature, the theme changes and develops slowly, which is a true portrayal of American Jewish spirit course. During early stage, American Jews labored hard trying their best to build beautiful homes on the free land. However, to their bewilderment, they missed their native land and Jewish community. At the same time, they sought for their status trying to become a real American. But they were disappointed to find out that even though they had earned much money, they could not blend in with American main current society; they became outsiders. The bewilderment of their status or identity crisiswas the striking theme in American Jewish literature of early stage. Status bewilderment resulted from the collision between Jewish traditional culture and American culture. 'Dangling Man'written by Saul Bellow, vividly described such Jewish dilemma .The novel was about a Jew who felt his embarrassment but seldom spoke out; he stood on the edge of these two cultures without knowing how to do. Abraham Cahan's novels'A Providential Match', ' Yelk : A Tale of the New York Ghetto'and ' The Rise of David Levinsky', these three novels all wrote such characters that could not be assimilated by America, also could not return to their Jewish traditional culture. There were other novels expressing this theme, such as Herman Burnstain's ' A Ghetto Romance',Mary Antin's ' The Hope Place'; etc. Anzia Yezierska was a famous Jewish woman writer. In her novels, she expressed her bewilderment and sadness as much as she could. ' Bread Givers' is an autobiographic novel. The woman leading character overcame much difficulty and finished college study, but she could not find happiness and calm in her mind. Clinging to Jewish tradition and culture like an invisible string attracted her all the time. Anzia Yeziersky's another novel ' Arrogant Beggar' also told a similar story. The leading character gained independence economically, but her spirit had risen crisis : she was a Jew, but not recognized because Jews thought she had been assimilated by America and she had lost Jewish traditional characteristics; she was an American, but not accepted by American main current society. She was in a dilemma between two cultures. The main features of American Jewish literature in the middle stage are its universality and cosmopolitanism. After World War Ⅱ, many outstanding writers such as Saul Bellow,Bernard Malamud,Philip Roth and Isaac Singer sprang up in American literature. They worked all kinds of Jewish materials into their works, which made their novels bearing lots of Jewish features——Jewishness. With this , because of their special national history, cultural system and social situation, American Jewish writers developed and distilled this Jewishness into cosmopolitanism. Jewishness of literature are related to Jewish history, religious thoughts, traditional customs, thinking sense and special social status. Jewry are destined to roaming about, to suffering, to bewildering. Because of various experiences and feelings, these American Jewish writers express these Jewish features in different ways. Saul Bellow paid much attention to the Jewish roaming history; Bernard Malamud stressed the Jewish suffering spirit; Philip Rose attached great importance to the Jewish bewilderment and dilemma. American Jewish roaming history, suffering spirit and self bewilderment also reflect the human beings living condition. Though Jewry consider themselves selected men by God, they regard all nations of the world as a whole family blessed by God. Jewry live scattered in the world, the reality makes cosmopolitanism necessity of Jewish national values. Jewish cosmopolitanism was influenced greatly by existentialism. Since 1970s, pluralism began to be accepted and America, the melting pot, could not provide immigrants with a unified culture. So some national groups and individuals re...
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