Sam W on Hapke and Bernstein

Hapke suggests that a problem encountered by Gold in his writing were “trying to work out problems of characterization and narration”. It is also suggested that there was a lack of mediums through which to convey proletarian literature in America without appearing to be too soviet-leaning; the “protecult” was seen as communist; with an estimated 450,000 members in the USSR expressing worker and revolutionary arts. The solution, expressed by Hapke, and seen in “on a section gang” is the blurring of the lines between fiction and non fiction, the lack of distinguishing between storytelling and reportage; and also a use of humour to keep the interest of the reader. Hapke argues that Gold even mixes wit with his Marxism by playing with the old adage “Payday is the opium of the people”, showing that within proletarian culture money is substituted for religion.

Bernstein argues that race is important in Jews Without Money. Whilst the character Nigger is “attractive and daring to the young boys, he serves as a reminder to the parents that their own place in the racialised hierarchy remained unclear”. He also discusses how the parents see articulating with white supremacy as a means to being assimilated as an “American”, and see “nigger” as the embodiment of all things bad in America, both in his behaviour and negative characteristics, despite not actually being African-American. Gold ultimately believes that race problems are created by the capitalist structure and that socialism would help to alleviate both racial and class issues in the United States.