Accordian_Crimes

Accordian Crimes Political Implications of “Accordion Crimes” E. Annie Proulx’s, “Accordion Crimes” takes an in-depth look at many various immigrant families’ social, cultural, religious and ideological contributions to the American society and political system. Proulx details each ethnic groups’ struggle to maintain their own unique identity. However, each groups’ attempts at remaining unique actually patterns the other. In doing so, these groups actually contribute to form a new “American” polity. This formation of a new polity is Proulx’s theme. The new “American” polity is formed through hard work, unity and perseverance under fire. They are extremely evident in the Italian, German and Polish ethnicities. Proulx introduces the audience to an Italian accordion maker. “The Accordion Maker,” follows this Italian man’s journey to the United States. He “thought of a new life, fresh and unused, of money hanging in the future like pears hidden in high leaves.”(19). Money is a primary apparatus for moving to America. Finding work was difficult, and he soon learned he must bid for employment. In doing so, the Italian takes a crash-course in free enterprise: “That is how it works in America...[y]ou must pay to be paid.”(28). So, the Italian did, and worked hard on fruit boats until soon, polish, new, work, proulx, money, italian, hard, america, themselves, polity, germans, ethnic, each, american, groups, group, family, center, accordion, political, man, italians, instead, immigrants, identity, however, german, finds, felt, community, americans, whom, way, unique, under, through, three, takes, son, society, social, sicilians, sense, proulx’s, prejudice, poles, perseverance, pay