Interplay of Emotions and Individual

¶ … interplay of emotions and individual perspectives contribute to the well characterized and intriguing short story "A Sweatshop Romance" by Abraham Cahan. This short story about a love triangle taking place within the confines of a traditional Jewish "sweatshop" for clothing manufacturers utilizes multiple point-of-view persuasion to create tension and inevitably conflict within the story. The two central characters of Heyman and David are both revealed to be worthy of their love interest Beile, but inevitably it is circumstance that helps separate the two.

Heyman is the operator within this shop; he is characterized from the beginning in a negative light through carefully chosen narrative description. The narrator brings up his reputation of being a "*****rdly fellow" early in the story, as if to establish him early in the story as an individual who is scared of direct action and a true miser at heart. The portrayal of being a miser and a sycophant is very important to the overall characterization of Heyman, because it is used to illustrate both his downfall and his love for Beile. Despite his miserly ways, Heyman is willing to spend outlandishly on Beile, buying her presents and treating her royally. This makes the depths of his emotions for Beile evident to the reader and it is precisely the juxtaposition between his "feasting on his savings books" and his deep love for Beile, makes his faults seem a mere reflection of the depth of his love.

While his miserly and sycophantic ways help the reader sympathize with his character, it also is ultimately described as his downfall. When Beile is challenged by the owner's wife, Heyman does not defend her, in the end when she is fired he can only "address the corner of the room" and "smother in his misery." This description characterizes him as cowardly; he is not willing or able to defend his love in her hour of need this however appears as an unfair characterization of Heyman. It is not evident that he has deep love for Beile, but his personality does not lend itself to great outbursts of emotion and heroism. Therefore, he is very much painted as the victim of this love story.

David on the other hand lends himself to the kind of character that reacts to save Beile. He is characterized as a shy and constant jokester, and in his humor he is at the same time evidenced as a very passionate individual. This is established by the narrator through his daydreams where David feels an impulse to "through himself" on Beile's lips. The author paints David as an underdog, an individual who had hitherto never made his love clear to Beile, but clearly cares for her. In this way, his actions are even more passionate when he stands up to defend her.

The author again uses careful juxtaposition to establish the reader's sympathy and support for David. He is described at the outset as a "shy" individual who rarely speaks but to make jokes. His heroism in the face of Beile's mistreatment is uncharacteristic of his personality, and his bravery conveys his love for Beile just as the author uses Heyman's willingness to spend money on Beile as the obvious sign of his deep love. By creating this juxtaposition within David, it creates the illusion that David had to overcome personal barriers to speak up for Beile. It is this affect that makes him so believable and this story so intriguing.