Paper writing help- how do you interepret this passage?

Question

"Winter. Building a snow fort one morning, we boys dug out a litter of frozen kittens and their mother. The little ones were still blind. They had been born into it, but had never seen our world."

its from "Jews without money" by Michael Gold. if youre not familiar with the book, its a really gloomy book about poor jewish people in new your in the early 1900s and theyre going through a tough winter, lots of people are dying, etc. im guessing this passage has major symbolic significance and want to write about it in my paper but im not good at english stuff, could anyone help me out and give me a hint as to what it might mean?

yeah that's kind of what i was thinking seabreeze. supposedly the premise of the book is to promote communism and show that most Jews arent the stereotypical rich bankers and lawyers, do you guys think it might have something to do with outsiders not understanding their world?

thanks all, you guys gave me some good ideas

Answer 1

The Jewish newborns (kittens) have inherited poverty and despair. Inside their mother's womb, the babes were warm but now have been thrust into a cold (winter) cruel world (snow fort). They are innocent (blind) of their circumstances but soon will realize (see) them.

The kittens are symbolic of the Jewish babies. Both have inherited poverty unknowingly.

Winter symbolizes the cold and harshness of the Jewish babe's circumstance.

Snow fort symbolizes the Jewish babe's world or home.

Blindness symbolizes the Jewish babe's innocence or unknowing. The author states that the kittens "were still blind". This possibly suggests they won't stay blind in the future. The (kittens/infants) will see and realize their circumstance in time.

Answer 2

Well, this passage does not seem too... important. there may be some symbolism in it, but I have a hard time getting it from this passage.

I can try and provide you with starting points:

Is there any other blind character? It could just be someone who is blind to their real situation. Maybe the narrator is slowly realising what his life/situation really is, and this is his "eye opening" moment.

Are the cats importent? Are there more mentions of cats in the book or is it this one litter?

Also, the building of the snowfort may be an "innocent" action of kids who are "blind" to the world.

Answer 3

Kittens who are blind symbolic of the poor children who are unfamiliar with the world.

Answer 4

It's about being born into poverty.