AMERICAN STUDIES
The Rising Tide of Immigration / Ellis Island
IMMIGRATION
85 mins.
Steven Spielberg’s
An American Tail
1. In what year does the story take place? 1885
2. What country is Fieval Mouskawitz from? What religion is he?
Russia / Jewish
3. Who / what do the cats of each European nation represent? Who / what do they represent
in America?
- Russia: Cossaks / Political Oppression / scapegoats for assassination of Czar
- Ireland: British gov’t / Protestant landlords / famine
- Italy: local Mafia bosses / political corruption
- America: anti-immigrant prejudice / Nativism
4. What did the mice on the boat believe America would be like? What types of problems did
they leave behind in their homelands?
“There are no cats in America & the streets are paved with cheese”… America is a land of
plenty, there is no oppression / corruption / fear / poverty / hunger. Jewish people faced
Pogroms in Russia / Ireland had the famine / Italy had the mafia / all faced political
oppression and poverty on some level. This equates to propaganda spread throughout
southern and eastern Europe at the time, depicting America as a promised land, where the
streets are paved with gold, and there is no oppression. The propaganda was spread
especially by businesses looking to entice cheap immigrant labor to fuel the Industrial
Revolution.
5. How does Fieval become separated from his family?
His curiosity leads him to fall overboard from the ship during a terrible storm.
6. What nationality does Henri the Pigeon represent? How is his advice to Fieval in keeping
with the symbolism of the Statue of Liberty?
Henri the Pigeon is French. We can tell from his accent. This is symbolic because the Statue
of Liberty was a gift to the United States from France. His advice is “Never Say Never”… that
America is a land of hope. If you work hard, and believe in yourself, you can accomplish
anything. America is a land of opportunity for those who are willing to go for it. The Statue of
Liberty symbolized this hope as well. When incoming immigrants saw her, saw the tribute to
freedom and equality that welcomed them to a new land, they felt inspired and hopeful, and
excited for a new beginning. In America, anything was possible.
7. Who is Warren T. Rat? Who does he represent?
Warren T. Rat represents the Americans who would exploit new immigrants for their own
profit. He is like a Ward Boss… pretends to be one of them, to be protecting them, but really,
he is just lining his own pockets. Fieval meets him at Castle Garden, the first immigration
station on the east coast.
8. Who befriends Fieval and helps him escape the sweatshop?
AMERICAN STUDIES
The Rising Tide of Immigration / Ellis Island
IMMIGRATION
85 mins.
At the sweatshop, Fieval meets Tony Spomoni, an Italian-American boy mouse. We can
assume his parents probably immigrated from Italy, but he was born in America. He
represents the children of immigrants who, though they are American, still have to endure the
anti-immigrant prejudice. He also represents the continuation of immigrants living within their
ethnic enclaves. However, unlike new immigrants, he has no problem reaching out to the
other ethnic neighborhoods, specifically the Irish. He is an orphan, and is street smart, and
helps teach Fieval how to survive.
9. What does the love between Bridget and Tony symbolize?
The love between Bridget & Tony symbolizes the common ground that immigrant groups
would eventually find among themselves, as well as the joining together of different and
distinct cultures into one unique American culture.
10. Who is Honest John and what does he represent?
Honest John is an Irish immigrant mouse who leads the political machine of the Democratic
Party at Tammany Hall. He makes sure people vote as he sees fit, and in return helps them
get jobs and places to live. Because he drinks a lot, however, he is an ineffective and weak
leader, and this has allowed Warren T. Rat to come in and bully the immigrant enclaves.
11. What group does Gussie Mouseheimer represent?
Gussie Mouseheimer represents the wealthy immigrants. Though they may have had money
when the arrived in America, they were still discriminated against, and subject to the
prejudices of American Nativism. They would usually become important and respected
leaders in their ethnic enclaves, and although they would live in nicer houses, they would still
often be relegated to the immigrant neighborhoods. Kind of like the “lace curtain” Irish.
12. What does the friendship between Tiger and Fival represent?
The friendship between Tiger and Fieval (cat and mouse) represents the acceptance of
immigrants by Americans, their seeing immigrants as people rather than as a threat.
Celebrating differences, and recognizing similarities.
13. What was the “Giant Mouse of Minsk”? What does it represent?
The Giant Mouse of Minsk was a Russian mouse folk tale that Fieval’s father used to always
tell him. It represents the immigrants using their own talents, and customs to become
successful in America, to gain respect and to fight for their rights as new American citizens.
14. What is ironic about the mice shipping the cats to China?
During this time the Chinese Exclusion Act was in place, forbidding the entrance of Chinese
immigrants into the United States.
15. Why is it significant that Fival finds his hat at the end?
Fieval’s hat represents his homeland, his culture. It is part of his heritage and history. When
he loses his hat, it represents the struggle that many immigrants have about whether or not
they need to disavow their heritage to become totally American. His experiences on the
streets make him grow up & mature, and at the end of the movie, he is not only big enough
that the had fits, but he understands he can hold onto his heritage and still be an American.
He may be an American, but his heritage will always be with him, and as his father passed
down that hat to him, Fieval will likely pass down the hat/heritage to his own son.
AMERICAN STUDIES
The Rising Tide of Immigration / Ellis Island
IMMIGRATION
85 mins.
16. Does this movie represent an optimistic or pessimistic view of the immigrant experience
in America? What is the theme?
Answers Vary