Intimate Apparel Characters

The living conditions in Lower Manhattan New York in 1905 were constantly fluctuating. Most immigrants lived in tenements; either a small house of three or four floors or a larger building that had five or six floors (“Life in the Tenements”). In this time period, rent was a major expense for most immigrants resulting in a fluctuation in living situations; furthermore, tenements in this area of the city were in close proximity to factories, docks, slaughterhouses, and power stations which many of the immigrants were employed at (“Life in the Tenements”). After discovering what the living situations where generally like in this area during this time period, the behavior of the characters in Intimate Apparel becomes apparent. Understanding that Lower Manhattan was mostly occupied by immigrants who most likely also worked in the area allows you to understand the circumstances of the characters in Intimate Apparel.

Her strong work ethic is fueled by her desire to own a beauty parlor but also by her need to earn an income in order to survive. Esther lives in an apartment rented out by Mrs. Dickson at a fair rate. Bringing in the knowledge acquired through research of the area in this time period, it becomes clear that Esther has a steady source of income since she has remained living in the same location for such an extensive period of time. Esther states, “…I been living in this rooming house for so long, I reckon I’m just another piece of furniture” (Intimate Apparel; 8). Esther’s capability to maintain housing is impressive because many immigrants struggles to find, and maintain, housing as well as employment (“The Lower East Side of New