What Makes Sammy Run By Schulberg

What Makes Sammy Run, The Moral Compass, and My Life What Makes Sammy Run? by
Budd Schulberg is a brilliant book that shows the savagery, the insensitiveness,
and cruelty caused by the drive for money, which characterized the general
attitude of most people in America during the end of 1930s and the beginning of
the 1940s. Sammy Glick, the main character in the book, is a poor Jewish boy who
grows into an adult and spends all his life trying to get to the top of the
hierarchy by knocking other people down. It is money, prestige, and power, which
are most important for him. His mind is constantly occupied with thoughts of how
to manipulate people and benefit from their hard work. To understand why Sammy
is always hostile and always cynical towards people’s good manners, one should
probably look at Sammy’s childhood. Brought up in poverty, running without
shoes on the streets, working from early age to help his father to pay the rent,
and beaten every time he goes to school, Sammy quickly understands that to
escape this miserable living, he has to work hard. Soon he learns how to play
tricks on people to make more money. ?There is a guy on the opposite corner
doin’ pretty good ?cause he’s yellin’ ?U.S. may enter war. So I asks a
customer if there’s anything in the paper about that. So when he says no, I
figure I can pull a fast one too. So I starts hollerin’ ?U.S. enters war,’
and jeez shoulda seen the rush!?(Schulberg 213). Sammy doesn’t show any
respect towards his closest relatives. It is natural for him to knock his
brother down to get the messenger job. Working many hours and getting more
money, Sammy ?was beginning to understand the secret of power?(220). He is
not afraid of Sheik who used to beat him up every day at school. Close to the
age of thirteen, Sammy is already devoid of human feeling even towards his
parents. The only thing he thinks about is money. Sammy does not respect the
Jewish tradition any more. He will not be the ?bar mitzvah? his father wants
him to be because, according to Sammy’s understanding, he has already become
one. He does not visit the ?cheder? because there are more important things
to do in life like making money, for example. It is difficult for ?Papa? to
understand his own son. ?That’s all you think about, money, money…?(222)
says his father. Sammy, however, already knows that ?It’s money in the
pocket ? that’s what makes you fell like a man (222). He does not even cry
when his father passes away. His only reaction ?Is it over? (223) speaks of
something not human. ?Sammy was thirteen, but he was a veteran; he had learned
something that took the place of tears?(223). Sammy has formed a hard shell
that protects him from all human feelings. His drive for money, control and
annihilation of everything human is unsurpassable. Sammy has an enormous amount
of confidence. There is nothing that can stop him. Even the first day, when he
goes to work for Al Manheim as an office boy at The Record, he boastfully
declares: ?I’m the new office boy, but I ain’t going to be an office boy
long?(3). Al Manheim is the other major character in the book. Compared to
Sammy, he is much more considerable of other people and tries to teach Sammy of
respect and compassion to others. All his words and bits of advice, however,
come to a brick wall because it is difficult to change the path Sammy has chosen
for himself. Later, on the day of his birthday at The Algonquin, when he makes
the big strike towards publicity, it is not uncommon for him to say: ?Okay, I
stink, ?but someday you’ll cut an arm for one little whiff?(27). Sammy is
not afraid to speak openly to established writers in Hollywood. He is confident
and selfish, fighting for every opportunity, obsessed by the one idea of
self-promotion. ?I was just thinking about me. I just kept thinking nothing
but me. I just kept saying Sammyglicksammyglick over and inside my head and it
kept growing louder SAMMYGLICKSAMMYGLICK (33). Insincerity in human
relationship, unfairness in competition, disloyalty, disregard of others, these
are some of the typical characteristics of Sammy Glick and of all the other
people that try to imitate Sammy Glick. Sammy is fighter for money and
publicity, a ruthless careerist. His constant drive