Sexual Harassment And The Workplace

Have you ever wondered what it's like to work in a factory? Imagine dust, lint, smoke, and noise all in one crowded room. This is what Lyddie Worthen in the book, Lyddie, by Katherine Paterson has to face. Lyddie has faced many hardships when working in the factory. Lyddie is a young girl who is sent off to work to pay the debts for her family. Lyddie was fired from her first job and went to Lowell, Massachusetts to be a factory girl. When working, there are poor working conditions. Other workers have started a petition to improve the working conditions. Lyddie should not sign the petition because she is mentally strong and is getting paid well.

Throughout the beginning of her speech, Kelley makes use of disturbing anecdotes that appeal to women's emotions. She first illustrates that while they “sleep, several thousand little girls” are “working in textile mills” throughout the night. This use of little girls working highlights that children all around the United States are not sleeping but are operating machines: making clothes for the adults to purchase. She incorporates this factor in order to encourage the concerned mothers to help alter labor laws so that their children are not working twelve-hour shifts. Kelley continues to describe how little girls of “six or seven years,” who are “just tall enough to reach” the machines, will be working eleven hours a day. Kelley’s use of the children's height emphasizes how as soon as children reach a certain height, they are being deprived of their childhood and sent to work in the factories. She continues to repeat the phrase that “while [they] sleep” little girls and boys “will be working” in the mills. Kelley’s continual use of this phrase evokes sympathy in the women so they can help change the lives of children by amending the harsh child labor laws.

Beginning her speech, Kelley applies her credibility by placing statistics regarding the controversy of child labor laws, revealing that she is informed about this topic. Her credibility has a great connection to her purpose, she claims that the number of working girls doubled from census to census and girls from twelve to twenty years are working when they should not have to. Kelley then manifests her concern over these working girls by explaining that, “tonight,” while everybody else is snoozing away in bed, “these several thousand little girls will be working in textile mills,”(16-17). These words make her audience feel pity concerning those young girls and are a great reason to act against the unfair laws and regulations that violate both their human and women's rights, especially when they aren’t even getting paid fairly. By appealing to their emotion Florence Kelley wishes to push the women to act on her proposal of joining together and helping the poor young girls of their nation. Kelley continues to approach and influence the women’s sentiments and- hopefully- their actions by including her scandalized argument that in “Georgia there is no restriction whatever! A girl of six or seven years, just tall enough to reach the bobbins, may work eleven hours by day or by night,” (29-31). She decides to include the ‘bobbins’ of sewing machines in factories to illustrate how short and how young they are to be working in dangerous factories where their rights are ignored, girls at that age should worry more about going to school instead of sacrificing themselves to bring money for bread to their homes. One would understand that many families are living through poverty due to the economy being at a very depressing state and they need the most they can do to increase their financial position to survive in their society, then again, girls should be

Women working men’s jobs were not as welcomed in society as they were in factories. People held on to the belief that women should be house wives and not have to do much in the way of work. The man should provide for the family, and the women should take care of the family. Many of the women who worked were lower class and had to help provide for their families, or were the only providers for their families. Women who worked men’s jobs were looked down upon and thought to be no better than dirt. Although women working in factories were still women, men did not show them the same respect as they did a woman working as a secretary or teacher.

Similarly to Antonia’s experience, the Hired Girls in town also experience success due to their ardent work ethic and determination to overcome the adversity of which their Anglo-Saxon counterparts were not subject to. Upon moving into town, Jim notices various differences between the native born girls and the Hired Girls, with the immigrants completing the service tasks which the privileged sons and daughters of merchants refused to accept, thinking it was beneath them. The

Fannia Cohn too had a similar experience. Though she came from a middle class background, Orleck points out that Cohn “…realized that if [she] wanted to really understand the workers, [she] should experience the life of a worker in a shop”. She took a position in the “white goods” trade which Orleck describes as, “…particularly hard to organize”. This was a result of the nature of the “white goods” trade being run out of small sweatshops where the work required little skill and the workers, most of whom were under 15 years old, were from a variety of ethnic backgrounds. Therefore Orleck notes, “…it was difficult for them to communicate with each other, let alone organize”. However, with Cohn’s particular set of skills, which included fluency in 3 languages and a high school education, many of the girls in the shop looked up to her as a mother figure. Using these skills, Cohn and some select other women began to operate as mentors to the sweat shop girls, providing an education which was so highly valued in their culture and upbringing, which these girls could not attain though normal avenues.

“Dad lost his job,”(67) Lori informed Jeanette. Which was not a surprise, but it was the job that he had for the longest period of time. Because Rex lost his job and the family had no real source of income the Walls were left with crumbs to eat. But Mary Rose could not let her family live a life of constant worrying about food, so she gets herself a job. A job as a teacher at the school which Lori, Jeanette and Brian attend. This is the first time that Mary Rose has a job and it shows Jeanette as well as the other children that women are also allowed to have jobs and make money. That men are not the only ones who are allowed to

According to mom, Dad thought all I was good for was working there as a clerk” (Hickam 45). Sonny realizes his father thinks nothing of him and only expects him to live upto the norm in their society. His mom tells him that no matter what he does, he needs to prove to his worth to his dad and proves that he belongs with everybody. The mine’s cruelty firmly describes the importance to its residents. It represents their daily hard work and desire to make a living and to support their families. The mine, essential to the residents, holds the town together. Many people get the chance to work for the mine, but they simply do not meet the standards while working. As the superintendent, Sonny’s dad bears the duties of announcing the men whose services are futile to the mine. In Chapter 4, Sonny’s dad makes the announcements that could possibly change the lives of some men forever. “Twenty-five men were cut off from the company. The phrase was apt. Not only were the men separated from their work, they were cut off from their homes, credit at the company stores, and identification as a Coalwood citizen. The miners cut off were required to leave their houses within two weeks” ( Hickam

She tells of the “deafening noise of the spindles and loom” and of “little white girls… working tonight in the mils…”. Imagery such as this strongly illustrates the hardships that the child laborers go through on a daily basis, and serves to appeal to the emotional and moral obligation of the listener to help them. Furthermore, Kelly emphasizes the youth of these laborers by pointing out their innocence and still hopeful outlook on life. Kelly creates this emphasis of youth by stating that a child laborer “could start away from her home… carrying her pail of midnight luncheon as happier people carry their midday luncheon…”. Kelly uses this emotional appeal to argue that despite their condition, the children are still children, and they are being robbed of their youthful joy by factory

Does the phrase “That’s what she said.” sound familiar? The phrase is from the popular hit television series The Office. The guy behind this popular quote is none other than Dunder Mifflin’s Michael Scott. This quote is not only inappropriate but it is also a form of sexual harassment and Michael Scott is the king of sexual harassment. Unfortunately sexual harassment is a problem that is occurring in the workplace. In another popular movie, Horrible Bosses, sexual harassment is one of the main points in the story. The best example of this is when Charlie Day’s boss, Jennifer Anniston, constantly makes sexual gestures and inappropriate statements at him. However, in The Office and Horrible Bosses, sexual harassment is taken to an extreme. What is unfortunate about sexual harassment is that most people do not realize that it is illegal in the workplace. However, it is possible that a few comments slip out every now and then but they should not be taken lightly. Unfortunately in these situations, there is nothing done to prevent it in the workplace, which I have decided to look into the problem of preventing sexual harassment in the workplace.

Sexual harassment is discrimination that involves any uninvited comments, exploits, or behavior regarding sex, gender, or sexual orientation. If any type of violation is made by a co-worker, a boss, a work acquaintance, or even a non-employee such as a client, vendor, or contractor, this will be considered unlawful sexual harassment within the work environment. Sexual harassment can create a hostile and uneasy work environment. Sexual harassment includes inappropriate verbal advances, unwelcomed physical behavior that creates an aggressive, hostile, intimidating or malicious work environment for employees. Sexual harassment includes sending suggestive e-mails, notes, and

Mill counters with a social metaphor explaining the natural processes by which unqualified candidates are excluded from certain positions - no one demands that blacksmiths meet certain physical criteria, for the ones who are best suited for the job will naturally come out on top. He states, “If the political system of the country is such as to exclude unfit men, it will equally exclude unfit women” (56). It is not the government’s role to tell women that they would be “best served” by keeping in the home; it should be the woman’s choice, and thereafter we must let the chips fall where they may.

If Nora were to look for a job she would probably hear a sexist remark like, "shouldn't you be at home raising the children." "Ibsen saw women's proper role as motherhood, and motherhood only."(Frank Magil, 1572) It is hard enough in the new millennium for a women to get a good job to support herself, let alone in 1879, when this story took

Being a single woman with a family to support in the 1930’s was not an easy job. Especially when society had so many chips stacked against them. Tillie Olsen’s “I stand Here Ironing” is a short story that addresses feminine social disorders and inequalities as well as economic disadvantages that people of lower circumstances have to overcome to survive. In the short story it is basically an autobiography of Tillie Olsen’s life told by the narrator (Emily’s mother). Throughout the story the narrator is reflecting the way she brought up her daughter during a depression and feminist era. She feels very regretful reflecting 19 years late because of the decisions she was forced to make because of the absence of Emily’s father. This story can be seen in a feminist perspective as well as a Marxist perspective; even though they are very different from one another both perspectives help interpret Tillie Olsen’s short story. The Marxist perspective helps illuminate Tillie Olsen’s “I stand Here Ironing” when the narrator explains how the capital system negatively affected Emily and her Family. In a feminist perspective the narrator describes her different encounters with men that abandoned her; causing her to have to take on a male dominated role. Because of the societal characteristic she had to take on it caused her to turn away from her daughter in order to survive.

"She loved how they filled a room with their laughter and rank of male bodies and endless nostalgia and quick tempers, but she hated their individual fears and collective lack of ambition. They all worked blue-collar construction jobs, not because they loved the good work or found it valuable or rewarding, but because some teacher or guidance counselor told them