The journey to Assam was descripted in the most picturesque manner. The beautiful details of landscape, the rustic beauty of plantation, the greenery and fresh air were breath taking. It was like watching a dream land.
The morning mist has risen over the valley and evaporated with the dazzling burst of sunlight. The air was still under the clear even sky. The welter of leafage was tensed beneath the world’s hollow cup. There was a concentrated lull in the slow heart of the day, as if India missed a heartbeat of the day, in the march of time. (2)
Though Gangu’s journey was started on this beautiful note, but we soon find out the ugly truth concealed behind the mask of this beautiful portrait. Soon enough he realizes how badly he was
…show more content…
In the rat race to earn more profit the poor workers were doubly exploited. First by the British who paid them minimal wage, made them work in unhygienic and often life threatening conditions. For example when the plague of cholera and malaria was spread among the slum of these workers, then also they were made to attend the job. Even to apply for a leave they must visit the locally appointed doctor thrice and even then, if they do not get any better, then only their plea for leave shall be put under consideration. The second exploitation they had to face was by their own countrymen. People like the money lender who charge so much interest over even a small sum of money that with due course of time it become impossible for the victim to pay back. Middlemen or agents like Buta also falls under the very same category. Speaking of the truth, they are worse than the money lenders. They target the weakest section of the society. They approach those who are financially broke with no hope or resource to survive. To those wretches they lend their divine helping hand, like the blessings of almighty himself and when the close their eyes and trust these agents, their fates are sealed in eternal darkness. These agents never step back from weaving tall tales of the plantation site, or telling false stories of prosperity. The innocent often felt for such traps and are doomed to work for ever in the hellish
“People were forced to work in harsh, dangerous conditions in order to be able to provide for their families” (Document 8). Although most people were grateful to have a job, the conditions that they were forced to work for in order to provide for their families were unfair to them, and their families. Just because they obtained a job one day, doesn’t mean they would have it the next day, for example, if an employee was sick, or injured and had to miss a day of work the employee wasn’t guaranteed to continually have the job after they finally recovered. “I am at work in a spinning room tending four sides of warp which is one girl’s work” (Document 1) working conditions such as these are very harsh for the employees, not only do they have to keep up with the work of four people. Not only do the employees have to keep up with the sea of work, they also have to attempt not to get injured with the very harsh conditions lots of employees did in fact end up with serious injuries. “5 in the morning till 9 at night…” (Document 7) Those were the harsh working hours according to twenty-three year old Elizabeth Bentley. Long hours such as those were very common for factory workers, which made life hard for employees. Not only was harsh working conditions bad, but also the worst consequence that came about through the Industrial Revolution was child
The working conditions of the new arrivals were hardly any better, as employees of factories were often overworked, underpaid, and penned up in dangerous conditions. Perhaps the horrors of these conditions can be highlighted by the devastating 1911 fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York City. Tragically, over one hundred young women lost their lives in the fire, as there was no way to get out, and the doors were locked, trapping the women inside. Safety was not the only problem, as workers initially were not given the right to organize into unions, essentially doomed to the repetitive motions of factory operation. This meant that they had no way to protest against child labor, wage slavery, and unhealthily long working hours. Eventually, with their growing clout and ever-present industrial dependence on their labor, workers organized and demanded reform along all aspects of hazardous working conditions.
In Document B, which was explained by David A. Wells, an engineer and economist, was informative on how working condition were analogous to a military organization, “in which the individual no longer works as independently as formerly, but as a private in the ranks, obeying orders, keeping step, as it were, to the tap of the drum, and having nothing to say as to the plan of his work, of its final completion, or of its ultimate use and distribution. In short, the people who work in the modern factory are, as a rule, taught to do one thing—to perform one and generally a simple operation; and when there is no more of that kind of work to do, they are in a measure helpless.” (Document B) Which meant that workers at the factory basically don’t hold responsibility to themselves, as workers mainly are only trained to one job, relating to David A. Well theory. Document F sourced by Samuel Gompers, also portrays how the conditions were explaining that there was too many workers trying to fit in one factory place, and poor conditions. This was how union were created, to regain benefits, as well for better working
The capitalists and their industries greatly affected many citizens and even their own workers by dehumanizing them. Men would stand outside of factories for days, even weeks, waiting for the chance to get a job. The head of the industries would use this to their advantage by picking the strongest men and paying them a low amount of money and when they become injured or useless, they just hire someone else. The food industries were horrible with how they took care of their workers and their products. “For it was the custom, as they found, whenever meat was so spoiled that it could not be used for anything else, either to can it or else to chop it up into
In chapter nine of The Jungle, Upton Sinclair talks about the lives that the working-class experiences at work. They are horrible. For example, butchers and floor men are known for not lasting in that specific job because that job is extremely dangerous. The job is so dangerous, that it would not be surprising if you lost fingers. Once you lose a thumb you are worthless. Since during the progressive era is the only way to survive and feed yourself and your family, people did these jobs. Workers were so focused on working and making money, they were not careful. This results in losing fingers, but the work continues because work is priority number one. Not only were the working conditions dangerous, they are not sanitary. Men who worked with meat were more likely to catch tuberculosis because meat was never handled properly. This was a time where people were not aware of germs and how that can affect your health. During this time, people cared more about making money and getting their work done no matter what. Since this working class is mostly in poverty, they have to support their family even if the job
Describe the four sights that the young Siddhartha Guatama experienced upon leaving the palace. Reflect on the significance of each of the four sights.
With the development of cities the working class ended up living in low income slums. Friedrich Engels stated in The Condition of the Working Class in England, “Every great town had one or more slums areas into which the working class are packed.” (Document 5) The slums then lead to poorer living conditions such as infected water and poor ventilation, which effected the life span of the people. Living with the poor condition meant that they were prone to get sick. As Edwin Chadwich pointed out in his report, “That the annual loss of life from filth and bad ventilation are greater than the loss from death or wounds in any wars in which the country has been engaged in modern times” (Document 6) In addition to these struggles, Karl Marx from the Communist Manifesto said, “Modern industry has converted the little workshop of the patriarchal master into the great factory of the industrial capitalist.” (Document 10) This quote shows that this is another way the poor is being controlled by the rich and that someday there will be a classless
Workers were marginalized by the poor working conditions they had. A lot of the time the workers
They were protesting for the fact that the workers will get injured and they will suffer (Document A). No one was doing anything for the labor workers to be in better condition so they took matters into their own hands. Examples of unhealthy environment are those people that will work in a meat factory their hands were not sanitize to touch the meat (The Jungle by Upton Sinclair). The reason why not sanitize is because the workers will wash their hands in the water they will was the meat in. Mr. Sinclair, writes that the workers in the meat factor did not handle the meat safe and healthy for people to eat it. The workers will work around the dead rats. If anything fall to the ground and a rate was their the worker will still need to put that meat that fell to be mixed with the other meat even if it been contaminated. This will give the workers logical and explainable reasons for why they needed to protesting for wanting change for bettering their working conditions. There was a man
Many people working had very poor living conditions. Friedrich Engels describes the England streets, the slums, ¨...unpaved, full of holes, filthy and strewn with refuse.”and their rivers as ¨...coal-black and full of stinking filth and rubbish…(Document 9)¨ It wasn't just bad at their homes it was also bad at their work. Joseph Hebergam was a man who had been working at one of the many mills that had horrible working conditions. Working in these horrible conditions Joseph was told he would die within the year of 1832 because he had a severe illness. When asked how he got the illness he responded with, ¨He (the doctor) told me it was caused by the dust in the factories and from overwork and insufficient diet...¨ People just did not die because of an illness they also died from infections. These mills were working their workers to
Women and children were able to join the work force, but for little pay and long hours. Many were face with poor work conditions, hazardous health issues and short lunch breaks. The economic success was often left unchecked by authorities, who were not ready to deal with the consequences of these uncharted waters.
That being said, the worker's problems did not end once they found steady employment. Employers were harsh and unforgiving in how they treated their employees. For example, if an employee was one minute late they were penalized an hours pay. If they were 20 minutes late they forfeited their employment. Worse yet, if they were injured or hurt on the job the company takes no responsibility and the worker is forced to recuperate on their own time without pay
The factory jobs were controlled by owners and bosses, who showed little regard for workers and their wellbeing. Workers forced themselves into work during even extreme illnesses; one absence or mistake and they might be replaced without question. These low wage jobs came with few benefits and no rights; there was nothing in place that protected the livelihood of the worker. Immigrant’s willingness to work all the time created these conditions.
That being said, the worker's problems did not end once they found steady employment. Employers were harsh and unforgiving in how they treated their employees. For example, if an employee was one minute late they were penalized an hours pay. If they were 20 minutes late they forfeited their employment. Worse yet, if they were injured or hurt on the job the company takes no responsibility and the worker is forced to recuperate on their own time without pay (i.e.; when Jurgis sprained his ankle and had to recuperate at home for 3 months). The final insult to the workers was that even if they were always on time, worked hard and maintained their health they could lose their job due to the
Factory workers in eighteenth and nineteenth century England typically worked extremely long hours with a meager amount of time for breaks (Spielvogel 571). This is a direct violation of article 24 in the United Nations’ Declaration of Human Rights which states that “everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation of working hours” (UN, Art. 24). Discussing these violations are important due to how the quality of life of these workers decreased during these years. Factory workers “spent all the light of day at work and came home with little energy, space, or light” to do anything (Effects of the Industrial Revolution). Undoubtedly, this environment led to