Life as a Sweatshop Worker: Testimonial Review
Life as a Sweatshop Worker: Testimonial Review by Christopher Lucas
After reading “Story of a Sweatshop Girl”, I could not help but feel good. This was one of those surprise stories that you would never expect to come from a sweatshop worker. Sadie Frowne was obviously an educated woman who had ambition. To read this document from her perspective was a very enlightening experience. Sadie was very intelligent and independent. She wanted to take full advantage of everything that America had to offer. Sadie educated herself by going to night classes. She recognized that through education and bettering herself she could achieve a better, fuller life. I thought it was interesting how she stated that she forced herself to go out after work instead of going to sleep. This kind of reminds me of the way young people are today. Many of Sadie’s characteristics give me the impression that she could live in today’s world. Sadie liked the finer things in life even on such a modest income. She enjoyed finer clothing in hopes that it could help her fit in with the higher class citizens. Sadie was extremely supportive of the union, yet was afraid of being associated as being a socialist.
What surprised me about Sadie Frowne was her calm demeanor throughout her testimonial. She seemed to emit almost no emotion when talking about the death of her parents and the injuries some workers suffered. Sadie never complained about the
Lucas - 2 hardships that she had faced. I was rather shocked at how casually she would speak about getting injured at work. “We all have accidents like that. Where the needle goes through the nail it makes a sore finger, or where it splinters a bone it does much harm. Sometimes a finger has to come off.” One thing that I learned from this passage is just how strong of a person Sadie was. When times were troublesome, she was able to push forward and persevere.
Rose Cohen’s testimonial was not quite as surprising as Sadie’s. I feel that
After reading “Story of a Sweatshop Girl”, I could not help but feel good. This was one of those surprise stories that you would never expect to come from a sweatshop worker. Sadie Frowne was obviously an educated woman who had ambition. To read this document from her perspective was a very enlightening experience. Sadie was very intelligent and independent. She wanted to take full advantage of everything that America had to offer. Sadie educated herself by going to night classes. She recognized that through education and bettering herself she could achieve a better, fuller life. I thought it was interesting how she stated that she forced herself to go out after work instead of going to sleep. This kind of reminds me of the way young people are today. Many of Sadie’s characteristics give me the impression that she could live in today’s world. Sadie liked the finer things in life even on such a modest income. She enjoyed finer clothing in hopes that it could help her fit in with the higher class citizens. Sadie was extremely supportive of the union, yet was afraid of being associated as being a socialist.
What surprised me about Sadie Frowne was her calm demeanor throughout her testimonial. She seemed to emit almost no emotion when talking about the death of her parents and the injuries some workers suffered. Sadie never complained about the
Lucas - 2 hardships that she had faced. I was rather shocked at how casually she would speak about getting injured at work. “We all have accidents like that. Where the needle goes through the nail it makes a sore finger, or where it splinters a bone it does much harm. Sometimes a finger has to come off.” One thing that I learned from this passage is just how strong of a person Sadie was. When times were troublesome, she was able to push forward and persevere.
Rose Cohen’s testimonial was not quite as surprising as Sadie’s. I feel that
References: 1. Clara Lemlich, "Life in the Shop" (1909), from Stein, ed., Out of the Sweatshop 2. Rose Cohen, "My First Job" (1918), from Stein, ed., Out of the Sweatshop 3. Sikes, Wirt. "Among the Poor Girls." Putnam’s Magazine, April 1868. 4. The Story of a Sweatshop Girl: Sadie Frowne. Independent, LIV (Sept 25, 1902), 2279 82.