Monday, October 14, 2013

http://int110.blogspot.com



There are both differences as well as commons between Vicky Starr’s working experiences and today workers in America.
The differences are clearly seen that the Labor Union has made good progress and the today working conditions are not as terrible as what is revealed in the passage. Vicky Starr had to receive four dollars as the weekly salary income for countless housework “I got a job doing housework again and it was just horrible. Here I was taking care of this family with a little spoiled brat and I had to pick up after them—only Thursday afternoon off and every other Sunday—and all for four dollars a week of which I sent two dollars home. I just couldn't stand it. I would rather go back and work in a factory, any day or night.” Nowadays, the minimum wage that a person can receive is eight dollars per hour, a rather acceptable income that help the worker survive through their difficult time. Moreover, the Labor Union has got its stronger voice that is powerful enough to interfere in the factories that have the unsafe working conditions and protect the workers’ right if necessary. That is a big step compared to the situation “one of the women, in putting the meat into the chopper, got her fingers caught. There were no safety guards. Her fingers got into the hotdogs and they were chopped off. It was just horrible.” and the result of daring to react to the unsafe conditions is that “They found out who was involved and we were all fired. I was blacklisted”. And finally, the most bitter feeling is when Vicky permitted that she had to do the job that is considered to be horrible but she had no choice “Those beautiful cows! They can't kill those beautiful cows!" At home we just had cows for milking. But here were all these cows and they were going to be killed and they were crying, mooing, as they were going to be killed. But one had to get a job!”

However, it is sad to notice that the same bitter working experiences still exist in today life. This is the problems that most of the immigrants, especially the very new came immigrants, have to face day by day. To make end meet in the more and more difficult life, the immigrants have to do the jobs that offer cash pay. The advantages of these jobs are fast income, no tax pay and avoid the limited working hours that the government restricts on the immigrants. But there are terrible disadvantages that are suffered in silence such as horrible working conditions, the unacceptable poor income and the labor exploited policies. Just like Vicky Starr in the passage, they are miserable, feel hopeless and life is the day by day struggles for surviving. How sad and desperate it would be, they still accept all because of their family members.

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