Question
Lectures were given round the clock by the volunteer teachers, some speaking thirteen or fourteen times a day in the cheerless rooms of the rented halls. Clara Lemlich remembered talking nonstop for what seemed like days at a time; the shirtwaist strike had become her life. The workers drank in their lessons, taking them so fervently to heart that those opening days of the strike had the spirit of revival meetings, the workers new converts to some soul-saving religion. They would win, they had only to stick together and wait it out. What a wonderful thing the union was. They loved it, they gave themselves to it, clasping it to their bosoms, putting all their faith in it and in one another.
—We Shall Not Be Moved,
Joan Dash
How does the passage show unions?
What might be the purpose of the way the union is described in this passage?
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The passage illustrates unions as a source of empowerment and solidarity for the workers involved in the shirtwaist strike. The fervent dedication of the volunteer teachers and the workers' passionate engagement in the lessons highlight how unions are perceived as not just organizations, but as life-changing entities that foster a sense of community and collective purpose. The imagery of revival meetings and the notion of "new converts" suggests that the union embodies a transformative, almost spiritual experience for the workers, who see it as a vital means to achieve their goals and assert their rights.
The purpose of describing the union in this way could be to emphasize its role as a unifying force that instills hope and resilience among the workers. By comparing the workers' commitment to that of converts in a religious revival, the author underscores the depth of the workers' faith in the union's mission and the strength derived from their collective action. This portrayal serves to inspire solidarity, illustrating the transformative power of workers coming together for a common cause. It evokes the idea that through unity and persistence, they can overcome their struggles, thus reinforcing the importance of unions in advocating for workers' rights and social justice.
The purpose of describing the union in this way could be to emphasize its role as a unifying force that instills hope and resilience among the workers. By comparing the workers' commitment to that of converts in a religious revival, the author underscores the depth of the workers' faith in the union's mission and the strength derived from their collective action. This portrayal serves to inspire solidarity, illustrating the transformative power of workers coming together for a common cause. It evokes the idea that through unity and persistence, they can overcome their struggles, thus reinforcing the importance of unions in advocating for workers' rights and social justice.