Around her the workers were screaming out prayers and curses.... She herself was sobbing tearlessly.... Her only prayer was still, "I don't want to die." Oh, please, God, don't let me die, she thought. I've never even had a chance to live. Bella, newly arrived in New York from Italy,... read more
Three girls become unlikely friends during troubled times in early 1900s New York City. Bella, newly arrived from Italy, gets a job at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. There, along with hundreds of others, she works long hours at a guieling job under terrible conditions. Yetta, a coworker from... read more (warning: may contain spoilers)
“Not in this part of the city. There are hoity-toity rich people just around the corner. They think fire escapes are ugly.”Pietro to Bella
“If you want to join a union, join the Triangle Employees Benevolent Association. You join any other union, you're gone.”Signor Carlotti to Bella
“They'd never listen to me. I'm nobody and nothing. But someday ... someday ...”Rocco Luciano to Bella
“But it's all one in the final analysis, isn't it? The tragedy of the workers' condition threatens us all. And if women have the vote, then society as a whole will be enriched. We would not allow such abominations to occur, such as these girls being forced to work for pennies, for hours on end. These are our sisters!”Violet Pke, Vassar grad 1907, to Jane's Vassar friends
“And whom do you think he'll believe? Moi, his longtime faithful servant? Or you, his useless, troublesome daughter, who wants to consort with guttersnipes?”Miss Millhouse to Jane
“But it was like a riot of skeletons. Did you see how feeble everyone is becoming? I wager, not a single girl there had a decent meal today. ....”Rahel to Bella and Yetta
“I will go back to Triangle. I'm not done fighting there. I don't know how I'll do it, but I'm sure -- I can still do something to change that place.”Yetta to Rahel
“That's how the world works! Some people are rich and some are poor, and by God, if I can be on the rich side, that's where I'm going to stand!...”Jane's father to Jane
“It was strange. What was poverty to Jane was untold riches to Bella”Comment in the prose.
“Don't you want more out of life than potatoes and bread?”Yetta to Bella
“But we should all keep learning things -- Jane, at her college level and Bella and me at our beginner level ---”Yetta to Jane and Bella
“When women have the vote, fathers will want to send their daughters to college, just like boys.”Jane to Bella and Yetta
“Extras? Something that could have saved one hundred and forty-six lives is an extra?”Mrs. Livingston to Harriet
“The world is not a perfect place even yet.”Mrs. Livingston to Harriet
“I would rather die on my feet than live on my knees.”
An "intro", untitled.
12 chapters entitled "Bella"
11 chapters entitled "Yetta"
11 chapters entitled "Jane"
2 chapter entitled "Mrs. Livingston"
There is an Author's Note giving interesting facts, including some reference books used.
A good read for young girls, perhaps 6th grade and up, interested in this era. A compelling story that will engage girls in the drama of the women's movement of the time while intertwined with the battle of immigrants, factory workers, and friends struggling to survive.
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