Non-Fiction Blog Post Triangle Waist Factory Fire Upfront Magazine Sept.2.2013

The Triangle Waist Factory Fire occurred on March 25, 1911. Its duration was only a half of an hour long. In that half hour, 146 people died, and those people have made such a difference in the world. Not only the people, but the event itself as well. After the Triangle Waist factory Fire (TWFF), more than 30 safety laws were made in New York. Not only that, but child labor was eliminated by the late 1930’s.

The author is obviously is pressing to make us feel remorseful for those who died in the TWFF, but also maybe a little glad. Surely I am confused about how I feel about the TWFF, I am upset for the women and men who died that day, yet I am glad in a way, that it happened. Without the event, who knows… maybe there might be a small chance that some type of child labor might still exist in America because TWFF didn’t occur. And maybe there still might be no overtime pay, or minimum wage. The author has a good way of sneaking in his opinion by throwing a quote in.

“It was an incredibly galvanizing event for nation’s labor movement and the rights of workers. After Triangle, people were so shocked, not only by the terrible disaster, but by the drama of these young immigrant women who treated as less than women.” Bruce Raynor.

The author also uses very loaded words, to show how he feels, he uses words like, “terrible” and “disaster.” I believe because of this, this is a very subjective article.

I’ve found that my feelings toward TWFF are still quite confused. But if I’m being completely honest, I’m a little angry. I’m angry at the fact that before all these good things have to happen, something bad has to before. And I don’t even care if that’s cliché, because it describes exactly how I feel, and that is truly all that matters. What angers me more is that, that literally happens all the time. Bullying. A child must die before a law is made. But not just one, no, there has to be twenty to make something happen. It just makes me feel like people don’t pay enough attention, just to what matters to them and they don’t take into any consideration how anybody else feels, they always think of themselves, and they end up getting too caught up and it’s like walking with a mirror in front of you. Everything good always comes from something bad. I guess it’s a cycle, or some weird circle type sort of thing.

Critical Thinking Question: Who Has the “power” in Your Text? How Does That Power Get Shown? REVISED "Just Listen" by Sarah Dessen

            “Power,” such an odd expression. There’s electrical power, solar power, and then there’s power. This imaginary sense of energy everyone talks about, where it comes from no one knows.

The irony was that even though I’d seen Will and Sophie go through their drama enough times to know it by heart, i was still completely surprised when I suddenly found myself a part of it. One bad move on one night, and the next thing I knew it was me she was after-me who was the [s***], the [w****]-and me cut out, not only of her life, but one I’d come to know as my own, as well. Pg 125

I believe in the book I’m reading, “Just Listen” by Sarah Dessen, Annabel’s ex-best friend, Sophie has the “power.”

Sophie and Annabel had the ideal friendship. They did everything together and told each other everything. They were best friends since the sixth grade and were now in highchool. But Annabel gave up a lot for Sophie. She ignored people and she made fun of people, even those she used to be friends with, she basically became a bully, and that’s not saying she liked it. Annabel’s world was turned upside-down, inside out in every which way possible when the friendship ended. Once Sophie ended the friendship that she originally initiated, Annabel was kicked to the bottom of the popularity pyramid.

How does that power get shown… I think the question should be how is the power not seen. Sophie had control of Annabel’s life without even meaning to. She just did. When their friendship ended, all of Annabel’s other friendships did too. If Sophie was mean to her everyone else was too, if she calls her a name so did everyone else, if she even gave her the slightest dirty look everyone mimicked her. Sophie was like the nucleus in a cell, she told everyone what to do and everyone did it, just because. She had some type of control over everyone. Why? Because she had a way of manipulating everyone. Even her boyfriend was an example of why she had this power: he was the male version of Sophie, herself.

In school, there is always that one person that everyone talks about, but still wants to be friends with no matter what type of person they are. It happens everywhere, I mean come on there was at least one person that came to mind, it can’t be controlled. Power like this can be shown in the movie Cyberbully, where a teen is bullied by her ex-best friends to the point where she attempts to commit suicide. A bit extreme, but you understand what I’m trying to say. My point is, in the words of Eleanor Roosevelt,

“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” And with this power that people hold over others and friends hold over each other, I just want everyone to be more aware of their actions and how they treat each other.