Michael Schulte

October 7, 2015
4B

Take 9
Thesis Sentence: In her persuasive piece discussing the exploitation of labor laws
during a womens suffrage convention to other women, Florence Kelley passionately
shifts from children to women in order to change child labor laws for the sake of
the children (12) because without a change our society would not progress.

ASS Sentence: Kelley pushes to illustrate to other women child labor is a national
issue to reform the laws that allow children to work long hours by using many
rhetorical devices to convey urgency towards the cause.

EV Sentence: Kelley academically uses connotation to show the despicable actions

that are occurring under the sweating system, tiny children robbed of school [,]
(9) to establish the fact that the audience is denying the right of education to the
children, so the adults can have a more convenient and laid back lifestyle.

Comm Sentences: The word robbed (9) emphasizes how criminal child labor and
the severity of the crime. Kelley is fearful that society will not see the errors in its
ways and sabotage any signs of progress. She is alluding to the fact that the
children are being robbed of their life and childhood not just their education. The
harsh work is cutting into the childrens time in school, and this is creating an
ignorant generation. Kelleys living nightmare is there is a greater emphasis on work
instead of school. She is refuting the idea that work creates knowledge. She views
school as the only way to obtain intelligence. People are able to see physical
changes to their children. They are more tired, and they are becoming
underdeveloped in intellect. Intellect is important nationally. If a nation is full of
ignorance, it will crumble under the weight of its own stupidity. Taking away
education will cause the nation to become a ghost town, and everything the
founding fathers fought for will be wasted. All progress would be lost, and progress
would only be an idea that would never be able to take shape. If the laws are
reformed to restrict the hours that children may work, the children will be able to
have an education at school, so the nation wont deteriorate. The lack of progress
could be averted and overcome. In addition, Kelley is personifying the system
which is restricting the ability for a child to go to school. It is also sweating which
suggests the labor is too harsh for the children. Children should never be
overworked. This will create a workforce that will be burnt out by the time they
reach the adult hood. Thus, the products would be less than satisfactory making
American products plummet in value. The economy would then crumble into rubble.

Changing the laws would allow children to have the energy to work when they are
older, and they would have an increased work drive. This could create better
products than what is currently available which would help the economy in the end.
Progress would be made.