Heather Min AP Language & Composition 10 December 2014 In the early 1900's the progressive reform era took place because people were concerned with working conditions in factories and had a growing interest on improving the rights of the working class. One effect of the progressive reform era was the child labor reform. This reform took place because there were young children working long hours in factories in order to help support their families. They worked under horrendous conditions and the jobs the young children were required to do were dangerous and they were paid low wages. Florence Kelley was a social worker and a reformer who fought to change the existing working conditions for young children. In 1905, Kelley delivered a speech …show more content…
When Kelley infers that it is a "Pitiful privilege [to work] all night long"(115) she uses an oxymoron to imply how the children having to work all night is a burden. A privilege is a special right or advantage, and by defining having to work all night as "Pitiful"(Kelley 115) Kelley becomes critical of the working conditions the young children have to endure. In addition to establishing her credibility, Kelley acknowledges how the young girls carry their "Pail of midnight luncheon"(116) where as "Happier people carry their midday luncheon"(116). Kelley juxtaposes how the young girls who have the burden of working night shifts eat their lunch at midnight, where as the adults who have the privilege to work during the day get to eat lunch at the proper time. When people eat lunch, it is supposed to be around noon during the day time, not at midnight. Kelley criticizes how the young children do not get to eat at proper times but adults who work during the day do. While stating the young children have been "Robbed of school life"(Kelley 117) Kelley becomes critical of the fact that education is being ripped away from young children because they are being forced to work in