Lyddie Analysis

What would you do if you were forced to work 11chours a day jus as a kid? That’s what Lyddie had to do in the novel Lyddie by Kathrine Paterson. In this novel, Lyddie decides to go to the Concord Corporation and work as a mill girl to pay off the debts on her farm and reunite her family. She then meets her roommates: Betsy, Amelia, and Prudence. However, Lyddie then finds out that terrible working conditions, long hours, and even harassment are key reasons why she shouldn’t work there. But Lyddie is then faced with a petition regarding those issues that might even end them. Lyddie should not sign the petition because if she does, she could get blacklisted if she signs the petition. Also, she wouldn’t be able to support her family if she signs the petition. One reason why Lyddie should sign the petition is because she could get fired or even

As I said earlier, signing the petition might get you fired so if Lyddie signs the petition, she’ll get fired so she wouldn’t be able to get money for her family. When Lyddie receives a letter from her mother, she gets or determined than ever to get money to support her family. “She must earn all the money she could to pay what they owed, so she could gather her family together…” (88) This shows that Lyddie is determined to raise money to support her family. But if she signs the petition, she could get fired. Then, she wouldn’t be able to support her family. Also, Lyddie needs money to pay off the debts of the farm. When Betsy and Amelia were arguing, Lyddie remembers he debts on the farm and says “I mean, please, don’t sign. I can’t. I got to have the money before…” (92) This shows that Lyddie needs to pay off the debts but if she signs the petition, she could get fired and she wouldn’t be able to pay off the debts. Therefore, Lyddie shouldn’t sign the petition because she wouldn’t be able to support her