The Need Of Life In Katherine Paterson's Lyddie

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Everyone has the right to an opinion, especially when it has a huge effect on a person's life. The fictional novel Lyddie by Katherine Paterson is a story about a poor girl who had to leave her home to work in a factory. Lyddie finds that people aren’t very fond of the factory’s working condition. There is this petition floating around that is trying to change these conditions, but the problem is, if she signed it,she could lose any job, anywhere. This makes her wonder if she made the right decision moving to Lowell. She has her little sister to care for now and debts to pay off back home. Lyddie is only a teenager and is forced to act very mature in this situation. While some people believe that Lyddie should sign the petition, it would leave Lyddie without any money or a place to go. Lyddie is in need of money, for this purpose, she should not sign the petition. In fact,¨I´m going to be a factory girl, Triphena. I´m free… I can go to Lowell and make real money to pay off the debt so I could go home.” (45) Lyddie finds this great …show more content…

Lyddie wants to take her home, but she doesn’t have a home. So instead Lyddie decides to get Rachel a job in the factory. Rachel is now making money along with Lyddie.Which is another reason why Lyddie should not sign the petition. With this in mind, “What was the use of it anyway if the farm was gone?... And what was she to do with Rachel?”(122) Lyddie worked hard for the money she needed to go back home. When she finds out she can’t even do that, she doesn’t know what to do. Even though she doesn’t know what to do now, she should not sign the petition! She instead should wait it out until she knows what to do. She shouldn’t have to lose everything just because she has to figure out a new plan. Lyddie will be without a home if she chose to lose her