“The sidewalk was covered with heaps of broken bodies, 63 in all... They discovered 19 bodies melted against the locked door and 25 broken and burned bodies were pulled from atop the elevator.” (Pence et al. 410). This horrific description is not from a work of fiction, but instead from the fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York City on March 25, 1911. The factory employed hundreds of workers, mostly young, immigrant girls. On this fateful Saturday afternoon, a vicious fire unexpectedly broke out at the factory, sending panic through its towering floors (Pence et al. 408). A total of 146 workers died in the tragedy, shocking the public and shaping the future of labor laws (Burt 190). "And all Who Jumped Died: The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire" by Patricia Pence et al. summarizes the fire, reviews the response of the factory owners, examines the laws that resulted from the fire, and offers three lessons to be learned from the incident (Pence et al 407). "Working Women and the Triangle Fire: Press …show more content…
Both "Working Women and the Triangle Fire" and "And All Who Jumped Died" discuss the same event, have structural similarities, effectively fulfill their purposes, and are useful tools for history students. However, their purposes differ significantly and “And All Who Jumped Died” more effectively develops its argument through its use of descriptive language and organizational techniques. “And All Who Jumped Died” begins by outlining its purpose, emphasizing the significance of the fire, defining a shirtwaist, and describing the events leading up to the fire (Pence et al. 407). The article