Steel-Mill Cycles During the mid-1880's, large groups of immigrants poured into the United States.
Some came in search of a new life, and some merely wanted to make enough money to go back to their home country. However, there's no doubt that these individuals all had hopes and dreams of what the "New World" would bring. Their hopes and dreams laid in the idea of unlimited employment opportunities. Leaving behind endless poverty and oppression, these immigrants came to America to find a better life. Yet, a better life was far from reality; Hardships of life and work would await these hopeful souls. The adversities and afflictions of these immigrants are clearly reflected through the book titled Out of This Furnace, written by Thomas Bell. In the novel by Bell, the reader is given a climps of what life was like for steel-mill workers and the effects of it.
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English: Publicity photo of Dwayne Hickman, Bob De...Out of This Furnace begins with the first generation of a Slovak immigrant named Kracha, who would lay the foundation for future generations in his family. In search of better opportunities, Kracha left his home country and headed for a world that would complicate his life more than he had planned.
Upon his arrival in America and the situations that are thrusts at him, the character of Kracha is seen as a man who has little control over his fate. The whole idea of not being able to control what happens to Kracha starts with his temptation with adultery, then leads to his failed butcher shop. But overall, one thing that was inevitible was his work condions in the mill.
Like most immigrants, shortly after settlling in America, Kracha was thrown into the mill.
With no experience and no knowledge of this New World, men like Kracha had no choice...