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How did gender and/or social class impact the way the girls were treated, both at the factory and in their everyday lives? Choose two characters and compare their experiences of social expectations at the time.
Assignment Overview
Assignment Overview
Written parameters:
Written parameters:
Choose two of the following prompts and write a letter from the perspective of the assigned characters. Each letter should be from different characters, you cannot choose the same character perspective for both letters.
Introductory paragraph of letter
The last sentence of your paragraph should include the thesis statement (restate of the prompt + answer).
Middle of letter
For each letter, reference two quotes from the book to support your ideas. You will therefore have four quotes total. The quotes should include:
Context
Proper embedded quote punctuation
Citation
Each quote should be explained so the reader of your letter understands what the impact social class/gender has had on you.
Concluding paragraph of letter
The last paragraph of your letter should wrap up your letter with a reflection on how you have been impacted by your gender and social class.
Creative parameters:
Creative parameters:
Your letter should:
Be written in the voice (first person) and style of the character.
Address the recipient appropriately based on their role and relationship to the character.
Reflect on events, themes, and character experiences from the book.
Use vivid details to bring the character’s perspective to life.
Use the google slide to make your letter look more realistic. Make a copy of the document and make the title your name.
Prompt Options (Choose Two)
Prompt Options (Choose Two)
From Bella: To a Girl in Calia
Write to a girl in your village who is planning to immigrate to America to support her family.
Dear ______,
Introductory paragraph of your letter:
Begin your letter with pleasantries; polite remarks to make people feel comfortable.
Share the pros and cons of crossing the ocean to work in a big city. The last sentence of the first paragraph should essentially be your thesis: how did gender and/or social class impact the way you were treated, both in the factory and in your everyday life.
Middle of your letter:
Describe whether the opportunity to work in America is as hopeful as people imagine. What are the limitations you have faced as a poor immigrant girl?
Explain what it truly means to be an independent working woman in America. Share the experiences you have had living on your own (once you have escaped the Luciano’s), the friendships you’ve made, the independence you found on the picket line, the opportunities for women’s rights and education.
Concluding paragraph of your letter:
Help her decide whether to pursue this dream.
Wrap up your letter with a reflection on how you have been impacted by your gender and social class.
Sincerely, Bella
From Yetta: To Inez Milholland
Write to the suffragette and activist who supported the strike.
Dear Inez Milholland,
Introductory paragraph of your letter:
Begin your letter with pleasantries; polite remarks to make people feel comfortable.
Explain how you have been impacted both at the factory and in your everyday life because you are a poor immigrant girl.
Middle of your letter:
Reflect on how the police treated strikers compared to the support from wealthy women.
Explain what factory life is like - how do you feel about it being a shirtwaist girl? How are you and others treated?
Concluding paragraph of your letter:
Explore how much the suffragette movement and the strike align.
Share your feelings about the suffragettes’ involvement. Explain how girls are not taken seriously and why the suffrage movement could change that.
Wrap up your letter with a reflection on how you have been impacted by your gender and social class.
Sincerely, Yetta
3. From Jane: To Her Father
Write to your father, explaining your choice to live in the tenements instead of relying on his wealth.
Dear Father,
Introductory paragraph of your letter:
Begin your letter with pleasantries; polite remarks to make people feel comfortable.
Compare your life now to the comforts of your privileged upbringing.
Explain how you have been impacted by your treatment as a rich girl.
Middle of your letter:
Share your thoughts on being seen as the weaker gender.
Reflect on your decision to leave his wealth and society rules behind and live in the tenements.
Discuss what Bella and Yetta have that you found was missing from the rich upper class.
Concluding paragraph of your letter:
Share what, if anything, would make you return home.
Wrap up your letter with a reflection on how you have been impacted by your gender and social class.
Sincerely, your daughter, Jane
4. From Jane: To Alva Belmont
Write a letter to Alva Belmont, a prominent supporter of the suffrage movement and financial backer of the shirtwaist strike.
"A consummate social climber, she'd married a Vanderbilt, married off her daughter to the ninth Duke of Marlborough, divorced her husband, and married another wealthy man who seemed to be the true love of her life. In 1909 she was a new widow, emerging from mourning and eager to find an outlet for her money, energies, and skill. She sat for hours at night court and put up her own house to bail out shirtwaist girls (its $400,000 value then being equivalent to about $8.6 million today). She rented the Hippodrome amphitheater in early December, drawing seven thousand people to listen to strikers, socialists, suffragists, and assorted other speakers. She organized the automobile parade in mid-December that brought even greater attention to the strike" (page 335).
Dear Alva Belmont,
Introductory paragraph of your letter:
Begin your letter with pleasantries; polite remarks to make people feel comfortable.
Reflect on your decision to leave your father’s wealth behind and live in the tenements.
Explain how you have been impacted by your treatment as a rich girl.
Middle of your letter:
Share your moral conflict about relying on wealth or privilege to champion a cause.
Reflect on your conversation with Eleanor, when she suggested you go home and play nice to win your father over.
Concluding paragraph of your letter:
Ask for advice on whether it is acceptable to compromise personal values for the greater good of advancing a movement or helping others.
Wrap up your letter with a reflection on how you have been impacted by your gender and social class.
Sincerely, Jane Wellington
Grading Criteria
Grading Criteria
HOw to embed a quote correctly
HOw to embed a quote correctly
Example of how to embed evidence into a letter.
Original quote: “...followed up his words with a slap or a punch. She’d loved walking to and from work with Pietro” (page 70).
Modified quote: “...[follow] up his words with a slap or punch. [I’d] loved walking to and from work with Pietro” (page 70).
If you change any words in a quote so that it makes sense to your letter, you have to put [brackets] around the changed words.
I was so unhappy with the way I was being treated by the Lucianos, but I also knew that as a girl, I had no way to stand up for myself. When I would walk to work with Senor Luciano he would often yell at me and then he would “[follow] up his words with a slap or punch. [I’d] loved walking to and from work with Pietro” (Page 70), but with Senor Luciano it was terrible.
Letter Writing Tips
Letter Writing Tips
Use real letters written by New Yorkers at the time of the fire to guide you:
Search for book quotes:
Search for book quotes:
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