The source was written to describe the poor situation that an English immigrant, named Thomas, is faced with when coming and working in America. This immigrant has to cope with a variety of factors when pursuing the American Dream, such as struggling to keep his job (mule-spinner) and obtaining adequate funds for child support. In the Hoffman text, the immigrant discusses how “back-boys” are needed in his occupation, and he does not have one, so he is at risk of losing his job. The book also explains how he is paid a dollar and fifty cents, which is below the poverty level during the 1880s. That is not enough money to pay his house rent. To add on, he cannot afford to buy clothing and shoes for his kids as well as bring them food. That puts
…show more content…
Immigrants who came to America also had the chance to purchase and work on a homestead in western United States, as a result of the Homestead Act of 1862. These immigrants pursuing the American Dream encountered delays with their ambition, for the Depression of 1873 forced them into a recession during the 1883 to 1885 period, leading to the unemployment of millions of workers. Employers dealt with this recession by cutting employee wages down to the point where workers are paid below the poverty level ($1.50). To make matters worse, some workers were paid so low that they could not afford to pay for their basic necessities, such as food, clothing, and shelter. Such a situation is the kind English immigrant, Thomas, is faced with. He found out the hard way that pursuing the American Dream is a rough pathway. The historical actor, Thomas, argues that the pursuit of the American Dream is brutal and life-threatening. To support his claim, he uses himself and his family as an example by describing a situation where they cannot afford to feed themselves. The actor also refers to himself when he explains how he works seasonally and earns very low wages. His argument is reasonable since, during the 1880s, America was suffering from a depression and a recession, which forced a
Immigrants who came to America also had the chance to purchase and work on a homestead in western United States, as a result of the Homestead Act of 1862. These immigrants pursuing the American Dream encountered delays with their ambition, for the Depression of 1873 forced them into a recession during the 1883 to 1885 period, leading to the unemployment of millions of workers. Employers dealt with this recession by cutting employee wages down to the point where workers are paid below the poverty level ($1.50). To make matters worse, some workers were paid so low that they could not afford to pay for their basic necessities, such as food, clothing, and shelter. Such a situation is the kind English immigrant, Thomas, is faced with. He found out the hard way that pursuing the American Dream is a rough pathway. The historical actor, Thomas, argues that the pursuit of the American Dream is brutal and life-threatening. To support his claim, he uses himself and his family as an example by describing a situation where they cannot afford to feed themselves. The actor also refers to himself when he explains how he works seasonally and earns very low wages. His argument is reasonable since, during the 1880s, America was suffering from a depression and a recession, which forced a