Packinghouse Daughter,

The gap separating the rich and poor in America is biggest compared to any other developed nation globally, however, majorities are unconcerned. Whilst the Europeans fret with regard to ways in which the economic cake is divided, the Americans seek to join the wealthy. Out of every ten individuals in America, greatest than any other place, believe that although one might start poor and eventually through hard work become wealthy. This forms the core concept of the American Dream. However, this is not entirely true as shown in Register’s memoir, the American Dream is hallucination created by the rich to motivate the poor to work hard for them in industries while earning little money (Register, 10). The working hard concept is ironic since no matter how hard one works with little pay, heightened taxes, and inflation, they remain poor. Register in her memoir brings out character and passion to the social class subject that a majority of the Americans always avoid to discuss.

The memoir combines the narrative of the divisive strike within Albert Lea. The author depicts her family members as belonging to an extremely low social class owing to the kind of jobs they were involved in (Register, 23). This clearly shows the gap between the rich and the poor within the American society is a historical wound whereby the poor undertake jobs considered as lowly placed but which make the rich richer. In this memoir, the author recalls her family, neighbors and friends undertaking crucial but ugly jobs that involved slaughtering pigs and cattle. Whilst these jobs maintained the company’s profits the workers’ rights were regarded as non-essential.

Poor people even currently have no place in the society. Within the book, the company established mandatory and unpaid overtime, which prompted the strike; this move threatened the laborers’ family lives along with their self-esteem as workers. This is clear sign of oppression of the poor presently despite the fact that overtime is paid and that Americans are considered among the most productive workers globally. The firm proceeds’ never trickles down to the lower level employee. Most of the American companies have been performing well despite the inflation; the incomes are rising fastest at the top whilst the wages of the lowly placed workers are outpaced by inflation.

In the memoir Register, manifests the absence of the political will in resolving wage issues since they touch on the poor. To make the matters worse, the Governor orders martial law and steered the shutting down of the company with complete disregard of the job losses (Register, 31). Lack of political will is a common theme both in the 1950s and at present. For instance, since the 2000s the wages of an average American factoring in inflation have risen by less than 1%. The wages have been stagnant for over a decade. The impacts of stagnated wages   have been worsened by increasing housing prices and inflation. The wages have only considerably increased within the mainly skilled individuals within the top ranks. This is all as a result of political unwillingness to check the wage unevenness in the country.

What Register’s memoirs bring out is a provocative debate regarding class discussions. Presently, the phrase class is outdated. The populist’s phrases are the working class, as they are. Register, however, irrespective of her upbringing overlooks her class in which she grew up and goes above simple clichés (Register, 52). Register states that an age of working class kids was propelled over towards the middle class through post war success, higher education, and their parents’ dedication to save their children from the poverty misery they underwent. Presently higher education or parents’ determination has no major part to play owing to the present unemployment rates even to the learned. The income changes can only be achieved through strikes and policies

Considering the John Kennedy’s saying that a rising tide raises all the boats, the tide have evidently been raising speedily recently thanks to rise in productivity and companies’ expansions. However, inequity remains as huge and a rising tide raise some boats replaces the original saying. The labor unions are among the mostly ineffective components in the struggle for better wages in America (Register, 43). Register’s memoir shows how the union was unable to fight for its workers’ rights eventually rendering them jobless after they were all replaced. Though they later returned to work, the wages had been reduced considerably, by automation of services. This is the same situation-taking place currently. The labor unions are not up to task in fighting for better wages for the American workers. They even collude with the executives by making corrupt deals in order to silence them.

The divide in the early days is very evident. The rich kids are immune from punishment and they get away with smoking and promiscuity, whilst poor kids risk being jailed for offenses committed. The rich buy their way into everything and anything presently the poor have no place in society. The American dream is in danger of being attained if at all it will. The only way to bridge this gap is through policies that should steer taxing the rich more, increasing the poor peoples’ salaries and curbing inflation. One day perhaps fairness may triumph; however, in the interim books such as Packinghouse Daughter will assist keeping the dream alive.

Nevertheless, there are differences between the past and the present, for instance, Melting’s father operated as a salesperson a position that the workers union never covered and this made his job vulnerable. The unions failed to cover all workers though even the ones covered were faintly represented. Currently the US workers unions cover every position irrespective of how small it is (Register, 31). This is an improvement since the present unions have enhanced their representation and care for the welfare of their members, even little worker mistreatment triggers wide union outcry. For instance the Nike and Wal-Mart sweatshops received a lot union and dominant public protest.

Register narrates how it was difficult for her to study due to her social classes. The poor were never awarded equal learning opportunities. However, presently education is a right for all, it is quite easy to pursue education in America to the heights one is willing to attain (Register, 46).   There exist numerous bodies of government that check educational inequality and equality to ensuring every person is well educated even within the minority neighborhoods.  

During Register’s early time, farming was dependent on rains and the period that failed to experience any rain the families suffered a lot because of drought (Register, 42). This is very different since in America today farming is independent of rains and there is exist a huge agribusiness industry. This is as opposed to the early times when farming was of subsistence purposes.

Works Cited

Register, Cheri. Packinghouse Daughter: A Memoir. St. Paul, MN: Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2000. Print.