Triangle Shirtwaist Essays Example

In the history of the United States of America, the fire in Triangle Shirtwaist remains to be the worst industrial disaster where a number of people lost their lives. According to the film, there are several countries of origin which were represented among the garment workers. Although the workers came from different parts of the world, most of them were Italian and recent Jewish immigrant women (Von, 18). Some of them were Native Americans.
There are several reasons that brought these immigrants to America. As a matter of fact, most of them were looking for employment opportunities and thought such opportunities were abundant in the United States of America. Some, the Jewish for instance, had moved to America with the view of securing religious freedom. Lack of alternative employment opportunities and well-paying jobs motivated these workers to work for long hours. This would have not been the case had they secured well-paying jobs in safer places. However, because of the high competition for jobs and the need to maximize on the income, the workers opted to work for long hours so as to boost their incomes.
This film is the perfect example of how realities contrast with dreams. In their minds, the immigrants envisioned better working conditions and well-paying jobs that would sustain them. This is what they had in mind before moving to the United States of America. However, they were shocked to be exposed to such difficult and unfriendly working conditions against their expectations. The opportunities they imagined of existing in America were no longer there; hence the realities differed with dreams. The story is essential in exposing the social injustices and inequities that existed in America in the early years. Although outsiders considered it a place of remarkable opportunities and transformations, it was never that way.

Works Cited

Von, Drehle D. Triangle: The Fire That Changed America. New York: Atlantic Monthly Press, 2003. Print.