Uprising

Uprising by Margaret Peterson Haddix is a fictionalized account of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, The story has three main characters Bella, Yetta and Jane and through their eyes we are able to explore the general strike that occurred the previous year to the fire, what the workers were fighting for and why they weren’t granted their demands. The story also touches on class privilege, immigration, feminism and still manages to be compelling and interesting.

Two of the main characters, Bella and Yetta were employed at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory while the third, Jane, was a runaway daughter of a wealthy businessman. She lived with Bella and Yetta and worked as the governess to the two daughters of one of the owners of the show more factory. On the day of the fire, March 25, 1911, Bella and Yetta are at work and Jane has brought her charges to visit their father at work. The fire begins on the 8th floor where Yetta works and quickly spreads to the 9th and 10th floors where Bella and Jane are. From the beginning of the book, you are informed that only one of three friends will survive.

One of the worst workplace disasters in history, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire claimed the lives of 146 workers. Although there was no safety plans, the fire escape collapsed, and exit stairways were locked, the owners were granted a “no-fault” insurance claim of more than sixty thousand dollars which enabled them to reopen their factory and once again exploit young immigrant girls. Recognized unions and workplace reforms took another decade to be put in place. I found Uprising to be a very good read. The author was able to describe the horrific conditions of the workplace as well as giving the reader a clear picture of how the immigrant workforce lived in the early 20th century. show less

Follows the relationship of three young women in the early 1900s: Bella, an Italian immigrant who left her family to come to America and send money back home; Yetta, a Jew who emigrated from Russia to join her sister and an ardent unionist; and Jane, an upper class woman who despite having every amenity is unhappy because she cannot go to college, marry whom she wishes, or spend any money. The book follows the relationships among these women and their struggle with women's rights and the labor movement. The story specifically chronicles the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory strike and fire, as well as the suffrage movement, although to a lesser degree. The book highlights the difficulties immigrants faced. Great dissection of how class, show more gender, ethnicity, language, and so on intersect. show less

Heartbreaking, but so, so good. A box and a half of tissues are needed for the last few chapters, though--be warned. Uprising is a beautifully written story that was clearly very well researched. I liked hearing the story from three very different points of view, and that the bulk of the book focused on the strike at the factory, not the fire. (I wish more history books talked about the strike, but for most people when they hear the words "Triangle Shirtwaist" they think of one thing only, and it isn't a history-making strike.) It was all too easy, though, throughout most of the book, to forget that two of the protagonists are doomed to die on March 25, 1911 (not really a spoiler, since the narrator tells you so in the very first show more chapter). The way that Haddix keeps the identity of the narrator secret is very cleverly done--I didn't honestly know who it was until the book was nearly over.

Even the author's note at the end is worth reading! Instead of the usual "this was real, this wasn't" list, she gives further information about the strike, the fire, and labor, life, and women's suffrage in the early 1900s that is truly interesting. She gives suggestions for further reading for those who want to know more, including an excellent website, and makes many poignant parallels between this historic event and our world today. Haddix even made a trip to the actual building where the fire occurred; today it's fully restored and a part of NYU. While standing on its roof--the roof one of her characters will eventually escape to--she heard about NYU employees who stood there on 9/11, watching people as they fell from the World Trade Center.

It gave me chills. show less

A fascinating story. The alternating perspectives was a very nice touch; sometimes a story might be great, but wrecked by the main character. With this book, if I'm losing interest in one of the characters just wait a few pages and they switch! The build up didn't necessarily need to be as long and drawn out as it was, but it was still fascinating.

Uprising by Margaret Peterson Haddix paints the image of three triangle shirtwaist factory workers at the cusp of the suffrage movement. The passion, heartbreak, and friendship conveyed by the author through her characters draws the reader's attention and doesn't let go until you finish the very last sentence. I highly recommend this book for history lovers who want to learn more about how much these early 20th century women sacrificed for women's rights. I thought one of the strengths was how the author didn't give away which girls died until the end because it gave the reader a tragic sense that some of the girls they had been rooting for and learning more about ere going to die. Definitely a great book, and would read again!!

Uprising by Margaret Peterson Haddix is a moving tale. Taking place in 1911, the story tells of an American industrial tragedy, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. This piece of historical fiction follows three young women from different walks of life. Despite the lack of development amongst certain characters' relationships, this novel is extremely well-written and and keeps the reader very engaged. I would most definitely recommend this book as a mentor text in a classroom or for one's own leisure. It is a great read!

Yetta and Rahel are strong voices in the Triangle Shirtwaist factory strike, but Yetta is disappointed when some of their demands are met but the owners don’t recognize the union. Rahel gets married and Yetta feels like she’s not really supporting the cause. Bella, who worked through the strike without realizing what was going on, finds out her family in Italy is dead and the people she’s been staying with have spent the money she thought was being sent back home, so she moves in with Yetta. Jane, a rich society girl angry at her father for hiring
strikebreakers, also leaves and moves in with them. The three are together when the historic fire rages through the factory.