“The Work You Do, The Person You Are”
By Toni Morrison
Published May 29, 2017 in The New Yorker
All I had to do for the two dollars was clean Her house for a few hours after school. It was a beautiful house, too, with a plastic-covered sofa and chairs, wall-to-wall blue-and-white carpeting, a white enamel stove, a washing machine and a dryer—things that were common in Her neighborhood, absent in mine. In the middle of the war, She had butter, sugar, steaks, and seam-up-the-back stockings.
I knew how to scrub floors on my knees and how to wash clothes in our zinc tub, but I had never seen a Hoover vacuum cleaner or an iron that wasn’t heated by fire.
Part of my pride in working for Her was earning money I could squander: on movies, candy, paddleballs, jacks, ice-cream cones. But a larger part of my pride was based on the fact that I gave half my wages to my mother, which meant that some of my earnings were used for real things—an insurance-policy payment or what was owed to the milkman or the iceman. The pleasure of being necessary to my parents was profound. I was not like the children in folktales: burdensome mouths to feed, nuisances to be corrected, problems so severe that they were abandoned to the forest. I had a status that doing routine chores in my house did not provide—and it earned me a slow smile, an approving nod from an adult. Confirmations that I was adultlike, not childlike.
In those days, the forties, children were not just loved or liked; they were needed. They could earn money; they could care for children younger than themselves; they could work the farm, take care of the herd, run errands, and much more. I suspect that children aren’t needed in that way now. They are loved, doted on, protected, and helped. Fine, and yet . . .
Little by little, I got better at cleaning Her house—good enough to be given more to do, much more. I was ordered to carry bookcases upstairs and, once, to move a piano from one side of a room to the other. I fell carrying the bookcases. And after pushing the piano my arms and legs hurt so badly. I wanted to refuse, or at least to complain, but I was afraid She would fire me, and I would lose the freedom the dollar gave me, as well as the standing I had at home—although both were slowly being eroded. She began to offer me her clothes, for a price. Impressed by these worn things, which looked simply gorgeous to a little girl who had only two dresses to wear to school, I bought a few. Until my mother asked me if I really wanted to work for castoffs. So I learned to say “No, thank you” to a faded sweater offered for a quarter of a week’s pay.
Still, I had trouble summoning the courage to discuss or object to the increasing demands She made. And I knew that if I told my mother how unhappy I was she would tell me to quit. Then one day, alone in the kitchen with my father, I let drop a few whines about the job. I gave him details, examples of what troubled me, yet although he listened intently, I saw no sympathy in his eyes. No “Oh, you poor little thing.” Perhaps he understood that what I wanted was a solution to the job, not an escape from it. In any case, he put down his cup of coffee and said, “Listen. You don’t live there. You live here. With your people. Go to work. Get your money. And come on home.”
That was what he said. This was what I heard:
- Whatever the work is, do it well—not for the boss but for yourself.
- You make the job; it doesn’t make you.
- Your real life is with us, your family.
- You are not the work you do; you are the person you are.
I have worked for all sorts of people since then, geniuses and morons, quick-witted and dull, bighearted and narrow. I’ve had many kinds of jobs, but since that conversation with my father I have never considered the level of labor to be the measure of myself, and I have never placed the security of a job above the value of home. ♦
QUESTIONS
Pick one or two of these questions and craft a 300-word response to this reading.
- What is Toni Morrison saying about work in this piece?
- How is Morrison making her argument? What is effective in this writing? What is unusual?
- Why is “Her” capitalized?
- How do you think Morrison’s father comes across in this essay?
Question 1&2:
Work can be extremely stressful. Toni Morrison is saying work is necessary but it’s not to die for. He emphasizes how a job doesn’t define you. The reason for a job is to make money to really put it to use at home. The message he’s trying to get across is that work can provide money that’s vital to enjoy your family at home. No matter what the task is, always keep in mind that you’re doing it for yourself and for your loved ones. People can try harder at work, for better opportunities. However, it is not necessary. Also, if you don’t put as much effort at work doesn’t signify that you’re good for nothing. Your level of labor doesn’t define you.
Morrison is making her argument by giving a first-person point of view and explaining his experience. What’s effective in his writing is “Her” being capitalized. “Her” makes it seem like the lady is important, so important that he doesn’t want to speak up around her. She makes him feel inferior whenever he’s working that, he feels like he can’t complain nor refuse a task. Not only that but the listing of what his father’s phrase meant to him was effective. It really pinpointed what he wanted to hear but couldn’t tell himself. The 4 reasons, in the end, made his argument loud and clear. To be concise, he argued that his experience with “Her” did not define him. He did his job to make sure he was still contributing to his family. He applied his father’s advice to his life and never drifted away from it. For instance,“But a larger part of my pride was based on the fact that I gave half my wages to my mother, which meant that some of my earnings were used for real things”. Contributing to their family was of utmost importance to him, which made his argument more evident. His father enlightens him on the meaning of working; to provide for their family.
Right, the interactions with “Her” are not defining this young woman. I like how you write about that!
In society, work has a fundamental role. Work is what drives humans in waking up every morning and give the best of themselves whatever the work is. Unfortunately, work conditions are not the same for everyone and some people that work more and harder than someone else are less paid. The world has hierarchies and so the various kind of work. Workers that are underpaid have to accept their conditions and they can not complain. The answer to the question “Why do people work?” has many different reasons from person to person. Some of them work in order to live because they had to escape from their country, others work to help their family and others just for the craving for money. Whichever the reason is, it is something to respect because in these days most of the values are not understood by the society. Working is something necessary to survive in these days but it is not the most important thing and this should not obscure many other important values. Morrison underlines the happiness that she feels when she earns the money in order to help her family. The most effective thing in this piece is that the first thing that she thinks of is not how she will spend the money but how she will help her family and their living conditions. Family, in my opinion, is the most important value in the entire world. Family is what you can always count on and feel safe. Like Morrison experienced, many people are disrespected and humiliated by their boss and they can not rebel for the fear of being fired. The risk is too high. Working has to be something that makes you feel free and happy and not something that imprison your ideas and your way of thinking.
I like that you went broad in this, in terms of society’s relationship to work. How it’s done for different reasons.
But I think that Morrison’s father is saying that sometimes work is work, and maybe even just work, rather than something that should be mixed up too much with our sense of ourselves.
Q1 and Q4
Within the piece “The Work You Do, The Person You Are” written by Toni Morrison, there is a clear message about the world of work. Although, many people feel as if since they spend the majority of their days at work it should define who they are. Yet, what this piece is trying to portray is the exact opposite. Even though one my spend 8 hours everyday performing a certain task, that task does not have to be the entirety of his/her life. Here is this girl who starts off by loving her work. She takes pride in her work, finds pleasure in it, and enjoys the payoff even more. Yet, after sometime she grows too despise it. As the job became increasingly more difficult her feeling of enjoyment started to whither away. She was asked to preform harder and more rigorous tasks, resulting in frustration and an unhappy feeling toward her once amazing job. She tells her dad her feelings on the matter and his response relays the main idea of the passage. He states “you make the job; it doesn’t make you. Your real life is with us, your family. You are not the work you do; you are the person you are.” While her father may come off stern and aggressive, he is bringing up an immensely valuable life lesson. Too many people get caught up in how much they love or hate their job, letting it become who they are, where they should really be focusing on is the job itself and if it is paying the bills. Of course he understands that if she is miserable she should not continue, but he also comprehends that this is not the case. Ultimately one should like they work they preform, bu they should be careful not to make the mistake of that becoming their essence.
I love that quote you use from her father, and appreciate that you zero in on those words about how the job does not “make you.”
It’s a relevant notion, and probably long will be, this question of how identity can become so attached to professional success…or professional failure, for that matter.
Work plays an essential role in our life. How should we work and what is the perfect work-life balance are two extremely important questions every individual should ask himself about. Toni Marrison, the author of this piece, tells us about his own opinion of a work – “… since that conversation with my father I have never considered the level of labor to be the measure of myself, and I have never placed the security of a job above the value of home”. Of course, family values, your home, your own principles, and personality are much more important than the work you’re doing. There’s no way you can place work above any of the previously mentioned things.
While I totally agree with the above-mentioned principles, I think many people can misunderstand them. Of course, you need to have certain limits when it comes to work, but you shouldn’t forget about the importance of work. It separates us from animals. It’s a product of evolution that allowed ancient primates to distinguish themselves and evolve into humans. It’s a pillar of your own success. It allows you to become a better person and it helps an entire society to prosper.
As further evidence of work’s importance, I’d like to refer to “Oblomov”, a novel written by Ivan Goncharov. Oblomov, the main character of this book, is an indolent Russian aristocrat who dropped his government job and now spends all his time laying in bed. Laziness completely swallowed him and he ended up losing all the interest he had to life as well as all his friends and the only woman he loved. This situation terrible and ridiculous at the same time, but it reminds us of the importance of work and how cruel laziness can be.
Work has a tremendous amount of power over people’s lives. It can either forge a man, make him successful and rich or make him heartless, forcing to completely forget about the beloved ones. The second option can happen both when you place work above everything else and when you underestimate the importance of labor. That’s why finding equilibrium and setting a reasonable “work ceilings” are so important.
I would rather call her Toni Morrison than Toni Marrison! Be careful, please.
Do like what you’re saying about work and the power it can have over people’s lives. A compelling point, ably presented.
It is unfortunate that we open our eyes to a world where the clothes we wear, the car we drive or the job we have, define us. I feel like Toni Morrison did a great effort in her blog, showing us how our work doesn’t define who we are. The message that she is putting across is that supporting one’s self as well as family is a matter of pride whatever the means, even if that is cleaning floors or dusting shelves. As long as hard work is put in, it is an accomplishment. Her writing serves as a motivation to be devoted to what you are doing, that when you feel overworked think of the smiles you are putting on the faces of those you love and provide for. At that point, I feel like it doesn’t matter what you are doing or what level you are on, what matters are those smiles, that sense of accomplishment and self-sufficiency.
As I was writing my reading response I happened to fall across the writings of one of my classmates, Karla Sandoval, who wrote something that I could not resist mentioning, it’s a perfect fit to this answer, “Your level of Labour doesn’t define you.”
Moving towards the other concern of why the author capitalized “Her”, I feel like she was aiming to show “Her” authority. The author expresses how inferior she felt to her and how her existence was of importance. It shows the respect and dignity she held with her societal status. The author mentions, “In the middle of the war, She had butter, sugar, steaks and seam-up-the-back stockings”. Things that were common to her but of great value to Toni.
I think you are right about “Her” (and “She,” which I had forgotten) are about authority. That’s a fantastic word…yes.
Toni Morrison describes work as almost something that comes from within. To illustrate the idea, the worker understands the components to what makes her work worth it. On one side the protagonist gets an understanding of money at an early age but also is educated about the value of family and contributing to the household even when being away from her own home.
The real idea of what our author Toni Morrison is trying to get across to us about work is that no matter what the work or who the employer, the ideal employee must work to their fullest capacity.
“The Work You Do, The Person You Are” is the most comprehensive name for a piece like this. The author portrays a balanced juxtaposition between Her the employer and the employee worker. The employee is the one who is really taking care of the household, but the employer still takes even what little she has even though she does no work and depends on her husband.
The young worker never looked to get away from her job but instead a way to make it better.
The importance of family in the young workers life is one to take note of. This is very relatable to me personally, the child holds the value of home higher than work, But while employed makes sure to hold in her place in the family home by providing whatever she can. The idea of family is especially ensconced into the child’s mind by her father.
The child uses Her because of her understanding of disgust for her employer. It is clear to the child that ‘Her’ employer is ripping her off, But she continues to work. She does so putting in her whole effort remembers her family when doing so, sacrifices have to be made.
I had not thought of how Toni Morrison, in this essay, is reflecting on her impulse to make the situation better. That’s an interesting thought.
“Disgust” is interesting, but I wonder if you are not, on some level, right…or at least it might be that Morrison is reflecting a social disparity or setup that she thinks is sort of disgusting It’s a compelling notion.
Q1 and Q3
Novelist, Toni Morrison, wrote an article entitled “The Work You Do, The Person You Are,” in which she provides an anecdote about one of the various jobs she had as a child and how it impacted her later on in life. Morrison at first appreciated how her cleaning job allowed her to help her family at home while also having some money left over to spend wherever she desired. As the job increasingly became difficult with more and more tasks, she wanted to object to many of the demands given but her father told her to push through and not give up. Morrison believes that a job should not have the ability to define a person. At the end of the day if she was happy with the work that she accomplished, that was all that mattered to her because she knew she did the best she could with what was offered. Morrison informs the reader that their job is not who they actually are as a person. In some cases, people get jobs in order to finance what they truly want to pursue in life.
At numerous instances throughout the writing, she refers to her employer by using “Her.” The capitalization of the letter “H” demonstrates how Toni respected her employer by treating her similarly to a higher power. Often the first letter is capitalized to indicate honor towards that individual. Morrison saw stark contrast as she was comparing normal everyday objects in her employer’s “beautiful” home to her house amidst the war. These contrasts highlighted the difference in social standing between herself and her employer who lived a luxurious life in comparison to Morrison. Her family was hit hard by the war and therefore they weren’t allowed to spend money frivolously on home appliances and decor throughout their home.
Yes, you’re right that Morrison is informing us that the job and the person are separate things. Nicely put.
You don’t need the first two commas that you wrote…setting off Morrison’s name.
Within this excerpt, the use of the word “Her” is repeatedly used throughout the piece. The author chose to capitalize it, which to me demonstrates something very important about the character dynamic. The narrator feels inferior to Her and it seems some of the narrator’s freedom is limited because of Her. Capitalizing “her” also signifies that this character is not supposed to be well developed and not personal, without a name, she isn’t very humanized. It’s more that she stands for something, Her can be symbolizing capitalism and the unequal opportunity working class people get.
Morrison describes work as something that can be difficult and laborious but also as something that allocates purpose. “ I was not like the children in folktales: burdensome mouths to feed, nuisances to be corrected, problems so severe that they were abandoned to the forest. I had a status that doing routine chores in my house did not provide—and it earned me a slow smile, an approving nod from an adult. Confirmations that I was adultlike, not childlike.” Morrison evidently takes pride in feeling responsible and caring for others but sometimes being treated the way workers tend to be treated could dampen her spirits and make her forget the satisfying feeling of others needing you.
Morrison’s father comes across in this essay as a voice of reason, he gives his daughter a little tough love when she expresses her disdain for the job instead of pitying her. Her father reminds her of who she is and that work does not define her capabilities, she is worth more than just two working hands. In a capitalist society, employees often can feel resentment for their occupation and employers because when your job is just completing trivial or elementary takss, it makes you doubt your potential.
I’m not sure that she feels inferior exactly. To me it’s more about the different roles, and the recognition of what society expects of people in their own lanes.
Liking the phrase “voice of reason,” cause that is exactly what the father seems to be up to. As I said in class, I’ve always been interested in how some students perceive the father as being mean or punishing or something, but I think what you wrote is closer to what is actually going on.
“Making a living is not the same thing as making a life.” This quote by Maya Angelou emulates the message Toni Morrison is giving about work in her piece “The Work You Do, The Person You Are.” You do what you have to do to make a living, to make money and live comfortably, but your work does not define you. You are more than just your career choice, you are a living breathing person who is more than just a label. She states, “You are not the work you do; you are the person you are.” When you meet someone new, often one of the first things you ask is “what do you do” or “what are you majoring in.” What a person does to make a living holds importance for us, labels like doctor, business man or woman, or professor are deemed higher than those who work for sanitation, or in the plumbing field. However, once you strip away the labels there are just ordinary people underneath, fathers, mothers, sons, and daughters. Those relationships hold more meaning towards your life than what you do to make money.
The first impression you may receive from Morrison’s father is that he is unsympathetic, since at that time Morrison was just a little girl. However, he is giving Morrison important lessons that she will be able to utilize time and time again by making her understand at a young age that you should not run away from your problems. He is fulfilling his role as a father as someone she could look up to as a model and ask for advice, not someone who will give her false pity. The short table talk helped her realize her self worth is defined by everything other than her work and helped her set her own definition of life.
I guess I agree and like how you put that: “fulfilling his role as a father.” That is what he’s up to here.
And I’m loving the Maya Angelou quote too!
In the forties, children in the household had to work to support their families. It was recognized as a necessity as opposed to how contemporary families live now. Morrison was exposed to this from an early age. She only made two dollars in exchange for a few hours after school. However, those two dollars gave her a feeling of independence, yet a certain obligation to provide for her family. She used half her earnings on personal luxuries and gave the rest of her earnings to her mother for basic necessities in the household. Although she had to work long hours, it was all proved worthwhile just by the subtle approval from an adult. Morrison showed early signs of maturity because she wanted to feel validated and appreciated for the responsibilities she took upon herself. Even though the job eventually became more labor-intensive and exasperating to endure, she was reassured by her father that she was working to make her own money and problems at work cannot just resolve themselves. Morrison essentially tries to eliminate the negative connotation behind work by understanding the advice her father gave her. The work you do is to better yourself; it’s not to satisfy another person. You can think about work as a chore, but to make the most out of any job, you have to acknowledge it as a learning experience in which you can reap the monetary benefits after. Her father emphasized how you have to understand that a job does not determine your self-worth. You have to draw the boundary between your work life from home life as much as possible. This story was drawn from over 70 years ago, but Morrison published this in The New Yorker in 2017 because this message has inexplicable importance to anybody. People have a tendency to equate their self-worth to their earnings, but this is simply not the case. We live such fulfilling lives outside our jobs, and we have to understand there is so much more to us beyond our work.
I like the idea of the “boundary” you mention, and appreciate that particular word in connection to this piece.
You remind me, too, of how long ago this story was…how far back into memory Morrison is reaching. To me that adds something to the piece, that this life lesson from her father, those words, are still with her so many decades later.
I think Toni Morrison puts a very nice definition on work. It is not something that defines us, it is rather something that enables us. It enables us to spend what we earn in whatever way we please. I think this point is critical because often we judge people based on their jobs. A threat used very commonly is “if you continue along this path you will end up working at McDonalds”. But it was more than just what it allowed Toni to buy. It also enabled her to contribute to the family and help her mother pay for bills.
Morrison makes her argument by bringing up specific situations and examples. By stating exactly what situations caused what. For example she stated that she got better and better at doing her job. But over time it began to take a toll on her. But because she was so worried she would lose her job, she never complained.
I think that “Her” is capitalized because it is a character in its own. Like we capitalize names, we are introduced to this character solely by the name Her. This makes sense in the end, since her (without capitalisation) can refer to any female. Whereas the capital version focuses on her employer.
I think her father comes off as someone who expresses tough love. He reminded her of the importance of the job, and how it was only that. A job. She works so she could be better off. Her father reminders her of that. I actually really like him, on a personal note. Too often does my family act “sympathetic” with me. Even though the situation or stressors were not an issue in my mind (they were just a part in reaching the goal), they would always feel sorry for me. This did not help whatsoever and just felt bad. By reminding her why she is working he pushes her to do better, not just something that is easy.
Yeah, “tough love” is a good phrase, isn’t it?
I think we talked about this in class, cause I remember you mentioning your own family. That struck me, maybe cause I found that what Morrison’s dad said is something my father could have said to me! So maybe I related and liked this more.
Don’t all her Toni. Go with Morrison, probably, after the first reference, when we use the full name.
Question 1 & 4
Throughout this piece, Toni Morrison conveys work as something that gave her rewards such as allowances and mostly importantly it made her feel important and adult-like. As much as though she is satisfied with these rewards, she is not exactly content with the work itself. She then explains that even though the work maybe arduous, it is best to keep in mind that you are not doing this for your boss but you are doing it for yourself. Morrison also implies that you define your job and not vice versa, therefore, it is essential to do your work to the best of your ability.
In the essay, Morrison’s father has the hallmarks of being harsh, motivational and experienced. He seems to be harsh because he is speaking to the child in a very blunt and candid manner. We would expect that an adult would explains things to a child in a more subtle way, however, this was not the case in this essay. He gives the impression of being experienced because he is able to give such remarkable advices. Even though he could be giving advices based on what he has learned from others and their experiences, based on his personalized tone towards his daughter in essay, it would seem as if he is speaking from experience. Morrison’s father strikes as being motivational because he encourages her work as best as she possibly can and informs her that her job doesn’t define her, however, she defines her job. It is evident that she has been motivated by what he told her because as the end of the essay she states, “since that conversation with my father I have never considered the level of labor to be the measure of myself”.
I like your comparison between the rewards that Morrison receives and the content of the work, and the difference between the two.
Be careful to read your own work, and you’ll see that you mean “giving advice” instead of “giving advices,” and little stuff like that.
Questions 1 & 4
In regards to the piece written by Toni Morrison, “The Work You Do, The Person You Are’, I believe the narrative talks about how working was for her as a child in the 1940’s. She starts the piece off by providing us with information on her work place. She speaks of her rate of pay, a measly $2, and what was required of her to perform her duties and the cleaning of “Her” house. Being familiar with the general cleaning process of her home, she was unaccustomed to using, and in fact has never seen, a Hoover vacuum or electrical iron, only being privy to those heated by fire. Part of the reason she enjoyed working was the monetary gain provided, making it accessible to purchase that of which brought her joy. Going to the movies, candy, paddleballs, jacks and ice cream cones only being a few of these joys. Another reason she appreciated the work, a sense of pride developed, for she provided her mother with half of her earning, making it possible to pay for real things such as insurance policy payments and any debt that was, unfortunately, accrued. Profound joy was felt in being paramount to her parents, more so then normal, for in the 1940’s children were not just loved and cared for, they were necessary and put to work. Babysitting was a way to earn money, as well as good old manual labor on farms and with animals. As the piece goes on, she touches on how her duties have increased and become harder, making use of bodily muscles more tiresome. At times, thought of bringing her concerns to her employer ran through her mind, but remained quiet in fear of losing her job. The sense of free will from monetary dependency, and looks of approval with small smiles from adults, led to an illustrious feeling that her status, in her own house hold chores, did not offer. As a child worker, these were affirmations she was looked upon as more adult like.
As to how Morrison’s father was presented, I think he comes off quite sharp witted with a dry sarcastic, yet realistically jaded character. Looking back she writes “I saw no sympathy in his eyes” which relates to us his feelings when she complains about work. Basically “Get over it!” There is definite sarcasm when he says “No Oh, you poor little thing.” He is quite straight forward with her and I can hear a bit of myself in him. I’ve always told myself when I go to work that I am there to make money, to take care of myself and provide for my son. Nothing else matters. If you are lucky, work is something one generally enjoys, and brings happiness along with monetary freedom. Unfortunately, for most, that aspect is fairly lacking. As tough as he is on her, he is teaching her a very valuable life lesson about working. How not to let the job out work you, but at the same time give it your all and do not slack. At the end of the day what matters is your life at home and family. Your job does not define you, you define yourself.
I like the use of the word “character” in your second paragraph. Because you’re right: even in an essay of this size, there is a certain characterization created or represented, and you get a sense of this person in just a few words of description, along with the quotations he offers up.
The author, Toni Morrison brings up the issue of employment versus identity within the piece “The Work You Do,The Person You Are”. “Work” can help one pay bills, contribute to family or even buy what one’s heart desires but it certainly doesn’t define the person. Unfortunately, the sad truth is, most of the people today think the opposite. When people introduce themselves, right after their name they jump to what they do for a living instead of talking about their hobbies, dreams or aspirations. This is because society tends to judge people based on their work, career or employment. Toni Morrison expresses a similar sentiment at the end of her piece when she writes, “…I have never considered the level of labor to be the measure of myself…”. She also expresses the pride of earning her own money, spending it for her pleasure and contributing to the family. But the job gradually gets difficult as she must do tougher tasks which makes her feel dejected.
She expresses this feeling of sadness to her father, who responds in a way she didn’t expect, but it turns out to be a very important lesson for her. Her father states, “…You don’t live there. You live here. With your people. Go to work. Get your money. And come on home”. She understood the deeper meaning of all those words and set them as her principles. She learned to place value on her family and that whatever work she does, it is for herself and does not measure her worth as a person. And regarding the question of “Her” being capitalized, Toni Morrison illustrates the importance of her employer. She fears the lady as she holds the power to pay her and even fire her if she does something wrong. As she grew up with the principles mentioned before, she never considered her work over her family again.
I’m not sure about that comma after your second word. I don’t think you need it.
Like how you set up the “important lesson” in the second paragraph. I think you find the right quotes to back up what you are writing about…
Getting a job is a part of our journey that no one can escape from. In the excerpt “The work you do, the person you are”, Toni Morrison shares her experience as an underage worker and how it turn out to be an eye-opener for her.
Toni Morrison talks about the fact she had to work for a certain “Her” when she was just a child. It wasn’t anything too dramatic, she only had to keep the house clean and was rewarded with two dollars. She loved her work, obviously not the part where she had to sweep the floors, but the part where she earned money. She could spend it on frivolous purchases, but she could also financially help her parents. Of course, when you are this young and you gain money with your own efforts you tend to depend less on your parents and feel a sense of pride. It’s an amazing sensation, like you took a step into adulthood. Furthermore, now that she’s grown and has kept the wise words of her father, she has “never considered the level of labor to be the measure of myself”. She reminds us that our jobs aren’t suppose to define and shape our identities, we are more than that.
After complaining to her father about her tedious chores his response left me debating in my head. On one hand, I agree with him because at the end of the day you come back home and your day is all forgotten. You can’t complain all the time or you would be labeled as lazy or difficult to work with, so it’s better to simply finish your work in silence, collect your pay and get out. However, I feel like he’s not being emphatic. With our nine-to-five, we spend most of our time at work. Can we really ignore what we don’t like about our jobs, knowing that it won’t change? I’m not talking about minor inconveniences but things that we consider to be dealbreakers. Your job is suppose to be your passion, well not everybody has that privilege, but you should at least be satisfied with it. That’s why I think you can’t brush aside and forget about the things you do not appreciate about your job.
In conclusion, Toni Morrison points out that our life shouldn’t revolve around our jobs and that we should not dwell on certain displeasing situations happening there ,but to keep our focus on our family.
Enjoyed reading your thoughts here.
You mean empathetic instead of emphatic, right? I think he is, in his way, being empathetic, and guess I think it’s more of an act of love, or words of love, because he knows his daughter will e pained if she does not understand early the difference between work and life.
Questions 3 & 4
Throughout my life I have been told to work hard and play harder, but what exactly does this mean? Toni Morrison in this piece looks towards the effects of work and how it has impacted her. To begin, Morrison looks towards the positive aspects of work at first. She believed it gave her a purpose in life and felt as if her pride was boosted because of the wage she received as a child. However, as the labor became more and more intensive she began to question herself and its worth. Morrison explains how work can be stressful and in a way make you miserable, but you shouldn’t let it define you. Morrison’s father can be seen as a ray of hope or a word of wisdom. He gives Morrison advice as to how she should go about with her job and the effects it may have. He is saying that work is vital in life, but one can’t let it define their worth.
Throughout the article “Her” is capitalized and repeated, something which may be overlooked, but has a larger significance in the piece. I believe Morrison deliberately does this because she has no connection to “Her” , she only views her as her boss and nothing more. She respects her and tolerates her because the feeling of having some purpose fulfills Morrison.“Her” can be seen as a sort of symbolism as well. “Her” may represent Morrison’s limited freedom as she couldn’t say no to her. Throughout the job, work became more rigorous and intensive, but Morrison could never say no because of her fear of losing the job. In addition, Morrison discusses what the home has amidst a war. The butter and sugar assist in portraying this social class difference between “Her” and Morrison.
I like what you are saying about the positive elements of work, and how Morrison writes about them here. I had not through enough about that.
Kids have a natural desire to be seen as more than mere children. For Toni Morrison, this job did exactly that. It elevated her status within her household to that of an adult, and made her feel wanted and essential. But at the same time, the job also started taking a heavy toll on her.
For one thing, it became increasingly more and more demanding, expecting things of her that a child her age just couldn’t accomplish. The author believes this began to happen because she gave her job too much importance and let herself be defined by it. She was determined to do anything her employer asked of her, lest she lose her newfound significance within her family, or her extra spending money.
She had also begun to characterise her employer as a “larger than life” being, who she resolved to please. Perhaps it was because her employer was much wealthier compared to her, or maybe because she thought her job hinges on her unquestioning servitude.
Judging by their limited interaction in this piece, her father comes across as understanding person- particularly more so than her mother. He offers a solution to her dilemma without smothering her or making her seem childlike.
I need to go back and read more about Toni Morrison’s mother, at least as she’s represented here…but I like what you are saying about the father. It’s a piece where I think a moment is really captured. A memory piece, in a way, but one with a lasting lesson shared.
Work — your own piece of labor and contribution to society — is how you provide for yourself, and your family. Although it may get tiring, workers look forward to the end of their day: when they go home–to their families, friends, and life. Toni Morrison, using a wise lesson she learned from her father, shares her story on the distinction between you and your work. She learns that although work may feel demeaning at times, what’s more important is her own identity and the reasons she is working in the first place. The feeling of responsibility, the feeling of being needed, the contribution to her family, the feeling of getting her revenue at the end of each week is all of the reasons Morrison continues to work. What her wise father saw — and read — from her daughter’s “whines” is that she was looking for sympathy, a solution, recognition for her hard work rather than to quit the job itself. Although some may see the father as mean, I believe he is doing his daughter a favor based on what’s good for her. He’s trying to teach her rather than cradle her. And it’s a lesson she carried for her entire life.
“Her” is capitalized because Morrison’s boss wasn’t just her boss–she was superior to her (at least in her eyes) in multiple ways. “Her” had a bigger house, much more food than Morrison had seen in her house for a long time (this takes place during a nation’s economic depression and war), advanced appliances, and clothes she could only dream for. In Morrison’s eyes, using a capitalized Her can emphasize the feeling of inferiority. Although Morrison may be a better person at heart, she is using the capital Her to demonstrate the social hierarchy she felt during that era. Morrison felt her boss was bigger than her. When she stepped into the house of her boss — and out of her own home — she knew she was a laborer in the real world. No family or friends to protect her or help her with work. She was on her own. And the boss, “Her,” was someone she couldn’t say no to or express her freedom with as she’d like to. Although Morrison questioned her self-worth at first, she knows she is the only one who can create and control her self-worth.
I told you that I’m not sure about “superior” as the word choice, but it’s true that there’s a status difference, and a separateness between the employer and the employee that is represented in class. But we chatted about that already in class…Admire your first sentence here, which starts things off clearly and compellingly.