“2 Jobs at Sugar Factory, and a Lump in the Throat” by Vivian Yee does a great job of profiling Robert Shelton. Yee didn’t use the often approached method of waiting to introduce the subject matter, in this case, Mr. Shelton. In fact, his first and last names are the first words in the article, I’m sure many impatient readers appreciated that. The profile is thorough and balanced in my opinion. To exemplify this, one could simply take a look at the article. Yee begins by speaking on the issue at hand, the closing of Kara Walker’s installation, and how its correlated with Mr. Shelton’s many experiences at the Sugar Factory. She then uses that as a platform to take us through the years of Mr. Shelton’s life at the time he was working at the Sugar factory, while simultaneously conveying details of his life (i.e. where he lived, his abusive stepfather, his three jobs). Overall, this profile is an exemplary piece.

Vivien Lee does a brilliant job in profiling Mr. Robert Shelton, a retired sugar factory worker, in the NY Times article “ 2 jobs at Sugar factory, and a Lump in the Throat.”  Mr. Shelton spent 2 decades working, at what used to be the Domino Sugar refinery, located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Many onlookers may label working at a factory as being grueling labor, but for Mr. Shelton, his experiences at the sugar factory were built on friendships, hard but prideful work, and a lifetime of memories

It was pretty clear that Mr. Shelton’s return to the sugar factory, was a joyous occasion. When he heard there were volunteer positions open to help prepare for Kara Walker’s sugar sculpture, Mr. Shelton jumped on the opportunity to relive his glory days. What first appeared to be an opportunity to jump back nearly 20 years, turned into a trip even further back, to the original sugar trade. Ms. Walker’s sculpture provided everyone who came to see it, with a powerful, eye opening look into the awful treatment of slaves, especially female slaves.

Mr.Shelton’s return to Williamsburg also brought upon several depressing realizations. The line of  factories that once made up downtown Brooklyn’s landscape, were forever gone, replaced by fancy, luxurious buildings, each taller than the next. The crowd of sweaty, run down factory workers was replaced with hipsters, and “wanna be” photographers.

As the Domino Factory prepares to close its doors for good, several veteran sugar makers, and art goers had one final opportunity to experience “How sweet it is”

Vivian Yee describes Robert Shelton in a way that makes us feel as though we know him on a personal level. To a degree, he is established in a way as a character who is not simply an interviewed person for a profile. Instead, we get to know Robert Shelton.

Shelton is able to shine through his words, the way he describes his return to the factory. “Once this is down, years from now, it’s going to be forgotten”, illustrates the attachment and overall sadness he feels. He is given emotions on a level deeper than answers to simple and bothersome questions.

Yee dives even deeper into Shelton’s character by providing back story and going into details that chronicle his life. A man that works three jobs at any point in his life is sympathetic with most New Yorkers, myself included.

The feelings that Shelton has for the factory and the neighborhood is illustrated as he highlights the differences from back then to recent day. He is painted even deeper as a sympathetic character when his personal situations are described. He is clearly strong willed, being a widower who runs errands for a paralyzed woman.

Overall, the profile extends beyond your run of the mill. Instead a simple intrigue, there is sympathy, compassion and understanding. A profile that works emotion, no matter how little, will always be more effective in my opinion. This profile does just that.

Before I get into my thoughts on the reading, I need to have some clarification on early parts of the reading.  At the time, when the article was written, was the The Domino Factory closing? In place of the closing factory, is the art installation?

While reading the article, I picked on things that I found were unique and interesting and gave the story meaning.  I like that the author, Vivian Yee, introduced the subject of the story at the very beginning of the lead. It allows me to connect to the story immediately.

I like her descriptions that were used to describe the outside structures and interior make-up of the factory and how the factory looked like b  Robert Shelton quotes, “It almost talks to you; it’s alive. Something just comes over you.” Those quotes provoke in me visuals and feelings that allows me to feel as if I’m present in the moment.

The feelings of Robert Shelton that Vivian Yee made come alive in the article was important in showing the humanizing characteristics of his personality, where she showed how the closing of the place he called work for so long left him with a feeling of sadness.

It is a really a brilliant element of a story, when the author is able to describe the overarching history and everyday activities of a particular location in a story. And that Yee does exceptionally well with her placement and distinct decriptions of the factory.

I found it to be an incredible strategy, where she got into the life of Robert Shelton–from from his childhood days to his present life–in the middle of the story, rather than starting out in the very beginning. I consider that a winning strategy that made this article a grabbing piece.