SWEAT - Lynn Nottage by Elanur C

Deindustrialization. How does it affect the characters' mental health, relationships and finances ?

cercielanur2006 — 2025-01-21 10:43:49 UTC

Context

cercielanur2006 — 2025-01-21 11:03:13 UTC

Sweat is a drama written by Lynn Nottage, about the classic American dream, globalization, economic inequality, deindustrialization and racism written in an exciting story, full of emotions.

The characters Jessie, Tracey, Jason and Christ unexpectedly lose their jobs, which causes a lot of drama and frustration.

Why did the characters lost their jobs ?

cercielanur2006 — 2025-01-21 11:09:14 UTC

Unemployment due to outsourcing, new working conditions, Deindustrialisation

Act 2, Scene 2, p 64 Tracey:,, Well, fuck you! Fuck them! I ain´t going down without a fight. You can tell those bastards I will burn this factory down before I let them take my life. "

cercielanur2006 — 2025-01-21 11:46:48 UTC

-Tracey finds out that she will soon have a pay cut and that her job is at risk.

- She is frustrated and feels that her hard work over the years is not being recognized and don't want to let that happen.

- She is angry and feels betrayed by her long-time friend Cynthia. Since Cynthia now has a higher position, she blames her and feels that she should have been on her side, even though it´s not Cynthias fault.

- The quote shows the injustice of the economic system and the lack of social support.

American Factory (2019)

cercielanur2006 — 2025-01-21 12:14:17 UTC

American factory is a film in which a factory is taken over by a Chinese company. The film addresses the injustice of the workers and new, overwhelming challenges for them. The lack of social security for workers is a big problem for them and they have to deal with job losses and changes of their work conditions.

-The workers situation is comparable to that of Traceys and the others.

-The film criticizes cultural misunderstandings, globalization and the American dream.

-Like Tracy, the workers' hard work is of no use and they doubt whether the American Dream really exists

Act 2, Scene 2, p 68 Cynthia:,, I´m scared, Stan. I got a mortgage to meet, car pay-ments, and Brucie, you've seen what being outta work has dine to him. I´m not going down that way, I've worked too hard.

cercielanur2006 — 2025-01-21 13:29:18 UTC

-This is an emotional scene in which Cynthia talks to Stan about her fears and worries after the problems at the factory.

- Cynthia is judged by her friends for her decisions, but she has her own challenges to deal with.

-Financial problems

Unemployment will cause her financial difficulties and she will not be able to pay her credits and support her family.

-She is afraid of the emotional stress because she has seen in Bruce what it can do to a person when they are unemployed and have financial problems. Brucie became an alcoholic.

-In this scene the American system is criticized, it shows that it is unable to support its workers and to give them social security.

Cynthia has worked her way up in her job and can lose everything from one moment to the next due to globalization and economic inequality.

-Drug and alcohol problems are something very serious and Brucie won't be the only one who has such problems, a state needs to take better care of its workers.

Norma Rea 1979

cercielanur2006 — 2025-01-21 14:00:33 UTC

Norma Rea (1979) is an American film based on a true story.

Norma Rea is a woman who lives in poverty and a factory worker.

Due to working conditions, low payment and non-existent work rights Norma Rea has the courage to protest against these conditions and to fight for her rights as a worker and social justice.

-Like Cynthia, she wants recognition for her work and also has to struggle with personal problems

- In order to secure their existence, they have to protest desperately for rights and conditions that should be the minimum