The Bread-Winners

The Bread-Winners: A Social Study

Imagine a world where the wealthy and the working class are at odds, where the struggle for power and respect is as fierce as any battlefield. The Bread-Winners, an 1883 novel by John Hay, delves into this very conflict through the lens of a former army captain named Arthur Farnham who organizes Civil War veterans to keep the peace during a violent general strike called by the ‘Bread-winners,’ a group of lazy workers. This book is more than just a tale; it’s a social study that reflects the post-Civil War America, where industrialization and labor tensions were at their peak.

Plot Overview

Who are the Bread-winners? They’re not your typical workers. These are the lazy ones who call for a violent general strike to demand better conditions. But what exactly is a general strike, you might wonder? It’s like when everyone decides to stop working together to make their voices heard – but in this case, it turns into something much more chaotic.

Arthur Farnham, our protagonist, steps up as the leader of Civil War veterans who are tasked with maintaining order. He faces off against Temple, a vice president of a rolling mill involved in the strike that paralyzes Buffland’s commerce. Farnham organizes his fellow veterans to protect his house on Algonquin Avenue from strikers, showing us how deeply entrenched this conflict is.

Character Dynamics

Offitt and Sleeny: The Struggle Within Offitt, one of the leaders in an assault on a Belding house, escapes blame. But his character is complex; he’s arrogant and self-righteous, much like many of Hay’s other characters who represent the elite class. Meanwhile, Sleeny, another worker, plots to kill Farnham but ends up killing Offitt instead. This twist highlights the moral ambiguity in their actions.

The stolen money from Farnham’s home is found on Offitt’s body, clearing Sleeny of blame and allowing him to marry Maud, while Farnham and Alice Belding are set to be wed. These relationships and conflicts paint a picture of class struggle and the complexities of human nature.

John Hay: A Writer with a Purpose

A Wealthy Background John Hay himself comes from a wealthy background, marrying Clara Stone in 1874 and becoming wealthy through his union. He moved to Cleveland where he managed Amasa Stone’s investments. The Ashtabula River Railroad Disaster killed 92 people, blamed on Stone who left Hay in charge mid-1877. This event shaped Hay’s perspective, leading him to write The Bread-Winners influenced by postwar labor troubles, industrialization, and railroad strikes.

Hay despised President Jackson and Jacksonian democracy, which he deemed corrupt and responsible for the continuation of the slave system. He saw no excuse for violence; he believed that grievances could be expressed through the ballot box. Hay demeaned the Irish by portraying them as talkative and easily led, reflecting his broader social views.

The Novel’s Reception

Publication and Controversy The Bread-Winners was serialized in the Century Magazine from August 1883 to January 1884 before being published as a book by Harper and Brothers. Hay left clues throughout the novel, including references to family members and locations in Cleveland, which fueled speculation about his identity.

The guessing game led to some notable guesses, including Leonard Case, Burke Hinsdale, Albert Riddle, and John Hay himself. The novel generated significant interest due to its local description and social studies, piquing readers’ curiosity over the author’s identity. It was published under an anonymous byline but is likely that Hay chose this route due to concerns over his political ambitions.

Critical Reception

Mixed Reviews Critical reviews were mixed, with some praising the portrayal of characters and treatment of the labor problem while others criticized the coarseness and slang used in the book. The Springfield Republic suggested that Hay had no sympathies beyond wealth and refinement, depicting workers as either brutal or foolish.

British critics were more favorable, calling it ’eminently clever and readable’ and stating it was one of the strongest stories of the last ten years. Several works were written in rebuttal or parody, including The Other Side, Drafted, and The Money-Makers. By mid-1885, The Bread-Winners was a modest bestseller with 25,000 copies sold.

Legacy and Impact

A Timely and Controversial Book Despite its popularity, The Bread-Winners did not match the sales of other bestselling novels of the time. John Hay never acknowledged the book during his lifetime, but it was officially attributed to him after his death. Historians have viewed The Bread-Winners as having little lasting influence due to America’s evolving understanding of industrial problems and its perceived superficial portrayal of labor issues.

The book is remembered for its onetime popularity and controversy, with early biographers often defensive in their treatment of it. It remains a fascinating piece of literature that reflects the social dynamics of late 19th-century America.