WWJD?

Today in the 21^st century, we do not hear much about child labor in first world countries, and for that we are lucky. As for the time when Florence Kelley gave her speech to the National American Woman Suffrage Association, this was not the case; Child labor laws were either not very effective, or not there at all across the United States. Once upon a time, “two million children under the age of sixteen years” had to work long, grueling hours to be the “breadwinners” of their families (Kelley 1-2, 12). Instead of snuggling with their stuffed, toy, pink elephants in their beds, “little… girls will be working eleven hours at night”, which is so sad ): (Kelley 29-30). The facts and examples about the sufferings of young, innocent children Kelley shares with her audience bring out their empathy and guilt. For example, she explains how while people are sleeping “several thousand little girls will be working in textile mills, all the night through, in the deafening noise of the spindles and the looms”(Kelley 18-20). Also, Kelley’s repetition of the phrase, “Tonight while we sleep,” many times in her speech emphasizes the fact that young kids are out in the night slaving away and a good majority of the population doesn’t even notice.  At this point everyone in the room is probably thinking, “What would Jesus do?” while they debate with their consciences how they can help put this terror to an end. Her persuasive rhetoric is effective in convincing her listeners to answer her call to action, which is to give women the right to vote.