Activism

Sociopolitical activism is a primary component of the novel’s story and thematic construction, as the narrative and underlying concepts hinge on activist movements. The novel’s main historical focus is that of the American labor movement, specifically in the early 1900s. The novel vividly illustrates the tensions that existed between the unions and the corrupt, wealthy ruling classes. Business interests employed, among other unjust tactics, brutal police oppression against the unions. These tactics scared many people and made them despair for the efficacy of unions. Towards the beginning of the novel, the narration notes, “Rye didn’t like it when Gig ran with these union types; he thought their revolutionary banter half foolish and half dangerous” (12). Nonetheless, the novel ultimately lionizes the efforts of people like Flynn, who relentlessly pursue justice and equality in the face of oppression.

Because the novel is set in the...