Reflection+on+the+Holiness+of+Labor

Reflection on the Holiness of Labor
The American Consciousness is distinguished from those of other nationalities by a belief that Labor is necessary to achieve a successful and fulfilling life, and that as a result the Laborer as an individual is worthy of the highest praise. The works displayed on this wall are examples of attempts made by American artist to give life to this idealized idea of the American worker, and the American desire to work. The sculptures "The Filatrice," by Henry Kirke Brown, and "Machinist," and "Machinist's Apprentice," by Emma Stebbins both date from the late antebellum period, a time in which the country stood on the cusp of its eventual transition into a primarily industrialized nation. At first glance, the appearance of the figures might lead one to classify them as statues of some Classical deity, and it is my belief that this is not a coincidence. The depiction of American laborers with the godlike grace of an Olympian or Roman Emperor appears to be a conscious tribute to the importance of such positions in American Society. Similarly, a poster from the 1930's salutes the contributions made by the American farmer to the nation's success, and hopes to encourage further efforts. Particularly notable is is the manner in which it condenses the actions of many individuals into one single idea. A single farmer, is now part of something greater. Through the words of his character Jim Casy, John Steinbeck, writing in //The Grapes of Wrath//, notes the goodness and necessity of communal work. He also expounds upon the natural human desire to build and create physical objects, and in turn better oneself. This sentiment is echoed by the poet Langson Hughes in the first three stanzas of his seminal poem, "Freedom's Plow." The idealized picture of the American worker continues to appear conceptually attractive, and worthy of promotion toward national success.