Analysis Of Factory Girls By Leslie T. Chang

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“Factory Girls” by Leslie T. Chang provides an inside look on migration in the inner cities of China. The book follows the lives of women who have left their home villages to work in factories. Primarily, Chang focuses on the lives of two women, Min and Chunming. Min left her village at the age of sixteen with her older sister to chuqu, or to go out, and see the world. She often changed jobs while in Dongguan because she is never satisfied with her position. Chang met Chunming at a dating agency where men and women could mingle with one another. Chunming began her career at a toy factory. In her diary, she often wrote out the goals she wanted to accomplish and how to accomplish them. She was very determined to become successful. Her persistence …show more content…

Women usually worked as secretaries or on the assembly line because “bosses felt that young women were more diligent and easier to manage” (p. 56). Men, however, were either in a high managing position in the factory or worked in the lowest of jobs available, such as a security guard or driver. It was interesting to learn that about one-third of all of China’s migrants are women. These women go to the factory towns to work, but also, a majority of them leave their homes to see the world and experience life on their own for the first time. Chang makes a point that “to some extent, this deep-rooted sexism worked in a woman’s favor” (p. 57). The statement is supported by the idea that women are less treasured in their families; therefore, they had more freedom to do what they wanted with little care from the family. Shockingly, Chang noticed that no woman ever complained about unfair treatment. “They took all of these injustices in stride” (p.58). The women were grateful for the opportunity leave home and gain a sense of freedom; injustice was not a prominent …show more content…

They denote an opportunity, a new job, and a new life. “Min saw the city through different eyes: Every town was the possibility of a more desirable job then the one she had” (p. 75). The different factories are an integral part of her life, they determine who she is. However, Min can easily become unattached to a place because the meaning of a particular factory is temporary. She attaches herself to the factory while working, but is quickly able to leave without any hesitation to a place of better opportunity. Changing jobs abruptly has no effect on Min or any of the other migrants. An altered form of placelessness, where places have temporary meaning but still lack diversity, is achieved in the city of

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