Denise Giardina’s “The Storming Heaven” paints a vivid picture of struggle and resistance within the Appalachian mining community, spotlighting the dark era of child labor and exploitation. The narrative, centered around the Marcum family’s fight against invasive coal mining operations, sheds light on the broader socio-economic battles of the time. This exploration looks into the novel’s portrayal of child labor, community resilience, and the quest for dignity amidst adversity, offering a poignant commentary on American history and the price of progress.
He grows up in times of child labor and mining which is the order of the day. At that time, children often dropped out of school and went to mine because of poverty or pressure from the parents and the government. He remembers the times when he was still young and his family stayed in Kentucky. They ran the farm entirely for mining; they could drop out of school and go to mine during the peak time. He becomes overwhelmed with hatred about the whole situation when he recalls Dillon Lloyd’s visit to the wilderness (Herman 24). He says that during that time the only work in the season was mining. He describes it as the worst and the most unpleasant moment to imagine, because everywhere there was only mud. People sacrificed their lives just for money; the working environment was not good; many people were dying in the caves as the walls were collapsing when they were busy working inside. It was the scariest scene to imagine working there.
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The Americans started grabbing land and forcing people to go and work there. The children did not get their rights as they were forced to work on land mines. Carrie’s grandfather refused to give out his land; as a result, he received the gunshots and died (William 45).This reminds Carrie that there was insecurity, and no justice could prevail. Many people went through humiliation as they lost the land and homes to the strangers who invaded their country. Because of being homeless and poor, they were easily forced to go and work for the colonies. They worked in the farms as well as the mines in the very harsh working conditions.
Working at the mines was frustrating and not safe for people, but even the young children could not fear. The working environment was not conducive; the young movement was to make sure the working conditions were safe for everyone who worked there, especially when they went deep in the holes to dig mines. Randal Lloyd was afraid to go back into the mines, because when he was a grown-up, he saw a person being killed in the flooded cave.
There was a lot of brutality from the government; therefore, the young people came up with the revolutionary movements to fight against this humiliation. Carrie tried to resist those who were sending away people from their lands and homes in Jenkinoes; they were referring to them as tress passing the land coalmines of the American land and arresting them without justice (Herman 48). Carrie did not enjoy the moments of humiliation in his life; he was frustrated and never wanted his own children to go through the same. He fought for his rights looking forward to the opportunity to conquer the Americans.
