The Unappreciated Work of Women

Hannah uses the theme of unappreciated work of women to tell the story of the real lives of everyday women that often go unnoticed. This is the most significant theme of the novel, as it is also one of the most prominent lessons from Elsa’s character and perspective. Elsa, Rose, and Jean do the daily work of cleaning, feeding their families, and surviving despite the odds, though this work is unacknowledged, unpaid, and unappreciated. This theme also proves to the reader the untold stories of women in American history, especially in activism. Finally, this theme also intersects with the theme of bravery to show how women’s unappreciated work is brave.

First, Hannah uses this theme to highlight the untold, unpaid, and unrecognized work of Rose, Elsa, and Jean in keeping their families alive. The novel starts in the prologue with...