Research Paper on:
Eddie Jaffe and Sharon Atkins in Studs Terkel's Working

Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
a "calling" or our "dream." It is, more often than not, something we do in order to make a living and survive as best we can. In many ways this  is perhaps the reality we see behind Studs Terkels book "Working," wherein he presents individual chapters for specific people, having them describe their work and what it means to them.  In the following paper we examine two of the individuals in Terkels book. The individuals are Sharon Atkins, a receptionist, and Eddie Jaffe, a press agent. The examination looks at  such topics as how the workers find some form of self worth and how they rebel or conform to their position and to life itself. Sharon Atkins Everyone searches  for some meaning in their work, even if they hate their job. This is clearly the case with Sharon who struggles along trying to do her job and somehow find  happiness with and without it. From looking at the words of Sharon it seems, however, that she is not necessarily valuing herself or others. She is required to talk quickly  and bluntly, leaving no room for personal interaction. This appears to affect her perceptions of her value as well as the value of others. In terms of recognition, she clearly  does not expect any. She does not like the job, understands that the job is primarily one that a machine should do, and that there is no value in her  work. There are quite obviously some ambivalent feelings that Sharon has about her work for it allows no creative input and no outlet for who she is, though she is  uncertain who she is at this point. We note that sometimes she writes poetry or letters, all in a fantasy world. This indicates that she is obviously not thrilled with