Chapter 5 : Men and Masters Analysis

          
         Up to this chapter, Stephen has been ostracized from the Union and fellow workers. They avoid him and are forbidden to have an contact with him. Stephen sinks into a deep depression because of his lack of human interaction. While he is wallowing in his despair he is approached by Bitzer to speak with Bounderby about the Union and what they are planing. Bounderby believes that because Stephen was cast out that he will rat out on the Union and even accuses Stephen of being intimidated into silence by them. Stephen is the odd man out because he refuses to join the Union, but does not feel comfortable selling them out to Bounderby. He does express his grievances with the Union when he states, "I'm as sooary as yo, sir, when the people's leaders is bad,'...They taks such as offer. Haply 'tis na' the sma'est o' their misfortuns when they can get no better" (145). Stephen doesn't like the idea of upsetting the authorities because by unionizing and complaining he believes that the peoples situation is only going to get worse. Mr. Bounderby's accusations grew more heated and extreme as the chapter progressed and he was described as the Wind. He became more and more "boisterous" and eventually was raging at Stephen and "blowing like a hurricane" (148). Through his argument with Mr. Bounderby, Stephen discovered that he would stay loyal to his fellow workers regardless of how they have treated him and actually accused Bounderby and the upper class of perpetuating their problems. Stephen criticizes Bounderby's actions when he says, "The strong hand will never do't...Agreeing fur to mak one side unnat'rally awlus and for ever right, and toother side unnat'rally awlus and for ever wrong, will never, never do't" (149). Stephen repeatedly argues that they way society is oppressing the lower class will never solve their current problems and that the upper class is to blame for suppressing them in the first place. The labor institutions in this passage are the tools for the upper class to keep the workers in the same socioeconomic status; by controlling their work they can control their entire lives. Stephen has an overall disdain for abuse of power in the form of the labor Union, but also of the upper class because it caused the problems and only continues to make them worse. He believes that complaining could result in harsher repercussions but more mutual respect could amend both sides issues.