After a family member tragically falls ill, Una Golden was forced to
move from Pennsylvania to New York in order to get a job to help support
her family.
Set in the early 1900s, going to the big city as a single woman was
daunting and unconventional, but Una is dedicated to helping her family.
After diligently job searching and excelling in additional training and
education, Una discovers that she has the skills to be a talented
commercial real estate agent. Though Una is very good at her job, and
the company value her, the male-dominant real estate field suggests that
it is a job exclusive to men. Because of this, Una is forced to work
twice as hard to earn the same respect and equity that her male
coworkers are freely given. Meanwhile, Una tries to manage her love
life, because it is expected for a woman to get married and Una desires
a partnership. However, the sexist social standard for women expects
women to work a meaningless job before marriage, and since Una is so
skilled in her field, many men are too intimidated or insecure to
consider her as a potential wife. Frustrated and overworked, Una is
about to give up hope when she meets Edward, a charming salesman. As
their romance begins to develop and Una remains dedicated to her career,
she learns more about herself, encouraging her to defy convention to
achieve her dreams.
The Job is praised as an early advocate for the rights of working
women, a cause that author Sinclair Lewis was very dedicated to. With
unforgettable and authentic prose and characters, The Job is an
intriguing depiction of the 20th century workplace in America,
accompanying the compelling perspective with themes of equality, gender
roles, and class divides.
This edition of The Job by Sinclair Lewis features a new, eye-catching
cover design and is printed in a stylish font, making it both readable
and modern.
