The Tempering tells the story of Karl Kerner, the son of Irish and German immigrants, in 1912 Canaan, Pennsylvania. Canaan is the fictional name of Skurzynski's own home town of Duquesne, Pennsylvania where as a girl she grew accustomed to the soot and smoky skies, and the never-ending noise of the steel mill .Canaan, as Duquesne used to be, is home to smoke-belching steel mills and hard-working steelworkers. Karl is soon to turn sixteen and must choose between leaving school for a life in the mills or continuing with his education. His choice is not easy. His father is a second-generation steelworker, and all his friends, neighbors, and relatives work in the mills. Yet his beautiful young teacher, Yulyona Petrov, urges him to finish his education and not sacrifice himself to the blast furnaces. Which path will he choose? And what circumstances, people, and emotions will guide his decision?A suspenseful story, The Tempering is woven around Karl and his two friends Jame and Andy. Realistically depicted are the jealousy, suspicion, and ethnic tensions in a small town where the fear of losing jobs, the fear of losing life and limb in mill accidents, and the fear of the town's wealthy bosses are as real as the smoke-clogged skies. Young readers will also learn of bad working conditions and poor wages in the pre-union working world of the early twentieth century, as well as the love, kinship, and neighborhood decency forged amidst these conditions.The Tempering encourages further study in Pennsylvania history, labor relations, and immigration. Though the steel mills of Duquesne were leveled in the 1980s, young readers will gain an understanding of how strength and spirit createdand sustained a community of people who lived, worked, and died with the making of steel.
Price :
7.19 USD
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