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The economic structure of a community has profound impact on individuals and families. This influence is more apparent among the U. S working class families than any other segment across the globe. Although ‘social class is not a tightly bounded and largely closed hierarchical set of social strata’, it can highly influence an individual’s economic and social opportunities and one’s behavior, beliefs, networks, associations, and knowledge (Furstenberg). This is one among various themes of 1954 controversial film ‘Salt of the Earth’. The film clearly depicts how intensely working class families are affected by the economic decline of their particular community. In addition, the movie conveys a great message that social barriers are not always imposed by external element but one’s own prejudice, ignorance, and immature outlook.
In the film, the Mexican-American miners under the leadership of Ramon (Juan Chacon) demand Empire Zinc Company that they should be provided with the equal safety standards that the Anglo workers enjoy. The strike, major event in the story, heavily affects the entire Mexican-American labor families involved. It primarily affects Ramon Quintero’s family, and then others including the Vidals, the Barnes, the Morales, and many more. The economic peril the working class faced is directly attributed to the exploitation of the working class led by capitalism and profit driven employer. They face inequality, discrimination, and unlawful arrests during the strike. In order to evaluate all dimensions of its objectives, one has to learn the historical context of the film. The post-World War II developments and the Cold War (between the U.S and the Soviet Union) were the most influential factors behind the controversy of the film. The communist support for the making of the movie was perceived as a subversive move against democracy and capitalism. The miners’ fight against the company was interpreted as the communist approach to the entire United States.
The director places several events throughout the movie that challenge the traditional gender roles. Esperanza, wife of Ramon reflects a traditional inferior woman who is deprived of her equal rights with her husband at home. However, she, forced by workplace discrimination, strike, and other adversities turns to be the leading figure of the entire scenes. As the story develops, her words become the driving force for the strikers in their pursuit to civil rights. This clearly deals with women’s involvement in social and political issues, and thus challenges male chauvinism. This way, the ‘real life centered’ movie Salt of the Earth tells the story of a strike led by the wives of Mexican-American miners. According to Gerson, “Gender roles are socially constructed and therefore open to change” (Gerson, The Gender revolution,). In the film, women convince their men and take up the task when men are forced to end their picketing due to Taft-Hartley Act injunction. Esperanza is reluctant to take her own stance. She carries the symptoms of the then prevailing female subjugation, and forecasts the subsequent social outburst. She turns unique for her voluntary involvement in social concerns. There is a strong reference of situational leadership that was practically demanded by a group in the movie Salt of the Earth. The film is a real narration of the life of American working class. The plot of the movie goes in the line as it progress with women’s emergence to the frontier of the strike at the mine. The movie has a theme showing the miseries of working class women who leave their personal interests for attaining a more independent life. However it adds to their miseries when they fall in clash with their husbands. The character of Esperanza in this movie reflects how a traditional woman could use her revolutionary values at the contrasting living conditions. According to Sullivan and Coltrane, “resources necessary for gender convergence are; income, education, job status, negotiation ability, and emotional management” (Sullivan & Coltrane, “Men’s changing contribution”).
It is the unjust treatment of the Empire Zinc Company that forces Mexican-American miners to revolt for justice and racial equality. Obviously their repulsive condition including lack of workplace safety, unhealthy working conditions, no guaranteed minimum wage are directly related to their race/ethnicity. Moreover, gender stereotypes prevailing in strikers’ families also points to the influence of their ethnicity on their lives and social behavior. For instance, men treated their wives with inequality when they fought for equality at workplace.
The position of family in social class system is a topic for research, for its structure and influence have never been consistent over centuries. Risman reminds that “the social institution of family has always changed over time”. The author also says that this change will continue in future pushed by technology and economy. Family itself is the miniature of a society where a hierarchy of power and roles exist. Risman purports that within families there are various types of power; for instance, between husband and wife even “the decision to have sex involves power”. Undoubtedly, family environment plays a significant role in determining the social class in a democratic set up like that of the US. As Gerson points out, certain strategies like ‘mother going to work, fathers getting involved in child rearing, and others joining in the work of family life’ can help families to overcome difficulties and become emotionally and economically stable (Gerson, The Gender revolution). Esperanza demonstrates how a woman can reconcile competing goals of heroic activity and public or domestic demands. This is what happens in the film as miners’ wives take major roles opening the way for a female to lead rural community to accomplish their dream of equal justice. Not only the character of Esperanza, but women in the film as a whole declares the feministic idea that women are equal to men.
The director has succeeded to show the impact of family constraints and stereotypical gender convictions on women’s consciousness. Her words often speak out the traditional women’s outlook to social life. However, she goes beyond the limits of the so called barriers to prove that she has her own role in determining the social changes. Her character is really an effective voice against the workplace inequality, women subjugation, and social oppression. The film not only invites our conscious to the problems of overburdened women but also to the impact of workplace discrimination. Modern studies show that American couples that share domestic works and employment are less likely to divorce when compared to families where husbands earn and wives do household works (Cooke, “traditional marriages..”). As Risman points out, conflicts arise as the family evolves, and it will continue from generation to generation. For instance, young adults today perceive marriage differently from what their parents and grandparents perceived. Also, the structure and norms of the families are also subject to incessant change (Risman, ). This institutional change is visible in every sphere of family life. For instance, a ‘Mr. Mom’ relationship is very common today when compared to the traditional ‘Father Knows Best’ concept (Cooke, “traditional marriages..”).
Esperanza’s comment on the town and on her own identity demonstrates what the working class women would like to say about them and about the society. The occasional conflict between Esperanza and Ramon also points out the contrasting behaviors men demonstrate in public and in private. There are several carefully drafted conversations that show what women wanted to speak to the world. For instance, Esperanza says “I want to rise and push everything up with me as I go”. What she speaks to Ramon is really mind storming as it conveys the voice of an enlightened gender group; “Never strike me again-that was the old way. Sleep where you please but not with me.”
Studies show that women who earn a significant portion of income for the family have more bargaining power in marriage than women who do not earn (Gupta, “Women’s money matters”). In respect to women’s employment, families underwent tremendous change over decades. For instance, 80% women with children aged 6-17 engaged in some works in 2000 whereas it was only 40% in 1960 (Cotter and England et al.). Admittedly, family constitutes the primary social class system where each individual is molded.
In total, the revolutionary film ‘Salt of the Earth’ remains unique for its optimistic outlook and unusual significance of its women characters. It really spoke to the world about women’s right to survive; “you want to go down fighting”, I don’t want to go down fighting, I want to win”. The film has brought all family matters including child care and cooking into the frontier of political concerns.
Works Cited
Cooke, Lynn Prince. Briefing paper: “Traditional' marriages now less stable than ones where couples share work and household chores”. (Course reading)
Cotter, David and England, Paula et al. “Moms and jobs: trends in mothers’ employment and which mothers stay home”. (Course reading)
Furstenberg, F. Frank. “Diverging development: the not so invisible hand of social class in the United States”. (Course reading)
Gupta, Sanjiv. “Women’s money matters”. (Course reading)
Gerson, Cathleen. The gender revolution. (Course reading)
Risman, J Barbara. Families As They Really Are. W W Norton & Company Incorporated, 2010. Print.
Sullivan, Oreal and Coltrane, Scott. “Men’s chaning contribution to housework and childcare”. (Course reading)
