“Nobody even spoke now, for they were all stupified by the accmulation of woes-- granpa coughing and spitting black, with his old rheumatic complaint returning to dropsy, father asthmatical, his knees swollen up with water, mother and the children scarred by scrofula and hereditary anaemia. Of course all that was part of the job, and you didn't complain except when the lack of food finished you off.”
Written by Émile Zola, this novel is part of his naturalist literary movement. It delves into the harsh realities of the mining industry, depicting the lives of miners, their families, and the social issues they face. The story follows the lives of Etienne Lantier and his fellow workers as they fight against the oppressive conditions and the corrupt mine owners. more
“If we believe in prosperity for all that will lead to liberation from poverty,”
“Whoever knows the prosperity of peace, shall fear no poverty.”
“When the corrupt government is the thief, who do you report the theft to?”
“The government’s plan for my disabling sickness was to send me into poverty.”