Blue Collar Brilliance Summary

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In Blue Collar Brilliance, which takes place during the 1950’s in Los Angeles, Rosie a mother working a restaurant job brings her son into her work environment. Her son then begins to observe his mother work and over the years begins to create “Cognitive Biographies” (Rose 312) of blue collar work, which shows the difference between the two working classes. For decades, society has perceived blue collar workers and white collar workers differently. Blue Collar workers are seen as not as intelligent or as skillful. In the article “Blue Collar Brilliance” it states that this is not at all true. Blue collar work involves demands of the; body, brain knowledge and intuitions. Rosie, had a very taxing job physically. It is stated that “she sometimes …show more content…

Rosie had taught herself in remembers orders, or customers or day to day activities. This assisted her in managing her time better. She also had to know the lingo used at any given time that would either refer to a customer, a work area, or a specific …show more content…

Basic math skills may sometimes be needed to complete a job; ie counting money, counting tips where all necessary functions Rosie needed to fulfill her tasks at the restaurant. She needed basic writing and reading skills in order to process the information she was given on a daily basis. Where it be using the register, reading menus, or specials she needed these basic skills to complete her job. Rosie used her strong skills of intuition to decipher what a customer wanted or if they wanted something. Since there was no formal training she had to also use her sensory skills to teach herself how to complete certain activities. Just like a mechanic or or a hair stylist would, using their senses to either know when someone has too much heat on their hair; or like a mechanic who might use smell to mix a chemical needed on a car. In Roses case she would use her senses to know how a customer is doing and will it be an easy customer or difficult

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