Lessons from Dana Frank's Bananeras. Literature & Language Essay (Essay Sample)

Student’s Name
Instructor’s Name
English 101
Date
Lessons from Dana Frank’s, Bananeras
Introduction
Dana Frank’s book, Bananeras, highlights the plight and successes of female banana workers, commonly referred to as Bananeras. Their troubles began in the early 1880s when corporations, such as the United Fruit and Standard Fruit, joined hands and started buying off or intimidating governments and taking away land initially owned by peasants (Frank 3). To make matters worse, those corporations paid unfair wages and condoned the sexual harassment that was prevalent in many banana farms. Fortunately, the bananas workers waged revolutions over the years to fight gender inequality and poor working conditions. As a result, more women have been embraced in leadership and management positions, and the working conditions have significantly improved. Such success has can also be attributed to the efforts made by women workers in learning how to defend themselves from oppression. During this economic pause when business activities have declined significantly, Bananeras teaches us that education and research, commitment and strategy, the formation of unions, and a keen evaluation of work conditions are critical to fighting the oppressive employment rules characterizing the gig economy.