What is alienation? According to an Author named Karl Marx in his article “Economic and Philosophic Manuscript of 1844”, alienation means for someone or something to feel separated. His meaning of this word relates to two passages. First passage is ‘Who Built Pyramids’ by Studs Terkel. It’s about a steel worker man who name is Mike Lefever being interviewed about how he felt about his job. The second is “Blue Collar Brilliance” by Mike Rose. He explains the difference between the recognition of a blue and pink-collar worker.

Some factors that determine if a worker feels alienated can sometimes be the location of a job. For example in “Who Built Pyramids” Mike works in a factor doing the same job everyday. For a certain amount of hours he is in the factor not seeing the outside world until after work hours. In “Blue Collar Brilliance” the waitress is in one restaurant going back and fourth taking orders similar to Mike being in one factory for a long amount of hours. Being a steel worker and a waitress can create alienation for both because of the job they are doing. Mike Job consist of picking up and putting down between forty to fifty thousands pounds of steel a day. In the factory that is his job and his positions everyday, so imagined how that creates separation? You have one job and everyday same routine. Similar to a waitress job, everyday taking orders and going back in forth in the same restaurant going from the same tables to tables.

Alienation has a major effect on workers. Having no recognition or seeing the end results of your work can have a very negative affect on workers. Mike felt he couldn’t take pride in his job anymore. He never sees the end results of his work. He feels as if he don’t have work of his to point to. He says Mike asks “ how are you going gonna get excited about pullin’ steel”? “ How are you gonna get excited when you’re tired and want to sit down”? Mike feels