Tateh’s lingering fears over what might happen to Little Girl if he lets her out of his sight offer a timely reminder of his low opinion of women and their inherent value as human beings. He clearly loves Little Girl, but he’s obsessed with ideas about her sexual purity, even to the point of almost keeping her from having access to a better life. But his agonized decision becomes moot the moment the civil authorities, in the form of the militia, decide it’s time to put an end to the strike. Once again, the book doesn’t soften the violence and cruelty with which the mill owners asserted their dominion over their workers. It seems that prosperity isn’t meant to be available to everybody but is a jealously guarded commodity.