Immigration+and+Social+Classes+in+Upper+Canada


 * Refuge, Opportunity**

__**OPPORTUNITY**__ story line basically: __field reporter:__  a curious English girl, Eleanora, who wants to know about Canada from other passengers. __other characters:__ Rhys: a poor man from the lower decks (rich lady): a high class lady who is bound by her duty as a wife to be with her husband in Canada BLUE = Ira Glass

//**Introduction by Ira Glass:**// //Since the beginning of confederation, Canada has been the new-found home to people from all over the world. Immigrants from England, Scotland, Ireland, France, and America, came aboard large passenger ships and full people with dreams and hopes for their hew-found home. Every person aboard the ship was looking for something. That something was convincing enough for them to leave the comforts of their homes and experience the wild seas and live through months of being human cargo to venture out into the New World. These people were looking for fertile land, more say in their government, more jobs, and a fresh start.Today we have the opportunity to travel aboard to one of such ships.//

Eleanora: *muttering to self* Ugh, the stench is unbearable...why is the ceiling so low? i can’t see a thing... WOAAAAHHHH *THUMP*  Rhys: You alright, little lady? Eleanora: It’s Eleanora. And who are you? I’m fine. I suppose this is where the luggage is kept? Rhys: *clears throat* Me name’s Rhys. This, me dear, is the lower class quarters. Eleanora: Oh. Um.That’s...lovely...But it’s so small. And there are so many people here... <span style="background-color: #d0e0e3; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">//**Ira Glass:**// <span style="background-color: #d0e0e3; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The lower class quarters were dark, damp corridors with small bunks jammed against each other. There was a large mess hall where the lower class passengers gathered everyday to eat the meagre supply of food they had. <span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rhys: Yes, but it’ll all be worth it once we get to upper Canada. There’ll be bread, sunlight, and jobs to be occupied by hard workers like meself. This is my chance. I’ll be a politician. This is my only opportunity to be the man I know I can be. No one can stop me! *awkward pause* Why are you moving to Canada? <span style="background-color: #ffff00; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Eleanora: Oh, ever since captain James offered my father a job as a reverend in Coldwater we have been pining to move to Canada. And now the opportunity is here. Why don’t you come up with me to the upper decks and we can talk some more. <span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rhys: umm... uh... *mutters something about not being supposed to be up there, etc.* *sound effects of waves and sunlight (tinkling) and seagulls* <span style="background-color: #ea9999; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">rich lady: Oh hello dear, you’re George Hallen’s daughter, aren’t you? Eleanora, is that your name? <span style="background-color: #ffff00; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Eleanora: yes ma’am <span style="background-color: #ea9999; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">rich lady: My name is Victoria, and I’m- wait….What is HE doing here? Eleanora, dearie.... <span style="background-color: #ea9999; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">//he’s a lower class man...// <span style="background-color: #ffff00; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Eleanora: I am aware. <span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">//**Ira Glass:**// <span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Although it seemed every new citizen of Canada would be starting anew, the upper class of Canada was hardly different from those of Britain. To the upper class, the lower class was still too poor and uneducated to be spoken respectfully to. <span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rhys: Me name is Rhys, ma’am. How’d you do? Eleanora here convinced me to come up and see some light. <span style="background-color: #ea9999; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">rich lady: How <span style="background-color: #ea9999; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> //lovely// <span style="background-color: #ea9999; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. Anyway, Eleanora, dear, don’t you think these ships are rather disgusting? <span style="background-color: #ea9999; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">//especially the steerage, Thank God I’m of higher class// <span style="background-color: #ea9999; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. Believe me child, there’s nothing worth seeing down there. You’ll not meet one polished lady <span style="background-color: #ea9999; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">//or handsome man.// <span style="background-color: #ea9999; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> *sighs* <span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rhys: Are you aware that you are in the presence of one such “unpolished” man? <span style="background-color: #ea9999; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rich lady: hmph, very aware. The ships in England are so much nicer, don’t you agree, Eleanora dear? <span style="background-color: #ffff00; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Eleanora: Well if you think England is so much better, what brings you to Canada? <span style="background-color: #ea9999; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rich lady: Because, *sniff sniff sob sob*, my husband is in *sniff* Canada. He was offered the opportunity by the English government to travel to upper Canada and become a court judge. Being his wife, I have no choice but to go with him. <span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rhys: Well, I, for one, am grateful for all the opportunities that this ship, and Canada, have to offer, and I’m sure one of the many people back in the old country working their hardest to be able to afford a ticket on one of these ships you think are so “disgusting” would be glad to go in your place. <span style="background-color: #ea9999; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">rich lady: Well I never!... If this is what all the young men in Canada are going to be like, then I’m afraid it will be even worse than I was expecting. <span style="background-color: #ffff00; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Eleanora: Oh no Misses, Rhys wants to be a politician, or a lawyer! <span style="background-color: #ea9999; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rich Lady: Hah, well good luck to him. *snort* A lower class citizen would be lucky to even get a job as a factory worker! My husband wrote to me of upper Canada. It seems the lower-class people are wanting more say in their government, so Britain let them have a representative. Obviously, though, they will only be making very minor decisions as we cannot trust the lower class people to know our needs. Wouldn’t you agree, dear? <span style="background-color: #ffff00; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Eleanora: hmmm...(sounding unsure)
 * footsteps stop suddenly*

<span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">//**Ira Glass:**// <span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">//Power in upper and lower Canada was held by English speaking business people, landowners, and the upper-class who made laws to benefit their own class, ignoring the lower-class people.//

<span style="background-color: #ea9999; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rich Lady: well, I'm terribly sorry, dear. I’ve got to go. <span style="background-color: #ffff00; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Eleanora: Goodbye, ma’am. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">//**Conclusion by Ira Glass:**// <span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">//People of all ethics braved their own fears to come to Canada. The poor faced harsh, nearly unbearable conditions as human cargo. The upper class faced a disturbing reality, a far cry from their luxurious British lives. No one could escape the rough sea life of terrifying storms and repulsive vermin and disease. Even when they reached their new home, many did not achieve the prosperous, high-class lifestyle they all hoped for. The higher-class was shocked by the brutal winters and savage natives. *possibly add sound effect to change to a more positive atmosphere* There were the few who flourished in the New World, of high class, and low. They were the ones to define what true opportunity-seeking really was.//