Literary notes about machinist (AI summary)
Literary usage of the term "machinist" reveals its multifaceted role in reflecting both technical skill and social dynamics. In William H. Ukers's work, for instance, the machinist is portrayed as an essential and highly skilled member of the factory workforce—earning wages comparable to those of a bookkeeper and featured alongside other specialized roles ([1], [2], [3]). Contrastingly, Thomas Carlyle employs the term more metaphorically in his historical narrative, intertwining the machinist with concepts of innovation and dramatic social change during the French Revolution ([4]). Meanwhile, W. E. B. Du Bois challenges readers to grapple with racial and economic exclusions by noting that skilled workers like machinists were denied union membership and fair employment opportunities ([5]). Together, these examples underscore how the word "machinist" has served as both a literal descriptor of industrial labor and a symbol of broader societal issues in literature.