The Road to Character

The life and achievements of Frances Perkins, who turned her back on her society upbringing to become a workers’ rights advocate and sociologist in the wake of witnessing the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, serve as the framework for Brooks’ discussion of momentous life events serving as a galvanizing force toward discovering one’s purpose. Perkins dedicated her life to the service of others less fortunate than herself, from her mentally ill husband and daughter to the working classes of the United States. She turned her back on wealth, comfort, and her self-indulgent nature to improve conditions for the poor and working classes throughout the nation. She felt a call to duty from outside herself, and she fulfilled it, often at great personal cost.