The presentation is in first person perspective and looks at the life of a man named Jamal and the tough working conditions he had to live through during the late 1800's and the early 1900's. The presentation covers social, political and cultural aspects of life during that time.

1. A Great Tale, told by a man
named “Jamal Buring”

2. Chapter 1 – The Story of my Life
Off to work again. Counting the days like grains of
sand, as they pass by slowly and carelessly. Boredom
is all I have left. I was raised to be bored! Stupid
work. Every darn day I’m off to the Boot Factory,
working my ass off, coming home huffing and puffing
and doing nothing but sitting on the couch reading
the paper, while my dog “Scar” drools all over my
filthy work uniform. I guess you can say the story of
my life is another word for BOREDOM!!!

3. This is the Boot Factory I work
at, but I tend to call it the
“Human Slaughter House!”

4. Chapter 2 – The Missing Pieces
I actually think that I could live a much more active
and happier life if just 3 things in my life were
changed. You’re probably going to want to hear what
these 3 things are now, aren’t you? Well, I’ll tell you!
The 3 things that must be changed in order for me to
have an immensely successful life would be:
1. Repetition of workloads
2. Earning a higher income
3. My family

5. Chapter 3 - Repetition
So, let me explain myself with these 3
changes. Firstly, repetition of workload
means what I need to do everyday and
how it is like a set routine. I mean,
every single day is a challenge to get
through and it’s mostly because of the
hard work I have to do and how it never
changes. There’s no variety when it
comes to work. It’s always the exact
same thing all over again and again.
Just like Déjà-Vu! This is what I mean
Déjà-
by Boredom!

6. Chapter 4 – My Income
Let’s look at how much money I earn
and what I spend it on. I work 14 hours
each and every day which means I
work almost 100 hours a week and
received about 20 shillings ($2.00) a
week. Since most of my life is spent at
work, I tend to sleep outside the
factory on a rag with my only friend
Scar, my dog. All I can afford is a few
slices of ham or cheese each week. On
really bad weeks I usually visit the
nearest church and eat the Eucharist
just because I’m hungry, since I don’t
believe in God.

7. Chapter 5 – No Family, No
Purpose (Part 1)
This is the harshest tale I shall ever repeat. This is
harsh because of what I lost and how I lost it. It was
during November of 1895 at my workplace which is the
Boot Factory. I felt excellent at the start of the day
because I had one of my first days off. My boss said
that I could have a break for this one day and have a
day with my family. My mother, father and 2 brothers
all arranged for a family camping trip on that very day.
Just as we were about to set of together, I got a phone
call from my boss saying he was low on workers and
needed my assistance. After a long dispute, I
regrettably gave in to his demanding voice and left my
family to go and work.

8. Chapter 5 – No Family, No
Purpose (Part 2)
Even though I left, my family still went on the camping trip.
After a long days work, I returned home extremely exhausted.
Creeping up to my front door slowly and quietly, I felt a hand
on my shoulder. Turning around shocked and puzzled, it was
Fullabur my next-door neighbor. He looked sad, worried and
next-
frightened. “What is the matter?” I asked wondrously. He then
fell to his knees and began to cry. Once again I asked him
“What is the matter?” He looked up with bloodshot eyes and
silently whispered “When you open that door, you will see
what the matter is.” After unlocking the door with the keys, I
pushed it open and as it creaked open I continued wondering
what had happened. I walked inside the house and it was just
as I thought. I fell to the ground and started crying with
Fullabur.

9. Chapter 5 – No Family, No
Purpose (Part 3)
The most horrible event of my life occurred. The house was empty and
so I knew the situation. After further investigation I discovered that
all 4 of the members of my family had been violently attacked by a
Grizzly Bear in the forest. This left me with my mind set on one
thing, Suicide!!! It went through my head many times and I finally
made up my mind to kill myself. I started thinking “I should have
been there with them. I should be dead now. I gave up a final trip
with my family to go and work. To do something I already do
enough of.” All I wanted to do was stab myself. This was until I
found “Scar” (my dog) shortly afterwards in a dumpster. He leaped
out of the dumpster and jumped on top of my with glee. At that
moment I became his friend and promised him I would be with him
until either of us died. As sorrowful as it was to lose 4 family
members, I realized that there was still a fifth member, Scar!

10. Chapter 6 – The Factory and
the Law (Part 1)
During my time at the factory, I encountered
many things which I don’t wish upon anyone
else. The economy was disgraceful. Most
people in the area worked in factories just
like me and were treated like slaves. Lots of
children worked too in order to get into the
places adults couldn’t reach. These were
normally dangerous places and places where
the equipment tended to fail and I have seen
many children die from these work situations
before my very own eyes.

11. Chapter 6 – The Factory and
the Law (Part 2)
Don’t even get me started on the way women were treated.
During 1901 over 20% of workers were women. They were
normally just domestic servants who worked as maids,
servants and cooks earning very little for their hard work
and efforts. Some servants were actually seduced and
became pregnant and others were often sacked and
thrown out onto the streets alone and with no support. In
1896, NSW passed it’s first “Factories and Shops Act” in
attempt to reduce hours and improve working conditions,
however these laws were mostly ignored.

12. Chapter 6 – The Factory and
the Law (Part 3)
Inspectors actually noticed that workers wouldn’t tell on their
bosses, because they were afraid of being sacked. Also, moving
onto other issues, many workers went on strike during the
1890’s to protest their inhumane conditions however the
confrontations were normally violent and bitter. These
protests actually encouraged unions to reform the political
system through the ballot box. The council of the Australian
Labor Federation first met on the 1st of August in 1890 and
formed the basics of the Australian Labor Party. All who were
a part of it wanted all adult white people in Australia to have
higher wages and better working conditions. Many of these
members also believed strongly in SOCIALISM!

13. Chapter 7 – Cultural and
Aboriginal Labor
In New South Wales towards the west, all pastoralists relied
immensely on Aboriginal Labor. Aboriginal workers were
allowed to live on the property and were given some
handouts of food in return for working for the landowner.

14. Chapter 8 – Narrator to
Instigator
Now that I have informed you briefly on the social,
political and cultural aspects of Australia and it’s
working conditions around the late 1800’s and
early 1900’s, let me leave you now as a bit of a
narrator and let me head off to work now or else
my boss will kill me. I mean it’s already 6:00am on
the 1st of August in 1904. I’m guessing that now I’ll
put you in my body for today and I’ll let you see
what work is like now in 1904.

15. Chapter 9 – Off to Work
I began taking off to work down the seemingly mile long
street looking across the road and seeing such different
faces from those in the late 1800’s. I see many more smiles
overpowering the old systems. So, why are there so many
smiles? Well, simply because of many recent events which
have taken place mostly because of the brief prime
minister ship of John Watson. He became the first ever
Labor Prime Minister during April this year (1904) and he
has done so much already. He has created the “Maternity
Allowances Act” which gave every mother around $10 or
more than two weeks pay at a time on the birth of a child.
This reminded me of why there are smiles all round.

16. Chapter 10 – Endless Thoughts
As I approached the Boot Factory and prepared for work, my
mind began to ponder. I began to think about how hard
my work really is and then started reminding myself of
how I’m far better off than those in other parts of the
world. I, Jamal Buring have shorter working hours, the
basic wage, increased leisure time, aged and invalid
pensions, basic workers compensation and maternity
allowances. This made me turn from frightened to a calm,
peaceful and relaxed mood. Although I was relaxed, I still
felt sorry for those in harsher areas around the world and
just as my mind was about to reach it’s daily thinking
limits, I approached the main door to the factory.

17. Chapter 11 – Ready, Set, GO!!!
BOOM! CLANK! TWIST! THROTTLE! CLICK!
So much noise as I enter the factory for what felt
like the millionth time. Although there has been
much repetition nowadays, I’m actually feeling
far better than ever before. I just feel fit for work
and ready to keep living life. Ever since the late
1800’s, life has improved dramatically! Well, I’m
all set for work, so here we go…………

18. Chapter 12 – Get the Job Done!
“Bob, I need you to cut leather! Gavin, I would like you to
trace patterns today! Patrick, today you will heat and
brand irons! Jamal, I need you to melt glue to attach the
soles today!” yelled my Boss.
“Yes Boss,” we all replied proudly and prepared to work.
So, we all left the main area to go to our personalized
positions. I went to melt glue to attach to the soles
which is the hardest and most dangerous job of them all
in my opinion. As I continued to work, large blue flames
erupted from my work station, but it didn’t bother me
and so I continued to work.

19. Chapter 13 - Relaxation
Work had finished and since today was Sunday, I collected my pay
and signed off my name. I left the factory and began to wander
home to my most prized possession, Scar my dog. As the sun
set I reached my porch and sat on the bench outside staring
into the sky and wondering “What would have happened if I
went on the camping trip with my family 9 years ago or if I
actually committed suicide after my family had passed away. I
wouldn’t be as proud of how far this world has developed since.”
And so, I hopped off the bench, opened the front door, ran
inside my bedroom and gave my pet, Scar the biggest hug ever!
All I could say was,
“Thank You, for saving my life! You rescued me from Torture and
Beyond!”