Life in the late 19th and early 20th century was depressing and was an era filled with extremely hard and strenuous work that did not offer much future for the average person . An average wage earner could be virtually stuck in the same job for the rest their life, while the rich maintained their wealth mainly caused by the low taxes. Living conditions were poor for the average person and even worse for arriving immigrants. Despite the dreary and miserable outlook, many Americans, holding onto the ideals of laissez-faire and the American Dream, persevered in the hopes of success. Thomas Bell's Out of this Furnace is one such story. Coming to America with dreams and hopes