Out of This Furnace

Out of This Furnace

by

Thomas Bell

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Anna Kracha Character Analysis

Anna is George and Elena Kracha’s youngest daughter. She is born in the Plymouth camp. As a young girl, she works for the same Dexter family that also employs her sister, Mary. She marries a man named John Barry and cares for Mary’s daughter, Agnes, after her mother’s death. Anna also helps spark Dobie’s interest in politics when she tells him that she plans on working for the pro-labor Democratic Party.
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Anna Kracha Character Timeline in Out of This Furnace

The timeline below shows where the character Anna Kracha appears in Out of This Furnace. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Part 1, Kracha: Chapter 5
Immigration and American Identity Theme Icon
Industrialization and Destruction Theme Icon
The American Dream vs. Reality Theme Icon
...daughter, Alice. They then move to Harvey’s Lake and then Plymouth, where their third daughter, Anna, is born. While Kracha continues toiling on the railroad, Dubik tires of the work, and... (full context)
Part 2, Mike Dobrejcak: Chapter 5
Immigration and American Identity Theme Icon
Industrialization and Destruction Theme Icon
Women’s Work Theme Icon
Anna is now working for the Dexters, and Alice elopes in Cleveland with her new husband,... (full context)
Part 2, Mike Dobrejcak: Chapter 8
The American Dream vs. Reality Theme Icon
Capital vs. Labor Theme Icon
...gives birth to a third child, Mikie Dobrejcak, and Johnny begins school in the fall. Anna begins dating a saloon worker named John Barry. Eventually, the slowdown ends, and the company... (full context)
Part 2, Mike Dobrejcak: Chapter 14
Industrialization and Destruction Theme Icon
The American Dream vs. Reality Theme Icon
...well as accident compensation from the company. He goes to Braddock during the christening of Anna’s second baby, and displays to Mike a newspaper that ran a picture of Zuska’s son,... (full context)
Part 3, Mary: Chapter 1
Industrialization and Destruction Theme Icon
Women’s Work Theme Icon
The narrative skips ahead to the year 1914, and Mary now lives near Anna, whose closeness to her is a comfort.  Her quarters now consist of two rooms in... (full context)
Part 3, Mary: Chapter 2
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Anna’s husband, John, receives an offer to bartend in Donora, 20 miles north of Braddock, and... (full context)
Part 3, Mary: Chapter 4
Immigration and American Identity Theme Icon
The American Dream vs. Reality Theme Icon
...Alice. Mary has two insurance policies on herself. She makes the $500 policy over to Anna and the $750 policy over to the bank “in the event of her death” to... (full context)
Part 3, Mary: Chapter 5
The American Dream vs. Reality Theme Icon
Capital vs. Labor Theme Icon
...day of the strike, Johnny takes to his bike and spends time visiting his aunt Anna in Donora. He is afraid to return to the steel mill while the strike continues,... (full context)
Part 3, Mary: Chapter 6
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Anna writes Mary to fill her in on developments back home. John still works in his... (full context)
Part 4, Dobie: Chapter 1
Immigration and American Identity Theme Icon
...a year after Mary. Both were buried near Alice’s house, but a family spat over Anna’s control over the funeral and insurance led to Dobie receiving Pauline’s insurance money. The sanitarium... (full context)
Part 4, Dobie: Chapter 2
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...the First Ward.” In Donora, John is stuck working just two days a month, while Anna “[competes] with Negro women” for housework and Agnes barely survives on wages from a chain... (full context)
Part 4, Dobie: Chapter 3
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While visiting his aunt Anna in Donora, Dobie discusses the upcoming election and the almost certain defeat of the long-reigning... (full context)
Part 4, Dobie: Chapter 6
Immigration and American Identity Theme Icon
Women’s Work Theme Icon
...Dobie reads Agnes’s letter. She plans to marry a widower named Martin in December, while Anna is having a get-together in a few weekends and asks Dobie and Julie to come... (full context)
Part 4, Dobie: Chapter 13
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Dobie is visiting Anna, where he discusses politics with a visitor from Uniontown, a coal union organizer named Steve.... (full context)
Part 4, Dobie: Chapter 14
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Anna and John are the first to arrive for Kracha’s funeral, followed by Anna’s sons, Martin... (full context)
Industrialization and Destruction Theme Icon
...Dobie responds that his mother, Elena, had purchased a $300 policy before she died, and Anna kept up the payments after Elena’s death. She gave it to Dobie when Kracha came... (full context)