Amelia
wantsto attend church on Sundays. Amelia feels that everyone should go to church on Sunday, so
she is not exactly picking on only Lyddie. Amelia's church pressure is also not the only church
pressure. As part of working the factories, the girls are expected to appear virtuous. Their
clothing and behavior are both aimed at selling this image, and regular church attendance is one
of the factory's requirements of the girls.
The church expectation comes as a
surprise to Lyddie, who isn't used to going to church, and Lyddie tries to explain that she
wasn't planning on attending church. Amelia is somewhat taken aback by Lyddie's hesitance and
further stresses that Lyddie must attend church:
Lyddie
looked up in alarm. Living as far as they had from the village, the Worthens had never even
bothered to pay pew rent in the village congregational church. "I-I hadn't thought to
go."Amelia sighed, reminding Lyddie that she was proving a harder case
than the older girl had bargained for. "Oh, but you must," she said.
As the conversation continues, Lyddie learns that the factory
doesn't care which church Lyddie attends. The factory only cares that she attends. Part of
Lyddie's reticence is that churches generally required attenders to pay pew rent, and earning
and keeping money is hugely important to Lyddie. Betsy recommends the Methodist church because
Lyddie can attend those services for free:
"They'll probably make you put in an appearance from time to time somewhere. The
Methodists don't press girls for pew rent, so if you're short on money, best go there. You have
to pay for it in longer sermons, but nonetheless I always recommend the Methodists to new girls
with no particular desire to go anywhere."
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