Project Gutenberg 2019-11-13 Public domain in the USA. 197 Thomas, Theodore L. 1920 2005 Thomas, Theodore Lockard The Good Work Produced from Worlds of If Science Fiction, February 1959 Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net "The Good Work" by Theodore L. Thomas is a science fiction short story written during the late 1950s. Set in a dystopian future where the world is overcrowded and resources are scarce, the narrative explores the life of Jeremiah Winthrop, a man struggling to provide for his family in a society characterized by monotonous living and dependency on standardized provisions. The story examines themes of dignity, work, and the spirit of striving for a better life in an oppressive environment. In the story, Jeremiah Winthrop lives with his wife, Ann, and their son, Davy, in a world where they primarily subsist on synthetic food dubbed "Standard Fare." As societal pressures mount, Winthrop realizes the profound impact of his dire situation on his family, particularly on Davy's future. Desperate for meaningful work and a way to escape the cycle of deprivation, he applies for a government job and eventually becomes part of a maintenance crew tasked with tightening nuts on the building's framework. As he resumes working, the family's dynamic shifts positively, fostering hope and a sense of pride. Interpersonal connections deepen, leading to a moment where Winthrop rejoices in the simple pleasures of family life and fulfills a crucial role in society, contrasting sharply with the despair he once faced. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 93.5 (5th grade). Very easy to read. en Science fiction Short stories Satire Overpopulation -- Fiction United States -- Economic conditions -- Fiction Work -- Fiction PS Text Category: Short Stories Category: Science-Fiction & Fantasy 52663 2025-06-24T07:45:32.037895 text/html 28773 2024-10-17T14:34:02 text/html 91338 2025-06-24T07:45:34.030879 application/epub+zip 90181 2025-06-24T07:45:32.462923 application/epub+zip 76520 2025-06-24T07:45:32.219927 application/epub+zip 125456 2025-06-24T07:45:35.386906 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 118080 2025-06-24T07:45:33.811903 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 104600 2022-09-27T12:16:50.827355 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 46148 2023-09-26T06:22:25.157830 text/plain 26455 2024-10-17T14:34:02 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 17362 2025-06-24T07:45:36.053998 application/rdf+xml 28855 2025-06-24T07:45:32.314884 image/jpeg 4785 2025-06-24T07:45:32.267883 image/jpeg 293699 2025-06-24T07:45:32.051889 application/octet-stream application/zip Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog en.wikipedia