(In)vulnerable Migrant Domestic Workers and the Gift Economy in Brett Michael Innes’ Rachel Weeping.

doi:10.6240/concentric.lit.202509_51(2).0005

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Title:	(In)vulnerable Migrant Domestic Workers and the Gift Economy in Brett Michael Innes’ Rachel Weeping.
Authors:	Chen, Kuo Chia
Keywords:	Brett Michael Innes;Rachel Weeping;migrant domestic workers;Arlie Russel Hochschild;economy of gratitude;gift
Date:	2025-09
Issue Date:	2026-07-03 12:05:24 (UTC+8)
Publisher:	國立臺灣師範大學英語學系
Abstract:	This paper explores migrant domestic workers' vulnerability in Brett Michael Innes's novel, Rachel Weeping. I first argue that Rachel's economic migration from Mozambique to South Africa is driven by a poverty-stricken life, leading her to enter the "global care chains" (Hochschild, "Global Care Chains" 130). Her anguish at being undervalued is not solely directed at her employers, the Jordaans, but also extends to the hierarchical structure within the domestic employment sector, and further reflects the broader issues of unequal development within the global economy. Second, drawing upon Arlie Russel Hochschild's concept of "the economy of gratitude," I argue that when the Jordaans convey their generosity to Rachel through multiple gifts, they anticipate an equivalent amount of emotional commitment in return. However, Rachel's detachment demonstrates that in this employment sector, genuine emotional bonds between employers and their employees will never form as long as class, racial, and economic disparities continue to overshadow the employment relationship.
Relation:	Concentric: Literary and Cultural Studies 51(2), p.83-107
DOI:	10.6240/concentric.lit.202509_51(2).0005
Appears in Collections:	[Department of English] Journal Article

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