Much literature deals with a character's ability to persevere, in the face of hardship. It is the manner in which the person deals with conflict which illustrates her stamina or lack of it. In the short story, "Brooms for Sale," Thomas Raddall, unveiled the character Greta, who will never give up no matter how rough things get. Being poor, is never easy and it sure wasn't easy for Greta. Greta spent hours doing chores around the house and then would spend night after night making brooms for extra income for her son. Even though Greta worked so hard it was never for herself she was always thinking of her son. No matter how tough things got Greta wouldn't give up, she continued to work hard and keep going. .
Greta had always done all the farm labour herself, nursing the cattle, ploughing, seeding, and harvesting. In the winter time she would take her axe and get her own firewood in the woods. There was never a man around to help her. Although she did not have the strength of a man she was a mother and a father to her pride and joy son. Her farm was in desperate need of repair, her house, barn, and fence all needed fixing. Each year Greta found that her crops where getting smaller and smaller. But she would not give up. She had no choice but to keep working as hard as she could and make do with what she had. Money was getting low and one winter Greta thought of an idea to get some extra money. There was a fishing village near by and one thing they always needed was a good supply of brooms. Since Greta had grown up in a shore village she had seen how brooms were made. Since the days seemed so short because of all the chorus to do around the farm, Greta would make the brooms after dark. Every evening after supper was made, and she put her son to bed, she sat out in the barn for hours and hours cutting brooms. Greta's hands were use to hard work, but holding the knife for a long time made them sore.
