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Analysis Of Nickel And Dimed On (Not) Getting By In America

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Nickel and Dimed On (Not) Getting By in America, is the factual narrative of Barbara Ehrenreich’s venture to completely immerse herself in the life of a minimum wage worker. Through her experiment Ehrenreich set out to prove that the average worker can’t “make it on $6 or $7 an hour (1)” in this country; and with her hands on research, she defends while simultaneously proving that the reason so many people are stuck in the lower end of the economy is not because they are lazy or unskilled, but because the jobs they can acquire rarely pay enough to surpass the annual poverty levels. Ehrenreich's use of statistics, examples and the general tone she phrases her rhetorical questions with enlightens her audience of just how hard it is to get by …show more content…

She would often include specific, relevant instances as a footnote after narrating an experience she had while working one of her various jobs. An example can be referenced from when Ehrenreich describes her experience taking a corporate personality test, then adds the note that “personality testing in the workplace is at an all-time high” (58).” Adding this information conveys the idea that there is little to no inherent trust in many of the entry level positions. This information allows Ehrenreich to influence her audience's opinion on the matter, without coercing them to believe what she does. The use of statistics in Nickel and Dimed works to further prove the her purpose, because she is able to carefully select the information she knows is the most supportive of her claims to include in her deductive …show more content…

At one point or another as Ehrenreich points out, everyone has had experience working an entry level or low paying job, which is a beneficial factor in creating a relatable argument. Ehrenreich explains her problems with her bosses in Florida, her questionable pay in Maine, and roommates in Minnesota. Along with this she explains the facets of each job and the opportunities it provided her with or inhibited her from. Exemplification helps her achieve a personal connection to her audience, encouraging them to heed what she is trying to say about these common held beliefs.
The storytelling tone Ehrenreich uses to tell the majority of her story work to establish subjective description with objective reasoning. The book was written informally which made it seem inviting for almost anyone to read, however, it also made her story seem more relatable which is a vital factor when attempting to prove a point to such a wide range of people. This personal account of events is told with a contemplative tone, Ehrenreich made sure to not seem condescending while describing her arguments because it would diminish the familiarity she worked so hard to achieve in her

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I believe what makes her argument so persuasive, is the fact that she gets so many diverse perspectives from her many characters in the story. Ehrenreich’s existence is not only difficult, but everyone around her also has a very difficult existence as well. The reader understands the hardships of the characters through narrative, understands the difficulty of the job market through analysis, understands the inability to find a stable residence, through report, and understands the difficulty of the work-related issues that -staff of the diner faces through argument. Altogether these rhetorical strategies come work in harmony to enhance the connection between the characters in the story and the readers through differing perspectives, as well as the persuasive appeals of pathos, ethos, and

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