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Nickel And Dimed Analysis Essay

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Nickel and Dimed Analysis: Minorities vs Majority vs Socioeconomics In Ehrenreich’s classic “Nickel and Dimed: On (not) getting by in America,” the protagonist opens up the dialogue with admitting that she picked out her job out of laziness (Ehrenreich, 1). With the setting in Key West, Florida, the main character being Ehrenreich herself, decides to experiment with the possibilities of existing as a person on the lower terminal of the socioeconomic ladder. For her experiment, she lives in the lower rung of the ladder, becoming a waitress (Ehrenreich, 10). Based in 1996, the novel is investigating the benefits and effects of the 1996 welfare reform bill, which was considered a jugular stab to the spirit of social reform and government assistance to the hapless. What Ehrenreich realizes from the investigations is consistency in prejudice and favoritism against the poor, and a nation that is …show more content…

Nevertheless, she concludes that their socioeconomic class is burdened with even more events. Listing off each of her co-workers, Ehrenreich discovers the majority live in overcrowded situations, with relatives or in pay-as-you-go standards; others, like one particular co-worker share rent with people who are not of good character, but can alleviate the financial strain; finally, to her surprise, the hostess who were paid the most was living in the worst standard, in her vehicle (Ehrenreich, 20-21). This is one of the focal points of Ehrenreich’s investigation: while some might obtain “aid” from the government, it does not prevent consequences that the middle class does not see. As Ehrenreich discovers from Gail’s breakdown of payments for surviving by herself versus staying with her sexually harassing roommate, she beings to understand the financial discrimination that the poor

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She didn’t cause any harm to any of the workers and tried to brighten up their lives. Ehrenreich befriended George, a new worker at Jerry’s that recently immigrated to America. She tries to teach George English and even promises to give him her tips after George finds himself in trouble. Despite thinking of most of her coworkers in a condescending matter, Ehrenreich ethically delved into the world of poverty. 2)

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It shows though she was ignoring how hard each day was trying to live life as a minimum wage worker overall, she was still able to get a laugh out of the entire own situation as a whole. It’s also a creative way to keep the readers interested in order for them to understand and want to actually know about the process of the poor. For example, Ehrenreich explains how one impatient black couple that was waiting for her to get around to taking their order looked "ready to summon the NAACP. " Later she then talks about how an available room at one of her motel choices is on the ground floor of a "well-traveled commercial street, meaning you have a choice between privacy and light.

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374 Words | 2 Pages

My article deals with the study of society and social interaction of the Middle Class and how they survived on a Nickel and Dimed. In our text (n) 2, (pg. 42, paragraph 2) the journalist Barbara Ehrenreich brought the two stories together by research, that it is, impossible to make it on minimum wage work. The journalist observed in her study the mindset of the working Middle Class people, their persistence to make ends meet, to take care of their household, family and the will to make thing change. The “Middle Class” an aimless expression applied to those who is not on the system of welfare. In the United States certain development changed the past three decades, due to after World War II, the benefits of growth, and money making flow to

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527 Words | 3 Pages

Pathos dominates the article when Ehrenreich allows her nephews mother in law, grandchildren, and daughter to move into her house. The situation focuses on pathos because in Ehrenreich’s personal story she includes that “Peg, was, like several million other Americans, about to lose her home to foreclosure” (338). She is effective in her writing by appealing to the readers’ emotions through visual concepts and personal experiences. When I read the article, I felt emotional because the working poor are not fortunate to know if they will have a house or food the next day. I agree with Ehrenreich in which the poor are as important as the wealthy group who get more recognition.

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The working poor are a class of people that have their own culture that can only be understood through full participation in it; without proper acquaintance with their lifestyle, the working poor cannot be adequately examined or criticized. The author is skilled and effective in delivering her opinion of the working poor in the United States at the time; she includes numerous details and examples as support. The first paragraph of the piece is a long description of the restaurant, Jerry’s, and its conditions. This passage serves as one of the many visuals that she includes to evoke thought from the reader. Ehrenreich uses the passage to support her claims and opinions of the restaurant and the working poor as a whole.

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1170 Words | 5 Pages

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