Nickel and dimed analysis. Nickel and Dimed: Full Book Summary 2022-12-21
Nickel and dimed analysis
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Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America is a book by Barbara Ehrenreich that was published in 2001. It is a firsthand account of Ehrenreich's experiences working low-wage jobs in various parts of the United States while attempting to make ends meet. Through her experiences, Ehrenreich offers a critical analysis of the struggles faced by low-wage workers in America and the ways in which the social and economic systems in the country contribute to these struggles.
One of the main themes of Nickel and Dimed is the difficulty of surviving on a low wage in America. Ehrenreich finds that, even when working full-time, it is nearly impossible for her to make ends meet on the wages she earns. She is constantly forced to make sacrifices, such as forgoing health insurance or living in substandard housing, in order to make ends meet. This is a result of the high cost of living in America, particularly in terms of housing, healthcare, and other necessities.
Another theme of the book is the lack of support and resources available to low-wage workers. Ehrenreich finds that many of the jobs she holds do not provide benefits such as sick leave or vacation time, and that there is little support for workers who are struggling to make ends meet. This is particularly evident in the lack of affordable housing options, as well as the high cost of healthcare.
A third theme of Nickel and Dimed is the exploitation of low-wage workers by employers. Ehrenreich finds that many of the jobs she holds are structured in such a way as to take advantage of workers, with long hours, low pay, and few benefits. She also finds that many employers are unwilling to invest in the training and development of their employees, instead relying on a constant influx of low-wage labor to fill positions.
Overall, Nickel and Dimed offers a powerful analysis of the struggles faced by low-wage workers in America. It highlights the ways in which the social and economic systems in the country contribute to these struggles, and the lack of support and resources available to those who are struggling to make ends meet. Through her firsthand accounts and critical analysis, Ehrenreich provides a valuable insight into the experiences of low-wage workers in America and the challenges they face on a daily basis.
Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich Plot Summary
These people are overlooked for poverty because the society is taking them for granted, from cleaning their dishes at the restaurant, to cleaning their houses and of course making their beds at the hotels. This personality test seems oriented towards a different, probably rougher crowd, but it similarly attempts to trick out potential employees. She is white and a native English speaker, does not have children to provide for, and is in good health. The major issue in terms of expenses, she notes, is the rent — in each city she lived, it was searching for affordable housing that caused the most anxiety and, in several cases, forced her to call it quits. What is your point of view? There are three types of persuasion; ethos: the credibility that the author establishes, pathos: the persuasion of audiences by using emotions, and logos: systems of reasoning. I agree with Ehrenreich in which the poor are as important as the wealthy group who get more recognition.
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Nickel and Dimed: Full Book Summary
This young man is my father. Of course, Barbara admits to herself that she is not a member of that class—she can work hour after hour because she has gotten decades of good medical care, a high-protein diet, and workouts in expensive gym. She begins her article by describing how the newly group, known as Nouveau poor, have to give up valuables where as the working poor have to give up housing, food, and prescription medicines. Due to her work ethic and the working-class nature of her customers, she also feels a duty to nurture her customers. Tired and frustrated, Ehrenreich snaps back and then realizes that the job is turning her spiteful and callous. They talk about all the usual girl things, though not potentially expensive topics like shopping or movies. Barbara ends by detailing a few things readers can do to help, from volunteering to supporting government candidates, but argues that changing the economic culture of the United States will take far longer.
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Nickel and Dimed Chapter 1: Serving in Florida Summary & Analysis
Without savings, she tells how she is unable to afford an apartment because she has no money for a down payment. Ehrenreich also finds that employers try to keep information about the wages they pay from becoming general knowledge among workers. Even if the those in poverty earn an income above the poverty line they may not necessarily have the lifestyle of someone out of poverty. The Clearview Inn may well be the worst motel in the country—not an easy feat. In the past years, individuals, organizations, educators, and government have discriminated against these minority groups. The physical pain suffered by the employees of The Maids testifies to the arduous nature of their labor.
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"Nickel and Dimed" Analysis
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. This is helped by the fact that many of the customers are far from middle- or upper-class themselves, so Barbara can feel a certain solidarity as she helps them enjoy their time off. Contrary to popular belief, caucasian Americans are the ones who are most in poverty, however, the chances of being in poverty is much higher for racial minorities such as African Americans and Latinos. In the meantime, low-wage workers are made to feel shame and are constant targets of suspicion, while at the same time are becoming increasingly invisible to upper-class people, who share few of their spaces and so rarely interact with them. At Wal-Mart, customers shop with shopping carts filled to the brim, often leaving about 90 percent rejected.
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Nickel And Dimed Analysis Essay
She takes a short break for dinner before the rush—only one, new cook is on duty. While some rely on a working spouse or relatives or government assistance, many rely on wages alone. They spend their time ensuring that the employees are always busy, even if there is no meaningful work when the diner is slow. Ehrenreich returns to the Clearview to discover that she will have to change rooms because sewage has backed up into the room that she has been staying in. She is eventually hired by a motel and pushed to work as a waitress in the attached diner Hearthside. She has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and many other publications. The dependent variable was the way of living resulted in.
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Nickel and Dimed Three, Selling in Minnesota Summary & Analysis
The average age is the mid-twenties, and all but one is female. This becomes increasingly challenging, as the floor layout in her department changes regularly. After work Barbara visits the state park, and wonders what a few months with zero days off would do to a person without the kind of accolades and praise that come from writing, for instance. But educated middle-class professional like her, she realizes, never hurl themselves into the future without a plan or to-do list. Her point is that low-income workers, like anyone else, are held to higher standards: they cannot make a single mistake, as she did, merely in order to survive off their income, and even while enjoying advantages like those she had. She is almost surprised to find that she can simply walk out the door. Ehrenreich experiences trying to survive on multiple low income jobs to understand what it is like to be in their shoes instead of being apart of the higher middle class.
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Nickel and Dimed Chapter 3: Selling in Minnesota Summary & Analysis
Fed up, at one of the employee meetings she starts talking about the need for a union. Although this is an experiment, Ehrenreich fully submerges herself in a lifestyle that she is not accustomed to. This is one example Twain uses to explain to the reader one of the reasons why he believes man is the lowest of animals. Ted seems to care for little other than money, but Barbara can tell how much his approval means to the others—probably because they get so little validation elsewhere. Shipler is a book that could be most accurately described as eye-opening.
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Analysis of "Nickel and Dimed" by Barbara Ehrenreich
The last sentence has Barbara ironically noting that, because of rent troubles, she literally cannot afford to continue working at Wal-Mart. Barbara says she still thinks they could have done something together if she could have afforded to work at Wal-Mart longer. She takes two jobs. . This was like living paycheck to paycheck and sometimes she also gets out of money for food and other costs. She storms out—and her time in Key West ends. People from church drove her to the WIC Women, Infants, and Children, a federal food program and to find a school and day-care.
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