The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 240 pages and is available in paperback format. In this book, the author deliberately places herself in the position of the working poor, taking jobs that arent fit for a slave to earn money not fit for anyone over the age of 12. With nearly a million copies in print, nickel and dimed is a modern classic that deftly portrays the plight of americas workingclass poor. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of nickel and dimed by barbara ehlereich. Metropolitan books, new york city this report on nickel and dimed was written and submitted by user layla tucker to help you with your own studies. Reveals lowwage america in all its tenacity, anxiety, and surp. Nickel and dimed is not only important but transformative in its insistence that we take a long hard look at the society we live in. The most unsettling aspect of barbara ehrenreichs eyeopening foray into the world of the working poor is that the situation hasnt improved.
The family book report nickel and dimed in this book nickel and dimed. Met aphor all i can see is a grass fire raging in the back of my eyes 112 purpose. In particular, ehrenreich asks in the introduction, how were the roughly four million women about to be booted into the labor. On not getting by in america study guide contains a biography of author barbara ehrenreich, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a.
Get the key points from this book in less than 10 minutes. This summary of nickel and dimed includes a complete plot overview spoilers included. This is an example of the author, barbara ehrenreich, using rheteric in the form of a metaphor. Critique of nickel and dimed pennsylvania state university.
A successful author, barbara ehrenreich decides to see if she can scratch out a comfortable living in a bluecollar america obsessed with welfare reform. On not getting by in america, penned by radical leftist barbara ehrenreich. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper. Nickel and dimed opens with barbara ehrenreich, a writer and journalist from key west, florida, at a lunch with her editor discussing pitches and article ideas. Author barbara ehrenreich decides to see if she can scratch out a comfortable living in bluecollar america. To paint an image of the state of the spirit after too much work. Barbara ehrenreich decided to join them, inspired in part by the rhetoric surrounding welfare reform, which promised that any job equals a better life. We recorded this interview when her book nickel and dimed was published, in. On not getting by in america by barbara ehrenreich and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. On not getting by in america by barbara ehrenreich page 1 about the book millions of americans work fulltime, yearround, for povertylevel wages. On not getting by in america is significant because ehrenreich. On not getting by in america is significant because ehrenreich does explain how many do survive off of minimum wage which really is not much. Jun 01, 2010 nickel and dimed book report barbara ehrenreich is a journalist who wrote the book nickel and dimed. Barbara ehrenreich used logos appeal to logic to support her reasoning by stating lots of factual evidence in her book located at the bottom of the pages.
Were considering expanding this synopsis into a fulllength study guide to deepen your comprehension of the book and why its important. This engrossing piece of undercover reportage has been a fixture on the new york times best seller list since its publication. Get a 100% unique essay on book report on nickled and dimed. Again, i keep this short and sweet so that youll begin to build out your own analysis of the work. Barbara ehrenreichs nickel and dimed was selected as the summer reading book for 2003. Nickel and dimed report introductory sociology stuvia. The main characters of this non fiction, sociology story are. We look at every kind of content that may matter to our audience. Written from her perspective as an undercover journalist, it sets out to. Here, i briefly summarize and begin to analyze unit 1 of nickel and dimed.
Unlike the outsiders, nickel and dimed is a nonfictional account of ehrenreichs experiences as she attempts to support herself by working various blue collar jobs. Many college freshmen are required to read nickel and dimed, but anyone who knows little about what working class america is like should definitely take a look. In my opinion, barbara ehrenreich proved her two points in her story nickel and dimed. How terrifying having a job where one relentlessly cleans someone elses belongings and tries to maintain there comfort with a good smelling house, meanwhile this ladies mouth is filthy and foul smelling i assume, because of the rotten teeth observation of ehrenreich with no prospect of health or dental care anywhere. Nickel and dimed on not getting by in america literature. May 22, 2018 nickel and dimed is a book by barbara ehrenreich. Nickel and dimed book by barbara ehrenreich proprofs quiz. Within american culture, it is common for those who enjoy such advantages.
Is nickel and dimed by barbara ehrenreich still relevant. Nickel and dimed 2001 offers a firsthand account of lowincome life in america. The book chronicles barbaras experience living as a low income hourly wage earner in the united states, working at jobs that pay six to seven. The author went underground to learn why a huge number of hardworking people must struggle to earn enough money to live a comfortable life, eat decent food and afford the most basic shelter. There is a common belief that poverty can be defeated with hard work and that the poor are simply too lazy to earn a better living. It is interesting to read in ehrenreichs book nickel and dimed 2008 that there are large numbers of low wage workers in our society who are struggling to be socially and financially secure. Free nickel and dimed book report essay exampleessays. Nickel and dimed on not getting by in america essay. I just finished reading barbara ehrenreichs nickel and dimed and it really opened my eyes. Beginning life as a piece of undercover journalism for harpers, the 2001 book purports to reveal the truth about poverty in postwelfare reform america. Nickelanddimed definition of nickelanddimed by the free. The new york times bestseller, and one of the most talked about books of the year, nickel and dimed has already become a classic of undercover reportage. Nov 05, 2010 writing a nickel and dimed essay will be very interesting.
After some internetbased research, she is convinced that there will be a. What we say here about books applies to all formats we cover. Nickel and dimed summary on not getting by in america. On not geting by in america and criticisms it is said that america is a land where dreams come true everyday. Nickel and dimed is a story by an essay writer, barbara ehrenreich, who was an undercover low wage worker. She goes undercover to see how it feels 1,618 words 7 pages. On not getting by in america by barbara ehrenreich. Ironically, unc administrators thought, as interim vice. As a class, conduct a detailed conversation about nickel and dimed as a pointbypoint examination of this very assumption. She insisted on using a car figuring that a story about waiting for buses would not be a very interesting read and a backup atm card. On not getting by in america by barbara ehrenreich is based on ehrenreichs ethnographic research on the tricks that people in lowwage jobs are able to survive in america off their income.
The main idea of nickel and dimed 2108 words bartleby. Either way its obvious that in this book the management held negative views of their black and hispanic workers, and acted upon them by denying people of color certain jobs. To show how flippant and exuberant she felt at that time. Nickel and dimed analysis essay example graduateway. His aim was to find out how unskilled workers survived to make their ends meet. The myth of the working poor the city journal poverty in. He conducted his experiment mainly in minnesota, floridra, and maine. I have great admiration for barbara ehrenreich to have done this experimentactivity. Despite several excellent performances, this production, a stage adaptation of a book by barbara ehrenreich, is less promising than it might be. The novel nickel and dimed written by barbara ehrenreich is a detailed account of the journalists experiment as a low waged worker in america. Francise prose, o, the oprah magazine valuable and illuminating. Nickel and dimed is one of the most important books to be published this year, a new entry in the tradition of reporting on poverty that includes george orwells the road to wigan pier and michael harringtons the other america. What you dont necessarily realize when you start selling your time by the hour is that what youre really selling is your life.
Nickel and dimed is most definitely a political book, and it had a very political premise. Then, ehrenreich writes, her book was an illustration that despite the relative good times. Nickel and dimed teachers guide grades 912 teachervision. Essay study book nickel and dimed of barbara ehrenreich isbn. Another book with a similar purpose is barbara ehrenreichs nickel and dimed. The first edition of the novel was published in 2001, and was written by barbara ehrenreich. He focused on getting a job, and lodging in each location he went for his research.
On not getting by in america is a book written by barbara ehrenreich. Nickel and dimed is about a welloff author, barbara enrenreich, and her experience when she sets aside her college education, white collar job, and joins the ranks of workers living near minimum wage. Nickel and dimed author barbara ehrenreich has some. Nickel and dimed humble independent school district. Access a free summary of nickel and dimed, by barbara ehrenreich and 20,000 other business, leadership and nonfiction books on getabstract. But even those who are inclined to think too much of money and power have been heard to admit that ehrenreichs political medicine goes down easy, thanks in large part. Access a free summary of nickel and dimed, by barbara ehrenreich and 20000 other business, leadership and nonfiction books on getabstract. Research papers on nickel and dimed by ehrenreich nickel and dimed research papers examine a novel written by barbara ehrenreich about welfare reform in america. Clevery subtitled how not to get by in america, the book is a chronicle of ehrenreichs adventures in survival as a member of the lowwage workforce that serves our meals, cleans our homes, and cares for.
To this end, the bulk of its criticism might well be directed at the walmart empire. On not getting by in america metropolitan books, is one of americas most reliable critics of the rich and powerful. She also tried to prove low wage jobs require a lot of effort that was not worth the amount of money they received per hour. English 11 february 21, 20 ap book project part one introduction 1. This book is, of course, more than a report on, and expose of, not getting by in americait is also a detailed critique. A conservative student group objected to the books selection, suggesting university administrators were pushing a liberal point of view and labeling the book a marxist rant. We may take them for granted, but the people earning the minimum wage are the nations backbone, serving our food. Book report on nickled and dimed free papers for students.
Shes often written about poverty, and at the moment the book opens, millions of americans are about to leave welfare as the 1996 welfare reform legislation kicks in. Oct 03, 20 she described in this chapter a woman working with her with no front teeth. Barbara ehrenreich sought to prove wages for low class workers are too low for them to provide for themselves or families. Barbara ehrenreichs nonfiction bestseller, nickel and dimed, is the story of an essay writer who went undercover as a low wage worker to find out how nonskilled workers make ends meet.
Complete study guide including character descriptions, study questions, chapter summaries, and more by. Sep 07, 2011 for me the need to present something on this book for bbw had an urgency that outweighed such niceties. She leaves her regular life to explore the experiences of a minimum wage worker. Nickel and dimed and below the breadline books the. Clevery subtitled how not to get by in america, the book is a chronicle of ehrenreichs adventures in survival as a member of the lowwage workforce that serves our meals, cleans our homes, and cares for our elderly. Social inequality portrayed in nickel and dimed barbara. Maine rhetoric antithesis metaphor humor as graphic as this may be, it clearly shows. On not getting by in america from the worlds largest community of readers. In this article, we offer you some hints on writing a nickel and dimed essay. Essay about book report on nickled and dimed 947 words. When receiving research from paper masters, one can have any source or book used within the project that one feels is relevant. The idea of selfsufficiency is the cause of controversy for welfare programs. I finished it this morning at my desk at work before my shift started and i had to step outside. The experiment took place in florida, maine, and minnesota, with the author finding a job and lodgings in each location.
Nickel and dimed teachers guide nickel and dimed teachers guide journalist and author barbara ehrenreich goes under cover to work lowwage jobs across america, learning how difficult it is to eat, find shelter, and survive earning povertylevel wages. This is the absolute hardest thing ive ever had to read. Another example of prejudice in noted while i was reading nickel and dimed was how the owners of the houses barb cleaned while working as a maid in portland seemed to. Nickel and dimed free summary by barbara ehrenreich. Still nickel and dimed a decade later the new yorker. Published in 2001, the book talks about the impact of the welfare reform act of 1996. Barbara ehrenreich, activist author of nickel and dimed, spent a few months working a few lowly jobs in order to report the plight of the isolated working poor. Undercover in lowwage usa, by barbara ehrenreich jeremy seabrook follows a fearless reporter into the mucky lower depths of the worlds richest society. Nickel and dimed is one of the most important books to be published this year, a new entry in the tradition of reporting on poverty that includes george orwells. Mar 28, 2011 this engrossing piece of undercover reportage is a new york times bestseller. This comprehensive lesson plan includes 30 daily lessons, 180 multiple choice questions, 20 essay questions, 20 fun activities, and more everything you need to teach nickel and dimed. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Nickel and dimed explores the nasty and depressing life of minimumwages earners and their struggles to sustain a healthy existence.
Free summary of nickel and dimed by barbara ehrenreich. Sep 17, 2011 the book isnt sensationalised or overly explicit, and the scenes are definitely contextually appropriate. Nickel and dimed free summary by barbara ehrenreich getabstract. Nickel and dimed summary from litcharts the creators of. On not getting by in america, barbara ehrenreich writes that what surprised and offended me the most about the lowwage workplace was the extent to which one is required to surrender ones basic civil rights and what boils down to the same thingselfrespect211. Nickel and dimed both entertained and disturbed me, with much more on the latter. In contrast to recent books by michael lewis and dinesh dsouza that explore the lives and psyches of the new economys millionares, ehrenreich fear of. Ehrenreichs anger propelled her to write nickel and dimed. Cheran jacob ratnam nickel and dimed by barbara ehrenreich february 26, 12 barbara ehrenreichs book, nickel and dimed, takes the modern day human on a muchneeded journey to places that some people only take when comfortably staring. On not getting by in america lesson plans include daily lessons, fun activities, essay topics, testquiz questions, and more.
Written from her perspective as an undercover journalist, it sets out to investigate the impact of the 1996 welfare reform act on the working poor in the united states. Is nickel and dimed by barbara ehrenreich still relevant today. Barbara ehrenreichs nickel and dimed and fran abramss below the breadline expose the grim banality of life on the minimum wage on each. Nickel and dimed book report barbara ehrenreich is a journalist who wrote the book nickel and dimed. Once again unc has selected a controversial book for its incoming freshman to read, according to a report in the july 11, 2003 edition of the chronicle of higher education che. Free study guide for nickel and dimed by barbara ehrenreich. Barbara ehrenreich is our premier reporter of the underside of capitalism. If you have read it or intend to, this is the quiz for you. Some of the other protests surround the political messaging of the book, the marxist perspective. A successful author, barbara ehrenreich decides to see if she can scratch out a comfortable living in a bluecollar america. Free study guide for nickel and dimed by barbara ehrenreich free booknotes short summary synopsis the author barbara ehrenreich wonders if single mothers, who due to recent welfare reform, whom depend solely on what they can make at lowwage jobs, will be able to survive financially.
193 677 68 1258 511 1280 916 101 220 136 102 1056 942 527 184 504 1255 1464 1622 858 1108 1157 1054 729 1137 383 1025 1031 69 1124 726 196 415 624 175 167 1047 518 960 270 1216 215 408 1170 878 804