This essay is a shortened version of a new afterword to barbara ehrenreichs bestselling book nickel and dimed. Ehrenreich took an immersive approach to her research. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of nickel and dimed by barbara ehlereich. She also notes that mass media images are decidedly negative or absent regarding low wage workers, and reports a sense of feeling alone in ones circumstance. Get an answer for what is the authors purpose in nickel and dimed.
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. A brilliant onthejob report from the dark side of the boom. Ehrenreich tells the reader that she developed the idea for this book over an. Access a free summary of nickel and dimed, by barbara ehrenreich and 20000 other business, leadership and nonfiction books on getabstract.
Nickel and dimed summary from litcharts the creators of. She was surprised by the positive feedback, both critically and among regular readers, and the fact that the book won a catholic groups christopher award for a book that affirm. She continues to balance her journalism and booklength projects on social and inequality. However, the reader should be aware that there are fictive elements to many nonfiction works, because the author must recreate scenes and decide how he or she wants to frame the data. On not getting by in america study guide contains a biography of. On not getting by in america study guide contains a biography of author barbara ehrenreich, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Nickel and dimed reveals lowrent america in all its tenacity, anxiety, and surprising generosity a land of big boxes, fast food, and a thousand desperate stratagems for survival. The experiment took place in florida, maine, and minnesota, with the author finding a job and lodgings in each location. May 08, 2001 the powerful story of a fathers past and a sons future. A father, two sons, and an unlikely road to manhood, 2008 offers this eloquent memoir as a letter to his teenage son, bearing witness to his own experiences and conveying passionate hopes for his sons life. Nannies, maids, and sex workers in the new economy 2002, edited by ehrenreich and arlie russell hochschild, is a collection of essays examining injustices regarding lowwage female workers around the world. Litcharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in nickel and dimed, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. Ehrenreich is engaging in ethnographic research for this book, which, in loose terms, means she is undertaking fieldwork in order to make observations about human cultures, or human activities. Nickel and dimed summary 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.
Complete study guide including character descriptions, study questions, chapter summaries, and more by. Ethnographies are based on fieldwork, in which the ethnographer collects data. This book is, of course, more than a report on, and expose of, not getting by in americait is also a detailed critique. Oct 14, 20 nickel and dimed book report barbara ehrenreich is a journalist who wrote the book nickel and dimed. On not getting by in america, essayist and social critic barbara ehrenreich applies this notion to minimumwage workers. On not getting by in america to all incoming freshmen, sophomore matthew pulley was experiencing, for the first time, living on his own, with only a small income to sustain him. Nickel and dimed goodreads meet your next favorite book. 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 the events related in the book took place between spring 1998 and summer 2000. Ehrenreichs method of conducting the experiment and evaluated the clarity and honesty of her conclusions. Nickel and dimed both entertained and disturbed me, with much more on the latter. No ones mind will be changed by karls book, but its a valuable report from the scene of an ongoing train wreck.
Get an answer for nickel and dimed in nickel and dimed how does ehrenreich fail at her experience. For schools who have assigned this book on the summer reading list or for an assignment during the year, consider integrating the nickel and dimed discussion questions that are offered below for those who have not read the book, journalist barbara ehrenreich takes a. Aug 30, 2011 get this book i cant imagine getting involved in a problem as a journalist and not wanting to do something about it, wrote ehrenreich of her activist brand of investigative journalism. Its considered a modern classic in several disciplines, including journalism, sociology and economics. Critique of nickel and dimed pennsylvania state university. Barbara ehrenreich tells the reader how the idea for this book came about. Nickel and dimed thesis quartered carolina journal. 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. On not getting by in america, journalist barbara ehrenreich conducted ethnographic research to study what its like to be a lowwage worker in the united states. Barbara ehrenreich is our premier reporter of the underside of capitalism. Instantly acclaimed for its insight, humor, and passion, this book is changing the way america perceives its working poor. 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. Barbara ehrenreich has 78 books on goodreads with 490432 ratings. The idea of selfsufficiency is the cause of controversy for welfare programs.
Problem analysis paper karen mcnulty george mason university social work department nickel and dimed on not getting by in america has been a very wellwritten and heavily criticized book over the past decade or so. Raleigh last summer, as uncchapel hill was assigning barbara ehrenreichs nickel and dimed. Essay nickel and dimed analysis 2333 words bartleby. On not getting by in america themes barbara ehrenreich this study guide consists of approximately 62 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of nickel and dimed. 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. It is not difficult to endorse nickel and dimed as a book that everyone who readsyes, everyone. Nickel and dimed humble independent school district.
Barbara ehrenreichs most popular book is nickel and dimed. A book report on nickel and dimed by barbara ehrenreich writework. On not getting by in america is one of the top ten most frequently challenged books of 2010 coming in at number 8 according to the american library association the events portrayed in the nonfiction work take place between 1998 and 2000 and investigates the impact of the 1996 welfare reform act on the working poor. Its important to know, for instance, that lowwage workers, while often taking pride in their jobs, are routinely subjected to an authoritarian regime that ranges from demeaning drug tests to bans on gossip with other employees. A book report on nickel and dimed by barbara ehrenreich. Anthropology, the discipline perhaps most familiar with ethnography, raises questions about the participantobserver. Analysis of the book nickel and dimed on essay 2302 words 10 pages. Nickel and dimed by barbara ehrenreich plot summary. Francise prose, o, the oprah magazine valuable and illuminating. Rather than feeling lied to about the american dream, pulley left his experience puzzled about ehrenreichs. Overall, the book nickel and dimed by barbara ehrenreich was horrible. Mar 15, 2007 nickel and dimed book report barbara ehrenreich is a journalist who wrote the book nickel and dimed. On not getting by america by barbara ehrenreich 1726 words 7 pages.
Nickel and dimed book report america encourages the value of selfreliance to achieving ones goals and dreams. Nickel and dimed reveals lowwage america in all its tenacity, anxiety, and surprising generositya land of big boxes, fast food, and a thousand desperate stratagems for survival. Barbara ehrenreich made getting by in america sound a lot harder than what it really is. Thebestnotes on nickel and dimed table of contents setting list of characters short summary synopsis barbara ehrenreich biography historical information genre chapter summaries with notes analysis. Monkeynotes online study guide book notes summary for. Mar 26, 2012 with the book nickel and dimed barbara ehrenreich, starts out her adventure in key west, florida where she is a waitress. Read free book excerpt from nickel and dimed by barbara ehrenreich, page 1 of 4. Ethnographies are based on fieldwork, in which the ethnographer collects data through firsthand experience. Get this book i cant imagine getting involved in a problem as a journalist and not wanting to do something about it, wrote ehrenreich of her activist brand of investigative journalism. The family book report nickel and dimed in this book nickel and dimed.
From what i remember, ehrenreich complained throughout the whole book, and never had anything positive to say. Nickel and dimed is a nonfiction work that can be described as an ethnography or investigative journalism. I did not enjoy reading it and disagree with everything she had to say. Throughout the book, barbara has chronicled in detail just how much brutal physical labor is required in jobs like the ones she took. On not getting by in america, 10th anniversary edition, published august 2nd by picador usa.
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. 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. Nickel and dimed is the revealing, compelling, and widely acclaimed result of that decisiona book that has already become a masterpiece of undercover reportage, and a portraitoftheworkingpoor classic that is showing up in classrooms throughout the nation. Nickel and dimed on not getting by in boomtime america by. One example of prejudice and discrimination that especially stood out to me in nickel and dimed was the way the hotel management in key west would automatically have their black and hispanic job applicants sent to work as housekeeping staff or busboys in the hotel restaurant. Study guide for nickel and dimed by barbara ehrenreich. Mar 12, 2020 as a class, conduct a detailed conversation about nickel and dimed as a pointbypoint examination of this very assumption. As her book project takes shape, she plans to spend a month in each of three placeskey west, portland, maine, and minneapolisintending to. When one is charged a little bit at a time until the expense grows beyond expectations, that is called being nickel and dimed. Starting in 1998, barbara ehrenreich spent several months working lowwage jobs in different cities around the united states in an attempt to experience what it was like to be one of america. It includes an essay by ehrenreich, maid to order, which expands on her study of maid work in nickel and dimed ehrenreichs fear of falling 1989 is a study of the. Free summary of nickel and dimed by barbara ehrenreich.
Mencken has assailed the smug rhetoric of prosperity with such scalpellike precision and. 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. Nickel and dimed by barbara ehrenreich houston chronicle. Nickel and dimed reveals lowwage america in all its tenacity, anxiety, and surprising generositya land of big boxes, fast food, and a thousand desperate. Still, nickel and dimed is a compelling and timely book whose insights sometimes do transcend the obvious. I just finished reading barbara ehrenreichs nickel and dimed and it really opened my eyes. Mencken has assailed the smug rhetoric of prosperity with such scalpellike precision and ferocious wit. 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. The members of the lunchtime book group compared notes on ms. Barbara ehrenreichs nonfiction bestseller, nickel and dimed, is the story of an essay writer who went undercover as a low wage worker to find.
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. Atlantic senior writer coates the beautiful struggle. Barbara ehrenreich decided to join them, inspired in part by the rhetoric surrounding welfare reform, which promised that any job equals a better life. On not getting by in america study guide contains a biography of author barbara ehrenreich, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a. Ehrenreich notes an apparent need for approval from the workers supervisor. Ironically, unc administrators thought, as interim vice. Based on the book nickel and dimed, what were some. 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. Nickel and dimed on not getting by in america by barbara ehrenreich.
She believed that it was a cheap city to live in, which she was wrong for thinking such a thing since the city was such a tourist attraction. Nickel and dimed study guide chapter 2 summary ehrenreich moves to maine next because of the large number of white, englishspeaking people in the lowwage workforce, where she notes there is an abundance of work available. On not getting by in america is a book written by barbara ehrenreich. Nickel and dimed socialist propaganda or a true account. Barbara ehrenreich discusses how she wrote the book in a period of american prosperity but it was published just before the dotcom bubble the booming stock market based on hightech stocks burst in 2001. On not getting by in america, penned by radical leftist barbara ehrenreich. Use of rhetoric in nickel and dimed essay many essays. Ethnography is a scholarly term for the anthropological study of human cultures. Read it for the smoldering clarity of ehrenreichs perspective and for a rare view of how prosperity looks from the bottom. On not getting by in america, published in 2001 by barbara ehrenreich, is a book in which the author goes undercover and investigates the lives of the working poor by living and working in similar conditions. Barbara ehrenreich nickel and dimed chapter 2 summary. Published in 2001, nickel and dimed was a response to the rhetoric surrounding welfare reform namely, the notion that unskilled jobs could lift. Get the entire nickel and dimed litchart as a printable pdf.
Ehrenreich notes that employees are barred from using the front door. Within american culture, it is common for those who enjoy such advantages. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Nickel and dimed discussion questions the religion. Books by barbara ehrenreich author of nickel and dimed. Nickel and dimed analysis essay example graduateway. Nickel and dimed free summary by barbara ehrenreich getabstract.
Get an answer for based on the book nickel and dimed, what were some of the issues experienced related to lack of healthcare insurance. On not getting by in america by barbara ehrenreich page 1 about the book millions of americans work fulltime, yearround, for povertylevel wages. Nickel and dimed study guide from litcharts the creators of. Barbara ehrenreich decided to join them, inspired in part by the rhetoric surrounding welfare reform, which. Fran abramss book grew out of her series of guardian reports inspired. 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. A frequent contributor to time, harpers, esquire, the new republic, mirabella, the nation, and the new york times magazine, she lives near key west, florida. Nickel and dimed is an account of true events and does not contain the same literary elements. On not getting by in america by barbara ehrenreich. Want ads are not a reliable measure of the actual jobs available at any particular time.
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