WGST E112
Nickel and Dimed Worksheet
Briefly answer the following:
Introduction
- What do you think about the parameters Ehrenreich sets? Do you think someone with her background will really be able to make it in the low-wage world? Would she have been better off (just) interviewing women who really live this lifestyle rather than trying to experience low-wage living?
After coming across the parameters set by Ehrenreich, I was not surprised as I expected this since Ehrenreigh was a wealthy person trying to fit in shoes of low-wages workers with her aim being doing research but not ending up being of low class in future. So her parameters are reasonable in her case. It will be hard for someone with Ehrenreigh background to make it in the low-wage world. This is because no one wishes to be low-wage worker even those who are real low-wage workers, but the circumstances force one to be in a low paying job as they can’t afford high-paying jobs may be due to their illiteracy level; hence it is not easy for a person from a background like that of Ehrenreigh to make it in the low-wage world as it is full of challenges and struggles which I don’t think Ehrenreigh can handle without quitting at some point. Interviewing women in low-wage lifestyle could be a good idea but could not help her get reliable data compared to when she experiences a low-wage lifestyle herself. This is because some of the women might not be willing to expose their miserable life, and some may not be willing to take part in an interview at all. This may be as a result of the interviewees being ashamed to discuss their wages and miserable living conditions. However, by experiencing the lifestyle herself, it would help her dig deep to get reliable information even that which happens behind the scenes that are hard to get through interviews.
- What problems do you think Ehrenreich will encounter? Do you think she will be successful?
There are several problems Ehrenreich will be likely to face. She will face the challenge of interacting with low-class people as those will be the kind of people she will be relating with. She will be likely to face the problem of choosing the house to rent as she has no experience on where to get the houses for a low-wage worker with the significant consideration lying on affordable cost. Low-wage workers are always required to be submissive and always follow orders from their bosses. This will be a challenge to her as she is believed to be wealthy and maybe a boss to someone and is not interested in the earnings from low-wage work, but his interest in conducting research. Hence she will be feeling uncomfortable for being a junior from people who are far away from her class. Ehrenreich’s success will depend on her determination to achieve her goal no matter the challenge she will come across. In my opinion, I think she will succeed.
Chapter 1
- Is Ehrenreich confirming or disproving your expectations for her performance on the job?
Ehrenreich proves my expectation of the submissiveness problem as she feels that, to some extent, she is mistreated. When the drug rumors targets to test and monitor new employees, she feels that she should not be treated like that as she has never been treated like that before. However, she disapproves of my expectation of relating with low-class people as they had a great relationship with Gail. Ehrenreich also confirmed my expectation of her succeeding because her success was determined by her determination to achieve her dream.
- What biases do you think Ehrenreich brings to the low-wage world? Do they affect her evaluation of her experience?
Ehrenreich brings bias to the low-waged world as he expects high privileges to be experienced in the low-wage world. She expects the low-waged world not to do without food, and also she expects the low-wage world to have medical insurance covers. This is bias to the low-waged world as the key issue in the low-waged world is survival. This bias affects her evaluation to some extent as she fails to get real experience in the low-wage world.
- Do you think Gail will be able to continue living in the trailer that Ehrenreich gives her? What problems might Gail face in the future?
I don’t think Gail will be able to continue living in the trailer. This is because it will be expensive, and the low-wage job won’t be able to support her to live in that trailer. The problem she might have some difficulties finding a way to be able to survive in the trailer from a low-wage which may lead her to struggle a lot, and he might even luck food as all her pay will be dedicated to the trailer.
Chapter 2
- What is the advantage of working for Merry Maid if you are only paid $6.65 an hour, and independent house cleaners are paid $15 an hour? What difficulties might someone encounter if she decided to work independently? Why do you think other women stay with the maid service for so long? Why don’t they demand higher wages?
Working for Merry Maid though it pays less compared to independent house cleaners is better as one is guaranteed a pay weekly. Independent house cleaners are not guaranteed a job as they have to search for a job themselves, which at times can take them a week or even more without getting it. Some women stay with maid service for long because they don’t want to risk staying for long without pay as weekly payment enables them to acquire food. The women don’t dare demand high wages because they fear to lose their jobs as their employer may replace them if they demand an increase in payment.
- Do you think the other women that work at Merry Maids have the same reaction as Ehrenreich to how they are treated when they go to the grocery store after work?
I don’t think they have the same reaction. This is because this is the work they have been doing for years, and they are not better than what they are. Ehrenreich’s reaction was because this is not her job, and that why she is guilty of being dirty, leading to her concern about how people think of her in the grocery store.
- Ehrenreich portrays Holly as frail and victimized by her husband’s uncaring demeanor. She is also victimized by Ted. Do you think Ehrenreich renders a simplified version of what is potentially a much more complex Holly?
I think Ehrenreich simplifies her vision as she judges Holly without digging down to find out why Holly could come to work when she was sick and even apologizes to Ted. I think the life of Holly is more complicated than what Ehrenreich thought as low-wages workers life is full of challenges, and that may have affected her.
Chapter 3
- Ehrenreich tells us that Caroline and her family are officially middle-class. Middle-class has been, historically, a value-laden term. What does it mean to be middle-class in America?
Ehrenreich refers Caroline and her family middle-class due to their annual income that falls at $40,000, although the family is subjected to struggles such as; flushing toilets using a bucket of water, children’s medical conditions and they still live in the region which is drug-ridden. This confuses my knowledge of middle-class meaning in America. The middle class in America is considered to be earning a considerable salary but not huge to make them referred to as wealthy. The middle class is termed free from challenges like; poor housing, dressing challenges and is termed to live I danger-free areas. But with Ehrenreich referring Caroline and her family reach, I tend to imagine that the meaning of a middle class has changed.
- Ehrenreich critiques the drug-test aspect of the job application process. Do you think this test discriminates based on class? Do you think it is a necessary component for employment?
I disagree with Ehrenreich on critiquing the drug test aspect of the job application process. The test is not discriminative as every applicant is tested. Even the one who conducts the test was at one time tested before securing the job. Again, I don’t see why someone will complain of drug text because I don’t expect a company to entertain employees who are drug addicts in their organizations. The drug test aspect is both for the good of the company, tested individual, and also the company employees, and I see it very essential in employment. If one is a drug addict and is doing a low-wage work, he/she will be using all the money on drugs and will never be able to support his or her family. If the company doesn’t test drug aspect on the employees hired, the company is likely to hire drug addicts who will end up introducing drug trafficking in the company which may lead to introducing innocent employees to drugs turning the company to a drug zone and a crime scene since drugs are highly associated to crime.