AP English Language and Composition



Taken from: Henry Holt and Company



Discussion Questions

1. In the wake of recent welfare reform measures, millions of women entering the workforce can expect to face struggles like the ones Ehrenreich confronted in Nickel and Dimed.

Have you ever been homeless, unemployed, without health insurance, or held down two jobs? What is the lowest-paying job you ever held and what kind of help -- if any -- did you need to improve your situation?

2. Were your perceptions of blue-collar Americans transformed or reinforced by Nickel and Dimed? Have your notions of poverty and prosperity changed since reading the book? What about your own treatment of waiters, maids, and sales-people?

3. How do booming national and international chains -- restaurants, hotels, retail outlets, cleaning services, and elder-care facilities -- affect the treatment and aspirations of low-wage workers? Consider how market competition and the push for profits drive the nickel-and-diming of America's lowest-paid.

4. Housing costs pose the greatest obstacle for low-wage workers. Why does our society seem to resist rectifying this situation? Do you believe that there are realistic solutions to the lack of affordable housing?

5. While working for The Maids, Ehrenreich hears Ted claim that he's "not a bad guy . . . and cares a lot about his girls." How do the assumptions of supervisors such as Ted affect their employees? How does Ted compare to Ehrenreich's other bosses? To yours?

6. Ehrenreich is white and middle class. She asserts that her experience would have been radically different had she been a person of color or a single parent. Do you think discrimination shaped Ehrenreich's story? In what ways?

7. Ehrenreich found that she could not survive on $7.00 per hour -- not if she wanted to live indoors. Consider how her experiment would have played out in your community: limiting yourself to $7.00 per hour earnings, create a hypothetical monthly budget for your part of the country.

8. Ehrenreich experienced remarkable goodwill, generosity, and solidarity among her colleagues. Does this surprise you? How do you think your own colleagues measure up?

9. Why do you think low-wage workers are reluctant to form labor organizations as Ehrenreich discovered at Wal-Mart? How do you think employees should lobby to improve working conditions?

10. Many campus and advocacy groups are currently involved in struggles for a "living wage." How do you think a living wage should be calculated?

11. Were you surprised by the casual reactions of Ehrenreich's coworkers when she revealed herself as an undercover writer? Were you surprised that she wasn't suspected of being "different" or out-of-place despite her graduate-level education and usually comfortable lifestyle?

12. How does managers' scrutiny -- "time theft" crackdowns and drug testing -- affect workers' morale? How can American companies make the workplace environment safe and efficient without treating employees like suspected criminals?

13. Ehrenreich concluded that had her working life been spent in a Wal-Mart -- like environment, she would have emerged a different person -- meaner, pettier, "Barb" instead of "Barbara." How would your personality change if you were placed in working conditions very different from the ones you are in now?

14. The workers in Nickel and Dimed receive almost no benefits -- no overtime pay, no retirement funds, and no health insurance. Is this fair? Do you think an increase in salary would redress the lack of benefits, or is this a completely separate problem?

15. Many of Ehrenreich's colleagues relied heavily on family -- for housing and help with child-care, by sharing appliances and dividing up the cooking, shopping, and cleaning. Do you think Americans make excessive demands on the family unit rather than calling for the government to help those in need?

16. Nickel and Dimed takes place in 1998-2000, a time of unprecedented prosperity in America. Do you think Ehrenreich's experience would be different in today's economy? How so?

17. After reading Nickel and Dimed, do you think that having a job -- any job -- is better than no job at all? Did this book make you feel angry? Better informed? Relieved that someone has finally described your experience? Galvanized to do something?

English 11 – American Literature

Nickel and Dimed ~ Barbara Ehrenreich

PROJECT: Nickel and Dimed in South Spokane

Due Date:

You may complete this project on your own or in a group of up to three members.

The Scenario:

You’ve graduated from FHS and have decided not to attend college for now. Parents are not supportive of this decision, so you’ve decided to move out on your own. You must now find employment, housing, and create a budget based on 30-40 hours of your salary, and living expenses. Once you have done this, you decide you want MORE – you want your “dream”. Continue to and complete the following information.

Parameters:

• This is a hypothetical search. You may NOT make any phone calls to potential landlords or employers.

• You will be given $1500 for startup costs, but this is all the money you will have to work with . . . NO borrowing from anyone!

• You must find a job that you are qualified for (i.e., a job that does not require more than a high school diploma). You can look in the Spokesman’s classified ads, Craigslist, a local employment guide, or employment website such as , or .

• You must find an apartment or house to rent. It should be near your job. Look in the classified ads in The Spokesman OR Craigslist. Remember that if the ad does NOT specify that the apartment is furnished, you’ll need to buy furniture to sleep on and sit on. Additionally, you’ll need basics for cooking, depending upon what’s in your apartment. Do you have a stove, an oven, a microwave? (You may assume that you will have a refrigerator and access to a washer/dryer). Will you buy pot, pans, utensils, etc.? Also, how much are utilities, or are they included in the rent?

• You must consider transportation. If you already have a car, you can “keep” it, but you must now pay for the insurance (estimate the cost at $125/month). If you decide to ride the bus, include bus fare.

The Final Product:

You will present your findings to the class based upon a PowerPoint, which you will submit after your presentation.

The report must include:

• A detailed startup budget, which should include: apartment deposit, cost of any furniture, cost of any necessary initial purchases (utensils, dishes, kitchen staples, bedding, etc.).

• A detailed monthly budget (you can find simple templates online), including:

o Your take home pay, based upon your salary and hours worked per week (you can forget about taxes for the sake of simplicity).

o Rent

o Utilities (if applicable)

o Transportation (including car insurance and gas if you have a car; if not, bus fare).

o Food & Toiletries (deodorant, hair styling products, soap, shampoo, toothpaste, etc.)

NOW . . . Go on to Poverty in America: Living Wage Calculator and find the living wage for Spokane. Explain what the job you think you might want to do pays in Spokane and how it compares to “what you are making now”.

✓ Explain how your life would be different if you tried to raise a family off of the wage.

✓ Include details about housing, food, childcare, health insurance, and transportation.

✓ Explain if you are in the red or the black.

✓ Explain how the desired “job” will allow you to achieve your American Dream.

Then, go to Occupational Outlook Handbook:

- What is the outlook for your job?

• A minimum one-page summary/reflection from each group member. You must address the following questions:

• Could you survive on the budget you created?

• What would your standard of living be? Where could you afford to shop for clothes? What “luxuries” that you currently enjoy would you have to forgo?

• What would happen if you had a medical emergency and could not work for a week?

• How does a living wage with a family compare to minimum wage by yourself?

• Explain your thoughts on our prompt for our essay now that you have conducted this research!

• How does this research add to, or change your understanding/opinion of the American Dream? Explain.

• Create 2 to 3 discussion questions (level 3) about this experience.

Standards:

Research to Build and Present Knowledge:

Writing11.7 Conduct short research projects to answer a question or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrate understanding of the subject under investigation.

4: Reflection demonstrates that the student has thoroughly explored the topic, and clearly articulates their understanding of the topic. The reflection references specific information from the student’s research to support the student’s responses.

3: Reflection demonstrates that the student has adequately explored the topic, and is able to demonstrate their understanding of the topic. The reflection references information from the student’s research to support the student’s responses.

2: Reflection demonstrates that the student has somewhat explored the topic, and has some understanding of the topic. The reflection references little information from the student’s research to support the student’s responses.

1: Reflection provides little evidence of the student understands of the topic and there is little evidence of research.

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