Nickel and Dimed

http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/c/a/caw43/ENGL419/nickelcritique.html

This portrays a controversial image of the interpretation of Nickel and Dimed from many at the University of North Carolina, describing it by many as “liberal propaganda”. I believe it is untrue to state this as it promotes the improvement in American society rather than disregarding America itself. She would not be passionate about her country if she was not willing to undertake her experiment. It also highlights many people opinions of its reference to religion and Jesus. This article is stimulated by the choice of the university to use Nickel and Dimed on their reading list to which Allran the state senator and a religious member of the community states they should have stuck to the “classics” which I would strongly disagree with is it not better to use resources through which people can relate to and that are relevant to their society today? It talks in regards to questioning Ehrenreich by stating that many of those examples are helped by welfare but what happens in recent times of economic crisis when welfare is cut back and aren’t we supposed to be encouraged to be independent and not so reliant on the state? How are you if opportunities are not supplied? This becomes especially important in the case of the maid service who is charging customers $25 and only paying workers $6 can that be right? The article being written by a male I think has much to do with his attitudes it is unlikely that he himself would have to experience much of what is experienced in the book as much of the low paid and hardworking jobs such as waitressing and maid services are obtained by single mothers or struggling females, which I felt was very prominent when reading the book. He is also through his work unable to imagine the experiences of these people as I’m sure his job means he (luckily) never has to rely on welfare. I feel it is unjust and unfair for him justify his opinions like this.