I'd pay about a Nickel or Dime for this book (lol j/k)
Grrrr...there are places in Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich that make me really mad and here's one of them!
"I still think we could have done something, she and I, if I could have afforded to work at Wal-Mart a little longer" (191).
This quote seems counter productive to the point of the book, to bring social change. She does a good job of calling to attention how bad it stinks to be of the lower class and how difficult it is to get by. Why then, when the opportunity presented itself to possibly do something and bring about positive change did she stop? She leaves a job half completed. This goes back to my other entry about this book and how I said if you're going to do something, do it the best you can, don't half do it (you know what I wanted to say here) or you're selling yourself and the people you represent short. Now here's the part when I draw back from the offensive and say, Ok this book wasn't really as bad as I've been saying it was. She did use humor effectively and I really appriciate this. She takes frustrating situations and presents them to the reader while still managing to make them laugh or nod their heads in agreement. An example of this is the line that says, "Now I am picking up not only dropped clothes but all the odd items customers carry off from foreign departments and decide to leave with us in ladies'-pillows, upholstery books, Pokemon cards, earrings, sunglasses, stuffed animals, even a package of cinnamon buns" (164). These are such random objects it made me laugh. I also was nodding in agreement because I've seen the same thing and maybe once or twice I left something somewhere in a store that doesn't belong. I didn't do it often and now if I don't want something I'll either take it back or just take it to the counter and they'll put it away. So I will withdraw my negative stance on the book and say, Alright, it was ok. I learned a little and it was somewhat funny. It could have been better executed but things can always be improved. Ask Dr. Jerz.
Check out my comment on Juliana's blog.
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Lauren Miller on I'd pay about a Nickel or Dime for this book (lol j/k): I was upset too when she left
Juliana Cox on I'd pay about a Nickel or Dime for this book (lol j/k): I agree that she did leave a j
I agree that she did leave a job/situation when she was given a chance to spark change. I also understand that she wanted to bring social change, but she also was just trying to prove a point that living on a minimum wage can barely pass as living, especially if you are providing for a family. In this book she could barely provide for her self and she is just one person. It shows that this society does need a change for people to be able to support themselves.
I was upset too when she left before trying to make a change. She really could have done something, and it would not even have mattered because Wal-Mart was not her real job, so she would not have been risking anything. You pose a good question: "Why then, when the opportunity presented itself to possibly do something and bring about positive change did she stop?" I would like to know how she would answer that. The only thing that I can think of is that she did not really want to do this experience in the first place and was tired of working these jobs and just wanted to go home.
I thought this book was really good, actually.
I am a little confused as well over why she didn't try to affect change in that Wal-Mart. But thinking about it, I guess it would be for the better. Wal-Mart does not accept the existence of any worker's union, and when one forms, that Wal-Mart closes down (I believe that happened to a particular Wal-Mart in Canada). I think she would've done more bad than good if she would've formed a union there.