Sociology/Economics
Sociology/Economics
Summer Reading 2014-2015
Due:First day of Class (No exceptions) September 2014
Weight: Quiz Grade
Format:MLA Format
12 pt Times New Roman
Double spaced
1” margins
Assignment:Read Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) getting By in America
By Barbara Ehren
Metropolitan Books, 2010
You can find this book on Amazon, at a book store or library, or use the Kindle or Nook e-book edition. You do not have to bring the book to class.
The book hasthe following (5) sections:
- “Introduction:Getting Ready”
- “ServinginFlorida”
- “ScrubbinginMaine”
- “SellinginMinnesota”
- “Evaluation”
Attheendofeachsection,writeanoverallresponsetothatsection.Eachresponse
shouldbe no less than 400 words..Thepromptsforeachsectionareprovidedbelow:
- Introduction:GettingReady
DiscusstheguidelinesEhrenreichestablishesforherselfintheexperiment: whatshewould
andwhatshewouldn’tdo(forexample,havingavehicle,butnotgoinghungry).Howrealistic
arethesegoalsforpeopleworkingbelowaminimumwage? Explainyourviewpoint.What
guidelineswouldyouestablishforyourselfifyouweretodothisexperiment? Whywould
thoseguidelinesbeimportantforyoutoobserve?
- Chapter1: ServinginFlorida
Haveyouhadajobsimilartotheauthor’sjobsinKeyWest(waitingtables,housekeeping)
whereyou’vehadproblemswithunreasonablebossessuchasStuandJoy?Writeabrief
explanationofajobyou’vehad,anddescribehowitwassimilar,andhowitwasdifferentfromEhrenreich’sexperiences.Whatdidyoulearnfromtheexperience?Ifyouhaven’thadajob,
discussastressfulprojectorassignmentyou’vehadtocompleteinschool.Howdidyoudeal
withthedeadlinesandwiththestress?Didyoudevelopanystrategiestoovercomethe
problemsinthesituation?Remembertodescribehowyoursituationwassimilar,andhowit
wasdifferentfromEhrenreich’sexperiences.
- Chapter2: ScrubbinginMaine
Peopleoftengivethe“right”answersthatmaynotbethetruth,asEhrenreichdidonherjob
application.Whyshould/shouldn’tpeoplealwaystellthetruth,bothintheirpersonaland
workinglives? Explainyourargument,usingexamplesfromyourownexperience.
- Chapter3: SellinginMinnesota
Asareader,wegettoknowmanyofEhrenreich'scoworkers.Whydoestheauthoruse
personalnarrativesinNickelandDimed?Fromthissection,chooseoneperson'sstoryto
examine.WhatisEhrenreich’spurposeintellingthisparticularstory?
- EvaluationandAfterword
This section was written seven years afterNickel and Dimedwas published.Since then, the economy has suffered even more severe reversals.Discuss these areas in which the economic downturn is affecting the lives of students:housing, transportation, tuition, food costs and the prices of goods and services.Which of these sectors will cause the most difficulty for students?Explain your answer.
If you should have any questions, please email me, Mrs.Murphy, at . Enjoy your summer.