Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America by Barbara Ehrenreich 1
Class of 2017 – Summer Reading Assignment
Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America
By Barbara Ehrenreich
Following the experience of Barbara Ehrenreich as she works “undercover” to
deal with individuals who find themselves re-routed in their pursuit of the
“American Dream”, Nickel and Dimed speaks to the economic pressures the
working class in America suffer under and questions the true quality of life for the
average American trying to get by in life.
This packet includes a pre-reading assignment, which includes a research-based
component and an essay prompt, as well as textual analysis questions which
accompany a reading of the book. These assignments will count as your first
grades for the first quarter!
Checklist (for your convenience):
____
Pre-Reading Research Assignment (page 2)
____
Pre-Reading Essay Component typed and printed (page 2)
____
Read the Book!
____
Textual analysis/response questions completed in black or blue pen (pages 3 - 5)
____
Bring this packet and your essay to class on the first full day of next school year!
Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America by Barbara Ehrenreich 2
Name: ________________________
English III – American Literature
August 2015
Pre-Reading Vocabulary: define each of the following in terms that you understand!
Capitalism - ___________________________________________________________________________
Living wage - __________________________________________________________________________
Minimum wage - _______________________________________________________________________
Welfare - _____________________________________________________________________________
Poverty line - __________________________________________________________________________
Working class - ________________________________________________________________________
Wage labor - __________________________________________________________________________
Consumerism - ________________________________________________________________________
Please fill in the chart below for your current zip code, use the websites listed below as references.
Average Adjusted
Gross Income
Racial
demographic by
percentage
What is the living
wage today for a
single adult?
What is the
minimum wage?
Your zip code:
________
Example:
61878
$38,307
http://www.city-data.com/
94.1% White
$5.50 (in 2004)
2.3% AfricanAmerican
2.3 % Two or
more races
(good for Adjusted Gross Income although check the copyright date!)
http://www.unitedstateszipcodes.org/
http://livingwage.mit.edu/
(good for current demographic breakdown/percentages)
(good for finding the living wage)
http://www.dol.gov/whd/state/stateMinWageHis.htm (good for minimum wage breakdown by year)
On a separate, typed document please respond to the following prompt (due upon return to school):
How does your zip code inform your opportunities? Are your opportunities determined by your
situation in life (i.e. economic, political, family history, etc.) or are you free to do whatever you wish
with your life? Inform your response with the data you’ve collected and the personal experience and
opinions you have formed up to this time as you enter your junior year of high school.
Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America by Barbara Ehrenreich 3
Nonfiction Data Sheet
Title:_________________________________________
Author:_______________________________________
Date of Publication:_____________________________
Genre:________________________________________
After reading “Introduction” discuss the
author’s authority…
What are Barbara Ehrenreich’s qualifications for
writing on the subject? How does the author present
the subject and her expertise/authority? Discuss
if/how the acknowledgements indicate objective
research?
As you begin reading “Introduction: Getting Ready”, list
the ways that this book is relevant to you, your family,
your future plans, etc.?
Quotations: For each of the three chapters Ehrenreich finds employment, select a single quotation that
most vividly captures the mood of her experience and explain your selection.
Quotation
one. Serving in Florida -
two. Scrubbing in Maine -
three. Selling in Minnesota -
Explanation of choice
Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America by Barbara Ehrenreich 4
Fill in the chart below for your current zip code, refer back to the websites listed on page 1.
Average Adjusted
Gross Income
Racial
demographic by
percentage
Key West, FL
Zip code: _______
$
What is the living
wage today for a
single adult?
$
What is the
minimum wage?
Portland, ME
Zip code: _______
$
$
$
Minneapolis, MN
Zip code: _______
$
$
$
$
Stylistic Concerns
From a critical, objective standpoint, discuss the style of Ehrenreich’s writing. Include the level and tone of the
language (vocabulary & diction), the clarity in writing style, and format of the text. Is the material fairly easy to follow
and understand? Does she avoid stereotypes and generalizations? Does she avoid didactic or condescending language?
Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America by Barbara Ehrenreich 5
After reading “Evaluation”; evaluate the Author’s Intent, Method & Outcome
Explain whether the author’s purpose for telling this story was worth her efforts. Why did she feel the need to even share it?
What does she ultimately hope to impress upon her audience? Explain why she was or was not successful in the attempt?
Based on the evidence in the text, do you agree or disagree with Ehrenreich’s conclusions?
Personal Reactions & Reflections
What did you like about this book? What did you dislike about this book? What new information did you learn while reading
the book? In what ways did the book change your perspective on working in America?