Ehrenreich Reader's Guide Assignment

Goals: The main goals of this assignment are to have you analyze the descriptive detail in Nickel and Dimed and to relate it to your own experience and thoughts in some way. In the process, it is critical that you demonstrate to me that you have read and understand the whole book and have thought analytically and critically about it.

Assignment: Read through the "reader's guide" questions at the end of book; these questions are also available online at http://www.henryholt.com/readingguides/ehrenreich.htm. In addition to these questions, you may consider the following ones as well:

18. What does Ehrenreich mean by characterizing the low-wage workplace as a "dictatorship"? To what extent have the workplaces you've had experience with been similar or different? Do you think "dictatorship" in the workplace is a necessity?

19. To what degree did Ehrenreich find evidence of opposition and resistance among the low-wage workers she met, and to what degree did she find acceptance? What evidence can be gleaned from her book about why this is so?

20. What do you think that Ehrenreich means by saying that we have a "culture of extreme inequality" in the United States? What manifestations of it do you see in her book? What explanations does her book suggest about how it comes about?

21. Americans like to think of the United States as a land of equal opportunity. Many believe that ambition and hard work are the keys to success. Based on Nickel and Dimed, the WebCT postings, and our class discussions, what conclusions do you draw about these common images of American society? Be sure to provide evidence for the conclusions you draw.

Once you have read through the 21 questions, choose two to write about that are not too overlapping--that is, two that will allow you to explore Nickle and Dimed in different ways. Answer these two questions in separate essays of approximately two pages each, keeping in mind the following two criteria: 1) You must demonstrate your mastery of the book (not just a page here or there) by bringing relevant material from throughout the book to bear on the questions you choose. You must find a way to do this, even if the question appears to ask you mainly about your own experience or opinions. 2) The questions ask you to make an argument about something. Be clear what your basic argument is and what evidence you have to support it. My grading of your essays will depend heavily on how well you meet these two criteria. If you can't figure out how to meet these criteria for a given question, don't choose it. You are encouraged to bring in supporting material from lectures, discussions, films or other course reading where appropriate.

Format: Include a cover page with your name, the course, the date, and the numbers of the questions you have chosen. Start each answer on a separate page, with the question included at the top. Proper grammar and spelling and good writing are expected. Quotations longer than a sentence or so are discouraged--I want to hear your own words. Where appropriate, provide page references to Ehrenreich in parentheses.

A Word about Plagiarism: You are responsible for being familiar with the department's plagiarism policy (see link on left toolbar). I do not object to your discussing the readings and the questions in a general way with other students. However, no written work for this assignment must circulate. If it does, and if one student plagiarizes another's work, both will be considered equally guilty of plagiarism. Your writing must be entirely your own.

Note: Ehrenreich Reader's Guide Assignment should be submitted via the WebCT assignments page by 11:55 on Wednesday, January 31st. See WebCT assignment page for details.