Summary Of ' The Working Poor '

Generally-speaking, the primary reason behind why Ehrenreich asserts that low-wage workers are “the major philanthropists of our society” is that they essentially neglect their own children and personal lives alike, for the sake of satisfying wealthier individuals. From housekeeping to waitressing, “wage slaves” often carry out arduous, back-breaking work for extensive periods of time: an indisputable sign of philanthropy. Although a great deal of work is indeed accomplished at the end, to the benefit of owners, the workers’ families themselves receive little to no compensation. Evidence from the text that further bolsters this claim is shown when the author states,“They [the “working poor”] neglect their own children so that the children

When living in the lower class, they must overcome obstacles, while trying to get help from the government, and

This book has done a great job depicting the life of the lower working class in an eye opening, informative way. The purpose of this book is to inform people about the

Going through the chapter in the book, one of the main points is Health care as the author went through the fields of Washington conducting his work project on immigrants manual cheap labor. One of the immigrant workers known as Abelino who normally complains of his knee pains and joints aching too much during and after work was a main character in this chapter. Triqui migrants go through lots of suffering which is an embodiment of violence. Bringing up the political violence we see the workers being forced into very harsh environmental living conditions such as places with no access to water and other resources that people need to survive on their daily life.

She started a participant observation -style study, as she explored the life of an individual living off a low-income job. Ehrenreich notes, “This was barely above the national minimum wage at the time and provided just enough income to pay the rent on her tiny apartment, buy food, and cover other basic living expenses.” (Ehrenreich) She explains how she struggled in society, and barely earned enough to support herself. She mentions fearing of not being able to pay for her doctor’s bills, and like my friend, she is dependent on her tips or limited pay. This shows how our world is careless towards these people because they do not make access to needs like healthcare or groceries simple to everyone. If you are not fortunate enough to be in the majority, you have to work your way for your necessities. We are judging people for the job they have, rather than the hard work or quality of job they do. Garbagemen, janitors, waitresses, baristas, maids, and even manicurists all have a negative stereotype surrounding them, even though they work just as hard or harder than those in higher respected jobs. The author sides with the minority, showing that her experience proves that the lower class work hard for their pay, and have the possibility to succeed even though it is laborious to do

Firstly, the novel displays the effects poverty has on the characters’ well-being. For example, in the book, “Aziza’s ribs [begin] to push through the skin […] and her complexion [turns] the color of weak tea. […] [Furthermore,] Zalmai [lies] around the house, eyes dulled and half closed, or in his father’s lap limp as a rag” (Hosseini 272). This exhibits the change in the characters’ health as poverty distresses them. As there is an insufficient amount of needs to support the family, the novel shows that the children begin to become weak and skinny and lose the vitality they had beforehand. After scarcity, readers view the harsh circumstances poverty brings upon the family with the absence of necessities. Readers are able to understand the experience of poverty as they grasp on how the children’s well-being has altered. In addition, the stress of living in scarcity collapses personal relationships. For instance, “after the fire, Rasheed [is] home almost every day. “He [is] fired from the kebab house […] because he and a customer [get] in a scuffle” [...] [After he is home], he [finds] fault with Laila, the way she [dresses], the way she [combs] her hair, her yellowing teeth” (Hosseini 271). Ultimately, Rasheed presents the opportunity to receive money for the family, but fails to work in a mannerly way. Once Rasheed is home, he believes Laila is unkempt. This shows an unfair conviction because they cannot afford to maintain a pleasant appearance, and it is his fault they cannot pay for things because he is the only one that can obtain a job, as women cannot work. This shows an effect on personal connections as readers are able to observe an experience of a personal relationship weakening because of poverty and Rasheed’s unfair thoughts due to lack of money. Overall, the book displays the experience of being affected by poverty through the change of the characters’ health and the breakdown of

Literature, as a crucial part of culture, functions as the reflection of reality. According to Marx, “the mode of production in material life determines the general character of the social, political and spiritual processes of life” (Williams 266). Superstructure, as the product of men’s spiritual processes, containing various ideological forms one of which is literature, is not determined by “the consciousness of men”, but by “the social existence” (266). Concerning working-class literature, it follows this rule as well—“the whole class produces and shapes these out of its material foundation and out of the corresponding social conditions” (267). Thus, working-class literature is created upon the contemporary status quo of the class

I've strictly select an assortment of non fiction books that sum up roughly 30 years of american cultures. These books portrays a multitude of spectrums of political,social and economic culture that resonates with many and prove to be important in today's world.

The working poor are those people that work the hardest for their dollar, work the hardest to get their paychecks, work the hardest to survive. Most of the working poor live paycheck to paycheck and like the saying goes, “robbing from Peter to pay Paul.” There is a way out of poverty, and there is a way for these struggling individuals to escape the perils of their life in poverty. It is not an easy road out, but it is possible. It is important for those that are born into this lifestyle to know that this is not a destination; there is hope that they will live a so called “better” life.

From exploring various texts that define blue collar literature, one is able to pick out multiple themes that embody the working class people. One is able to envision what the lives of these individuals were like, including the many hardships of poverty, violence, and illness. Men are a main focal point of these stories, but the life of a woman is quite noteworthy as well. Some texts that highlighted the role of a woman include The Jungle, where a woman working was the focus, and the short stories Mother, Adventure, and The Teacher from Winesburg, OH, where the reader gained insight of a woman’s emotions and deep feelings. Women in the working class, although often portrayed as weak, showed tremendous strength in doing what needed to be done to support the family while at the same time dealing with devastating hardships and an unfulfilled life.

Reading Reflection Synthesis: The two themes in this week's reading, "The Growth in Poverty and Social Inequality: Losing Faith in Social Justice" by Ann Duffy and Nancy Mandell, are the perspective society has of women in regards to working and being independent, and the vicious cycle of being born into poverty and continuing the never-ending loop. The perspective that society holds of women towards idea of working and freedom is something abstract. The reading talks about women struggling financially because of traditional gender stereotypes.

Poverty is widespread issue that is prominent in mainly third world countries, but many are naive to the fact that poverty occurs right in our country’s backyard as well. Although the United States in the recent years has been the leading developed countries for opportunity and freedom, however even with our technological advances and knowledge poverty still continues to be an issue in some neighborhood in the United States.  According to the National Poverty Center, in 2010 it was documented that 15.1% of our country was living under the petrifying conditions of poverty. Not only do these conditions drastically effect the nation’s economy, but they also have a massive impact on the health of each individual citizen. Over the course of

Maria and John lived in a poor, low income community where majority of people were uneducated. The people who were uneducated work in factories surviving on low pay for long hours. There was no health insurance to protect workers from injuries happening at the workplace. If a worker get sick or injured they were on their own to cover the medical expenses. It was a difficult time for the low income families who strive to meet financial mets versus the wealthy families. Wealthy families can afford health insurance and get a higher education. For example, both Maria and John parents drop out of school to help their family to earn money. There were no resources provided by the government to help the poor community to strive for a higher education while earning a living.

Paradoxically, too much money and lack of it can ruin lives in a myriad of ways. These two views have been put across in two stories; Babylon revisited and I stand here ironing. These two stories are very different; one talks about too much wealth, and the other one talks about too much poverty. The lives of both the wealth and the poor are analyzed in the two stories in ways that reveal the damaging effects of too much poverty and wealth. Babylon revisited is a short story about a man who wasted all his money in clubs to an extent that he lost his wife and daughter. On the other hand, I stand here ironing is a story that depicts the extremes of poverty and had damaging it can be. Both show that extremes of either wealth or poverty can ruin lives in devastating ways.

Being born into the working class, usually meant poor or no education, which then in turn meant the child was forced to work as part of the laboring class. This would commence from a young age and then continue into adulthood, most people probably receiving little or no pay. What began was a constant and continuous cycle of poverty that for most was impossible to break. Despite deriving from the lower classes, Smith has been fortunate enough to not only be educated but also knowledgeable enough to know not to waste it. This autobiographical piece was presumably quite purposeful during its time, a tribute by Smith to those of the working classes and an almost rebellion against the system that enveloped society. It continues to be relevant today, serving to prove just how difficult the situations were of the lower class, as a result of the restrictions and confines enforced upon them. It demonstrates how rarely someone was able to break through this structure and succeed despite their upbringing and origins, but also the ability it gave them to appreciate the joy and beauty around them in life.