Nickel and Dimed 2024 Responses by Traci Mitchell

What is the significance of the title? Is it an idiom metaphor, symbol, allusion, or something else….if so for what and why?

tmitchell79 — 2024-01-15 22:50:19 UTC

Opal Hester

2024-01-16 01:29:49 UTC

I believe it is an allusion to the gaining of wealth within America, the title is NICKLE and DIMED, when in the workplace you start with one salary and slowly build your way up, like from having $0.05 to $0.10. It is also a critique of American corporations for the inequality toward minimum wage workers and their lack of a solid and liveable income as the rich only become richer and the poor poorer.

Sam Rose

2507542 — 2024-01-16 04:33:54 UTC

I think it is an allusion to what poverty can look like in America at the time being paid around $8.89 with nickles, dimes, and other coins. I also think it could be a metaphor on literally taking away such small amounts of money when being a lww and having to support yourself or even a family with that amount .

Grace Harty

2516858 — 2024-01-16 13:53:30 UTC

The significance of the title is it describes the greed and injustice in the low-wage industry because the higher-ups take advantage of the people dependent on this system as they extort labor from low wage workers at a cheap cost. This title is a symbol for the state of American society and the economy. Ehrenreich uses this symbol to expose the economic injustices towards low wage workers as they are taken advantage of and left with no chance of being able to afford a decent living. It also demonstrates the societal standards that keep people trapped in this system because people are expected to fend for themselves even though not everyone has the resources to do it.

Timothy Le

2024-01-16 14:37:43 UTC

The significance of the title most likely is an symbol for the poverty that most Americans faced during this time period. For the most common wages for the working class was considered as barely living a normal life with just nickels and dimes, which can be further supported by the "On(not) Getting By in America." Ehrenreich's purpose within choosing this title was to expose the economic dependent on societal roles such as those who were more intellegent and higher up would be more respected and well paid, in contrast to those who work in the work-force and under low conditions in order to make a decent living. The title helps portray the struggle that many working Americans during this time are held under the opression of this unfair economy and emphasises the massive gap on the rich and the poor.

Lily DeFrates

2024-01-16 15:33:29 UTC

I believe the significance of the title is to allude to the low wages of the working class and how a big part of the United States population relies on every cent they earn to pay for basic necessities. This concept of small amounts of change being earned by the labor force is symbolic of the gaps between economic classes and the injustice between the income of large corporations and the income of their workers. Living off every nickel and dime further suggests that many Americans do not make a livable income and this is proven by Ehrenreich's critical view of America's class system and value on economic status. Ehrenreich continuously reiterates this concept of unfair wages throughout her experiment, as she challenges the societal standards of what it means to be a working citizen of America.

zion mitchem

2024-01-16 15:42:06 UTC

i believe that the title, “nickel and dimed”, is a social commentary to the low and degrading wages in the american workforce. in addition, this title can be idiom to “nickel and diming,” which means charging small amounts for various services or items. the title can also suggest the over exploitation and degradation via time, money, commitment, etc to the american laborers just to only get paid a small about. due to the introduction of the book, the title can also be a double entendre to nickel and diming but also the wage gap between women and men. in the intro, barbara states “certainly i made no effort to play a role or fit into some imaginative stereotype of low-wage working women.” this only underscores that there is a wage gap and barbara wants to defer that by not fitting in through changing her entire persona, just to be back at the low wage.

Tom Gifford

2024-01-16 16:41:43 UTC

I believe the title, Nickled and dimed, is a symbol of how women were being treated during the time period of the book. To be nickled and dimed can have multiple meanings. First, it can literally mean that people(mostly women) were being paid very low wages during the time of the story. We know women were being paid appropriately twenty-five thousand dollars a year with a solid job, which is not enough to live a substantial life. I also believe the title and phrase, nickled and dimed, can symbolize how women were given the short end of the stick in many circumstances. Because nickles and dimes are two of the lowest amounts of American currency, they represent women not being given the rights, equality, and pay that they deserve.

nina dubaka

2024-01-16 16:53:21 UTC

I believe the significance of the title "Nickel and Dimed" is to allude the bare minimum payment the low wage working class of America is getting. Starting at $5.15 an hour-$2.13 if you are a waiter, is not survivable for a long time proved by Ehrenreich and the American working class system economically , as some of her co workers live in their cars, live in groups with roommates, or live in hotels, they also could not afford basic health care insurance which can prohibit them from working all together. The small amount of money Ehrenreich makes by getting symbolized by a nickel and dime refers to the literal struggle the people of the low wage working class system face economically and physically.

Grace Torgerson

2024-01-16 17:13:12 UTC

I believe that the title "Nickled and Dimed" references to the lower class workers whose standards are much lower because of their situations. Because lower class workers do not make as much and work much more hours, they must fight for every piece of money they get, even if it is just a nickel or a dime. This in turn alludes to how a majority of the United States now and at the time the book was written live in poor conditions and are forced to focus their mindset around desparetly working for every cent they can earn. Because most of the low wage workers also do not work off a solidified amount per week, striving for extra money throughout each work week can ensure that simple neccesities like food and housing can be paid for.

Grace Gardner

2024-01-16 17:16:01 UTC

I believe the title is a symbol of the low wages of the working class in the United States. It can display that those workers need every cent they get in order to pay for what they need. It can also relate to the term nickel and diming which means charging many small amounts for minor services. The struggling working class need every cent in order to pay for things at places that implement nickel and diming because even if it seems like a small charge all those charges will add up and can make people struggling with money struggle even more.

andy cesario

2024-01-16 17:27:26 UTC

i believe the title "Nickel and Dimed" one refers to the low wages that many Americans were faced with in this time because using two coin names that both have very little worth unless alot of each are saved demonstrates that many workers experienced so little pay that if they did not save every nickel and dime they would surely not make it in america.

Maya Mansour

2507515 — 2024-01-16 17:32:22 UTC

I believe that the title of this book is an allusion to what American poverty looked like at the time period of this book. Furthermore, the title exposes the harsh reality of the working poor in America as it is called "Nickel and Dimed". This title literally means when one slowly begins to build their salary until the expense grows beyond expectations. As the title alludes to the low income of the working class in the United States, it reveals the appreciation that these poor workers have towards every penny they make while working for minimum wage.

Harrison Weidemiller

2508723 — 2024-01-16 17:35:50 UTC

I believe the significance of the title is to allude to minimum wage workers in the United States barely having enough to get by due to the insanely low minimum wage. Every cent or “nickel and dime” as alluded to in the title is needed to get by in the United States. Ehrenreich’s experiences working as a minimum wage worker and having to deal with the hardships such as paying for the rent, the reality that you can only barely get by in the United States of minimum wage becomes even more apparent. Even by herself Ehrenreich struggled with managing to get by with minimum wage demonstrating the low wage workers have to use the money that they earned down to the very last cent to even be able to get by.

Conrad Hacus

2024-01-16 17:45:41 UTC

I believe that the title "Nickel and Dimed" is a symbol for the struggles and hardships of the lower classes in the economy of America. The emphasis on the "nickel and dime" serves to display how those in the lower classes who live on minimum wage value even the smallest amounts of money because they need each and every cent to sustain themselves in their lives. I also believe that the title serves as a symbol that contrasts the minimum wage working class with the upper classes because the wealthier people often do not value the small coins as much as the workers who live off of minimum wage. This creates contrast due to the idea that what could seem insignificant to wealthier households is crucial to families or workers in unfortunate situations that will do anything they can to afford basic necessities. In a broader view, this highlights the differences between the lifestyle and values of the upper class in comparison to the hardships of the lower class.

Jenna Musleh

2024-01-16 17:55:25 UTC

I think the title "nickle and dimed" is a symbol of the poverty a lot of americans faced during this time. The reason for me thinking this is because the low wage was normal for people in this time because thats what you would receive in the middle class. the only people who would receive more is the people who had generational wealth. the people receiving this minimum wage, were not respected and that was clear based on the money they would earn. unlike the rich who got a lot of money for doing almost half the work as those who got minimum wage.

Olivia Wasilewski

2024-01-16 17:59:35 UTC

The phrase "nickel and dimed" has a colloquial connotation of causing harm by constantly charging someone small amounts for their services. This connotation is extremely relevant to the title of the book in that it immediately conveys to the audience --from their very first interaction with the text-- that it is likely a text concerned with issued of greed and financial inequality. The subtitle of " On (Not) Getting By in America" further illustrates that the author likely has criticism for wealthy, greedy, capitalistic business executives that chose to underpay their minimum and low wage workers for their own personal gain. The idiom of "nickel and dimed" allows the audience to understand the instant connotation of unfairness and inequality that is to be explored throughout the book. The process of being "nickel and dimed" is what leads these low wage workers to be unable to "get by" in America; thus, the two pieces of the title are able to connect through the greed of corporate, wealthy higher-ups being represented through "Nickel and Dimed" as they are the ones inflicting the inequality on the general masses of the low and minimum wage workers. The second part of the title --coming as a result of the greed of wealthy capitalists-- is able to represent the struggle that comes as a result of being "nickel and dimed" which in some cases prevents these low wage worker from being able to uphold a steady enough income to survive.

Zaidan

2024-01-16 18:05:36 UTC

I think that the title is an idiom. It’s like saying that every small amount of money counts, and losing even a little bit can be a big deal when you’re not making much. It shows how people with low-paying jobs struggle because every cent matters to them. Losing money when you’re not even earning enough is a real struggle, essentially like you’re constantly trying to catch up but never can.

Shareen Atiya

2024-01-16 18:13:30 UTC

The significance of the title "Nickel and Dimed" is perhaps a metaphor for the unlivable wages of the low working class and the struggles that come along with it. However, it could also stand as a symbol of the poverty and injustice of the people who slave away every day barely making ends meet. This is because, at the time the book was written in 2001, the minimum wage in America was around 6-7 dollars, which made achieving the standard cost of living un-feasible for many of those unskilled laborers. As Ehrenreich starts her introduction, she constantly reiterates the wages of those who are unskilled and the cost of certain items such as her dinner and the price of rent to further grasp her audience of the poverty-stricken Americans who have to function with their wages.

Alexandra Ellington

2024-01-16 18:16:45 UTC

The significance of the title "Nickel and Dime'd" alludes to the wage gap in the working class of america. The author intended to display how little the working class is paid so that every nickel, dime, and penny counts which allows audiences to realize the struggle many unskilled workers face to make enough to live comfortably. Given that the book was written in the absence of any economic crisis, one may expect that the cost of living accommodates jobs such as these. However, the reality of the wage gap is displayed through the author's struggle through the experiment further proving that the economic wage system is severely flawed and capitalism as a whole was not designed to accommodate the average working class of america.

Annabella Cannici

2508464 — 2024-01-16 18:16:55 UTC

I believe the title alludes to the injustices of the low wage industry as it reflects the cheap costs that these workers work for. This title highlights the humiliating wages of the United States workforce. It symbolizes the taking advantage of low skilled jobs by big corporations. The title reflects these topics to draw attention to the injustices deeply rooted into the work system of America. It also reflects the insufficent pay and emphasises the blatant injustice of pay.

Salam Daghestani

2024-01-16 18:18:44 UTC

I believe that the title, Nickel and Dimed, represents an allusion to the increased socioeconomic status of Americans at this time, as well as individuals of different social classes. To further explain this, during the 1950s, a dime was equal to $1.25 today, in 2024. This shows the allusion of a nickel doubling its worth and making it a dime, such as in the title Nickel and Dimed. In addition, during the 1950s, pennies, nickels, and dimes were commonly used in everyday life, while in today's society, there have been discussions on getting rid of pennies, nickels, and dimes all together.

Charlie Medlicott

2024-01-16 18:31:53 UTC

The title is significant towards the main ideas of the novel because it is representative of the low wages and injustice that the minimum wage workers are faced with. The "Nickel" and "Dimed" in the title represent the low wages by acting as symbols of two of the lowest valued currencies in the US. Further, these phrases resemble the injustice because the title undermines the wages within the US creating an idea of extremely small and a feeling of lacking money with these two words.

Sam Ford

2024-01-16 18:56:36 UTC

I believe the significance of the book is to emphasize the injustice within the United States and degrading statue for the low wage workers. I think the title “Nickel and Dimed” is symbolic of the unfair wages many Americans have as a result of their staue in society. Whether that be education, race, or gender. It is also symbolic of the how imporant money is within society. Many people’s lived are impacted based off of their earning and whether they are able to provide for themselves and make means with what they earn. As well as it alludes to the gap between the working class and those who are homeless or faced with poverty. Barbaba emphazies the higher end things she still has while faced with this expriement. Although she isnt truly getting the full low wage worker expierence, she doesn’t deprive herself from what others may face as a result of low income.

Kayla Siefert

2024-01-16 18:57:07 UTC

I think the title "Nickel and Dimed" symbolizes the importance of every cent when living off minimum wage. Nickels and dimes are very low-valued in today's world, and in people with steady income; however, these coins have the power to make or break someones ability to eat a meal, or pay for their housing, since living on low income gives a person such tight margins on what they can spend. The idea that such small amounts of money can make a big difference in someone's life, gives people a shift in perspective on the difficulties and struggles that come with receiving minimum wage.

Ozioma N

2024-01-16 19:06:25 UTC

I believe the title Nickel and Dimed represents a metaphor because considering the context Barbara Ehrenreich explores the financial struggles and challenges that are faced by low-wage workers. Barbara also investigates the difficulties of surviving on low wages and the impact of such financial constraints on individuals. The title metaphorically suggests the nature of the income earned by these workers the names Nickel and Dimed imply that the workers are constantly facing small, inadequate payments, symbolizing the difficulties that these workers are going through.

Bella Harper

2024-01-16 19:07:42 UTC

I believe the title “Nickel and Dimed” is a symbol as to the poverty Americans used to face. In todays age, nickels and dimes hold a low value as to the incomes Americans make today. But in earlier days and ages, these 2 cent values were the face of the working class. In relation to lower vs. higher class workers, the title symbolizes how the richer class can make twice the amount of the lower class by doing the same work, all because of a place in society.

Sophia Cinco

2024-01-16 19:11:13 UTC

I believe the significance of the title, 'Nickel and Dimed' is an allusion to minimum wage workers and the belief their importance is less significant compared to "well-educated" workers. The title is in reference of the phrase; "nickel and dime" which means someone or something is insignificant and is symbolic to the disparity that minimum wage workers have to deal socially as they are seen as lesser than alongside the difficult of only working minimum wage and attempting to live comfortably with that paycheck. It also emphasizes the importance of nickels, dimes and pennies as most low-income workers can only survive off paycheck to paycheck and that even the smallest amount of money is extremely important to an unskilled worker.

Danny Norbut

2511172 — 2024-01-16 19:33:06 UTC

The significance of the title, in my opinion, is its allusion to the phrase "nickel and diming". The phase refers to greed, with executives or corporations charging many small fees, charging many nickels and dimes instead of one whole fee. The change from diming to dimed indicates that the character or author is the victim, having the action of nickel and diming done to them (being nickel and dimed). This theme of greed aligns with the low wages given by many corporations to workers, which is the idea of the book.

Ariel Johnson

2024-01-16 19:39:44 UTC

I think the title is a metaphor for how little lower wage workers are paid,furthermore, the title can also be a term for the lifestyle of living paycheck to paycheck. I believe the title is depicted this way because Barbara Ehrenreich wants to highlight the challenges with the lower wages lifestyle but hopes to prove that the wages in order to sustain living aren’t suitable for the long term choices such as buying a house or retirement.

Maya Santos

2510693 — 2024-01-16 19:40:42 UTC

I believe the title, Nickel and Dimed, is an allusion to the working class struggles due to the minimum wage in America. I also believe Barbra Ehrenreich used the words "Nickel" and "Dimed" to suggest the small amount of earnings received by the low wage workers while attempting to maintain a stable lifestyle. By illustrating the challenging lifestyle of the working class, Enrenreich highlights the unfair income which makes it almost impossible to obtain a steady life as a citizen in America.

Jocelyn Chan

2024-01-16 19:44:50 UTC

I believe that the significance of the title, "Nickel and Dimed" is to connect America's wealth disparity, poverty, and mistreatment of minimum wage workers to the American Dream. Ehrenreich uses the allusion to criticize how America deludes minimum wage workers into accepting their poor working conditions (like low salaries) through the American Dream: the belief that anyone can work their way up the social ladder through hard work. In fact, the phrase, "Nickel and Dimed", refers to how small amounts of money ("nickel") will gradually increment to larger amounts ("dimed"). However, Ehrenreich is conveying how minimum wage earners are still being exploited and mistreated with their barely sustainable paychecks despite the effort and long hours they put in. A minuscule increase in their paycheck (the allusion from nickels to dimes) does not change their financial struggles; it serves only to lead struggling workers into a perpetual state of poverty.

Aliyah Dioquino

2024-01-16 19:48:25 UTC

The significance of the title is to symbolize unfair conditions and struggles of low wage worker economies in America. It is a negatively connotative idiom that describes small, seemingly insignificant costs that end up accumulating to a large amount over time; moreover, the use and distribution of nickels and dimes are a form of American currency that further relates this to the issue of wages specifically in America. This strategically represents both the living costs and low wages of the working class, especially for unskilled laborers. That these workers are getting 'nickel and dimed' every paycheck through their wages. Ehrenreich stated that in 1998, almost 30 percent of the workforce received $8 an hour. These small wages ultimately accumulate to a larger problem: substantial costs physically, financially, and emotionally. The additional title 'On (Not) Getting By in America' further highlights that--through her experience--Ehrenreich will discuss both how she discovered she was able to make do with minimum wage but also the difficulties she had on managing her expenses whilst making minimum wage. That she will not only point out her successes but also the struggles that the working class in America endures.

Kiera Wehlus

2024-01-16 19:48:35 UTC

I believe that the significance of the title is a symbol to the low wages that the unskilled labor force earn. The title symbolizes the low amount of money these people earn and the fact that many of them cannot live off of these "Nickel and Dimes". The title expresses what the purpose of the novel is trying to prove, exposing the unjust that occurs within the unskilled labor force and how it negatively affects the low wage workers. The title symbolizes that even though these people work the same hours and deal with grueling work, they only get payed in "Nickel and Dimes".

Josh Mraz

2024-01-16 19:55:21 UTC

I believe that the title, "nickel and dimed" symbolizes the wealth inequality in the US. This is due to the fact many Americans disregard nickels and dimes due to their low value; however this strongly contrasts to those living paycheck to paycheck as every cent counts. The idea that to one person a nickel is meaningless, while to another it is a necessity for paying the bills, being able to eat or even having a roof over their head allows the reader to shift their perspective to that of someone receiving minimum wage and the difficulties living paycheck to paycheck comes with.

Jozef Laran

2024-01-16 19:56:10 UTC

I believe the title, "Nickle and Dimed: On (not) Getting By in America" specifically the "Nickle and Dimed" part, is an allusion to low-wage workers and society, especially as their worth is coupled as nickles and dimes to society. Not only that but considering when the book was published. The minimum wage being $6.25, these people were essentially made up of nickles and dimes to the US-- especially considering that the US, at the time, did not actually care about these individuals-- but only cared enough to where they weren't exactly penniless, so they were worth more than pennies but were truly worth mere nickles and dimes. This is further shown by the belief that minimum wage should be the minimum wage for getting by in America, but in actuality, it is not, and the parenthetical, specifically, the use of the parentheses to hide the (not) in "On (not) Getting by in America" highlights how American media do not talk about this issue in America, and hide this fact. This explains why the author prefers to use parentheses as an "em" dash will add too much emphasis that America does not have, and a parenthetical with commas makes it seem like you would need this information and neither the "em" dash nor commas would encapsulate the idea of ignorance in media as well as a parenthesis would.

Emilia Piszczor

2024-01-16 20:21:34 UTC

In my opinion, the significance of the title alludes to the idea of the degrading of low wages and how those who are more wealthy have an advantage in the workforce. The title "Nickel and Dimed" is an allusion of workers getting payed in cents to be able to live. This small amount of money is what the American working class had to deal with in order to be able to afford basic life needs such as their bills, taxes, and insurance. Since many workers in the United States were given low wage, many citizens were not able to save up for the future but instead were barely able to pay for what they needed to.

Melissa Alila

2024-01-16 20:37:14 UTC

The phrase "nickel and dime" is most commonly employed with a negative connotation, and is used in situations that are normally deemed as "insignificant" or "trivial". This can symbolize how the livelihoods of many minimum wage workers are seen as inconsequential by large corporations and monopolies. The word choice of "nickle" and "dime" illustrates the lack of value towards low-income workers. This can be seen through the degradation of their mental and physical health, along with the lack of social programs and safety nets to support them financially. Furthermore, in a broader perspective, the phrase suggests that small, incremental actions added up over time contribute to a larger, cumulative impact. This can symbolize the struggles of low-income workers, who tend to have issues that build into larger problems over time, such as credit card debts, loans, mental and physical health etc. Ultimately, the title is used as a literary device to help symbolize the struggles and strifes of the working class.

Allyson Reyes

2024-01-16 20:51:21 UTC

I believe the title, Nickel and Dimed, alludes to the struggles the working class faces while trying to live on a minimum wage salary. The incorporation of the coins from the American economic system into the title, suggests the lack of money earned in each pay period by the workers that heavily rely on these low paying jobs for support, almost as if they are getting paid nickels and dimes. However, this title heavily symbolizes the inequality in the American economic system when considering the quality of living and average minimum wage back in 2001. Therefore, this established system was only beneficial to those with full time jobs and numerous years of schooling under their belt, but formed disadvantages for those without degrees, those who immigrated to America, and those who were only able to support themselves on a minimum wage job. Consequently, the title Nickel and Dimed seems to confront the necessary conversation about the economic hardships in America and its struggling working class.

Lilian Bautista

2024-01-16 21:59:57 UTC

The significance of "Nickel and Dimed" is, I believe, is an allusion that is referencing the low wages and the poverty of these minimum wage workers. Ehrenreich is using this allusion to viewpoint the poverty and the ill lifestyles that these workers have to live by. These workers support themselves and their families with these minimum wages that they receive from their jobs. and the other part of the title "On (Not) Getting By in America" is to portray the the greed and wealthy businessmen and how they do not pay their workers enough because they want all that wealth to themselves. Moreover, they are the reason that most of these workers do not have enough to sustain a good life.

Emma Simms

2508994 — 2024-01-16 22:28:00 UTC

The title "Nickel and Dimed" is an allusion to how expenses build up over time. Low wage workers are making very little money while being expected to pay for food, housing, a vehicle, etc. It's also a symbol for the economic injustices in America. Low wage workers are taken advantage of and left with little to no money to spare. It shows how low wage workers are trapped in the system because they don't make enough money in their jobs but are unable to get a higher education for a higher paying job because they cannot afford it.

Damonjay Hamilton

2024-01-16 23:28:46 UTC

I believe the significance of the title "nickel and dimed" is an allusion to the low class workers who work for low wages and not have enough to successfully get by in life. Many of these low wage workers are stuck in a cycle of poverty and are not getting the proper amount of assistance from the workplace. furthurmore, the literal meaning of the title allows the audience to recognize the severity of the situation for these workers. Usually when you see cents- such as nickels and dimes- you dont hold it to the same value as full dollars, therefore, the title can be used to highlight to people that workers arent getting paid a livable amount

Olivia Augustyn

2024-01-17 02:30:03 UTC

The title of the book holds significance as it symbolizes the fact people are working, making minimum wage while still struggling to live comfortably in America. With the use of nickel and dimed with an “Ed” at the end of the word shows that those cents are all you have as a minimum wage worker. The title also implies that the workers aren’t making enough money with the use of “nickel and dimed” instead of for example $100 bill. Workers of minimum wage jobs often get stuck in a cycle of barely being able to stay afloat or live paycheck to paycheck.

Damian Martinez

2024-01-17 03:19:38 UTC

I believe the title is an allusion to the practices and institutions that exploit minimum wage workers. The working class quite literally in some cases must scrap for nickles and dimes to make ends meet. Not only this, but corporations, governments, and employers will do everything in their power to give the smallest wage possible for their employees. These groups will take any chance they get to take away money - however small it may be - from the pockets of the working class.

Nkeoma Nwachukwu

2024-01-17 04:14:36 UTC

The significance of the title is it serves as both an idiom and a metaphor. The phrase is an idiom that colloquially expresses the idea of being charged or taxed small amounts repeatedly. In the context of the book, it metaphorically symbolizes the financial struggles faced by individuals working in low-wage jobs. The author uses this idiom to capture the essence of dealing with constant challenges and expenses that accumulate, reflecting the difficulties of surviving on meager wages in America.

Serena Abraham

2024-01-17 13:29:24 UTC

The significance of the title "Nickel and Dimed" is the feeling of being stuck and not having a solid chance of the ability of being promoted. It symbolizes how when working minimum-wage jobs, it is rare to ever obtain the opportunity of expanding your horizons. Therefore, you are caught in a system that does not pay well leaving you in a poor economic state in a world where money is crucial to survive.

Mohammad Abuisneineh

2024-01-17 15:10:15 UTC

I believe Nickle and Dimes Is meant to describe the low wages that Americans had to deal with in the past. It is a symbol of the American economy and what it looked like years ago. This symbol is used to reveal the injustice towards low wage workers since they are simply used as tools with very little pay. The word choice if both “nickle” and “dime suggest the low income that the workers experience, yet the large increment between the two amounts ($.05 and $.10) suggest the potential growth for a greater minimum wage in America.

Jack McKenna

2503766 — 2024-01-17 16:37:03 UTC

What I believe to be the significance of the title of Nickel and Dimed is that it is a description of the lack of justice and proliferation of greed that commences amongst the corporations that hire LWWs, because these corporations are using the workers who need the money and exploiting their desperation for work to pay them less. The title shows symbolism of the manner in which American low wage workers might live, in that they live ona wage which is, in comparison to other salaries in America, worth nickels and dimes. They barely make enough to survive, as they only ever manage to live just below the poverty line. This injustice, and lack of fairness given to these low wage workers, is what Barbara Ehrenreich wishes to explore with this journalistic mission.

Lauren Garcia

2516741 — 2024-01-18 01:46:19 UTC

I believe the significance of the title "Nickel and Dimed" alludes to the state of our society's current economy, and how increasingly difficult it may be to make ends meet while living on the breadcrumbs of minimum wage. The phrase "Nickel and Dimed" is often used in the context of buying a product or service, where the stated price may be low, but many small additional charges add up. This directly correlates to how burdensome it may be to maintain financial stability in an economy where working minimum wage full-time is hardly enough to get by especially with the costly utilities, necessities and modes of transportation that are required to live a somewhat comfortable life. Essentially, the title focuses attention on the struggles and financial hardships endured by low-income workers being "nickel and dimed" each day from weekly expenses. Ehrenreich explores how unsustainable poverty can be, and how most minimum wage workers are forced to operate on the verge of homelessness and insolvency.