Ap English Book Report Essays

Ap English Book Report Essays Ap English Book Report Essay Ap English Book Report Essay Name of Book: Nickel and Dimed Author: Barbara Ehrenreich Plot Summary: The author, Barbara Ehrenreich, works for the prestigious New Yorker magazine. One day over lunch with a famous editor discussing possible stories to write, she comments that the minimum wage is too low. She thinks someone used to more money should try to live on this pittance. The editor, Lewis Lapham, assigns her the story. This is not good news for Ehrenreich. Having spent her childhood with middle class struggling people, she does not want to live a life of risk or discomfort. Also, shes older and doesnt want to do hard physical labor or live in an inferior building. Therefore, the author makes some rules for herself on this assignment. She wont rely on her superior education or the skills she normally uses to support herself. So she does an experiment to see if she can survive working on low wage to support herself. Major Characters: Barbara Ehrenreich   Author was the main character of the book, conceiving and carrying out the low-wage experiments. Ehrenreich kept her real name while applying for jobs, though she did not reveal her Ph. D. in biology, or her background as a writer. B. J. B. J. was a manager at the first job Ehrenreich took during the experiment, at a restaurant in Key West. George- George was a dishwasher in the Key West Restaurant. An immigrant from Czechoslovakia, George spoke little English and had trouble understanding the problems that were happening in the restaurant around him. He was eventually accused of stealing from the restaurant and fired without understanding the reason. Ted- Is the manager of The Maids, a housekeeping service in Maine that Ehrenreich joins. Ted attempts to get Ehrenreich to tell him about any employees who have been complaining about their jobs. Ehrenreich believes that many of the women working for The Maids are doing so to gain Ted’s approval. Holly- Holly is a maid who works with Ehrenreich in Maine. She discovers she is pregnant during the month Ehrenreich is there, and suffers from dizzy spells and nausea. During one house cleaning she twists her ankle and walks with a limp afterward. Marge- A maid from Maine who suffers from arthritis, Marge is regularly paired with Holly and Ehrenreich for house cleaning assignments. Melissa- An employee of a Wal-Mart in Minneapolis, Melissa works with Ehrenreich sorting clothing. She quits her job when Ehrenreich does, saying that she doesn’t want to work there without her. Howard- Howard is the assistant manager at the Minneapolis Wal-Mart. He conducts regular meetings for all employees in order to discuss emergency scenarios and to warn them not to talk to each other. Setting: This novel takes place in three different locations; the first site chosen for the experiment was Key West, Florida, as it was close to her home. Searching for a job and a place to live, she found a waitress position at a small restaurant, which she calls Jerry’s. The restaurant, like most of the places she works, is not revealed by its true name in her book, nor are the people she meets. Her next city of choice was Portland, Maine. In Maine, there are many weekly motels to choose from, and she finds one that is affordable and comfortable. She chose this location because of its mainly Caucasian demographics. She finds two jobs that she is able to keep at the same time working as a maid for a housekeeping service during the week, and as a dietary aide in a nursing home on the weekends. In Minneapolis, Minnesota, Ehrenreich spends more time looking for a place to live than in the other cities. The vacancy rate in Minneapolis was less than 1%, and Ehrenreich was unable to find an apartment. Hotels renting by the week or month were also hard to come by. Motifs: Author is using imagery where Grace a senior in the nursing home staring at Barbara very accusing and demanding for her cup to be refilled. The author expresses the senior’s stare at Barbara and wanting her cup at this instance. There is a  sense of imagery where you can see the senior very mad and cranky for not having her cup refilled. Vocabulary: Chapter 1 Perpetual Continuing or continued without intermission or interruption. Intrigue To arouse the curiosity or interest of by unusual, new, or otherwise fascinating or compelling qualities. Dithering A state of flustered excitement or fear. Proffer To put before a person for acceptance. Chapter 2 Piteously Evoking or deserving pity. Albinism The state or condition of being an albino. Infiltrate To cause to pass in by filtering. Prophetically Of  the  nature  of  or  containing  prophecy. Pristine Having  its  original  purity. Chapter 3 Disembarking To  leave  an  aircraft  or  other  vehicle. Allopathic the  method  of  treating  disease  by  the  use  of  agents  that  produce effects  different  from  those  of  the  disease  treated. Corridors A  gallery  or  passage  connecting  parts  of  a  building. Denunciation An  accusation  of  crime  before  a  public  prosecutor  or  tribunal. Cadence Rhythmic  flow  of  a  sequence  of  sounds  or  words. Denouncing To  condemn  or  censure  openly  or  publicly. Chapter 4 Hierarchy Any  system  of  persons  or  things  ranked  one  above  another. Toiletries any  article  or  preparation  used  in  cleaning  or  grooming  oneself,  as soap  or  deodorant. Extravagances Excessive  or  unnecessary  expenditure  or  outlay  of  money. Expenditures Something  that  is  expended. Inadequacy something  inadequate.