This review from the website 'Think Your Way To Wealth', discusses Barbara Ehrenreich's novel Nickel and Dimed in great depth. It makes reference to each of the three cities where she carried out her experiment, as well as the critical responses that surround her work as a whole. In general, while the author of the article recognises the fact that the novel is good and well written, insomuch that it engages the audience in the portrayal of the struggles and problems that surround workers in the low wage system, the author also acknowledges some of the criticisms that could be seen in Ehrenreich's work.
One criticism in particular that the author argues is that Ehrenreich did not fully complete, nor achieve, her experiment to its full potential, due to the fact that it was carried out over the period of just three months. The writer states, "I am also not sure if her experiment was long enough to tell, or if she gave it her full effort." Although it is true that, perhaps, three months were not enough time to carry out an experiment to produce good reliable results, I think that it is unfair to suggest that she did not ‘give it her full effort’. Ehrenreich lived the life of someone stuck within the low wage system, working all day with hardly any time for a break, such as her waitressing job in Florida. A lot of the time she had to work two jobs, such as in Maine, just so that she could survive off of low pay. Her purpose was to see if she could get by living on less that the minimal pay within America - the only way for her to do this was to give it her all.
However, the author does praise Ehrenreich for her portrayal of life, and the realities that people face within the low wage system,"...many of the points she brings up are true. It is incredibly difficult, I would imagine, for someone who was born into poverty to break the cycle." Not only this, but the writer also go on to state that the fact that Ehrenreich herself did not expect some of the extremities of the low wage jobs, only further draws emphasis upon the true realities of the low wage system and the people located in it. The writer states,
She does point out many hardships and difficulties for those who, whether lacking education or other reasons, have to start out at the bottom earning minimum wage. It is difficult to get by, and even harder to get ahead. I would not expect it to be easy, but I am not sure if Ehrenreich expected it to be quite so hard.
It could be argued that because Ehrenreich herself was not fully aware of the things that happen within the low wage system, this further makes the novel come across as hard hitting, realistic and effective. Not just through the realities, but the acceptance and positivity of the people that she encounted along the way. For example, Ehrenreich's simple question, asked of the ladies at The Maids toward the end of her time in Maine; how do they feel about the people who have so much, yet they themselves barely get by? The responses of '... I'd like to have this stuff someday. It motivates me and I don't feel the slightest resentment because, you know, it's my goal to get to where they are' (p.118) to '...I'm a simple person, and I don't want what they have... but what I would like is to be able to take a day off now and then... and still be able to buy groceries the next day' (p.119) has an effect on us as readers, to some extent emotionally, as well as realistically, in the portrayal and admiration for the people of this sector, as well as the fact that it shocked Ehrenreich herself.
Overall, the author of this article offers a fair view of Ehrenreich's novel, offering the recognition of both the strengths and weaknesses of Ehrenreich's work, although not all of it I agree with. Nevertheless the author recognises Nickel and Dimed as well-written and worth reading, "If you have never worked in a low paying job before, it may open your eyes. It also points to the difficulties many have just paying for rent and food in this country, while making only minimum wage..."
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