Rhetorical Analysis Of Serving In Florida By Ehrenreich

Oftentimes, in our society we are quick to judge other people. These judgements may be based on a number of factors, such as appearance, background, or employment. Due to stereotypes, we often look down on people who work lower level (and therefore lower-income) jobs. Although jobs are often seen as an extension of a person, the connotations associated with certain career choices should not define an individual. In “Serving in Florida,” Barbara Ehrenreich explores the lifestyle of lower-working class America. Through personal anecdotes, Ehrenreich allows members of the middle and upper classes to understand the difficulties employees suffer while working at the poverty level. Ehrenreich’s central argument lies within the fact that she has attempted to live under these conditions. Although she leads a comfortable lifestyle as a bestselling author with a Ph. D in biology, Ehrenreich chooses to live according to the standards of the lower class. She writes, “True, I take occasional breaks from this life, going home now and then to catch up on e-mail and for …show more content…
Because of her ability to regress to her previous standard of living, she ultimately loses some of her ethos. She may live and work in the same filthy conditions, but Ehrenreich does not share the emotional component of living in the lower class. Although she may budget her minimum-wage income, she does not truly need to fear providing for herself with the financial stability from her previous life. Her coworkers at Jerry’s do not have that luxury. While this may appear to undermine her point, it accentuates the employees’ motivation for working in these conditions. Everyday they must work in these sleazy establishments for a wage that is barely sustainable. Although we often undermine these individuals, we must realize the perseverance and character they require to make these