People from all over the world come to the United States in hopes of becoming rich with minimal effort, yet many Americans are suffering, earning the minimum wage that has rapidly developed in America. In Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich (2001), she illustrates how it is as if an unskilled woman were forced into the labor market due to welfare reform. Many women work endless hours and yet are unable to make ends meet to meet the needs necessary to support their family. To gain a better understanding, Barbara went undercover, abandoning her journalist lifestyle and current situation to work various minimum wage jobs just to ascertain whether it is really possible to survive in low-paying occupations. In Nickel and Dimed, Barbara uses vivid descriptions and sarcasm to present the dark existence of the low-wage worker. In Nickel and Dimed we discover how Barbara uses many writing techniques to force the reader to pity the low-wage worker. When he applies for a job at a local supermarket, he notices that the interview process is done by computer. Barbara is in shock and writes: “apparently, no human being on site is deemed capable of representing the company point of view” (13). This demonstrates Barbara's sarcasm in pointing out that it seems like no person can choose the moment to identify whether someone is suitable for a job. On the other hand, Barbara uses more sarcasm when she first enters Jerry's, a local restaurant, where she is thinking of running for office. Barbara's first opinion of the restaurant is to state, "everything you could eat if eating had no physical consequences - the cheese fries, the chicken-fried steaks, the caramel-laden desserts - only here every bite has to be paid for." one way. .....middle of paper ......use is impossible and remains out of reach and this is what Barbara tries to make the reader understand. The minimum wage should be increased so that individuals can have one worthy lifestyle for oneself and one's family. In conclusion, "Nickel and Dimed" taught me a lot and the book focuses on sociology and how society works, around providing poor wages to people who do not they are professionals and will settle for whatever they will be paid. The author's writing was very descriptive; however, he has valid and interesting points to make. It felt like he could have done more or done better research on the low-wage workers and how that affects American life. But, of course, this book presents more or less the truth and helps us understand how bad the economy is and how much people are suffering..