Ehrenreich’s results have proven this belief to be false. The general misconception about Americans who hold low-wage jobs is that they are apathetic and unskilled. In effect, she has demonstrated that the American dream has become an illusion. Rents were too high, while wages were too low. Even the insufficient conditions of a trailer were much too excessive in price. Despite the mental and physical strain each job required, the wages were so sparse that the anxiety of not being able to pay the rent was a constant concern.

Her conclusion was that this was nearly impossible to accomplish. She tested her hypothesis that it was possible to make ends meet in the low-wage workforce by conducting an experiment that involved working in three vastly different places in America and taking on various low-wage jobs. “ Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America” by Barbara Ehrenreichīarbara Ehrenreich’s role in Nickel and Dimed is comparable to that of a scientist. The popular, yet unachievable, ideal of the American dream is unattainable for many hard-working Americans. Barbara Ehrenreich in Nickel and Dimed proves that this is entirely false by diving deep into the lives of many regular Americans, taking on the task of several low-wage jobs to ultimately find that it is nearly impossible to hold them and make ends meet. especially by working hard and becoming successful.” The American dream is thus based on a belief that hard work is a guaranteed ticket to success. Merriam-Webster describes the American dream as “a happy way of living that is thought of by many Americans as something that can be achieved by anyone in the U.S. This stereotypical scene, regularly depicted in the mass media, is what many people view as the American dream.

Inside the immaculate abode, you can find hearty food along with an adequate supply of all necessities from clothes to toiletries. Just a few steps ahead, a stately house stands tall. A white picket fence fronts a lush green lawn.

Nickel and dimed in america