Custom « Nickel and Dimed» Essay Paper Sample

In Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich the writer seeks to highlight the plight of the low skilled workers in America. Instead of using other people’s experiences to write, she decides to become a low skilled worker in various American states and write her experience as part of this section of the American Society. Ehrenreich picked out a specific aspect of the American economy and based her writing on this. I think this is the best way to get material for your writing, Getting first hand information creates a better understanding for a writer compared to just asking or reading about an issue (Ehrenreich, 2001).

Bartholomae and Petrosky promote the kind of writing style that makes readers see beyond what is on the surface. They say that asking students to use the internet as a source for their writing holds them back since they cannot write about the reality that is in their lives. The writers feel that critical thinking is essential when it comes to reading. According to them, the best ways of reading is the one that requires you to interpret what you read (Bartholomae & Petrosky, 2005).

I do not entirely agree with Bartholomae and Petrosky because reading even for a college student does not always have to involve critical thinking. Reading should also be pleasurable to insist on reading difficult books in order to improve writing and reading may not always work. By reading a simple book for pleasure, a student can be inspired to write and develop the necessary skills.