What does the the author want the reader to know/feel/understand, and how does she go about achiveing this?

Ehrenreich begins her experiment in Key West, Florida, where she finds an efficiency apartment for $500 a month. As Ehrenreich applies for numerous jobs, she learns about the low-wage-job application process. These applications involve many multiple-choice questions and a urine test. When she does not hear back from any of the jobs after three days, she begrudgingly applies for a waitressing position. Ehrenreich is hired by the “Hearthside,” which, like the names of those she meets along the way, has been changed. Ehrenreich will work at the Hearthside for two weeks from 2:00 in the evening until 10:00 at night for $2.43 an hour, plus tips. Gail trains Ehrenreich on the ins and outs of waitressing; Ehrenreich feels supremely incapable and incompetent. Ehrenreich gets to know some of the regular customers and feels compelled to do the best job possible. Ehrenreich bonds with her coworkers and comes to like many of them.



During her time in the restaurant business, Ehrenreich comes to despise management. She finds that while she must constantly be working, doing anything at all but sitting still, her supervisors are able to sit for hours on end. Managers and assistant managers are to make sure the restaurant makes money; they frequently lack compassion for their employees and for customers. Ehrenreich’s other complaint about the restaurant business is that the pay is not financially viable. She offers a survey of each of the non-management employees and shows how they are barely able to survive on their incomes and how most of them will not be able to continue financially for very long.















Ehrenreich uncovers the special costs that the poor encounter. She notes that if you cannot afford the security deposit for an apartment, you are forced to live in a hotel--which is ultimately more costly. If you have only a room, you cannot save money by cooking nutritious, cheap food. If you have no health insurance, you end up with significant and costly health problems. After two weeks, Ehrenreich realizes she will have to get a second job.



Ehrenreich picks up a second waitressing job at Jerry’s. Jerry’s is a disaster: the kitchen is a mess, the bathroom in inadequately equipped, and there is no break room because there are no breaks. Ehrenreich is unable to work at both the Hearthside and Jerry’s, so she quits the Hearthside because she will be able to make more money at Jerry’s.



Ehrenreich decides to move closer to Key West to save gas money. She moves into a small and uncomfortable trailer in a trailer park. At Jerry’s, Ehrenreich experiences the numerous problems that arise between employees and the workplace. The bar becomes off-limits because a waitress becomes impaired. Another time, a Dishwasher is accused of stealing.



After a month of waitressing, Ehrenreich gets a housekeeping job in a hotel. At the job she makes $6.10 an hour, but only lasts for one day. Ehrenreich spends her day with Carlie, who is responsible for training her. As they move from room to room, they watch soap operas on television. That afternoon at Jerry’s, Ehrenreich has a particularly awful day. She has four tables with some demanding customers; she is tired and sleep deprived. When Joy yells at her, Ehrenreich decides to leave. She does not quit or ask permission; she just leaves. Ehrenreich turns her trailer over to Gail and says goodbye to Key West.What does the the author want the reader to know/feel/understand, and how does she go about achiveing this?
Sounds like you're taking a Sociology class. She wants the readers to understand the frustration of continually meeting others standards and how unrewarding they are to her in return. She fills out lengthy tests and does everything they ask... only to never hear back from them. She applies to all of these different jobs and one way or another they have major issues that are overlooked to save a few bucks. Not only does the pay suck, but the benefits do as well, and the work is physically and mentally exhausting. She moved about 3 times in between all of these jobs too. Essentially it's the conditions she's forced to live in which keep her deprived and in constant turmoil; things beyond her control and more-so embedded within the laws of business and society.



There ya go.
i dont get itWhat does the the author want the reader to know/feel/understand, and how does she go about achiveing this?
the author is conveying what it is like to be one of the working poor.

it is done through description of the job hunting process for low pay jobs, the cost of upkeep against the backdrop of low inadequate pay yet hard work lack of sensitivity by management and the need for a second job just to survive. she also uses examples thru explaining resentment toward management for working less but getting more pay, how lack of adequate income causes expense to increase and prevents cost cutting by the wage earner. finally she provides a picture of the forces which cause low pay workers to just leave jobs with no notice.