Selling in Minnesota

Meyer 1
Kathleen Meyer
Professor Connolly
English Composition 1
January 25, 2013
Reacting To “Selling in Minnesota”
      Barbara Ehrenreich is a successful author who decides to work a low-paying job at Walmart to see how people survive with so little income.   She discovers that she becomes a person she would not want to be.   At Walmart her job is to put ladies clothing away that has either been moved by customers or returned.   After working there for only a few weeks her shift is changed from 1st to 2nd without any notice or word from her boss.   During her nine hour shift, she receives two fifteen minute breaks which barely give her enough time to sit after using the bathroom and getting something to eat or drink. The first part of her shift she’s in a good mood but after racing around all day organizing clothing, she realizes the work just keeps piling up and she’s very tired.   Now her goal becomes completely about the organization of the clothing and not at all for pleasing the customers.   Actually, the customers become her enemies and are the last thing she wants to see.   A co-worker warns her about coming back late from break.   Barb snaps back at her telling her she doesn’t care if she gets in trouble for it.   When coming back from break she finds a new person arranging some shirts in her area.   This irritates her because this is her area.   The new person accuses her of not putting anything away.   Barb snaps back at her also.   The long hours, shift changes and working conditions caused Barb to become heartless and mean.   She’s grateful that she had the opportunity for higher education and doesn’t have to work at Walmart all her life to rely on income.
On the other hand, everyone has heard the quote “hard work pays off.”   I started working at a drycleaners for minimum wage after having my first child.   I was definitely scared knowing that a minimum
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wage income was how I had to financially support myself and my son.   So...