Synthesis Paper - Essay Example

In the story, Eighner assumes the role of the dumpster diver narrates how he, together with Lizbeth went from living a comfortable life to life in the streets where their survival depended on dumpsters. This transition came after they became homeless. The main points from Eighner’s story are: Today the cost of living in cities is exorbitant. The continued rise in the cost of basic goods and services exerts a lot of pressure on low-income earners(Ehrenreich 152). In addition, unfavorable factors in their places of work add to the pains of the poor as they deal with the demands of modern life.

First, low-income earners work for several hours without a break. The effect is that by the time they get home, the low-income earner is so tired they that cannot take a second job to supplement their primary income, even if such a job was available. Most low-income earners are paid poorly by their employers(Ehrenreich 152). This is partly sobecause most of them lack formal education and work as casuals. This conditions severely erodes their ability to bargain for better pay. As result, most low-income earners struggle to pay their basic bills like rent, water and electricity.

This means that they cannot save for retirement. The majority of low-income earners work under harsh physical conditions. An example is a factory worker. Even though conditions of work are much better today than during the industrial revolution, for instance, the factory worker still has to endure uncomfortable conditions. Some of these conditions include poor ventilation and poorly designed lifting operations. The latter could expose the worker to back problems. Moreover, most employers do not cover their casual workers under healthcare plans.

These plans take care of the treatment of an employee in the event that they suffer injury while at work. Some employers mistreat their employees by scolding them in front of their colleagues instead of correcting them