Summary Of Barbara Ehrenreich's Selling In Minnesota

In Ehrenreich's "Selling in Minnesota, " Chapter three Barbara described Minnesota being a liberal state, pleasant people and magnificent environment (Ehrenreich, 2001, p. 121). She had a rental car and stayed at a friend's house for free with one stipulation to babysit a Pet Bird. She was not too thrilled about the bird flying around landing on her head, but this was the arrangement (Ehrenreich, 2001, p. 122). Barbara described the apartment as 1970 style, but she was happy to have a temporary place to live, compared to living conditions she had experienced in Florida and Portland (Ehrenreich, 2001, p. 123). Barbara scanned through the employment section of the newspaper and applied at Wal-Mart, Target and Kmart with no experience (Ehrenreich,
She got a job at Menards with $10 an hour to her surprise but declined the position (Ehrenreich, 2001, pp. 136 & 142). Both drug screens are negative and after thinking over what position to accept. Roberta offered Barbara a job at Wal-Mart at $7.00 an hour, she attended the orientation and Barbara took the job and started on Monday (Ehrenreich, 2001, pp. 148 - 153). Barbara found an apartment at Twin Lakes for $245 a week; no refrigerator, atrocious living conditions and bizarre neighbors that lived at Twin Lakes (Ehrenreich, 2001, pp. 150 and 152). Barbara was excited about her first day; she meet Melissa, who worked in the women's clothing department sorted and consolidated clothing (Ehrenreich, 2001, pp. 153 - 154). She learns a great deal about Wal-Mart their working conditions and the treatment of the employees received. (Ehrenreich, 2001). When comparing Florida, Portland and Minnesota there is no significant difference between the living conditions and the work environment. Some employees at Wal-Mart where overly demanding and controlling (Ehrenreich,