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Poverty can be difficult for anyone to deal with but it is how you look at things that can determine your character. Are you one to complain all the time or try to be optimistic? Do you think one is better than the other? Author Lars Eighner, explains his experience in scavenging through dumpsters to supplement his necessities in “On Dumpster Diving”. He started when his savings diminished and continued on as he found himself homeless. Through his journey Eighner clarifies on what is important to him and compares his life to someone of wealth. However, the story “Serving in Florida”, by Barbara Ehrenreich, tells the journey of a new restaurant employee who discovers her job wage is not enough to live. She is able to find an additional job as a server but is rushed with her time. She describes her hardship with being a server along with the other people she works with. With each story they come to a cross point of if they are going to enjoy what they are doing or show distain. Character is significant because it helps define each and every one of us. It makes us an individual and can consist of both good and bad qualities. Though each author came from a life of poverty, they share very different attitudes on their struggles.
Respecting the people who are in charge of you can be very essential. The lack of it can hinder your ability to improve in the work place. For me, the people who are above me are the people that I want to become the closest with. They monitor everything from your breaks to your actual work ethic. If you can maintain good standing with them they are more likely to support you and your decisions. When Ehrenreich shows distain for the basic duties of the managers she is undermining their responsibilities. If someone were to undermine my responsibilities it would make them a target in my eye. It would bring to my attention their faults more so than someone who doesn’t create conflict. This would lead to the person of



Cited: Ehrenreich, Barbara. “Serving in Florida.” 50 Essays A Portable Anthology. Ed. Samuel Cohen. Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2011. 136-145. Print. Eighner, Lars. “On Dumpster Diving” 50 Essays A Portable Anthology. Ed. Samuel Cohen. Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2011. 146-158. Print.

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