Critical Analysis: " Time For a Raise"

In the article time for a raise by Patricia smith is about how the “entry level jobs” are no longer just for teens like they have been in the past, but they have been a last resort for people in the 25 and older range. In fact 49% of the people working the “entry level” minimum wage jobs are in fact 25 or older {Department of labor}. Not only are the hours for those jobs crazy long, you are getting paid roughly $7 and change to wake up 4am and start greeting customers dressed up as a fast food mascot. The real fight of this article is that $7 and some change are by no means livable wages. Many people are working two of these jobs or more to simply keep up with their bills, but the income is just not good enough.

           The author in this text was the reader to be aware that they are many people who work 2 or more jobs and still cannot pay their bills. And the author also wants me to feel that all the popular chain places are taking all of their profits to themselves and are underpaying hard working citizens, and submerging them under the poverty level. Though $120 a month may sound like a lot to pay possibly for a bill, but when that’s all you have to pay for food and your constantly increasing bills it is close to nothing.

             In this article the author has used a lot of very strong craft moves such as backing up every single claim that he made, by data that he has found that credible sources have collected. For example in the text that author says “ these entry level jobs are no longer just for teens”. After the author states this she presented a “pie chart” that was created by the Department of Labor, which clearly shows the data proving her prior claim.

               Overall I agree with the author that these “entry level” jobs should once again be dominated by the teens scoring their first job. And that if people 25 and older have these jobs they can easily pay their bills and not have to have 4 different jobs to do it.

Persona Poem

They

By Noah Sorensen

They think they own all…land, people, and power. But little do they know there is going to be a change. Kings will be brought down from their thrones, and true equality will be known. They control the world as we know it, but soon we will over throw it. I know that one day white men will no longer propose confusing treaties and laws upon others. Nor will black men refer to each other as nigger. One day there will be a meaning to life that many do not see, which most definitely will be, anger free. They will no longer control us, and the “way things work” will truly work. Not for the rich not for the poor, but it will open up a completely new door. The true meaning of life is here, but muted. Its whisper cannot be heard. Though it is getting louder and louder a solution is yet to be met. Once a solution is found the world will be filled with a joyous new sound. The trees will be greener life will be cleaner. People will have a completely new demeanor. As of now we have lost our innocents to be called gods children. The very country that believes it is a leader is nothing more than a cheater. The things that they have written control the way we live today, but my question remains do we really have a say?