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KilgoreTrout
LeslieRalphe
Eng121.1N1
27May2013
SummaryofWorkingatMcDonalds
WriterAmitaiEtzionirefutesthecommonlyheldopinionthatlowwagefastfood
restaurantemploymentisbeneficialtoteenagersinhisessay,WorkingatMcDonalds.He
arguesthatsuchworkdoesnotteachskillsofvaluetoteens,anditcandetractfromtheworkers
education.Teenslearntofollowaseriesofpredeterminedstepsratherthantothinkcritically
andsolveproblems.Yes,itistruethatteenswhoheldsuchjobsinschoolweremorelikelythan
theirnonworkingcounterpartstobeemployedfouryearslater,butEtzionispeculatesthatthis
statisticreflectstheircontinuedemploymentinlowwagejobsratherthananyimprovementin
marketableskills.Infact,thesejobshireadisproportionatenumberofpoorandminority
students,andmaypreventtheseworkersfromimprovingtheireconomicstatus.Studentswho
workhavelittletimeorenergyleftforstudying,andmaybesleepdeprivedduringtheirschool
hours.Etzioniconcedesthatsuchworkmayencourageteamworkbuildingskills,butismore
likelytoenforceblindobedience.Rolemodelsofanyvalueareoftenoffsiteduringteenwork
hours.Ifthestudentissupportedbyhisorherfamily,heorsheislikelytodevelopadistorted
ideaofthelifestylesuchajobcansupport,andmayspendearningsunwisely.Infact,Etzioni
believesthatthesejobsreinforcetheideaofworkasanunpleasantburdenforwhichtheonly
rewardispurchasingtrendyclothesortechnology.Ifteensarenottaughtotherwise,theymaybe
sodistractedbytheimmediategratificationofspendingthattheydontapplythemselvesforthe

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greaterrewardthataneducationcanprovide.Whiletheremaybesomebenefitstoworking
whileinschool,Etzioniconcludesthatteensprioritiesshouldbeschool,notwork.

ParaphraseofParagraphElevenofWorkingatMcDonalds
Inhisessay,WorkingatMcDonalds,authorAmitaiEtzioniarguesthatworkinginfast
foodrestaurantsdoesnotgenerallybenefitteenagerseducationally,andinparagraphelevenhe
presentsfastfoodrestaurantemploymentasauniquethreattosocioeconomicallydeprivedand
minorityteens,underminingtheireducationandparalyzingtheirsocialmobility.Infact,a
disproportionatenumberofminorityteensfillthesepositionsrelativetotheirwhitecounterparts.
Whilesomemightconsiderthesejobsbeneficialtostudentswhosefamilieshavelessmoney,in
factthesejobsreinforceandsolidifythedisadvantagedstatusoftheteenworkerbyweakening
initiative,andemphasizingtheideaofworkasobedienceandsubservience.Impoverishedteens
maybecomeusedtotheideaofmindless,rotelaborservingotherswithmoremoneythanthey
have,andtheirinitiativemaybeweakenedbytheirinabilitytobreakfreefrompovertydespite
workinglonghourswiththebestintentions.Infact,suchworkcanbefarmoredangerousto
poorteensthantotheirmiddleclasspeersforwhomitisassumedtobeatemporaryoroptional
measure,becauseitmaypreventthemfromexcellingeducationallyandexploringambitious
careeroptions(suchasunpaidinternshipswiththepossibilityoflongtermrewards).Allthe
factorsthatmakefastfoodworkdangeroustoteenagersaremagnifiedwhentheteenagerneeds
everydollarhecanearnthelongtermbenefitsofeducationcantcompetewiththeshortterm
rewardoffeedingandclothinghimselforhisfamily,anditsunreasonabletoexpectan

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impoverishedteenagertobeimmunefromthetemptationsthatinfluencehiswealthier
counterparts.