Analysis Of Dumpster Diving By Lars Eichner - 972 Words

Interpretation of Eichner Homelessness has been an increasingly difficult problem to solve within America. Though it affects many, nearly one-fourth of homeless people are veterans, most of which have served in Vietnam or have had an honorable discharge. â€Å"Dumpster Diving,† by Lars Eichner is a nonfiction short story about how society is quick to judge people based on their possessions. Eichner narrates this short story as a homeless man forced to survive by living off of the discarded materials of the people whom are more privileged than him. His tone throughout the story is sarcastic and condescending toward the educated audience he is projecting to, often lying and making fun of them. Eichner urges the audience to gain more respect for†¦show more content†¦Undefeated, Eighner makes his way to the local college where the students, particularly the sorority girls, who use meaningless material gain to increase emotional stability, similar to that of the people in the pizza shop. Despite hi s agitation he tends to linger near their housing, as what they define as trash still has value: â€Å"since it is Daddy’s money, the student decides not to take a chance†(Eichner 355). throwing out items such as peanut butter, to the narrator’s disappointment who states, â€Å"non organic peanut butter does not require refrigeration and is not likely to expire in any reasonable time.†(Eighner 355) Not only are the students unappreciative as a result of their dependence on their parents, having everything handed to them has turned them into defeatists: â€Å"students throw out canned goods and staples at the end of semesters and... they give up at college midterm† (Eighner 355). The lazy students see only particular items as valuable but have no sense of what value actually means, throwing away anything in good condition because they do not have to pay for it. Never having to struggle the students, continue their path of destruction, never being a ble to understand happiness with their distorted view of the real world. Eighner emphasises that memories last