On Dumpster Diving

“On Dumpster Diving” by Lars Eighner and “Two Ways to Belong in America” by Bharati Mukheriee are both extremely thought-provoking texts that chronicle society’s treatment of marginalized people in the United States. Although, the speakers are of different ethnicities, nationalities and come from very different backgrounds they both share the common perspective of feeling left behind by society and excluded socioeconomically. On Dumpster Diving explores the financial hardships of living in America and the treatment of the lower class, mass consumption and waste. It highlights the theme of reckless gluttony that is prevalent in American society. Whereas, Two Ways to Belong explores the treatment of immigrants a cultural upheaval, mass division

and racial tension from the anti-immigration politics. Despite their differences both offer unique perspectives that can help us improve and evolve as a culture and nation.
On Dumpster Diving begins by recounting an American’s story about losing his job of ten years and his dumpster diving journey to survive. The speaker criticizes society’s misconceptions and stigma on dumpster diving and clarifies the different terms that are used. “I have heard people, evidently meaning to be polite, use the word "foraging," but I prefer to reserve that word for gathering nuts and berries and such which I do also according to the season and the opportunity. "Dumpster diving" seems to me to be a little too cute and, in my case, inaccurate because I lack the athletic ability to lower myself into the Dumpsters as the true divers do, much to their increased profit.” The quote highlights how people do not fully understand the lower classes struggle, and often try to minimize it or distort it due to it being highly taboo topic in American society. Two Ways to Belong unfolds with the story of two sisters from India and their ambiguous roles in society. The speaker is an American citizen, whereas her sister Mira is not but they are both long term residents and have contributed to American society for many years. Similar to how people do not understand the speaker’s “scavenging lifestyle” in On Dumpster Diving is how Americans do not fully understand immigrants in Two Ways to Belong. The speaker critiques America’s treatment of her sister as a productive member of society and a school teacher for thirty years. “To my ears, it sounded like the description of a long-enduring, comfortable yet loveless marriage, without risk or recklessness. Have we the right to demand, and to expect, that we be loved? She compares her sister’s relationship with the country that she has lived in for many decades to a “loveless marriage”. She also discusses how she blindly traded her Indian identity to assimilate in an American society that still wouldn’t accept her. She compares her status with her sisters explaining how Mira retained all her Indian qualities and that it is the speaker and not Mira who is the “true freak”. She expresses being mortified that she traded being an “expatriate aristocrat to an immigrant nobody” to live in a country that wouldn’t even accept her new Americanized persona. Next, On Dumpster Diving scrutinizes the wealthy classes’ belligerent wasting of food. In the quote “I am not here by chance; the Dumpsters in this area are very rich. Students throw out many good things, including food. In particular they tend to throw everything out when they move at the end of a semester, before and after breaks, and around midterm when many of them despair of college”. The speaker discusses how college students thoughtlessly discard of perfectly edible food and do not even think to donate it or that someone in need could use it. It also shows the disconnect between the upper and lower classes, and how they do not even consider or think about someone less fortunate then them. The tone of the text shifts to being more aggressive “The student does not know that, and since it is Daddy's money, the student decides not to take a chance” The tone also becomes more direct and there is more clarity on his criticism. The criticism in Two Ways to Belong also further intensifies when the speaker reads ant-immigration sentiments in her local Canadian newspaper “I felt then the same sense of betrayal that Mira feels now.

I will never forget the pain of that sudden turning, and the casual racist outbursts the Green Paper elicited. That sense of betrayal had its desired effect”. The tone of the text also begins to shift as the speaker delves more into her experience living in Canada as an Indian. The speaker feels like the society has turned its back on her and all her efforts to assimilate were futile. This is also comparable the way in which the speaker in On Dumpster Diving feels as though the wealthier class turns its back on the poor. The speaker discusses what is safe to consume from the dumpsters. While the wealthy are wastefully throwing out food, people like

him are risking contracting botulism an extremely dangerous and even fatal disease just to survive.

“Although very rare with modern canning methods, botulism is a possibility. Most other forms of food poisoning seldom do lasting harm to a healthy person. But botulism is almost certainly fatal and often the first symptom is death. Except for carbonated beverages, all canned goods should contain a slight vacuum and suck air when first punctured. Bulging, rusty, dented cans and cans that spew when punctured should be avoided, especially when the contents are not very acidic or syrupy.” The speaker is so desperate to survive that he is willing to risk his health and wellbeing. Additionally, the contents of what people discard are also a reflection of society. As the speaker’s dumpster diving journey further unfolds, the speaker discusses his discoveries of illicit drugs, bank statements, bills, alcohol, pornography etc. “I avoid trying to draw conclusions about the people who dump in the Dumpsters I frequent. I think it would be unethical to do so, although I know many people will find the idea of scavenger ethics too funny for words.” The speaker begins to

develop a better understanding of people and humanity when he finds out “sensitive information” about people based on what they throw away. Next, Two Ways to Belong also critiques society by examining the simplicity of her sister’s traditional and Indian nature. “I, for the narrowness of her perspective, her involvement with the mythic depths or the superficial pop culture of this society”. There are many aspects of American culture that the speaker does not agree with. She admires her sister for not trying to change and embody them. Furthermore, the speaker reflects on her decision to marry an American instead of Indian. “I was opting for fluidity, self-invention, blue jeans, and T-shirts, and renouncing 3,000 years (at least) of caste observant, "pure culture" marriage in the Mukherjee family.” The quote represents her romanticized view of American men and the values she was seeking that she is now disillusioned with.
In conclusion, On Dumpster Diving and Two Ways to Belong are both interesting texts that highlight struggles of American Society. They both critique the theme of how people fear what they don’t understand. They both also show the division of classes and races in our society. They both shed light on what is not commonly discussed and what areas we need to improve upon to make our country better.