“On Dumpster Diving” – Lars Eighner
1. Why is the author a credible source on homelessness?
2. Providing the definition of the word dumpster serves as what part of the author’s article?
3. What line marks the beginning of Eighner’s story?
4. What are Eighner’s feelings about the term dumpster diving?
5. What types of items did Eighner find use for in dumpsters?
6. What line marks the thesis statement, and thus the end of the introduction to the article?
7. What are the 3 principles of eating safely from a dumpster?
8. What types of foods are safe to eat from dumpsters?
9. Why does Eighner visit specific dumpsters (and sometimes at specific times)?
10. What types of foods does Eighner avoid? Why?
11. What are some reasons Eighner believes people discard food?
12. According to Eighner, what are the stages a person goes through when learning to
scavenge?
13. Why does Eighner say he often gains weight when dumpster diving?
14. What types of items does he save and when? Why does he do this?
15. What does Eighner say determines the “feasibility of survival by scavenging”?
16. What type of people does Eighner say scrounge cans? Why?
17. What does Eighner not like about can scroungers?
18. In what way is Eighner methodical about scavenging in a way that preserves his livelihood?
What does this tell you about the type of person he is?
19. How might dumpster diving be an invasion of privacy?
20. According to Eighner, what is the best way to go through a dumpser? Why?
21. What two lessons has Eighner learned from/about scavenging?
22. In paragraph 6, Eighner states his purpose: to record what he has learned as a Dumpster
diver. What additional purposes do you think he had in setting his ideas on paper?
23. Eighner presents three principles one must follow to eat safely from a Dumpster, explains
how to go through a Dumpster, and includes precautions and warnings in doing so. Most
likely, he does not expect his readers to actually take up Dumpster diving, so what, then, is
his purpose including such detailed explanations?
24. What effect do you think the essay’s last sentence is calculated to have on readers?