ENGL 200 D: Reading Literature: Literature in the Marketplace

Hello my name is Ashley Kim and I am now a sophomore at the University of Washington. I plan to pursue a B.S. in microbiology or in botany. I am also thinking of pursuing a minor in history.

The Wikipedia definition of money is, “any object or record, that is generally accepted as payment for good and services and repayment of debts in a given country.” However, when I think about money, the first image that pops into my head are green papers. It is a little funny that just thin sheet of green printed-papers is the tool that people need to thrive. Having money represents wealth. In other words, the more “green” you have, the wealthier you will be. Subsequently, the wealthier you are or you will be, the more opportunities that are open to you. For example, attending a university because you or you’re family can afford to pay the tuition. Money may have started by trading stones or livestock, but as time went by, money took the form of dollars and coins. Money symbolizes worth, value, and wealth.

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, economy is, “the management of household or private affairs and especially expenses.” I do not have a clear understanding of what an economy is yet I do know that a healthy economy is when the circulation, transaction cycle of money is running smoothly. The results are the people, the society is happy. When an economy does not have a smooth flow of money, people are not happy because money is not accessible. Small businesses and the poor are more affected by a bad economy than wealthier people.