Are you a born worker or do you take the easy way out? This is what the story "Born Worker" written by Gary Soto is about. The story tells of one boy's hard work and of his cousin, a lazy spoiled rotten kid, who is using him for a "free ride." Many people can relate to Jose because, like him, many of us work hard to get where we are in life. While some people slave away working hard, others cheat themselves by taking shortcuts and running scared. This is what Gary Soto's theme is in "Born Worker."

In the story, Jose is known as a born worker. He has worked since the age of three. His family is considered low class. His cousin Arnie (on the other hand) is a middle class spoiled kid who has never worked in his entire life. "Arnie's family has never climbed...