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Poverty
Introduction
It is a well-documented fact; poverty is a condition affecting many countries globally. In essence, poverty signifies state of lack of human needs such as health care, clean water, nutrition, shelter, clothing and education among others. It is with no doubt; the victims experience challenges to the extent, many ends up being discriminated in the society set up. With this regard, there have been various articles discussing personal account of people living in extreme poverty. Being abandoned by his relative, Park worked as a photographer, which as a result, gave him a chance to encounter various people in his photographic works. Additionally, Parker gives his personal account addressing poverty that he encountered. With this in regard, this paper seeks to discuss various challenges faced by people living in poverty in addition, discuss what made them particularly villainous.
Characters that seem least sympathetic
Based on my point of view, the story told by Goodwin Parker seems less sympathetic in the sense that, he talks of encountering various challenges in life, which to some extent, may not be challenging. For instance, he talks of having ill-fitting shoes that are worn out. In this aspect, it is with no doubt that, shoes are commodities that human beings can do without. In other words, shoes are worn with an aim of comfort. In reality, there are people that do not have access of shoes, so Parker outlining that he has ill-fitting shoes seems least sympathetic. In conjunction with this, he talks of not having shovel to bury the rotting garbage that smell in his outdoor privacy. In facts, this seems less sympathetic in the sense that, he talks of food being spoiled in the refrigerator. With this regard, there is an aspect of not enduring extreme poverty to the extent he talks of buying a shovel, which to some may not appeal in their mind because of extreme poverty.
Interestingly, Parker complains over poverty may not appeal as poverty to some. For instance, he talks of his child being covered with fly specks in addition, diaper not being changed since he left the child home with Granny. It is with no doubt; people using diapers in the human history are financially stable. In facts, people living in extreme poverty cannot afford using diapers. With this regard, one can outline Parker been the least sympathetic compared to the story told by Golden parks of a twelve year old boy (Flavio’s) that lived in slums with his family. It is with no doubt; Flavio’s home experienced various challenges such as lack of health care, lack of basic commodities and poor sanitation among others.
The reason that makes parker situation villainous is that, he is living beyond his means of income and for that reason; his needs become so many to tackle. For instance, he states that, for breakfast, he gives his children grits with no egg or oleo. Additionally, he talks about saving money to buy Vaseline for his hands and the baby’s rashes. In this aspect, one can underlie the aspect of living beyond means of income earning. No wonder, according to Parker, he outline the best breakfast to give his children is grits with egg or oleo and in reality; it is not a basic commodity. The facts outlined above make Parker case of poverty, to appeal least sympathetic.
Are such people possible in our American social context?
Yes, such people mentioned in this paper are also within the American Context. For instance, there are people living in extreme poverty and still people living with basic necessities and still assume they are living in poverty. According to Parker (5), poverty aspect in American social context is dependent defined on the measure of income inequality. It is a well-documented fact; some people in the United State are living in extreme poverty to the extent many lack shelter, clothing, poor sanitation and some cannot afford to bury their dead (Parker 3). In this context, Parker argues that, under Obama leadership, the level of poverty has increased from 11.7 % to 12.4 %. As a result, poverty has affected children success in academic performance and more vulnerable to diseases like colds, flue, waterborne diseases and malaria among others. With this in mind, the American scenario is best indicated by Flavio’s home that lack health care, basic commodities, poor sanitation and lack of food. Flavio’s home condition is pathetic in the sense that, the family is living in extreme poverty. It is with no doubt; they lack basic necessities in addition, the home located in insecure place where crime rate is high. The world around Flavio’s family it is pathetic in the sense that, there are only three tin plates and the family being a large a family; they all share the three plates.
Poverty is best indicated in Flavio who after washing rice in a large dishpan goes ahead to wash Zacarias’s feet his brother in the same water and worse to that, reusing water in washing other siblings. With this in mind, diseases frequently confound in the family and in places where there is water scarcity; burden of life is complex thus, ‘making life more difficult in social context. It is important to note that, in the American social context, poor people undergo discrimination to the extent, and many are ignored in the society. This is best portrayed in flavio’s case, who after been taken to the hospital by Gallo for a cough treatment is ignored by the nurse to the extent of being undermined.
Based on my perception, Parker story shows the gap between the people living in extreme poverty and people living with basic means. For instance, he talks of his child not had been changed diaper since he left the child home with Granny. From this statement, one can outline that, her previous lifestyle dictated the child to be changed diaper occasionally. Nevertheless, as she outlines, her life changed immediately changed after his husband lost his job which as a result, all her nice things were left in mess to the extent these challenges destroyed her marriage. According to Poverty Gordon Parks and the Fontanelle Family (1) this assumption tends to align with American social context in the sense that, lack of employment causes lack of basic needs in addition, destroying marriages.
Conclusion
In facts, poverty seems to be an issue affecting many countries globally. As discussed in this paper, the story of Parker and Flavio’s family outline the impacts of poverty to the society. In facts, poverty is lack of human needs such as health care, clean water, nutrition, shelter, clothing and education among others. With this regard, this paper has discussed various challenges faced by people living in poverty.
Work cited
Parker, Goodwin. What is poverty? America’s Other Children: Public Schools Outside Suburbs: University of Oklahoma Press 1971, Print.
POVERTY: Gordon Parks and the Fontanelle Family:
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