The Logic of Poverty
“What is Poverty?” is an essay which addresses not only the situation of the poor but its misunderstanding by the upper and middle classes and the impossibility of self-liberation from poverty. The writer, who goes by the name Jo Goodwin Parker, uses simple logic to show the depth of the problems faced by the poor, and shows how some of the problems could be solved very easily by others.
Since the author is unknown (though it could be guessed that she is the needy mother in the article) we can’t give the author any credibility. Additionally, the author’s evidence in the argument comes from anecdotes, meaning that all trustworthiness in the argument must come from preconceived agreement with the examples, or the logic of …show more content…
In paragraph 3 the narrator is unhealthy because there is no place for her children to go and be cared for while she has surgery. Seeking health for herself would mean bestowing bad health on her children. Moreover, she cannot get a jar of Vaseline for herself and her baby to help with dipper rash and dry hands because of a lack of money. Her children cannot go to school, mainly because they do not have the health to. The mother knows that health is important, but again cannot afford the better food or medication needed. The narrator then develops the problems by listing their implications or connecting them to an already stated problem. Lack of health is linked to being tired, the lack of childcare, the need of soap and hot water, the problems with school, the price that must be played for transportation to the health clinics, and shame. Likewise, tiredness is linked to the family’s housing condition and all the work it takes to get help (Parker 954-56). The entire argument spins an intricate web of …show more content…
Almost every paragraph begins with, “poverty is,” or “But you say to me,” followed by a solution or problem and all the reasons the solution cannot be reached. Only paragraphs 1, 7, 9, 14, and 15 do not begin with one of these phrases. This repetition doesn’t exist to emphasize any written idea in the argument, but to show the hopelessness of poverty. It shows that poverty is not just one problem that is solved with one solution, but layers and layers of needs and issues. The situation is repeatedly added to instead of developed. Each paragraph goes as far as is needed to show that there isn’t a way out, and then a new paragraph and new problem
“What is Poverty?” is an essay which addresses not only the situation of the poor but its misunderstanding by the upper and middle classes and the impossibility of self-liberation from poverty. The writer, who goes by the name Jo Goodwin Parker, uses simple logic to show the depth of the problems faced by the poor, and shows how some of the problems could be solved very easily by others.
Since the author is unknown (though it could be guessed that she is the needy mother in the article) we can’t give the author any credibility. Additionally, the author’s evidence in the argument comes from anecdotes, meaning that all trustworthiness in the argument must come from preconceived agreement with the examples, or the logic of …show more content…
In paragraph 3 the narrator is unhealthy because there is no place for her children to go and be cared for while she has surgery. Seeking health for herself would mean bestowing bad health on her children. Moreover, she cannot get a jar of Vaseline for herself and her baby to help with dipper rash and dry hands because of a lack of money. Her children cannot go to school, mainly because they do not have the health to. The mother knows that health is important, but again cannot afford the better food or medication needed. The narrator then develops the problems by listing their implications or connecting them to an already stated problem. Lack of health is linked to being tired, the lack of childcare, the need of soap and hot water, the problems with school, the price that must be played for transportation to the health clinics, and shame. Likewise, tiredness is linked to the family’s housing condition and all the work it takes to get help (Parker 954-56). The entire argument spins an intricate web of …show more content…
Almost every paragraph begins with, “poverty is,” or “But you say to me,” followed by a solution or problem and all the reasons the solution cannot be reached. Only paragraphs 1, 7, 9, 14, and 15 do not begin with one of these phrases. This repetition doesn’t exist to emphasize any written idea in the argument, but to show the hopelessness of poverty. It shows that poverty is not just one problem that is solved with one solution, but layers and layers of needs and issues. The situation is repeatedly added to instead of developed. Each paragraph goes as far as is needed to show that there isn’t a way out, and then a new paragraph and new problem