Breaking the Barrier: Recognizing the Unrecognized

Madha/1

Aamir Madha

Professor Wills

Composition 100

October 15th, 2012

Breaking the Barrier: Recognizing the Unrecognized

Among many of the conflicts facing today’s world, poverty is one of the most prevalent.

Poverty is a large scale catastrophe that affects millions of people worldwide. Every Saturday morning, commercials on television air featuring little African children suffering from poverty.

These commercials and photographs remind individuals that human beings are lacking simple necessities to sustain life. Unfortunately, it is not just the children from Africa who suffer from poverty, but also the men, women, and children from India. Photos of children and older women deprived of basic necessities illustrate the hardships of poverty. In “Her Ministry Is Born,” David

Van Biema portrays Mother Teresa’s work for those who live in poverty and her compassion towards those unfortunate individuals. Similarly, “On Compassion,” by Barbara Ascher uses narratives to express the importance of learning sympathy through helping those who live in less fortunate conditions. In an article titled, “Going Hungry in America,” Tim Skillern provides statistics and several examples of American middle-class families who suffer from poverty to broaden one’s perspective. Similarly, the United States Census Bureau releases data every ten years that shows the number of people in the country who live in poverty. Indeed, the numbers displayed by the United States Census Bureau are overwhelming. In Charley Gilkey’s online blog, “Teach Girls, End World Poverty,” a photograph of a female toddler holding a sign and pleading for attention illustrates the reality of poverty. Poverty is the deprivation of simple Madha/2 necessities that human beings rely on to sustain life. More importantly, it is the isolation of less fortunate individuals forgotten by society. Conveyed through a narrative, poverty is an issue that can touch the hearts of others and remind individuals of the adversity in real life.

Images of human beings suffering in India illustrate a clear picture of the seriousness of poverty. The images of young children sitting on the floor or laying in beds in what looks like an orphanage or shelter evoke sympathetic emotions. These children look weak and unhealthy.

They lack the basic necessities that every child must have to live a long and healthy life. Their arms and legs look similar to those of twigs on a tree. Their muscles, or lack thereof, seem to be fragile. Many of the children seem to be smiling as if they have never seen a camera before. In one of the images consisting of a group of young boys, all the children are smiling and laughing.

One must question, are the children always this happy? The fact of the matter is the children are getting attention. After viewing images of poverty in India, one feels the need to help. A visual helps illuminate the severe reality of the circumstance and also evokes the emotions of the viewer.

Often times, stories of other individuals inspire people to make a difference. In David

Van Biema’s article, “Her Ministry is Born,” Mother Teresa’s compassion for those who suffer from poverty is exemplified. Poor individuals of all ages roam the streets of India, without shelter, food, or water. Mother Teresa shares her experience of helping “’an old man lying on the street- not wanted-all alone, just sick and dying’” (30). She simply gave him water and medication. Mother Teresa recalls, “’The old man was so strangely grateful’” (30). In the slums of India, sickness and starvation were among the most common illnesses. Mother Teresa reminiscences on a time she helped clean a man being eaten by worms. The man asked, “’Why do you do this?’” and Mother Teresa simply said, “’Because I love you’” (33). Mother Teresa Madha/3 came from a wealthy family. One may wonder why Mother Teresa would put herself in a position to help others when she was well off. Well, besides her religious beliefs, she felt it was obligatory for all individuals to live plain and simple lives. David Van Biema writes, “Her fond memories of her old order struck her as almost satanic: ‘The comfort of Loreto came to tempt me,’” (33). Mother Teresa sacrificed her pleasures and daily life to help others. Through a simple narrative, individuals are inspired to make a difference.

Similar to “Her Ministry is Born,” Barbara Ascher also includes a series of narratives in her article, “On Compassion.” Ascher explores the significance of compassion and what it means to be compassionate. Ascher’s view of compassion slightly differs from the views of Mother

Teresa. Instead, Ascher believes compassion is taught through acts committed in result of poverty. Ascher applies several narratives that occur in daily life. For instance, Ascher narrates a story of a woman and her baby at a stop light who encounter an individual suffering from poverty. Ascher states, “The baby’s mother waits for the light to change and her hands close tighter on the stroller’s handle as she sees the man approach” (56). Certainly, Ascher demonstrates the amount of fear instilled by the man’s presence. In great detail, Ascher illustrates the thoughts in the mother’s head. Ascher writes, “She finds what she’s looking for and passes a folded dollar over her child’s head to the man who stands and stares…” (57).

Ascher argues that the woman only gave the man a dollar because she was afraid of him.

Furthermore, Ascher uses an example of the French bread shop that provides a homeless man with food. However, Ascher questions whether these acts are done through compassion or other reasons. Ashcher questions, "does she simply want to rid her shop of his troublesome presence?"

(57). Lastly, Ascher explains the mayor of New York City’s actions when “moving the homeless off the streets and into Bellevue Hospital” (57). Ascher explores more than just the broad sense Madha/4 of the matter. Ascher argues that we must be reminded of these situations and that “it may be that these are the conditions that finally give birth to empathy” (58). According to Ascher, compassion is taught because of poverty’s harsh conditions. Ascher’s use of narratives allows readers to build a connection to the characters in the stories. By using examples relatable to the common person, Ascher is able to strengthen her argument and convey her message effectively.

Although narratives are an effective way to convey a message, they rely heavily on pathos. In “Going Hungry in America,” Tom Skillern uses narratives as well as statistics to reveal the severity of poverty. While Skillern inserts several examples and short narratives in his article, he also includes eye-opening statistics to provide concrete evidence. For instance,

Skillern writes, “Krepcho estimates about 30% of those seeking help are first-timers” (Going

Hungry In America). In present day America, poverty has grown rapidly. Unfortunately, many people think poverty only affects those who are unemployed or choose not to work. However,

Skillern provides several examples of middle-class American families who work multiple jobs and cannot afford to make ends meet. Skillern shares the story of Cheryl Preston, a “54-year-old mother of three and grandmother of three in Roanoke,” who says, “there are days she skips meals so her husband and son can eat” (Going Hungry In America). Preston says, “When you get a check for $250, and your basic needs require at least $400, you are already defeated” (Going

Hungry In America). To get a better understanding of Preston’s circumstance, Skillern includes a statistic stating, “Eighteen percent of Americans say there have been times this year that they couldn't afford the food they needed, according to a Gallup poll released Tuesday” (Going

Hungry In America). Similarly, the U.S. Census Bureau releases statistics that show the amount of people suffering from poverty in the nation. A statistic released by the U.S. Census reads, “In

2010, the family poverty rate and the number of families in poverty were 11.7 percent and 9.2 Madha/5 million, respectively, up from 11.1 percent and 8.8 million in 2009” (Census Bureau News

2010). Statistics and experiments allow the audience to get a better understanding by relying on facts instead of emotions. Skillern, as well as the U.S. Census Bureau, convey their messages through logic to give the audience a better understanding of how large-scale poverty really is.

There is a famous saying that states, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” In Charley

Gilkey’s online blog, “Teach Girls, End World Poverty,” a photograph of a young girl suffering from poverty is positioned underneath the title of the article. The innocent child sits on the stairs of what seems to be a porch. She stares directly into the camera without any emotion. Deprived of happiness and joy, the unfortunate child lacks a smile. In the photograph, she appears alone holding a cardboard sign that seems to be almost her height. In big black letters, the sign reads,

“Please Help.” Often times, individuals who suffer from poverty desperately seek attention. In the case of the little girl, she awaits on the staircase hoping to receive help from members of society. Unfortunately, individuals who suffer from poverty are often overlooked or ignored. It is very common to see a male or female human being standing outside of a convenient store with a sign similar to the one demonstrated in “Teach Girls, End World Poverty.” Most of the time, people do not stop or even acknowledge their existence. They continue walking by, or even hurrying past them as if they were a creature of some sort. Society has dehumanized people who suffer from poverty. The “average” person is more concerned about buying a new pair of shoes, or the latest Iphone, rather than recognizing the hardships of less fortunate individuals. These individuals struggle to sustain healthy lives and are desperately searching for help. In “Teach

Girls, End World Poverty,” Charlie Gilkey inserts a photograph of a young child to evoke the audience’s emotions. However, Gilkey also includes statistics to convey his message. Gilkey writes, “…roughly every three seconds, 1 child dies from poverty-related causes” (“Teach Girls, Madha/6

End World Poverty”). Unlike the “Going Hungry in America” article or the U.S. Census data,

Gilkey uses time and death to exemplify the struggle of living in poverty. Using photographs and statistics allows the audience to engage and connect to the individuals suffering from the brutality of poverty. Commonly, poverty is seen as categorizing human beings in different social classes. If one does not make a certain amount of money, that individual is considered poor.

Unfortunately, these social ranks create invisible barriers between humans. Consequently, individuals that suffer from poverty are alienated and degraded by society.

Consider a nice summer day on the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, California.

The bright sunshine and light breeze attracts shoppers from all over the world. A tourist attraction and local shopping mall, the promenade remains populated by men, women, and children of all ages, and not to mention of all ethnicities. People scurry around to their favorite stores with plenty of shopping bags already in hand. Tourists take pictures in front of the beautiful walk way, or alongside their favorite stores and restaurants. Teenage girls rush inside of

Sephora to purchase their make-up. Men of all ages walk towards the Apple store to fidget with technology’s newest gadget. Families enjoy the music, art, and entertainment provided by the street performers along the boardwalk. A homeless man covered in old raggedy clothes sits on the bench in front of the food court. A brown sweater covered in dirt and blue jeans torn from the bottom up are the only clothes he owns. A strong odor leaves his body, revealing that he has not bathed in days. Instead of shoes, the bottoms of his feet are covered in black asphalt. His dry skin is covered by grey facial hair revealing that he has not shaved in weeks. His big brown eyes remain vigilant, glancing at those who walk by. Wrapped in his left arm is an old and filthy sleeping bag. In his right hand, he holds a transparent McDonald’s iced-coffee cup with a few Madha/7 pennies and nickels inside. He swirls the cup of change around, hoping to attract someone’s attention. Throughout the day, hundreds of people pass by ignoring the man’s existence.

The most pressing reality of poverty is the isolation of less fortunate individuals.

Unfortunately, people do not want to believe poverty exist. For example, most of my time is spent at the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, California. Santa Monica is a wealthy city where only the upper-class can afford to live. However, there are a growing number of homeless people roaming the streets. They walk along the promenade with signs, often begging for money.

However, most people disregard their presence. The “average” person scurries past them pretending not to see them. Similarly, the photo presented in “Teach Girls, End World Poverty” has the same message. People are seeking attention, but unfortunately those who suffer from poverty are rejected by society. Through a simple narrative, the reality of poverty can be properly conveyed to the public. Narratives and short stories such as “Her Ministry is Born” and

“On Compassion,” deliver a strong message by appealing to the audience’s emotions. After reading articles consisting of narratives, people are inspired to go out and make a difference.

Along with narratives, photographs and images also contribute to exposing the adversities of poverty. By revealing the reality of poverty, images touch the hearts of viewers. Likewise, reading statistics and facts allow individuals to understand the overall certainty of the situation.

As human beings, it is our duty to recognize the reality of poverty and destroy the barriers that exist among us.

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Works Cited

Ascher, Barbara. 50 Essays A Portable Anthology. Boston: Bedford/ St. Martin’s, 2007. Print.

Biema, David. “Her Ministry is Born.” Time 3 Aug. 2010: 30-37. Print.

Gilkey, Charley. “Teach Girls, End World Poverty.” Productiveflourishing.com. N.p. Web.

8 Oct. 2012.

Skillern, Tom. “Going Hungry in America: ‘Distressing,’ ‘humbling’ and ‘scary.’” Yahoo News.

12 Aug. 2012. Web. 8 Oct. 2012

United States Census Bureau. Census Bureau News -- Income, Poverty and Health Insurance

Coverage in the United States: 2010. PR Newswire. New York 13 Sept. 2011. Print.

Link for source 3. http://www.productiveflourishing.com/teach-girls-end-world-poverty/ Madha/9

Revision Reflection

An essential part of writing, revision is a process that allows writers to rethink, rewrite, and reconstruct essays, novels, or any other piece of writing. Many writers, including myself, have fallen into the habit of creating what we think is a perfect first draft. However, it is a time to write down ideas and place them on paper no matter how unusual they sound. While writing my paper on poverty, I encountered many issues regarding my perspective on poverty and its most oppressing reality. In fact, it was not until after my first draft that I was able to construct a proper thesis. My original paper was going to consist of a narrative as well as several statistics. But after careful consideration, I realized a narrative would work better for this assignment.

Prior to writing my paper, I took a moment to really engage myself with the prompt. I tried to envision my daily encounters with poverty, and put them into words. After several minutes of pondering, I let my fingers run freely across the keyboard. I began writing a narrative.

However, I was not sure if it would fit the prompt appropriately. I realized I wanted to write on isolation of individuals and how this message could be conveyed to the general public. In my first draft, I relied solely on my mind’s first reaction. I did not think too much about the diction or the syntax. Many of my sentences had to be reconstructed and paragraphs had to be rearranged to create a more organized essay. After writing my first draft, I was able to carefully analyze the articles we read in class, and rethink them. At first, I thought their messages were weak, especially “On Compassion.” But after analyzing them closely in my paper, I noticed they altered my mind set on poverty and affectively communicated strong messages, which I was able to include in my paper. My feelings on poverty evolved and I was more motivated to write on the issue, which I believe made my writing stronger. In the future, I believe my ideas will change because our minds continue to process new information. Madha/10