Poverty And Social Class In Loewen And Hooks

In Loewen and Hooks, both authors talk about poverty and class. They both talk about class structure and social class in their essays. Social class is one of the most important things in society. Loewen’s essay is more about why people are poor and how they survive under what class someone is in. He talks about rich and poor children and how their health could be involved. He also says, “Everyone has a chance in this land of opportunity”. As the reader, he is saying everyone isn’t given an equal opportunity in this day of age, especially the lower class. Hooks talk about her experience more as a child in poverty and how poverty was no disgrace in her household. She shows a lot of her emotions and what she went through to get where she is today. She explains to her readers that water in her household was a luxury and using too much would result in punishment. Water is just an everyday necessity American use to take showers and drink. Thinking about not being able to use water whenever one needs it is tough to think about. Although, being poor should not be a considered a bad thing or be put into a negative light it is every day and they are judged. If someone is poor that doesn’t make them a terrible, lazy person. Where ever someone goes they may see it in the streets or in stores and, most of us don’t want to help anymore. Wealth differences are ten times larger than income differences in America. Every day people are judged on what they have and what they don’t. When someone comes into your home they always look at what someone has and if their home is nice or not. That isn’t right because what someone has shouldn’t define them, it should be the person they are and how kind and giving they are. What someone has accomplished and... ... middle of paper ... ...ess, dishonest, and unworthy. Hooks says, “It is better to be poor than to allow another person to assert power over you in ways that are dehumanizing and cruel” (435). Weather poor or rich everyone deserves and opportunity to be successful in life and shouldn’t be stereotyped. Everyone deserves the chance to be successful in life and have the same equal opportunities. Poverty is everywhere in this world some worse than others. Living in poverty once in life it can actually be a learning experience. To see and experience the struggle gives them not only a better understanding but appreciate what they have. Works Cited Loewen, James, April, Eds. From Inquiry to Academic Writing: A Text and Reader, 2nd Ed. New York: Bedford, 2012. Print. Hooks,Bell, April, Eds. From Inquiry to Academic Writing: A Text and Reader, 2nd Ed. New York: Bedford, 2012. Print.