Edna Gomez
November 19, 2014
Scratch Beginnings Essay
Perceptions of the Homelessness and Poverty Our perceptions of the homeless and our perceptions of those that live in poverty is that homelessness and poverty are two of the most critical social issues impacting millions of people today. Some people living in poverty trend to believe that they deserve a helping hand at all times. There are so many challenges of living in poverty, especially the struggles to escape from it. As in the book of Scratch Beginnings, Adam met a few people that are homeless and going through life in poverty like James who had a bitter divorce and his wife took everything from him. Sgt. Mendoza a retired army veteran. Phil Coleman and Easy E. Marco the king of the shelter. Hustle Man who sold copies of the post and courier, local newspaper to have money in his pocket. The guy in the wheel chair who got hit by a car. The guy that talked about the war or the guy who got stabbed outside the shelter with a six-inch blade and came to the soup kitchen to show off his wound. He also met three different types of people in the shelter the mentally afflicted, the bums, and the victims of different circumstances that have no fault being perceptions of homelessness due to poverty. For many, homelessness and poverty is a vicious cycle that devastates lives of everyone that is affected. I believe that poverty shouldn’t be a life sentences. If there’s a will there is a way and anything can be accomplished if you want it. Adam never thought that being homeless was going to be very hard, sad, depressing, tiring, and difficult in surviving in the real world. Adam learned that he is the product of his surroundings, his families, his peers, and the environment. Homelessness and poverty can show realities, and misconceptions about what they both are about. Homelessness is in high rise due to financial fallout leaving people needing their basic necessities like food, shelter, and personal care.