Homelessness was not an issue until the 1980s when incomes and housing choices began to dwindle. A person without a permanent home, therefore typically living on the streets, in logical terms, is homeless. The image that I selected for this visual analysis essay is a meme of a homeless man. The text on the photo reads, “Homeless people are lucky they never have to clean their house.” The photo arises various questions, which include, “Who would say such a thing?” “Why would someone make a joke of an issue so severe?” or “What makes this image comical?” The conclusion that I came to was that, some privileged people are miserable, so to compensate for their unhappiness, they knock down those that are beneath them. In order to reach this conclusion, the photo utilizes logos, pathos, and illusion. Logically, one would assume that whoever made this photo did not mind making fun on those who are not immune to such detrimental conditions, such as homelessness. In support of this claim, I will manipulate a photo dating back …show more content…
This assumption is because the author has already gotten the reader to empathize with the homeless man, now all that was left was to get the reader to take action. Primarily when I saw the meme, I thought to myself, “What can I do to help him?” Because normally, when I see a homeless person, or if they ask for money or some sort, I walk past saying “so sorry, I don’t have any money.” Alternatively, I would use another excuse such as “I don’t have my wallet.” When, in all actuality, I am just being selfish. The meme forced me to place myself in the homeless man’s shoes and wonder “what if that were me?” Lying on that sidewalk, sleeping in alley, or digging in the trash for food. I came to the realization that, if that were I, I would ask for help too. I would get angry when no one gave me anything either, because they do not know what it is like to be
In my eyes, there are several things wrong with this picture and it does not fit all the aspects of homelessness that one experiences. The first issue
In people’s minds, beautiful and elegant portraits are aristocracy’s exclusives. Homeless people seem to never have chances to get their portraits, because people usually think that their images of ragged clothes and messy hair are not fit to be seen. Unexpectedly, in the BP Portrait Award, the first prize was a portrait of a homeless man. The painter didn’t draw a shaggy image, whereas he drew a homeless man who dressed neatly with a warm plaid blanket. It shows that he doesn’t treat the homeless according to a stereotype.
In downtown San Jose, there are many homeless people in the streets. Sometimes I find myself walking quickly past by hoping that they will not ask me a question. Some of these people could have led successful lives, and a misfortunate event may have caused them to live on the streets. We associate shaggy clothing and messy looks with homeless people. This false image creates the fear that we have yet to accept. This also increases the marginalization within our society. A thought Staples has is “to remain a shadow—timid, but a survivor” (167). For all we know, these people are minding their own business, and we insert ourselves into thinking that they may want something from us when they just want to get by in life. They remain on the sidelines when they know that other people do not accept them because they could be charged or arrested as a criminal for bothering someone else, since it is easy to be susceptible if one is a person of color. Thus, it could lead to false accusations and contribute to mass
It was surprising to learn that there is a hierarchy that exists among the homeless. Contrary to how power is established in a typical culture, the characteristics and values of the homeless culture are formed in an inverted hierarchy. For example, a homeless individual who has experienced the most traumas and lived on the streets for an extended amount of time will receive a great deal of respect from his or her peers. Individuals who are homeless perceive living on the streets to be much harsher than a person from the mainstream culture would (Philipps, 2012). As a result, an individual gains authority by being able to survive no matter
A homeless person is an individual without a permanent, stable housing situation who either spends his or her nights on the streets or in temporary facilities, such as shelters and abandoned buildings. Throughout history, society has been “holding the poor, rape or incest victims, minorities, or the handicapped responsible for their misfortunes” (Zur). Society has been blaming the homeless for being in the position they are in. However, upon closer inspection, it must be noted that “children under the age of 18 accounts for 39% of the homeless population…battered women who live in poverty are often forced to choose between abusive relationships and homelessness…[and] 40% of homeless men have served in the armed forces” (Who Is Homeless?). It is clear that those who are homeless are not
Homelessness tends to be associated with images of people who sleep in the streets, parks, subways, and sidewalks; who lack shelter of any kind, and are transient throughout the year, moving from place to place. The homeless are sometimes considered as undeserving of support; they are frequently stigmatized as being mentally ill, out of control, and are viewed by some as personally responsible for their situation (Phelan, Link, Moore & Stueve, 1997).
Homelessness exists as a prominent issue that plagues society in various ways. It brings about hardship and controversy as individuals struggle to survive on a daily basis. Additionally, this complication tears families apart and ostracizes individuals from a society where they once belonged. A specific problem regarding homelessness consists of lack of interest from bystanders; some of these spectators refuse to even acknowledge homeless individuals sitting at their feet. As homeless people live their lives on street-corners, the more fortunate members of society choose to engulf themselves in their personal problems alone. Displayed by their clothing and accessories, most of these individuals possess the ability to help in some way;
“Homeless is more than being without a home. It is tied into education needs, food, security; health issues both mental and physical, employment issues, etc. Don’t forget the whole picture.” (“Boxed In” 2005 pg. 108)
Every homeless person has their own story for why they don’t have a home or income whether it is they immigrated to a new country, a disability, or they lost their job. Whatever the situation is, they all have their unique story. We shouldn’t be quick to judge or assume it was their decision. Sometimes we aren’t able to control a situation and for some people they are forced to
Homelessness is portrayed as circumstances of people or family units without steady, uninterrupted, proper lodging, or the quick prospect, means and capacity of getting it. It is the aftereffect of universal or public obstructions, an absence of reasonable and suitable lodging, the individual/family unit 's money related, mental, cognitive, behavioral or physical difficulties, and/or bigotry and segregation. A majority of individuals don 't decide to be dispossessed, and the occurrence is usually negative, unsavory, upsetting and troubling
The lack of dignity that these individuals feel is a direct effect of society’s disrespect for the lower class. The stereotypes of the homeless conceived by upper social classes, cause the lower class to lose any respectable role they may have in society. A homeless man in Oberlin, Ohio says, “Many of us historically invisible people, in our quest for visibility, have chosen to take the routes of organization and alliance building. Often we tend to find that our muted voices have more resonance, bass, and credibility within these snugly, institutionally sanctioned cubby holes” (Laymon). After failing to get sufficient help through
There are millions of homeless people out on the street. When you walk down the street, you may not know if a person passing you by has a place to sleep tonight. Homeless people could look like people you could go to school or work with. Some of them are ashamed by the fact that they are or were homeless, and they carry that shame with them for the rest of their lives. In Text 3, the book starts of with the main character finding her mother looking through the garbage on the street.
The word “homeless” is used to describe many different kinds of people with a variety of problems; the “homeless” includes veterans, the mentally ill, the physically disabled or chronically ill, the elderly on fixed incomes, men, women, and families that have lost their source of income, single parents, runaway children who’ve been abused, alcoholics and drug addicts, immigrants, and traditional tramps, hobos, and transients (Martin, 1999). In “Helping and Hating the Homeless”, Peter Martin claims that although these people all have different backgrounds, histories, and reasons for not having a “home”, they are categorized and stereotyped by society and all looked down upon for being “homeless”. He addresses his readers, those that pass by
Homelessness as an issue in today's society is largely ignored. To many, the problem of homelessness is invisible or barely noticed. When these people do see the homeless it is found in the form of beggars who need to “pull themselves up by their bootstraps” or mentally ill people who “just can't help themselves”. In either case the central point remains; the homeless must be people who are incapable or unwilling to help themselves. After all, wouldn't they stop being homeless if they just tried? These sorts of rationalizations cover a more disturbing truth; that for many in today's society, the spectre of homelessness is more pressing of a problem than helping those who are already on the
When I first arrived in Downtown Chicago, I noticed an abundance of homeless individuals, but what struck me was the major separation in class when a nicely suited businessman would stand nearby the homeless person waiting for the light to change to walk across the street. The difference was extremely noticeable the homeless were very dirty and were constantly asking for help, while the freshly dressed businessman talked carefree handling a business call. To emphasize on the extreme difference in social class from poor to working upper class, I witnessed a homeless gentleman in the bathroom fully stripping down to wash up in the public bathroom sink in Macy’s. When I seen the man full on taking a bath in the sink using hand soap to clean his body, I realized the extremities that come with being less fortunate.I also recognized the bizarre paradox of how homeless people would lay on the ground and how people with more stability would lay. Homeless people would lay on the ground distressed, hopeless