Nathaniel Vasquez

Professor Juge
Sociology 001
10/23/15
Writing Assignment #2: A Life in Poverty
Question #1:
One of the themes that is duly noted in both the written works and the framework of society is
the theme of welfare that impacts individual and families that are from different backgrounds
such as that of single mothers. An important idea to keep in mind about the theme of welfare is
how difficult it has become to obtain it when displaced into the cycle of poverty, a prominent
group who loses out being single mothers/women. A quick example of this would be the effects
of the TANF program which gives state agencies complete discretion over the program , which
then denies eligible families and discourages many from seeking their assistance (Royce 139140). By leaving low-income families to fend for themselves, this decreases single
mothers/women chances of finding a low-wage paying job sustainable enough to meet their
needs and their families, while also struggling to meet the TANFs work requirements. Without
the benefits to act as their cushion, it limit them to sparse sources of income from the workplace
that even then still does not provide well enough to support them. The programs maintenance is
also boosted by the lack of components needed in the low-paying jobs available to these
individuals such as child care and medical care while also physically and mentally pushing their
limits (Juge 2015). They are thus forced to be a part of the workfare force, working to prove
that they are the right kind of poor who is productive enough to garner any fiscal support. There
are also other factors such as stereotypes that dominate the image of women being supported by
welfare, which places them under further scrutiny and lacks substance in terms of how they truly
came to be in this situation (Eitzen 92). By looking at this problem from a sociological
perspective, there can also be a state of self-internalized rejection mainly because of the lack of

opportunities given to them. Believing there are no other avenues to pursue for assistance, single
mothers and women with families of their own are exposed to the stereotype of the welfare
mother which is plastered as a negative image across the media. But from a sociological
standpoint, if they were to consider their own life history and the circumstances, it would help
cast the welfare stigma in a more positive light. Associating themselves with other women who
suffer from the same treatment increases the likelihood of internalizing a sense of positive
cognition instead of rejection.

The second common theme that affects individuals and families is child care and how its
absence has individuals and families searching for answers with it affecting their other
endeavors. The use of child care is meant to assist families who require supervision of some
kind to ease their efforts as work. This doesnt seem to be the case, as a good example of this
would be the expenditures that child care eats up of a familys monthly income, normally about
30.1% and hugely affects single mothers who struggle to find care center for their children while
working (Royce 227). Often times what prevents individuals and families from pursuing child
care is the lack of quality and its coordination which could affect how it aligns with the standards
forced upon them by poverty. From a sociological viewpoint, this affects the
patriarchs/matriarchs time devoted to their work, education ,and other aspects of their lifestyles.
By not having child care available to them, individuals and families are forced to avoid as much
work and other areas that require time away from home since there is no one around to care for
them. This contributes further to their plight and causes the positive feedback loop of poverty to
continue.
Question #2:

The way poverty structures itself around race is important, considering that it is one of the
prime reasons for why individuals and families. There are numerous effects that echo throughout
the cycle of poverty and those who cope with the different sides of race. And example of this
would be the findings that Devah Pager discovered noting that black men without criminal
records stand less of a chance than equally qualified white men with a criminal record (Royce
200). With this in mind, it is no wonder why this would affect racial minorities such as black
men by experiencing extended periods of unemployment and reducing their chances of obtaining
other resources such as welfare. There is also the fact that the informal, unwritten rules of
stereotypes and ascribes status affect the potential hiring of racial minorities, curbing their
chances of being brought in for a job and making them succumb further into the spiral of
poverty. An additional, common result of this would be the fact that racial minorities begin to
accept societys definition and blame themselves for their failure, feeling various selfdestructive emotions that inhibit their capacity to survive the harsh conditions of poverty (Eitzen
89). This keeps them well below the poverty and causes the minorities to remain poor with
others who share the same situation and the rich to keep living with the rich. Keeping the poor
within the poor only changes the structure within the cycle of poverty, not society as a whole on
its mindset and approach to the impoverished. And it is the grouping of all racial minorities in
groups based on a homogenous group rather than heterogeneous individuals with their own
unique characteristics and circumstances that will continue to stunt the development of change
for this particular area of poverty.

The second theme that persists in poverty is age and how it has began to affect mostly those
who are seniors who are struggling to pay for their needs despite the assistance Social Security is
supposed to provide. An example of this, which is relevant to this situation, is the parenting in

poverty and women with families are displaced well below the poverty line and are hindered
from taking work when being continuously stigmatized and shamed by society (Eitzen 121).
From a sociological perspective, it should be pointed out that individuals such as single mothers
or stigmatized racial minorities suffer discriminatory practices from potential employers which
then affects seniors having less financial backing for their retirement considering social security
is a collective pot of workers percentages of wages. This connects heavily to the strife that
seniors are currently experiencing and will continue to experience unless there is a change in the
disbursement of the amount of benefits readily available for them after retirement. An example
of this would be the effects social security is having on seniors, forcing them to search for other
means of financial support. In Poverty and Power, it details that elderly Americans have
preferred returning to work despite chronic pain and poor health (Royce 239). From a
sociological viewpoint, there is a point to be made about the decline of earnings that working
Americans receive which then affects their chances of affording housing (by short supply) and
dealing with the expanding costs of education and healthcare. All these factors in tow will
collectively also affect the productivity of Americans including their livelihood being at stake.
Additionally, there is the lack of a retirement plan that also affects the financial security given to
those who are crossing the threshold to being seniors. Because of the low earnings made by
workers early on, they dont participate in the plans and leaves many seniors to depend on Social
Security entirely (Royce 237). This issue stems from the fact that for the many adults who
experience poverty during the prime of their working years, the effects are bound to be replicated
and enhanced as they cross into the waning time they have left as seniors.

Question #3:

The most effective method of social change is the implementation of a large organized group
of individuals with the same cause that affects them all, specifically being the ACORN group
fighting for rights of low and moderate-income families. A specific example of this in
Experiencing Poverty would be their fight against Household Financial, a financial services
company, who abused and preyed upon borrowers with abusive loan terms. Individuals from
ACORN initiated a grand protest by visiting and informing members of Household the egregious
acts done against them financially (Eitzen 209). I feel that this specific tactic made in their
overall approach was an effective in targeting many individuals who would otherwise continue
doing the bidding of the Household Financial company. With an organization, it seems that it
would have a higher chance for success considering all the different tasks and angles that can be
accomplished by divvying up the work and attacking it at once. This then brings them closer
towards a common goal: social change for an societal problem that hurts all who share their
cause and share their desire for change. Although it wont be accomplished in one fell swoop, it
is the collective effort that matters. To involve those who want to become agents of social
change is a big step in the right direction, and by increasing the size and power of an
organization, it brings a greater chance for future progressive change.

References
Eitzen, D., & Smith, K. (2008). Experiencing Poverty: Voices From The Bottom (2nd ed., p. 89,
92, 121, and 209). Boston, Massachusetts: Pearson.

Royce, E. (2015). Poverty and Power: The Problem of Structural Inequality (2nd ed., pp. 139140, 200, 227, 237, and 239). Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield.