The Chapter On Poverty Discusses "The Face of Poverty."

Essay Instructions:

Directions for the Paper
For this assignment you will need to watch The Line” http://www(dot)thelinemovie(dot)com/ or https://www(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?v=zZxjb4gB93A) which explores the life story of a 4 people living at or below the poverty line: There is a direct link to the documentary in the column on the left side of the screen. The documentary discusses "John, a former banker who struggles to put food on the table; Sheila, a single mother who grew up in poverty, escaped only to sink back; James, who found himself homeless in North Carolina; and Ronald, a fisherman in Louisiana who watched as his industry became decimated."
A comprehensive 3-5 page paper will integrate the movie, the text, and you (your supported response). MAKE SURE TO INCLUDE INFORMATION FROM THE TEXT’S CHAPTER: INCLUDING SPECIFIC TERMS AND DEFINITIONS AS WELL AS CLEAR EXPLANATIONS OF HOW THEY APPLY.
The paper will need to be typed and double spaced and follow the format below:
1. Introduction: A general discussion of Poverty. The film says the 4 individuals are at or below the poverty line. What is the poverty line? What is (absolute) poverty? What are the realities of life in poverty? What statistics about poverty were discussed?
2. Body of the paper (you must complete A and B; and choose either C 1. or C2.):
A. The chapter on poverty discusses “The Face of Poverty.”
Based on a review of the material in this section, which of the 4 individuals would you have predicted would be living at or below the poverty line? Be sure to explain your thinking and review all material from the section. The focus should be: “Who are the people living in poverty” and “why are they poor”?
B. The text “Social Service Programs For Those Who Are Poor.”
What does the text say are the “primary goals of these programs”? Which of these programs are/or could the 4 individuals benefit from? . What effect did needing to rely on charity or the government have on those who received services Who would not have survived without government assistance? Explain?
C. Complete one of the following:
1.The text discusses the concepts of personal and social responsibility.
Explain these concepts. What is meant by the role of government and issues of dependence versus self-reliance? Explain. Do you think the 4 individuals were dependent? Self-reliant? Explain and give examples. What do you think the role of government should be?
or
2. The text discusses “Poverty and Inequality.”
What does it say about inequality? What does it say about “Economic and Social Justice” and the need for advocacy. If you were going to advocate for one individual based on notions of inequality and social justice who would it be? Explain. What might the advocacy involve?
3. Conclusion:
Your conclusion needs to go beyond the questions in this assignment. The conclusion pushes you to consider broader issues, make new connections, and elaborate on the significance of poverty. In the conclusion you are asked to analyze and or reflect about the following:
Did seeing these stories change how you view and understand poverty? What did you learn about poverty in completing this assignment? Did anyone’s story challenge stereotypes about poverty? How might you have handled the struggles and challenges they faced?
or
What do you think should be done about the issue of poverty in the US? What does it mean for society when hard working individuals can’t find work and/or earn enough to escape the poverty line? What do you think the government role should be in addressing poverty? Do you think it is possible to do away with poverty as a social problem? Why/why not?

Essay Sample Content Preview:

Poverty
Student’s Name
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Poverty
Based on the United States Census Bureau report of 2011, approximately 46 million Americans live in poverty. The poverty line refers to the minimum income level that individuals should have to acquire life necessities. In the documentary, The Line, it is defined as the situation where a family of four people lives under $23,050 annually (Sojourners, 2012). Absolute poverty is also known as extreme poverty, which entails a small household income that makes it challenging for a family to acquire basic needs, such as shelter, education, food, safe water for drinking, and healthcare. Some of the realities of life in poverty are that one gets ashamed when asking for charity from others, stress, uncertainty about the future, and being unable to give children a better life. Some of the statistics from the documentary are shocking. For example, over 7 million Americans have two or three jobs to ensure that they meet their families’ basic needs. Some suburbs experienced a 25% increase in the rate of poverty from 2000-2008 (Sojourners, 2012). Poverty destroys the lives of many people since it is hard to break this vicious cycle, particularly if one is brought up in it.
After reviewing the chapter on “The Face of Poverty,” I would have predicted that Sheila would be living below the poverty line. First, the individual was brought up in poverty in K-Town, which is an insecure neighborhood. Second, her sister was shot a few blocks from her family’s house, which further affected Sheila’s focus on her career. Third, Sheila had three children when she got a divorce from her husband. Fourth, despite being the youngest supervisor at a particular bank at the age of 30 years, she got an accident when she was 37 years that almost left her disabled (Sojourners, 2012). As such, individuals living in poverty are those who cannot afford all necessities for their families and have no hope for a bright future. These people are not poor because they are not hardworking, educated, are abusing drugs, or irresponsible. Instead, numerous life dynamics or occurrences change their lives and careers adversely.
The primary goals of the Social Service Programs are providing food for poor people, educating children in families affected by poverty, and offering healthcare assistance for them when the need arises. Some of the programs that can benefit John, Sheila, Ronald, and James are housing assistance, Medicaid, scholarships, and supplemental nutrition programs. The effect of waiting for charity or government aid for those who r...

Updated on January 26, 2024

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The Chapter On Poverty Discusses "The Face of Poverty."

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