What is Poverty? Exercise : Summary and Question Answers

What Is Poverty?  Summary The essay “What is Poverty?” is written by Jo Goodwin Parker who gives a real account of what poverty actually is. She describes how painful it is to live with poverty and her daily struggles to raise a family. She stresses that poverty is uglier, crueler and more devastating than it is shown in newspapers. She defines poverty as a lack – that is living without hope, better foods, medicinal care, proper sanitation, and proper education. It is like an acid that destroys pride, honor, health, and future. Parker’s main purpose is to show how shameful, humiliating and disgusting it is to be poor. She wants to draw the readers’ attention to the pathetic state of poor people. Poor people have to live a restless life looking at the dark future of their children. Poverty breaks relationships. Parker had three children. She divorced her husband because he had lost his job and they couldn’t buy contraceptives to prevent unwanted birth. She had a job. Once she left the chil…