Chapter Analysis

Chapter Analysis: Hand to Mouth

Students Name

Institution

Chapter Analysis: Hand to Mouth

In the fourth chapter, Im Not Angry So Much as Im Really Tired, Linda Tirado indicates that most poor people complete the hardest work as they do not have another choice to survive. Getting less than a minimal wage, they work in unhealthy conditions and have extra hours all the time, but employers do not pay enough (logos, 41), neither do they receive any additional payments. The main point is that employees are physically and mentally tired of being poorly treated to feed their families. Nobody cares that sleeping a few hours, lifting heavy objects, and working on feet exhaust the workers who do not have rest or moral satisfaction (ethos and pathos, 40-41). They work having no to time to rest, which respectively affects the quality of their work. In their need to survive, people engage in low-wage jobs, suffer from inhuman conditions, and ignore depression and other health-related problems because time is money (pathos, 43). Thus, the narrator states that all the jobs refer to an emotional labor based on the physical actions that allow people to survive (ethos, 44).

In the fifth chapter, Ive Got Way Bigger Problems Than a Spinach Salad Can Solve, the author reveals that people develop bad habits to cope with stress and other difficulties they encounter. The narrator focuses on the problem of smoking as many poor people prefer to smoke cheap cigarettes trying to relax. Smoking gives them the so-called moment of peace and relaxation. On the other hand, poor people are often involved in unhealthy behaviors such as alcohol and drugs abuse. In their constant attempts to get money, they end up gradually losing their moral and spiritual values. Additionally, bad habits become a kind of self-medication that allows poor people to relax and forget about their problems.

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In the sixth chapter, This Part Is about Sex, Linda Tirado claims that sex is not an immoral thing. The point is that poor people need much support and care. What is more, sex does not require having conversations with the partner. Tirado states that sex gives moral satisfaction because it gives a physical comfort and brings positive emotions. In some cases, sex is the only thing that can be free of charge. However, many women experience hard times and sell their bodies to get money. Also, young girls do not think about their health when engaging in this activity. Unfortunately, many of them have no other choice because they need money to live. Society expects people to behave appropriately, but, in matters when sex is concerned, rich people are not judged the same way. It is a clear demonstration of the existing inequality even in regard to sex. Although this question is rather controversial, it is based on human prejudice.

In the seventh chapter We Do Not Have Babies for Welfare Money, the author indicates that families can be full if they have children. However, unplanned pregnancy causes further problems in the future (logos, 66). Although it is possible to prevent it, poor women often have no access to contraception and appropriate treatment (logos, 67). In addition, they do not get the needed prenatal care (ethos, 67). In this case, health care is an essential issue to consider. Living from hand to mouth, poor people cannot allow themselves to pay even for basic needs. What is more, taking care of a child requires much time and money. In this case, apart from the needed care, the most important aspect here is money to feed and support children. In addition, children require health care services, but not all the parents have insurance policies. Inability to save money to ensure a decent future for their children leaves the majority of poor children with no chances of getting a higher education, which may result in them creating families below the poverty line (logos, 71). In such a way, welfare relates to many social aspects being opposed to one thing the lack of money (ethos, 73).

In the eighth chapter Poverty Is Fucking Expensive, Linda Tirado demonstrates that poor people have unstable lives and cannot manage various difficulties. A usual daily life requires much effort such as to pay for the apartment, repair a car or install a new filter, etc. These things are cost-demanding, and everybody tries to save money. Some people make a decision to take a credit, but banks increase the percentage points. In this situation, poor people may think that they will be able to pay back a loan having just a part-time job. However, the problem here is that modern US economy is based on credits, and this current system does not serve poor people in a good way.

In the ninth chapter, Being a Poor Isnt a Crime It Just Feels Like It, Linda Tirado reveals that the use of welfare benefits can be illegal if a person uses them being not the resident of the state. It means that every man is a criminal even if he has not robbed a bank. Besides, people can go to prison due to the absence of the driving license, appropriate registration, or other issues. In fact, they have more important concerns, for example, the need to provide a roof over their heads. In addition, there exists disrespect and disgust shown by the higher social class. Moreover, poor people must not feel ashamed of the fact that they cannot allow themselves the luxurious things.

In the tenth chapter An Open Letter to Rich People, the narrator addresses rich people focusing on such questions as work, civics, attitude, health, sex, parenting, practicalities, and others. Nowadays, many rich people have become compassionate to poor peoples needs (ethos, 98). Time is money (logos, 99), but rich people try to satisfy only their personal needs. They do not understand what sufferings the poor undergo in life. Rich people complain about being overworked while the poor are complaining about being unemployed (ethos and pathos, 100). Concentrating on the question of the civics, they state that America is a country of great opportunities, but it is not true. Even Barack Obama caused a flap telling rich people that they did not refer to the sole factors as for their success (logos, 102). Although, both classes have stresses, their nature is not alike. Additionally, the parenting troubles are distinctive as the rich and poor have different values (ethos, 108). It seems that rich people just want to improve their welfare state forgetting about the future generations. Nevertheless, it is necessary to realize that being poor is not a shame, and there is no need to discriminate the poor only because their wages are too low.

What is necessary to change to compel employers to pay more money? How is it possible to improve the health care of the poor?

In the afterword, Linda Tirado reveals that many people suffer from poverty because they do not have any additional option to live. It seems that low wages and constant part-time jobs chase them throughout life. People lose their hopes to find a new job. They forget about their primary goals and intentions to improve their life. They make mistakes and everything becomes even worse than it was before. As a result, the poor do not see any appropriate option to change the instability based on the regular lack of money. Undoubtedly, poor people have to alter their sub-consciousness, and only then, they will find all the necessary strategies to struggle with poverty.

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