Homelessness In Theories Of Relativity By Barbara Haworth-Attard

Homelessness is more complicated than one might think. A general perception of the homeless are as addicts who can not get their lives on track. However, there are other contributors that lead to homelessness. Theories of Relativity, by Barbara Haworth-Attard, demonstrates the complexity of homelessness through a 16 year boy, Dylan, who struggles to survive, along with many others as a homeless youth, in Canada. The novel conveys the idea that the homeless are not always addicts who cannot sustain themselves. People become homeless due to other factors such as unemployment, poor family relations, and mental health problems.

To begin, one of the factors that may cause one to be homeless is a lack of a job. Once someone loses their job, it can

Bad relationships can cause one to leave their home forcefully or by choice. In the novel, a dysfunctional relationship leads to homelessness. Dylan meets his real father for the first time; however, his father tells Dylan, “I don’t give a shit about your lousy life [...] if you came looking for a father you won’t find one. You’re nothing to me. You understand? Nothing! (198). His father’s actions cause Dylan to realize that his family do not care about him, as Dylan’s grandfather never went to go find him, his father does not care about him, and his mom dislikes him. Ultimately, Dylan’s poor family relations results in his eviction from his home and he becomes homeless, demonstrating that poor family relationships can result in homelessness. Next, an individual can leave their home because of abusive relationships with family. Melanie, who has grown to a 22 year old woman, runs away from home because at age 14, because she is abused by her father. Melanie was accused of stealing money from their basement, leading to physical harm from her father, and her eviction (Without a Roof). This shows that abuse in a relationship can lead to one’s removal from home, leading to homelessness. Lastly, one can leave their home because of intimate relationships with family. From Theories of Relativity, Jenna, who is a newcomer to homelessness tells Dylan why she left her home. She says, “Home is Dad coming into my room at night [...] He told me that he loved me. That’s what people who love each other do” (239). This hints that the relationship between Jenna her father is not normal and that it is an incest relationship. For her, anything was better than going back home so she ran away from home by choice. This reveals the character of Jenna, how she is so