In The Epilogue Of Evicted, By Matthew Desmond

In the second half of his book Evicted, Matthew Desmond continues to explore the underprivileged housing world and the social and economic strains it places on the poorest inhabitants of Milwaukee, WI.

Through case studies of various families, Desmond uncovers the inherent link between victims of substance abuse, mental illness, race and ethnicity discrimination, poverty, and their subsequent housing discrimination.

Although each chapter delves a little deeper into the situation of a certain individual or family, Desmond’s voice as a researcher is not present until the Epilogue. Desmond does a relatively good job of executing Duneier’s Place Method of ethnography. Instead of telling his readers explicitly how to interpret each of the various

The home is generally constructed as a place of ownership, where we feel secure enough to “remove our masks” that we wear when we present ourselves to the rest of the world (293). Our homes often reflect our own or our family’s identity and are indicative of our lifestyles. The stories that are presented in Evicted reveal the intense levels of anxiety and anguish that surround the eviction process due to the nature of how we interact with our homes and the indestructible link that exists between a physical home and

In each of his case studies, Desmond found that the tenants were much more successful in constructing a healthier, more productive lifestyle when their living situation was deemed permanent. When the fear of being evicted was greatly lessened, Scott became sober. Patrice got her GED and enrolled in community college. Scott and Patrice are examples of the fallacy that their character or mental illness fundamentally held them back from success, instead of their environment. When their environments were transformed, they were able to divert their attention and resources towards bettering themselves. These effects additionally bleed into the subsequent generation. Arleen and Vanetta’s children were not given the opportunity to settle in a single neighborhood, matriculate at a single school, and build long-lasting relationships with peers and mentors. This cycle of poverty speaks to the greater effects that a trend can enact on a