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Reaction Paper On Poverty In Chicago

701 Words3 Pages

Some of the interesting subjects in the documentary are how the permanent underclass came to be and how the low wages keep it in check. Back in the days, there were a lot of heavy industry in Chicago and many people worked in factories, where they had no need for education and many were not skilled. The times changed and it has become difficult to find jobs for those without an education and with few to no skills. The wages are kept low because of the high unemployment rates and even people with jobs live in poverty. The low wages keep people poor and the poor people keep the wages low. The documentary gives the viewer a good understanding and insight in the hopelessness the poor in Chicago experiences because of the vicious circle poverty is. The …show more content…

The impression the documentary gives of Chicago is not very good. It is mainly about poverty and homelessness. The good parts of Chicago is not revealed, because it would not contribute to get Mr. Schodorf’s message across. His message about how the ‘invisible’ welfare system fails to help those who need it the most, comes across clearly. It also seems like Mr. Schodorf wants to change the general population’s minds about what causes poverty and homelessness. He has succeeded well with showing a broad variety of causes to homelessness. The experts and the senator of Chicago enables the documentary to make a political statement. They also make it seem more trustworthy. The interviews with the people living on the streets are essential for the film to be authentic, and for its impact on the viewer. The quality of the documentary is further improved by the way it makes poverty and homelessness tangible, nevertheless there is a distinct lack of criticism of the homeless and poor. Although one might not agree with all the points in the documentary, the points should still be there to enable the viewers to create their own opinions based on varied

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By using statistics such as “Fifty- Three percent of women who require assistance for homelessness are fleeing domestic violence” and “The only alternative for many elderly people where the average rent for a one bedroom unit is $300 a week- that takes 63 per cent of the aged pension.” This use of statistics puts the audience into perspective of the current dreadful situation that the homeless are residing in and their dreadful backstory. By focusing on “Hardworking Elderly women,” Elliot shows the widespread effected victims and invites her audience to contemplate the abysmal state of the

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