Lewis coined the term culture of poverty in 1961in his book 'The Children of Sanchez'.
The phrase "culture of poverty" was used in the 1960's. To describe culture of poverty among the urban black families: "were perceived as people living in a self-perpetuated cycle of welfare, unwed motherland and poverty" (Hawker Ed Cohen 2012: 101). The word was largely discredited as assigning blame to people for causing their misfortune. Is there anything like a culture of poverty or anything as such? To answer this question, let us look at the following myths that follow the corresponding realities:
"MYTH 1: Poor people are unmotivated and have weak work ethics.
REALITY: Poor people do not have weaker work ethics or lower levels of motivation than …show more content…
Although drug sales are more visible in poor neighbourhoods, drug use is equally distributed across poor, middle class and wealthy communities" (Hawker Ed Gorski 2012: 97-98). Steinbeck’s novels are monumental sociological works of fiction because they depict delicate microcosmic humanistic details in a very naturalistic way. He is extraordinarily sensitive of his social milieu and his environment. Joseph Fontenrose’s book, John Steinbeck: An Introduction and Interpretation extensively discusses the social milieu in which Steinbeck was born. At last, it is difficult to say as to which element contributes to bring happiness in the social milieu. It is difficult to decide whether poverty is a curse, and prosperity a bliss or vice versa. Mainly, it is because the have-nots have dearth of money that multiplies their grief and shows its hydra-faces. So, the have-nots live in the shadow of grief always. The grief races through their mind, crashes into their heart and later leaves them deaf and blind but to survive. Only grief remains as their everlasting companion. The haves and the have-nots dwell in the same social milieu but their standard of living is entirely different from each other. The following poem seems as if it has been composed for the have-nots of Steinbeck:
"Poverty On Street"
"Poverty on Street and Refugee camps far away,
The struggles of life it goes …show more content…
There is behavioural and instinctive similarity among all. There is no distinction and everyone desire money. The haves thrive and the have-nots strive. One succeeds and other fails. The have-nots are not free from lust of money. But the American the have-nots live wrapping the shroud of shame of not attaining money. They ask a queer question to themselves. Why aren’t you rich? Are they not smart enough to earn? An erroneously thought is put into the have-nots that if they work, they will be millionaires. Then they try short-cut means to get rich. As a result, they are often seen using the foul ways for hoarding money. Unfortunately they fail again and again. Therefore, the have-nots remain poor and trapped in the vicious circle. They live amid the debris of false
The phrase "culture of poverty" was used in the 1960's. To describe culture of poverty among the urban black families: "were perceived as people living in a self-perpetuated cycle of welfare, unwed motherland and poverty" (Hawker Ed Cohen 2012: 101). The word was largely discredited as assigning blame to people for causing their misfortune. Is there anything like a culture of poverty or anything as such? To answer this question, let us look at the following myths that follow the corresponding realities:
"MYTH 1: Poor people are unmotivated and have weak work ethics.
REALITY: Poor people do not have weaker work ethics or lower levels of motivation than …show more content…
Although drug sales are more visible in poor neighbourhoods, drug use is equally distributed across poor, middle class and wealthy communities" (Hawker Ed Gorski 2012: 97-98). Steinbeck’s novels are monumental sociological works of fiction because they depict delicate microcosmic humanistic details in a very naturalistic way. He is extraordinarily sensitive of his social milieu and his environment. Joseph Fontenrose’s book, John Steinbeck: An Introduction and Interpretation extensively discusses the social milieu in which Steinbeck was born. At last, it is difficult to say as to which element contributes to bring happiness in the social milieu. It is difficult to decide whether poverty is a curse, and prosperity a bliss or vice versa. Mainly, it is because the have-nots have dearth of money that multiplies their grief and shows its hydra-faces. So, the have-nots live in the shadow of grief always. The grief races through their mind, crashes into their heart and later leaves them deaf and blind but to survive. Only grief remains as their everlasting companion. The haves and the have-nots dwell in the same social milieu but their standard of living is entirely different from each other. The following poem seems as if it has been composed for the have-nots of Steinbeck:
"Poverty On Street"
"Poverty on Street and Refugee camps far away,
The struggles of life it goes …show more content…
There is behavioural and instinctive similarity among all. There is no distinction and everyone desire money. The haves thrive and the have-nots strive. One succeeds and other fails. The have-nots are not free from lust of money. But the American the have-nots live wrapping the shroud of shame of not attaining money. They ask a queer question to themselves. Why aren’t you rich? Are they not smart enough to earn? An erroneously thought is put into the have-nots that if they work, they will be millionaires. Then they try short-cut means to get rich. As a result, they are often seen using the foul ways for hoarding money. Unfortunately they fail again and again. Therefore, the have-nots remain poor and trapped in the vicious circle. They live amid the debris of false