Review of unemployed and working hard

College Composition
Reader Response 2
Critique of Unemployed and Working Hard
I chose the essay Unemployed and Working Hard by Simon Wyckoff. The essay describes a boy who watched his father live as a homeless man for many years. The boy describes how “hard working” his father really was. He proves the point that not all homeless people are “lazy bums”, like a lot of us believe. The essay described in detail the course of a day for the homeless man. It told how much thought he had to put in every action, and how he had to plan for the future. It described his typical day from beginning to end. Upon rising, the man would check his belongings to see if anything had been stolen. Then he would buy breakfast if he had money left from the previous day. If he did not have money to buy breakfast he would start looking in dumpsters for his meal. When he had some food in his belly, he would wait patiently for a used newspaper to job hunt. Then the homeless man would play music to earn money.
The author gave several examples of how “hard working” his father was while being unemployed and homeless. He shows that not every homeless person is standing on a street corner waiting for a handout. The author’s father seemed to be too proud to beg for money. Instead, he found ways to be resourceful.
He only spent money when he had to. He didn’t take advantage of shelters for the homeless, because he didn’t like the living conditions. He was concerned for his safety and well being. He knew when to relocate so that a property owner would not become suspicious of him. He rotated the sites where he would sleep. This was also to be protected from people that commit crimes against the homeless.
The author gave examples throughout this essay of how busy his father was during a typical day. How he would ride his bicycle across town several times to find items he needed to survive. He gave examples of the perseverance his father had to have. It described how he would wait for a used newspaper to look for job ads. Then he would apply, even when he knew some were hopeless attempts.
The author makes the statement for readers to consider the idea that some homeless people work as hard, or harder than most of us employed people. I agree with his point. I consider how easy my typical day starts compared to the homeless man. I walk a few steps from my bedroom to kitchen to find food. I have access to a shower and clean clothes. I go about the job I have during the day, with few surprises. I have a car to get from place to place, so I don’t exert much physical energy. I don't carry emotional stress of wondering where my next meal will come from, or where I will put my head down for the night.
I think this essay is a response to conventional thinking about a homeless person. The stereotypical image is that these people are all lazy and waiting for a handout. I would assume most people don’t spend much time thinking about what these people go through on a daily basis. It’s just been accepted as part of our society, that there will be homeless ones.
When I make eye contact with someone standing on the street corner, I do wonder what brought them to that point. I wonder if alcohol or drug use put them on the wrong path. I wonder if they have family, and why no one was willing to help them out. Were they to proud to ask, or too many failed attempts, and backs have been turned on them?
Sometimes I give homeless people money. The elderly ones pull at my heart strings. The quiet ones who look you in the eye, whose pain is almost palpable , bother me too. When younger homeless men/women come up to me at stoplights, or gas stations and tell me to “spare a few bucks” , It annoys me, and I do have the stereotypical attitude that they are lazy and just want a handout. Their approach or lack of, is what determines my giving.
I like the way the author organized his essay. It made me think of my typical day, and compare it to that of his father’s. He gave many details of what his father would have to go through just to survive. He described dumpster diving, and throwing out items that had molded. I like the line from his essay that “homeless people are incredibly busy doing the most important job to all of us” : surviving.
I don’t think most people realize how close we all could be to living homeless. A few missed paychecks, becoming too ill to work, or losing family that would help us out when times are tough, could put anyone of us in that situation.