Homeless

SWIFTTed by Cooper

Symbolism

• Picture of a house – The photograph that Ana carried with her was

symbolic of a past life and future dream – a home. It shows that many homeless people simply carry the desire of stability and a place to stay and aren’t all mentally ill people who choose to live on the streets.

• Ana – The homeless woman and her story are symbolic of a change in American culture.

Families used to stay together and grow together and now people are more on their own. The author uses Ana to illustrate the change in America. She writes about the loss of importance of the individual, and how we look at “problems” instead of looking at “people”.

Word Choice/Diction

• Reality – “Inside were curtains, a couch, a stove, potholders. You are where you live.

She was somebody” These simple, short sentences, give realistic, specific evidence that Ana had had some kind of normal existence and was just a person down on her luck, instead of some weird street person to be ignored. The author creates pity for Ana by saying that she was human and important.

• Identity - “They are not the homeless. They are people who have no homes.” This

choice in wording implies that the author thinks that each person is worthy of individualism and has a story to tell and deserves help, instead of lumping all people with a common problem together. The author wants each homeless person to have the dignity of identity so that problems are personalized and have more meaning.

Imagery

• Home – “With aluminum siding and a chain link fence, a narrow driveway running up

to a once-car garage and a patch of backyard.” Sight imagery showing the specific details of this woman’s old life. The author used images that the reader could connect with.

• Home – “I love dumb things about it: the hot-water heater, the plastic rack you drain

dishes in, the roof over my head, which occasionally leaks.” The author describes her own home, which isn’t perfect, but has meaning and which she is proud of. She shows us how precious our homes are and how bad these homeless people have it.

Figurative Language

• Alliteration – “adrift, alone, anonymous, although” p.40, 1st paragraph

• Very little figurative language – perhaps because this is nonfiction and an essay

Tone

• Beginning – Sad tone, Ana’s story

• Middle – neutral – discussing the issues

• End – pedantic (preachy), use powerful language to drive home the issue of individuality

Theme

• Every person has worth

• Stereotyping is wrong

• Everyone has a goal and a dream

• All people have a story behind their lives