Cristobal 1

Joseph Cristobal

Professor Trisha Herrera

English 1A

16 April 2017.

To Live in Poverty

In the book, The Tattooed Soldier, the author Hector Tobar describes into the

details of what the life of poverty is in the United States. He uses the character Antonio to

explain the life style which those in poverty face in a daily basis. A man whom witnesses many

challenges throughout his life would experience this hardship of poverty as he faces this life in

the streets of Los Angeles. Tobar describes Antonio life of poverty as an insanitary challenging

life which he is forced to survive. His word choice, describes this uncleanliness of living in a

community which is full of homeless and by doing so it gives a us a setting of what poverty is.

Tobar goes on to explores this theme and by doing so he analysis the action of the people and

their expression within the story. In which we analysis his purpose of why he speaks of this

poverty in L.A. after all the idea of this great country was believed to be perfect is then changed

with a single glance.

In other words, Tobar gives several examples to what Antonio experiences in his

daily life of being homeless person in the Streets of L.A. He gives examples of the many

hardships which people face and so he uses Antonio as this example of how no one is willing to

help him whether homeless or not. As a homeless man says in the story, You must be visiting,

right? He examined the plastic bad at Antonio feet and shook his head. Because I know one

thing. You sure as hell aint staying. This spot here is taken, its our spot. There aint no more
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room here. And we dont need any neighbors. -(pg. 12 The Tattooed Soldier) Examining this

quote determines the sort of tone which the author gives about the world that Antonio now

lives in. The idea of, survival of the Fittest and by doing so he will face more challenges living

this way. That men in the same predicament wont help one another and so you should find

friends which will aid you in your journey of struggle. Though Tobar gives much to say about

Poverty and how the life of living it is a challenge when those around deny you aid. His word

use of word describe the life they must live in, of uncleanliness and of little food which they

must scavenge with.

In addition, Tobars words to depict the situation which Antonio is in, empathies

the Imagery of what he believes poverty is in L.A. He uses the situation which Antonio was in as

he looked for a location to rest. In which he recounts, In the growing darkness Antonio saw at

least two fires going, the outlines of people. There were several shelter and tents one

resembling an igloo, wool blankets and a blue tarpaulin attached to a round skeleton of wire

and wood planks. The shelters were spread across several vacant lots. There seemed to be

plenty of room and it might not be so bad to camp out in the open. -(pg. 13) This quotes gives

a sight of what Antonio is seeing as he is sees that there are more who are in a comparable

situation as he is in. For instance, this is a quote which gives the imagery of portraying yourself

into his situation. As he says, several shelter and tents one resembling an igloo. Gives the idea

that the structures are round and circular. Even how he mentions the, wool blankets and a

blue tarpaulin attached to a round skeleton of wire and wool planks. It shows how these

people have created these homes because they have nowhere else to go but find a location to

stay and live in. Tobar uses Imagery in this quote to show that people must make shift what
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they must live wherever they can to have a home. Which concludes that Tobars use of words

is to help the reader understand the life which Antonio now must live.

Thus, we examine Tobars reasoning of why he writes much of poverty and how it

has affected the people in the United States and those who Immigrate here. This could be

caused by the idea of the American Dream. An idea which many believed was a chance for

people to pursue great wealth in the United State. Tobar explained this idea with Antonio

reaction of how he believed Los Angeles was once. As Antonio explained, He had an idea of

Los Angeles, It was a vibrant promises, with suntanned women in bikinis and men carrying ice

chests brimming with beer. It was a city of handsome, fit young people, all with a bounce in

their step. -(pg.42) Hed come to L.A believing that he could live this wealth great life those

who he believed did and so Tobar understood this was the reasoning for many people to come

here. The American Dream was then crushed when Antonio learned the truth like many

other would. That it is harder to survive in a country which even treats its own people with little

care when they are living in poverty. Antonio learned that there where white American who as

well were homeless like him, thus he felt, he wanted to apologize to these gringos, to say, Im

sorry. Its all my head. My head is full of all this trash, you see. He hadnt meant to put them in

this horrible predicament. -(pg. 42) That this idea of them being homeless was untrue for he

believed that white people were always privilege. Tobar understood poverty lies for the many

who come to the U.S for success and by doing so hed use Antonio to question and understand

that everything isnt so easy as he thought it be. Of how the United States isnt what it really

seemed to be.
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To conclude, Tobars knowledge on poverty was more than what it can seem. He

knew the experiences which one must face when living in the United States and how struggling

is something which many will face when arriving. He talks of the way which those who were

homeless and how they had to live in such insanitary ways for there was no other possibility.

Hed even understood how imagery can improved the setting of what Antonios life has become

and by doing so he could explain his predicament. Thus, Tobar was a man who could explain

the hardship of the American way and how poverty was a problem in the U.S. That there will

always be pain and how a dream will always be a dream when youre coming to live in the

United States.
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Work Cited

- Tobar, Hector. The tattooed soldier: a novel. New York: Picador/Farrar, Straus & Giroux,

2014. Print.