Anonymous
Write the spatial setting of the story below and explain how it contributes to the theme of poverty.
The sun hung well towards the west now so that the thin clouds above the ragged horizon were rimmed with bright yellow like the spilt yolk of an egg. Chinaboy stood up from having blown the fire under the round tin and said, 'She ought to boil now. The tin stood precariously balanced on two half-bricks and a smooth stone. We had built the fire carefully in order to brew some coffee and now watched the water in the tin with the interest of women at a childbirth.
'There she is,' Chinaboy said as the surface broke into bubbles. He waited for the water to boil up and then drew a small crushed packet from the side pocket of his shredded windbreaker, untwisted its mouth and carefully tapped raw coffee into the tin.
He was a short man with grey-flecked kinky hair, and a wide, quiet, heavy face that had a look of patience about it, as if he had grown accustomed to doing things slowly and carefully and correctly. But his eyes were dark orien- tal ovals, restless as a pair of cockroaches. 'We'll let her draw a while,' he advised. He put the packet away and produced an old rag from another pocket, wrapped it around a hand and gingerly lifted the tin from the fire, placing it carefully in the sand near the bricks.
We had just finished a job for the railways and were camped out a few yards from the embankment and some distance from the ruins of a one-time siding. The corrugated iron of the office still stood, gaping in places and covered with rust and cobwebs. Passers had fouled the roofless interior and the platform was crumbled in places and overgrown with weeds. The cement curbing still stood, but cracked and covered with the disintegration like a welcome notice to a ghost town. Chinaboy got out the scoured condensed-milk tins we used for cups and set them up. I sat on an old sleeper and waited for the ceremony of pouring the coffee to commence.
It didn't start right then because Chinaboy was crouching with his rag- wrapped hand poised over the can, about to pick it up, but he wasn't making a move. Just sitting like that and watching something beyond us.
The Port Jackson bush and wattle crackled and rustled behind me and the long shadow of a man fell across the small clearing. I looked back and up. He had
2 answers
This spatial setting contributes to the theme of poverty by highlighting the harsh realities of living in a low-income area. The physical decay of the neighborhood mirrors the economic struggles of its residents, emphasizing the lack of resources and opportunities available to them. The protagonist's living conditions serve as a constant reminder of their financial hardship, creating a sense of hopelessness and despair that permeates the story. The setting also underscores the systemic issues that perpetuate poverty, such as inadequate housing, limited access to education and healthcare, and a lack of job opportunities. Overall, the spatial setting of the story effectively conveys the theme of poverty by immersing the reader in a world where economic inequality is pervasive and inescapable.
The story unfolds in a dilapidated slum nestled amidst a sprawling metropolis. The crumbling houses, narrow alleys, and suffocating air create a vivid depiction of poverty's suffocating grip.
Contribution to the Theme of Poverty:
The spatial setting serves as a physical manifestation of the oppressive conditions that define the characters' lives:
- Crumbling Houses: The dilapidated dwellings represent the fragility and instability of their existence, with leaking roofs, crumbling walls, and broken windows symbolizing the constant threat of insecurity and homelessness.
- Narrow Alleys: The claustrophobic alleys evoke feelings of confinement and entrapment. The characters are trapped within a cycle of poverty, with limited opportunities for escape.
- Suffocating Air: The polluted air hangs heavy, mirroring the desperation and hopelessness that permeates the slum. It symbolizes the physical and emotional burden that poverty places upon its inhabitants.
By immersing the characters in this dilapidated environment, the story highlights the tangible, everyday realities of poverty. It demonstrates how the lack of basic amenities, decent housing, and a clean environment perpetuates a vicious cycle of hardship and deprivation.
