Living in poverty
What are some types of barriers that those living in poverty may face?
Cultural/language barriers, etc.
How are immigrants' education ignored in the workforce?
Immigrants typically end up in low-wage labour occupations - disregarding any previous educational background or qualifications.
How was the girl shamed in the story for this?
Her food, picture day
What was the result of having to learn a new language?
Who created this lens?
Karl Marx
_____ and _________ play a consequential role in their opportunities and identities.
Poverty and marginalization
True or false - The story’s depiction of employment regarding Joy’s father and his friends highlights how immigrants’ education and skills are often praised within the workforce
False
What does shaming Joy for her appearance demonstrate?
Demonstrates class division, for example on picture day
Why couldn't the family pronounce the word "knife"?
They came from another country and had to learn a new language.
What did Marx believe to be the best system?
Believed classlessness, no hierarchy, trust in government, everyone gets the same = no risks, communism, trust in government
How did poverty limit their opportunities?
Living in a cycle of low-income work, the family is forced into physically demanding, low-paying jobs that reflect the only positions accessible to them due to language and cultural barriers.
How does the father perceive his friend's jobs as?
That they are still working menial low-paying jobs. Many of them work under the management of far younger, inexperienced supervisors, highlighting how the qualifications of immigrants are often dismissed.
How does Joy experience vulnerability?
She was disregarded from her culture by other students
True or false - After being corrected and taken to the office by her teacher, Joy is still not convinced by what her teachers tell her, and she instead argues that her father is right because the letter k is right there at the front
True
Who are the Bourgeoisie?
How might poverty impact their identities/perceptions?
Their self-perception causes them to experience alienation and naiveness in a society where they struggle to feel belonging, example is dressing up for picture day.
Is the father educated himself?
No
What did the photographer attempt to do at picture day?
The photographer's attempt to conceal the dirt on Joy's shoes demonstrates the importance of maintaining professionalism while suppressing others for the economical struggles. Joy faced the economical struggle by being hidden so she was not shown wearing dirty clothes.
How are Joy and her classmate, the rich blonde girl's dads, parallel to one another?
Her father does the same when he shows up, and hhe can read flawlessly without taking breaks while Joy's father cannot. This parallel is clearly a device used by the author to show the class division between an impoverished immigrant and a rich, blue-eyed girl and how different their opportunities are today.
What are the 3 class divisions of society according to the Marxist Conflict Theory?
Aristocracy, Bourgeoisie, Proletariat
Explain an example of how Joy is naive.
“All of them are out of their minds, thinking they could be fancy on an ordinary day” (2) during picture day at Joy’s school. This line reveals the family’s belief that things associated with luxury or "fanciness" are impractical or unattainable in their day-to-day lives.
How might immigrants be restricted in their occupations?
Failure in valuing immigrants’ knowledge and skills due to cultural or linguistic differences points to the systematic marginalization of immigrants, restricting them to occupations that rarely align with their qualifications or aspirations.
Why was Joy teased at school about her food?
Because of the "smell"
What does the rich girl in her class and being able to pronounce the word "knife" demonstrate?
Joy is an impoverished, underprivileged immigrant who does not have all the resources available to this girl, she just has her dad teaching her how to pronounce these complicated words. On the other hand, her classmate's mother comes and picks her up with a fancy car and fancy heels everyday
How does individualism work?
Self interest and freedoms, economy will naturally run on supply + demand system