Here's the deal: poverty makes life pretty rough for Francisco's family. When they move to California, they've got high hopes for the life they're going to lead, but they end up doing a lot of really hard work for not that much money. Plus they have to move around a lot, and some of the places they live are pretty crummy. In The Circuit, poverty has a lot to do with not having much in terms of security and possessions. But it doesn't mean our characters lack spirit, dreams, or stick-to-itiveness.
Questions About Poverty
- What does poverty look like in this book? Are there certain defining features?
- What are the downsides to being poor in this book? Are there positive elements too? How so?
- How does poverty impact family relationships?
- How does poverty affect the characters' sense of self? Does it have positive or negative impacts on their self-esteem?
Chew on This
Poverty is permanent. In The Circuit, Francisco's family is always poor, and this means that poverty is inescapable.
Poverty is temporary. In The Circuit, Francisco's family finds ways to make their situation better, and this suggests that they can escape poverty one day.