A Homeless Population

Ironweed, a plant that holds its own, is used as a metaphor for the protagonist Francis Phelan who persists while others perish in the movie “Ironweed” that was based on the novel Ironweed by William Kennedy. The name of the plant derives from the thickness of the stem, or Francis’ resilience, in this case. Unfortunately, Francis Phelan is a former baseball player and alcoholic who is haunted by the ghosts of his past. He isolated himself from his family in the 1910s due to the guilt that consumes

him whole from the accidental death that resulted when he dropped his son. As a coping mechanism, the audience assumes that he remains an unconscious observer of his life, numbing any memory of it with drinks. As a result of his self- loathing behavior, he returns to his hometown as a homeless man in Albany, NY twenty-two years later and meets his long lost companion, Helen, who has been in out and of his life for the past nine years. He works a series of jobs with Rudy in exchange for a place to rest and potent liquid.

This depiction of modern life in America is portrayed by a pair of homeless people on the cold late October streets of Albany, New York during the Great Depression. Their daily existence revolves around surviving in the most difficult circumstances such as: how to avoid going hungry, where to work just to make ends meet, and where to ‘flop’ to avoid being beaten, robbed, or frozen to death. Although, one can argue that citizens from all walks of life can understand this list of priorities,

the movie begs the questions “why are people homeless?”, and therefore, “How should it be addressed?” As the audience peels several layers of it, it is apparent that street people of various kinds occupy the lowest tier. There are even those who sleep in their car, a level above not residing in a conventional home. However, some lay their head on the curb, or crash with friends and some are employed while others are ‘between jobs.’ Then there are those who spend months and/ or even years living in recreational vehicles and migrate with the seasons. These are the elite of the homeless crowd, ranging from truly adventurous souls who occasionally go without enough food to those with substantial bank accounts and second homes.

Unfortunately, homelessness is a prevalent issue in current society. According to an article by Timesunion (2014), “Tonya Sykes was displaced when a radiator pipe burst and her landlord would not immediately fix the interior flooding. She ended up seeking help from the Albany County Department of Social Services because she lacked the money to find another apartment after her job as a baker at Freihofer’s ended when she missed too much work. Sykes said she ultimately would have had to quit because her children’s lives were spinning out of control. Both of her teenage sons are on probation, her 7-year-old daughter suffers from asthma and her 3-year-old son was found wandering the Albany streets at 1:30 A.M. while she was working a night shift as her older children slept.” This is a prime example of how particular circumstances can have drastic impacts on his or her life. Furthermore, just like with the main characters in the movie, it shows that factors outside of his or her control can result with ending up homeless and that homeless people become a product of their environment. Although Tonya continued to work, her children’s lives began to lose direction.

According to an article by worldatlas (2018), “Los Angeles City and County recorded a homeless population of 55,188.”, the largest homeless population in the United States. “Despite the booming economy of Los Angeles, the cost of housing has continued to increase with most jobless and low-income population unable to afford housing.” The challenges of poverty that face low-income areas are due to unemployment and a lack of education amongst members of those communities.

Moreover, according to the article by Timesunion (2014), “Wendy Crookes, a case manager at St. Catherine’s who finds permanent housing for shelter residents in Albany, NY, said she’s had parents lose their housing suddenly because a building was condemned for cockroach or bedbug infestations. Two mothers she worked with had 40-hour workweek jobs at a chain department store, but had their hours and benefits cut and could no longer afford rent. A studio or one-bedroom, which can barely fit a four-person

family, runs $650 to $700 a month, she said, adding ‘that’s an expensive rent if you make minimum wage.’ This is yet another example of going through the motions of life from paycheck-to-paycheck. One may argue that barely having enough to make ends meet allows him or her to relate to the harsh reality of how easy it is to be left with nothing.

An article by HomeAid America argues that “For those living in poverty or close to the poverty line, an ‘everyday’ life issue that may be manageable for individuals with a higher income can be the final factor in placing them on the street. A broken down vehicle, no vehicle insurance, or even unpaid tickets might be just enough to render someone homeless.” (HomeAid 2007).

Although homeless people appear to be scurrying through society like rats on the prowl, they are questioning what makes life worth living. The degree to which they wish to go to survive is one that is worth admiring from the distance. Those who are fortunate enough to have a stable job and a roof over their heads should never take a moment for granted by providing support to those who once had everything, but now have nothing .

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