Blog Post for 1/10: Critical Analysis for “The End of Extreme Poverty?”

Blog Post for 1/10: Critical Analysis for “The End of Extreme Poverty?”

            “The End of Extreme Poverty?” by Nicholas D. Kristof explains that extreme poverty is excruciating and very tough and that it needs to be brought down from the very high level that it as now, it is a very tough thing and needs to be eliminated everywhere. Also, so much has been done and is being done to reduce the number of people living in extreme poverty and the effects of this poverty on those people. Nicholas D. Kristof uses many details and other things to support this. One thing that he uses is stories of people around the world facing extreme poverty and the effect it has on them. One example of this is when he says, “In Cambodia I met a woman whose daughter had just died of malaria and who was left caring for seven children and grandchildren. She showed me her one anti-malaria mosquito net and told me how every evening she agonizes over which children to squeeze under it and which ones to keep out and expose to malarial mosquitos.” This shows that life in poverty is a real struggle and that excruciating measures really have to be taken when living such a life, so excruciating that you’d have to knowingly risk your life. Another thing that Kristof uses to support his claim is statistics and facts to show how terrible extreme poverty really is. An example of this is when he says, “For thousands of generations, a vast majority of human have lived brief, illiterate lives marked by disease, disability, and the loss of children. As recently as 1980, just over half the people in the developing world lived in extreme poverty, defined as surviving on less than $1.25 a day in today’s money.” This example really shows the struggle faced when living in extreme poverty but it’s true and the statistic at the end is like an extra slap on the face to tell the reader that this is really a problem. There was one more example of this, “But the extreme hanging-by-your-fingernails subsistence with your children uneducated and dying,” wow, you can really see the problem through the description in this example but you realize that it’s a fact those who live in extreme poverty do have to live this scary life. Another detail that Kristof uses to support his idea is a description of what is being done to decrease the level of extreme poverty; this is the main focus of the article. An example is, “That’s because of a huge global investment in vaccines, medicines, schooling, sanitation, and technology.” Another is, “Ancient diseases like polio and measles are on their way out thanks to massive vaccination programs…AIDS is also receding.” A third is, “These achievements aren’t just the result of work by Western donors or aid groups. Some of the biggest gains have come from economic growth in China and India.”  These give the reader hope that there are advancements being made and that things are looking better than ever before. Along these lines another thing Kristof uses to support his idea is a comparison of the past to the present to show progress. An example of this is, “Yet in a time of depressing news world-wide, here’s one area of amazing progress: According to the World Bank, the share of people in the developing world living in extreme poverty has been reduced from 1 in 2 in 1980 to 1 in 5 today.” This shows change from the past. Another example of this is, “In 1990, more than 12 million children died before the age of five. Now that figure is down by 6 million.” A third is, “Poor people used to go blind routinely from disease or were unable to work for the want of reading glasses. Now they are much less likely to go blind and far more likely to get glasses.” A whole “Then and Now” section is included in the article. Another detail that Kristof uses to support his idea is looking forward to the future through his writing. An example is, “Now the aim is to reduce that to almost zero by 2030” (about extreme poverty). He repeats this many times and also says that poverty can become very rare in our lifetime if change stays at this pace. All of these details prove that poverty is in no way easy and that it is a real struggle they also prove that there are changes being made for extreme poverty and poverty can ultimately be defeated one day.

            Kristof wants the reader to think that although poverty is terrible and many people still face it, there is hope for that to be changing. He wants the reader to feel that poverty needs to be eliminated and that what is happening to eliminate it is good. One craft move that he uses to help to do this is saying an example and then making a larger connection often to the world. An example of this is what he said after saying the story of the woman he met in Cambodia, “That’s the kind of excruciating question that extreme poverty forces on families.” This is taking the story of one struggling lady living in extreme poverty with a whole family to all of the families that live in extreme poverty world-wide. He uses this technique multiple times. This craft move works on some people very effectively, first you realize that a problem is realistic through the example or story and then with the larger connection the reader realizes that it isn’t just one person or one thing with the problem but rather a group of people this craft move is also helpful when trying to convince the reader that the issue effects them especially when you want them to take action. Another very effective craft move that many authors use and that Kristof used was rhetorical questions. For example he says, “But when additional kids survive in poor countries, does it really matter? Isn’t the result just a population explosion that eventually leads to famine or war, and more deaths later on?” In this specific example, the first question is a rhetorical question and so is the second but the second is almost the answer to the first in the form of a question as well.  Rhetorical questions are meant not to be answered, but instead they are used to strengthen someone’s ideas. This is how Kristof used rhetorical questions, they work because he makes the reader think to themselves and lures them into saying, “No” and then the second answer will be “Yes!” These questions are just very convincing. Another craft move Kristof uses is quoting officials. An example of this is, “‘There’s been this change of consciousness and a massive mobilization of resources,’ says Stephen Morrison, director of the Global Health Policy Center in Washington. ‘It’s had an enormous effect.’” There is just a weird effect that comes with having a known name and a title. When a reader reads that an official, someone big, agrees with the author there is probably a better chance of the reader also agreeing with the author. A final technique that Kristof uses is adding strong images. There is a whole section included by Kristof of very effective images, six in fact. There is something more appealing about an image than text sometimes, you often find yourself looking straight at images in a text if there are any, not that it’s better than text it just sometime can tell you more and gives you an actual visual of what’s within the text. With all of the craft moves he uses Kristof makes sure to convince the reader as much as he can into agreeing with him.

            I’ve really learned that poverty is a major problem world-wide, I’ve realized that change must happen, things can’t stay the same but I’ve also learned that much is being done to prevent the problems and issues that are created by extreme poverty and it seems that change will happen and very effective change. Ultimately it affects everybody. So with this I assume you can tell that I have been convinced by Kristof’s writing because this was his actual goal with his writing.