The Meaning of Home and Homelessness in Anna Quindlen's Essay

Homelessness can be defined as an individual or family who lacks a fixed, regular and or adequeate residence. This basically means that you and or your family do not have a constant place of residence. You do not own or have a designated place to stay that you can truly call yours. Anna Quindlen’s essay explains how the definition of a home has changed and how people values have changed over time. It also explains the difference between not having a home and being homeless.

Anna had met a woman in the Port Authority subway in NYC. She was trying to interview the woman because she thought that the woman was homeless.

The woman then goes to show Anna that she isn’t homeless and shows Anna a bunch of pictures of places she has lived. This shows that people’s values are different and how the definition of a home has changed. Anna states, “You are where you live, she was somebody”.

This to me means that because the woman she met had pictures of places she called home, that means the she knows she belongs there. Those pictures are of places of her past where she lived. Places she called home. This woman may have lived in a hundred different locations but they were all home to her because of her lifestyle.

Anna also states in her essay, “Home is where the heart is.” That person had certain moments and experiences in each of those locations that she considers each one her home.

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The woman states, “she was just passing by.” To that proclaimed to be homeless woman, her staying in a subway for two weeks might be considered a vacation or a travel break until she finds another place to call home. A lot has changed in today’s society. Back in the day people used to grow, harvest their own food, cook and sleep in the same area. They had to fend for themselves. But as technology and society develops so does luxuries in life. We now have washing machines and dry cleaning. We now have grocery stores and different places where other people provide services to accommodate people’s needs for goods.

You don’t have to own a house or apartment for that place to be considered a home. You don’t have to cook or clean or do laundry in one location for a place to be called a home. Now just a room or a shared room that you can decorate and make it how u want is considered a home. It all depends on the life style you want to achieve. Its more of a felling than an object now. I believe that home is a word that is used as a feeling. When it used to be considered a house or physical establishment. This proves also proves Anna’s statement,” Home is where the heart is.” It is where you feel it is. It is what you make it. A home is place of memories and a place where you feel comfort. Just because you dont have your own bathroom, or kitchen or living room doesn’t mean where you stay isn’t a home. If you are comfortable with your living situation and your comfortable with where you sleep at ngith that is your home.

I believe that Annas most effective evidence would have to be,” sometimes we think we would be better off if we forgot about the broad strokes and concentrated on the details. Basically we need to see the bigger picture. We shouldn’t judge people in todays society the same as we would have in the past. Thigns are different now and times have changed. Sometimes peoples homes change to accomidate the life style they want to achieive. If your goal in life is to travel the world and help people then technically the world is your home. As each now project arrises you also rise to the occasion to help.

Another example is if you and your boyfriend decided to get married and have a baby and you live in a one bed room, you would move to accomidate your new lifestyle. Maybe move to a better location to raise your child and get a bigger house. Everyones lifesytles are different which also makes everyones homes different. As society grows and techniology enchances and expands. The opportunity for humans does also. Instead of only having the option to grow up in a small town and work on a farm or one day take over the family business, now you can move out the country.

Live in japan or volunteer in Africa. We are now ina world with almost endless possibilities. The only thing holding you back isn’t societys undevelopment it is only you and the decisions that you make. You choose weather you want to live on the streets, have a family and a house, owna business. People don’t judge you as much anymore. Society has come long way from slavery, to gay rights. Men and woman beign equal. Old customs are drifting away, which allows people to widen their horizons and create their own lifesytles and and what they feel and want to be considerd home. Just becaseu the definition of a hoem ahd changed doesn’t meant aht is doesn’t exist any more. It just exist ina new form.