Question

1. (a) Why is one of the men lying in the dumpster? (b) What is the man in the dumpster doing with his newspaper?

2. (a) Who is the man with the suspenders supposed to represent? (b) How do you know this?

3. Drawing Inferences Judging by this cartoon, which country has a higher level of development-the United States or Bangladesh? Explain your answer.

Answer 1

1. A. One of the men is lying in the dumpster because he doesn't have a house. Such people exist in the United States and are mainly relying on charity or people's generosity.

B. The man in the dumpster is using the newspapers as a blanket or sheet to keep himself warm. Without proper beddings, the man can only resort to using old newspaper piles to create a bed for himself.

2. A. The man in the suspenders could represent an immigrant worker. He could be of Bangladeshi descent.

B. As a person of Bangladeshi descent, he is knowledgeable when it comes to his countrymen's living standards and situations. Also, from his concluding statement, it sounded like he is not American because most immigrants would rather stay in America experiencing poverty because there are more opportunities compared to his/her own country

3. The United States has a higher level of development compared to Bangladesh because a simple garbage dump is considered to be a castle in Bangladesh. Obviously this is very exaggerated but even the worst living conditions in the United States are more favorable compared to Bangladesh's best living conditions.

Answer 2

1. The men lying in the dumpster is in this situation because he is poor, and most likely homeless. He is covering himself with the newspaper, probably because he is cold.

2. The man in the suspenders is meant to represent a rich American. We know this because he is well-dressed and seems to feel entitled to advise the homeless man.

3. Bangladesh has a lower level of development than the United States. This is the reason why, according to the cartoon, people in Bangladesh would consider a dumpster a castle. Because they are so poor. However, the author highlights how this is irrelevant for the homeless man, as he does not benefit from the wealth of the United States in any way.