Poverty goes hand in hand with social class and equality. Trying to improve their circumstances was almost impossible since white America thought African-Americans were fit for only menial jobs. This meaning that they couldn’t get good jobs therefor, couldn’t keep a steady flow of money. Another example of this was the fact that children of African Americans had to pick cotton for white farmers. White farmers had all the good land and were also the only ones who could afford good land for planting cotton. Raymond bought some land from a woman for cheap and a used mule. He thought he got a good deal on the land until he started plowing and found out it use to be an old testing ground for bombs and things. He found old grenades and empty gun shells. This doesn’t make for good plowing at all and is also dangerous to plow. In the book is said Raymond started acting like every day was his last when he would go out to the field. Not being able to find a job was a very upsetting issue to many because they were not able to develop a sense of self- worth that comes from working and providing for one’s