What Home Means To The Homeless (Mentor Text F)

What Home Means To The Homeless is a collection of interviews done by Damon Winter, for the purpose of trying to define the feeling of “home”. Winter decides to interview those who society would expect to be lacking this feeling, members of a homeless encampment in New York. This is an interesting perspective, as often it seems that one finds greater appreciation for something once it is gone.

This piece is ironically sad, as these people’s only possessions tend to be associated with better times in their lives. It seems that they hold on to these items as a reminder, a comfort for them when facing the difficulties of being homeless. It is a humbling piece, that makes the reader consider that one day they could be homeless too. It brings compassion towards the homeless, and a feeling of closeness to them.

It seems that even with their attachment to their items, the homeless think of “home” as being the people and animals in the encampment. These relationships are loving, and it seems that they find the feeling of “home” more from their friends and animals than their nostalgic items. In a society that is so materialistic, it seems that these homeless people understand the greater meaning of home, the loving relationships they share amongst each other.