Blank Faces

            India is considered an economic dark horse whose large population and augmenting middle class provide an enormous consumer market. Despite recent improvements, a large percentage of people are trapped in slums with little potential to reach the middle class. Unfortunately many of these are orphans who beg on the streets for the last sip of water or scavenge for left overs.  Fortunately many are placed in orphanages and given a stable shelter and regular nourishment.  This picture’s punctum reveals the struggle for a country to maintain its global ascension while aiding the hopeless. The bare walls and dusty floor demonstrate the bare necessity that the orphanage supplies to the orphans. There are two small pictures on the wall put on as a poor attempt to make the orphanage more appealing. Unfortunately, that is all these local orphanages can afford. Many of these orphanages are private and rely on donations to continue operations. Though the government attempts, to help, it is difficult to spread the money to the shear amounts of people in poverty. The clothes the children are wearing are used and many are missing shoes.  Though foreigners may view these orphans as unlucky, many other children are forced into slavery.  The orphan's small smirks are illicited by this innate realization.                           

                The picture’s punctum is the grief and enlightenment I receive from looking at these eight children.  I have volunteered at an orphanage similar to the picture. It reminds me of the hours I was there where I was impervious to the materialistic world. The orphans were ignorant to their poverty and thus were able to enjoy the small things they had.  Their subtle smiles remind of this.  Though they have no remembrance of their families, they have developed commoradary between each other that many other families do not possess.  Many college students are attempting to breach the upper class, whereas these children are hopeful for a small apartment for themselves in the future.  This is depicted by the way they are standing in a group all in similar positions.  But the uncertainty of their future brought sorrow as those smiles could only be temporary. I wondered if they were prepared for the impending hardships.