Effect of Poverty on
an Artist
Can an aspiring writer be an artist without money? This is a
controversial topic, mainly because every situation is different, but I am
confident that it is possible. I believe that when it comes to success, you get
what you put into it. For all intents and purposes, aspiring writers can be
divided into two categories: those who are money oriented and those who are
not. Those who create works of literature mainly to appeal to a buyer are not truly
artists. These writers are just writing what they think society will enjoy and
buy, instead of staying true to themselves. If an aspiring writer who lives in
poverty is money oriented then I do not believe that he or she can be an
artist. Not all people living in poverty, however, are focused on money; some
writers will stand by their work, even if it goes unappreciated. These writers
are so confident in their work, they will refuse to stifle their genius only to
appease a buyer. For many of these writers who battle poverty, their works of
literature are all that they have and can call their own, thus making their
works even more important to them. If a
writer living in poverty is not money oriented, then I do believe that he or
she can be an artist.
Virginia Woolf discusses this topic in her essay, A Room of One’s Own. Woolf believes that
a writer who battles poverty cannot be an artist. She explains that writers who
do not have food in their stomachs and a roof over their heads cannot concentrate
enough to complete works that are true to themselves. Unfortunately, writers in
poverty often struggle with basic needs such as food and shelter. Woolf is
assuming that all impoverished writers will give buyers exactly what they want,
putting themselves second.
Woolf is not considering the group of writers who refuse to
settle, regardless of how poor they are. A great example of this artist would
be J.K. Rowling. J.K. Rowling is the author of the world famous Harry Potter
series. Rowling did not used to be as wealthy as she is today. Rowling and her
young daughter once lived on a welfare check of 70 pounds a week. Unable to
heat her flat, she would spend a lot of time in a local café, where she wrote
the first Harry Potter book on some napkins. Her work was rejected eleven times
before getting published. Did Rowling change the story after consistently getting
turned away? No! She stood by her work, showing how not all impoverished
writers are money oriented. Of course Rowling was looking to make a profit, but
she did not let that alter her artistic work in anyway. I believe that writers who
live in poverty can become artists, as long as they are not money driven nor
change their work only to please a buyer. Success is never guaranteed, but
living in poverty does not make it impossible.
