In chapter 3, we get more firsthand details about the life of poor people in 2024, which is just about everyone who isn't swimming in wealth. The news of astronaut Alica Leal's death on the latest Mars mission is publicized, to which the people in Lauren's neighborhood voice their opinions on space travel being a waste of money. As the government throws billions towards it, the majority of society lives in what would be considered poverty today. It has become fashionable to look dirty, and gasoline is cheaper than clean water. The contrast between classes is striking: as the rich are progressing, the rest are regressing.
As the novel progresses, we are learning more and more about Lauren's neighborhood. Certain social dynamics are revealed that were previously hidden, which I find very interesting. There are outcasts of the neighborhood in the Dunn family, who Lauren claims are commonly known as crazy. We learn this because of the fire that Amy Dunn causes, highlighting her destructive presence. Elsewhere, Mrs. Sims' cousins have inherited her house after her suicide. They are suspicious that people robbed the house when it was empty and generally don't trust anyone despite Lauren's father's claims. This leads to Lauren disliking them, which I'm sure will lead to problems in the future. The moment anyone remotely malicious entered the neighborhood, tense conflicts arise.
Good point. Butler is very pointed about this -- the poverty here is vivid and pervasive (though certainly does reflect very real aspects of our own world).
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