Themes and message

Homelessness

The main theme of Tamara Jones’ short story “Waiting for Spring” is homelessness. The story portrays the difficulties and dire conditions a homeless person faces in their daily life.

Homeless people are treated with a degree of hostility by society. They are seen as “undesirables” (l. 22), “socially unacceptable” (l. 23), “dregs of society” (l. 24), and “uninvitables” (l. 25). They are also often ignored and people are not willing to help them. While in the park, a couple walk by William and Albert in a rush, trying to avoid the two men and ignoring the cap where the men are trying to collect money (ll. 18-21). Furthermore, some doctors do not like to treat homeless people and blame them for their poor health condition (ll. 126-129). 

Because of this kind of treatment from authorities, William is distrustful of the institutions that could offer him help. Some of the homeless people spend their nights in a hostel, where they can also receive medical care (l. 109). However, William is portrayed only in an outdoor setting, showing th...

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