Question

When Nellie Bly describes the people around her as having "stories printed on their faces of hard lives, abuse and poverty," and that it is "only an old story" to the court. What does she mean? Cite evidence from the text to support your response.

Answer 1

When Nellie Bly describes the people around her as having “stories printed on their faces of hard lives, abuse and poverty,” and that it is “only an old story”, she is picturing a contemporary scenario of poverty, hunger, difficulties and abuse which is anything but new. The main character is emotionally touched by this scene: "I commenced to shake with more than the cold, and I looked around at the strange crowd about me, composed of poorly dressed men and women...". There has always been and there will always poverty around us and as it has lost novelty, we somehow get blind and insensitive: "Everywhere was a sprinkling of well-dressed, well-fed officers watching the scene passively and almost indifferently"

Answer 2

Answer and explanation:

By saying that people around her have stories printed on their faces of hard lives, abuse and poverty, I believe Nellie Bly is stating that among the mental impatients, there are certain social struggles (homeless condition, abuse, extreme poverty) that may cause people to loose their right minds.

This, and probably not having the right companionship, is what leads people to no other place other than a mental facility.