hat nickel was the second nickel that she had managed to obtain. The first five cents was basically obtained through theft. She distracted a hunter she had met in the forest so that she could pick up a nickel that he had dropped. Phoenix had no reason to be ashamed of the ten cents that she had acquired through begging and stealing. Her perspective was that society had no respect for her, so why should she have respect for society? In conclusion, poverty was probably the main conflict out of all the other four mentioned. Had she not been poor, she would have been able to afford proper care for herself and her grandson and would therefore be living a higher standard of life. Had she not been poor, she could have paid for a cab ride to the city or she could have paid for delivery of the medicine. She would not have had to beg for meaningless nickels. Without money society doesn't care for you and has therefore no respect for you no matter how old you might be....
