Invisible Child: Poverty, Survival, and Hope in an American City

by Andrea Elliott

Milton’s original deed of trust provides for food and shelter before any mention of studies. The same logic came to inform the groundbreaking work of psychologist Abraham Maslow, who in 1943 created the “Hierarchy of Needs.” Maslow’s hierarchy is often taught as a pyramid. At its base are the things needed for survival: air, food, water, shelter, clothing, and sleep. Without these things, a person struggles to rise to the next level: “physical safety.” After that comes “belongingness and love,” satisfied by friends and family. Then comes “esteem,” which allows for self-respect and the respect of others. Finally, at the top of the pyramid is “self-actualization”—the ability to reach one’s full potential, to be moral, to lead a life of purpose. One cannot reach the top of the pyramid without possessing the things at its base.