In 2010, approximately 46.2 million people were considered poor. The country's poverty rate reached 15.1 percent, while in 2009, 14.3 percent of Americans lived in poverty (Censky, 2011). This represents an increase of 2.6 million people in 2010. In the United States, the federal poverty line – an absolute measure of annual income – is frequently used to determine who is considered poor (Ferris & Stein, 2008, 2010 ). Currently, the government defines the poverty line as an income of $11,139 for an individual and $22,314 for a family of four (Censky, 2011). In sociology, poverty can be defined using two terms: relative deprivation and absolute deprivation. Relative deprivation is a comparison between people and social class. In situations of relative deprivation, people are considered poor if their standard of living is lower than that of other members of society (Ferris & Stein, 2008, 2010). Absolute deprivation is an objective measure of poverty, whereby a person is considered poor because they are unable to meet minimum basic needs such as food, shelter, health care and material goods. Is it difficult to participate in society for those living in poverty? Many would say that people living in poverty are behind in our cultural movement; that it lacks the essential elements to be on an equal footing with the rest of society. Many theories have been applied to the issue of poverty, with controversy over how and whether to solve the problem of poverty. Inequality, homelessness and the idea of ​​the American dream also influence poverty. A theory of poverty promoted in 1959 by Oscar Lewis is the idea of ​​a culture theory of poverty. The theory of the culture of poverty is a well-established attitude that can develop in the middle of an article... does not correspond to reality since it is more of an ideology. The American Dream is nothing more than a belief that explains and justifies a kind of social arrangement, in this case the hierarchy of social classes in the United States (Ferris & Stein, 2008, 2010). One of the problems with achieving the American dream is inequality. Inequalities rooted in race, class, and ethnicity suggest that the American dream is not at all achievable. Sociologists have discovered that no matter how hard an individual tries or how hard he or she seeks a good education, the majority will make very little progress up the social class ladder. The American dream does the opposite of what it seeks to be; it encourages consumerism and values ​​material wealth, which ultimately puts Americans in debt. As Americans take on more and more debt, it is increasingly unlikely that they will be able to escape their poverty situation..