Poor White, a novel by Sherwood Anderson, delves into the complexities of social change and the human spirit in early 20th-century America. The narrative centers on Hugh McVey, a restless inventor who rises from poverty to become a catalyst for industrial progress in the small town of Bidwell, Ohio. As Bidwell transforms from an agrarian community to a bustling industrial hub, the inhabitants grapple with the shifting social landscape and the erosion of traditional values. McVey, once an outsider, finds himself caught between the allure of progress and the yearning for a simpler past.