The differences between poverty and wealth figure strongly in "The News from Ireland." The difficult life of the poor Irish—though they are not seen—is sharply contrasted with the ease of the Pulvertafts' life. The Pulvertafts are a wealthy English family. They enjoy the means to maintain a large estate with several servants. They have the money to provide food for the poor, donations to beggars, and even to employ a number of men to build a road that will encircle their property.