The eldest son of parents who were themselves poor, I had, fortunately, to begin to perform some useful work in the world while still very young in order to earn an living and therefore came to understand even in early boyhood that my duty was to assist my parents and become, as soon as possible, a breadwinner in the family.

【翻译】作为/我是 贫穷父母的长子，幸运的是，为了谋生，我还很小的时候就开始在天底下从事一些有用的工作。因此，甚至在孩提时代，我就懂得我的责任是帮助我的父母，并尽快成为家庭的养家糊口者。

【结构分析】

一、The eldest son of parents who were themselves poor： 在语法上这叫做“偏置结构”。就是把主语放在句子左侧或右侧，用不同的说法，再把主语（即：The eldest son和 I 指同一个人）重复一遍：

The eldest son of parents who were themselves poor, I had to begin...

又如：

1. My father, he's not interested in this any more.

2. That's a beautiful thing, your picture!

句1，叫做“左偏置结构”。（English Left Dislocation）

句2，叫做“右偏置结构”。（English Right Dislocation）

语法学上的“偏置结构”，就是把主语放在句子左侧或右侧，用不同的说法，再把主语重复一遍。这两种偏置结构，都是用不同的词语突出强调句子的主语成分。在现实语言中，尤以“左偏置结构”为多。英语的“偏置结构”属于非正式语体，但在新闻和演讲等较正式的言语交际中并不鲜见，这与其独特的结构和功能有关。其主要功能为了简化句式或强调某种信息。

说起这种结构，我们不能不提及一个人，一个十分著名的人。众所周知，美国前总统奥巴马以超群的演讲水平而闻名世界，为世人所公认。他的演讲稿自然引起了人们的极大兴趣。一位美国网民在研读奥巴马2012年7月的竞选演讲稿时，注意到在一段话中，连续有3个句子很特别：

Michelle’s mom and dad, they didn’t come from a wealthy family.

Michelle’s dad, he worked a blue-collar job at the sanitary plant in Chicago.

And my mother-in-law, she stayed at home until the kids got older.

二、while still very young 是while I was still very young 的省略说法。这是时间状语从句，修饰谓语动词had to begin to perform。

三、in order to earn an living， 是had to begin to perform 的目的状语。一个谓语动词有两个状语是很正常的，不足为怪。而且，这种排列没有问题。

四、came to understand = began to understand。come + “认知类动词”：表示“开始认识到、懂得”。 其中，even in early boyhood 是understand 的时间状语。

五、that my duty was to assist my parents and become a breadwinner in the family：understand 的宾语从句。其中，固定词组as soon as possible 作时间状语，修饰became。