Class Matters By Andy Blevins Character Analysis

It is expected that within a span of four years drastic changes can occur to any person. An example of such case is our experience throughout four years of high school or college; it is a time in which each obstacle that we surpass will become an experience that builds character. We have all left our childhood behind, but we have yet to taste the full essence of adulthood. Within these years of being cast astray to find our own paths, it is common for us students to experience regular episodes of anxiety, stress, and crippling self-doubt.

I feel the author is attempting to convey that class means everything when it comes to education. Mantsios lists several references and charts that show what the odds would be if you were low, middle, or high class to attend a university and what level of education you might obtain.

Being in the upper class does not qualified them as people who are most educated. They often have an attitude of being better than others and this carries over into their family relationships. Being in the higher class in America have nothing to do about your education. A percentage of the higher class might be educated because they have enough money to afford college and help their kids reach a better education but in my opinion most kids who grow up wealthy do not really take the time to get an education because they do not see the point of going to school and reach an higher education since they do not really looking for any pay job because they already the amount of money that they need. While the other half might seem the necessity of going to college not for the higher pay but more because they want to better educate

In American in order to move up in your social class you have to a degree. For an example today a person with a high school diploma are only qualified for a certain type of job like Mc. Donald’s, which you are only going to get ...

In the “Class Of America” article, the author Gregory Mantsios displays his point of view on what society says class individuals are in and how that affects their lives further than people in America think. Mantsios believes that citizens in the United States prefer not be put in different social categories like higher, middle, or lower class just because of the income value. Mantsios elaborates on his beliefs about class categories in America and disproves them by using statistics for evidence. In example, he claims that the class you are placed in will affect your lifestyle. Mantsios also debates that whatever class you fall under reflects on how well you will prosper in life, just like schools connecting test scores and the level of schooling the student receives. Whatever class a person is categorized in defining their future in life, even, if they choose to not see it that way that’s how it is.

In many cases the transition of class involves a lot more than hard work and opportunity. In the play A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, the Younger family is faced with a situation where an opportunity to be prosperous comes at the price of pride. The grandmother talks to her son explaining how the American Dream is not worth losing your pride for, “Son – I come from five generations of people who was slaves and sharecroppers – but ain’t nobody in my family never let nobody pay ‘em no money that was a way of telling us we wasn’t fit to walk the earth. We ain’t never been that poor. (Raising her eyes and looking at him) We ain’t never been that – dead inside.” Slaves had little choice, but to keep their pride hidden; the Younger family now has the choice. This is the issue emphasized by grandmother; a shot at monetary success is not worth pride. However, because the Younger family did not take this opportunity they will be forced to continue working for other people, and even if they feel as though they are working hard little progress can be made. In the trouble with geniuses by Malcolm Gladwell he explores various explanation for the lack of correlation between intelligence and success. Gladwell cites a study preformed by sociologist Annette Lareau. In Lareau’s study she observed an advantage rooted in the

Social classes have been part of this country’s history for a very long time. Social class and sometimes race play an important role determining the opportunities a person is able to receive. People from different social backgrounds live different lifestyles as well as have different opportunities in life. As a result of that, individuals in higher social class have an advantage over those in a lower social class. However, we as individuals are the masters of our own destiny. Just because someone is born in a lower social class it doesn’t necessarily mean they have to maintain that social status the rest of their lives. Education, hard work and the willingness to do whatever it takes to succeed are some of the traits that can make this change happen.

Doaker- A forty seven year old, tall, patient man that has a lot of respect for others. Even though he caves into people he is still a respectable figure.

...cation to a much lesser extent. They usually go on to live a comfortable life, but they sadly remain stuck in their characterless world of superficiality. Lower class students learn to value their education the most, but rarely get the opportunity to do so. They end up as the realest people with the most heart, but go on to live life struggling. So the winners are those who find the perfect balance of opportunity and value, and in my opinion they are the middle class students. These students not only grow intellectually, but they also grow to improve a great deal in character. If these students can make it past the strenuous college years, they will go on to live a special balance of comfortable living along with a good personality. Life does not always appear to be fair, but sometimes we think we are losing life’s battle when we are actually winning its war.

Social class and education go hand in hand and almost always accurately predict ones level of success. The higher ones standing on the economic social ladder, the more likely they are to receive a good education and seek a high paying career path. The works of Kozol, Anyon and Mantsios provide a solid stance on the issue of lower class not receiving a solid education and identify specific key factors that prove this to be true. Through each author’s unique approach, they mutually reflect the linkage between social class and education by usage of statistics and naturalistic observation to reveal the segregation, unequal opportunities, and limited resources that many schools are faced with.

The value of a college education has never been more apparent with 70 percent with the workforce having at least an associate’s degree. To emphasize the worth of a college education, the “net cost of college is a negative $500,000” (Leonhardt 2014), which means that, over a lifetime, one gains a half million dollars if they attended college. This demonstrates how essential education is for the social mobility of the lower class. “[W]ithout a college degree a child born into a family in the lowest quintile has a 45 percent chance of remaining in that quintile as an adult and only a 5 percent chance of moving into the highest quintile. On the other hand, children born into the lowest quintile who do earn a college degree have only a 16 percent chance of remaining in the lowest quintile and a 19 percent chance of breaking into the top quintile” (Greenstone 2013). Essentially, a college degree increases the likelihood of a lower class member to move up the social ladder but the lack of a degree may prevent this mobility. The unequal education influenced by family income and public school funding may prevent low-income students from attending college, restricting their potential economic

Class is a relative status that is based on income, wealth, power, and position. The United States usually considers that income and wealth are what separate classes and most the time in your lifetime you will only move very little up or down in the classes (“Working Definitions”). As you could imagine, growing up in a lower income household alone could impact ones home environment quite a bit. This translates to other effects such as poor performance in education or even health. There are a few interesting statistics that show this quite well. Children from a lower income household are about two times as likely as those from higher income households to have a learning related behavioral problem.("Education and Socioeconomic Status”). This would most likely transfer into bad grades and making it harder to further your education after ...

It determines success in one 's life, but to interpret, many people a further education usually has a higher income as well. Education is very expensive, so many people can not afford it. Like my parents who left school because they needed to start working to maintain their family because they had to bring an income to maintain the house and kids. I know it is hard for many persons to continue with education, but I decided to continue with my education. I always had the aspiration to earn a degree which can help me to have a better life of style and give to my daughters the opportunity to have a better lifestyle and education. Sometimes education can be affected by the social class because for someone in the higher social class is able to get a better education that someone in the lower social classes. Private schools and universities/colleges are examples of schools which need higher classes that have more money, this is because they do require high and monthly payments. For people not in the high class, public schools are for them. For some in the really low class they don’t even get the opportunity because they need money more than they need education in their

In Bambara’s story “The Lesson” and Tan’s “Two Kinds,” there is evidence of transformation, conflict, and character. In “The Lesson,” the characters are rough and resilient as opposed to in the story “Two Kinds,” the characters are more emotional or even sensitive. Both stories revolve around major conflicts throughout. In “Two Kinds,” Jing Mei is facing a person vs. self conflict, being conflicted with her mother, who wants the best for her, but pushes a little too hard for what Jing Mei can handle causing Jing Mei a lot of distress. However, in “The Lesson,” there is a person vs. society conflict, because there is a struggle with prejudice within social classes that needs to be addressed and recognized. The transformation in “Two Kinds,” is the maturing of Jing Mei into womanhood, where she and her mother recognize each other’s motives behind their words and actions.