reflection
The issue of different social classes has existed in one form or another almost forever. The struggle to get ahead and into a higher social class has existed for just as long as the classes themselves. From the short story, "Sweet Potato Pie" to the movie "Titanic" some of the characters worked and longed to move up in society. The struggle, tension, and desire to move up between the social classes are presented in each of the genres I researched. "Sweet Potato Pie" showed the desire of the main character, Buddy, to get a good education and have a better life than his parents. It also shows the struggle of his family, especially his oldest brother Charley, to make sure he got that education. Charley sacrificed his future so that Buddy could have a better future. The movie "Titanic" definitely illustrates the struggle and tension between the lower class and the upper class. When Jack saves Rose and is invited to dinner with the upper class Cal uses the time to ridicule Jack. Although Jack just goes along and lets him talk. As the ship was sinking, the upper class had easier access to the few lifeboats that were on board. The lower class had to struggle to make it onto one of the boats. The painting "Work" shows the upper class, middle class, and lower class all in one small area on the street. The upper class people on horses, as well as the well dressed ladies to the left in the painting, are struggling to get through the middle class construction workers and the lower class people. While the middle class workers seem content with their position in society the lower class people in the painting definitely would like to move to a higher social class. The lady selling plants seemed ashamed to have her life the way it is. The current event "Teen Finds Use for Pennies: Feeding the Needy" is a great example of people in the lowest class struggling to live and move up in life. The mother, Kim, and daughter, Chandra, were able to improve their situation and become part of the middle class. Then Chandra decided to help other people struggling to make a better life. Maybe her actions will help someone else succeed. The poems "Greed" and "American Industry - American Dreams Long Gone" show the disappearance of the middle class. They also include the desire for the lower class to get a good job and move ahead in life. The two songs, "Fortunate Son" and "Friends in Low Places" show the struggle between the middle class and the upper class. In "Fortunate Son" John Fogerty believes the upper class starts wars but the middle class fight and die in them. He also writes that the upper class does not do their fair share in America. The song "Friends in Low Places", sung by Garth Brooks, is about the struggle between a man from the middle class and a woman from the upper class. She left him and became involved with an upper class man that she was more like. He was content to stay with his middle class friends and disliked the flashy ways of the upper class.
http://www.featurepics.com/online/Social-Class-1820382.aspx - Picture
http://www.featurepics.com/online/Social-Class-1820382.aspx - Picture