Cinderella Story

Okay guys to wrap up this week’s topic I will be concluding by answering the question Cliques, Class and Society: Can I force my way in? I find the question a very valid and meaningful question. This is because class is of great importance to society. Many people measure their success in life by what social class they are in. Have they moved up the ladder, stayed the same or have they been lowered? We have all tried to force our way into a clique before.  Everyone has once longed to be a part of the “in” crowd.

                I believe that Bemrose and I can agree that the answer is no. As the saying goes you can put lipstick on a pig but it is still a pig. You cannot change who you are. Bemrose clearly shows with all his characters that although they may try with all their heart they will always remain in the same class. Like Joe many of us try to change our appearance and personality to gain acceptance. Or even stoop to the level of using someone with power to increase our popularity. Social class is not bought, bribed, taken, or transferred. Social class is not only defined by our income and career. It comes from our origins. Our social class is defined by the things we have little to no control over. Such as our upbringing, income, education, religion, and morals. The ability to move up is an illusion, false hope we are fed as children. After all Cinderella’s success story of moving from maid to princess is only a fairy tale.               

We cannot change our social class because when we attempt to we drop our roots. Like a tree we cannot survive without our roots, because they are part of who we are. Even if we drop our roots we will need to retrieve them again in order to feel whole. Therefore any change in social status is temporary. I believe that we should not try to change our class. This is because when we do we lose what differentiates ourselves from everybody else. I consider individuality as the key to happiness. The best advice I can give is to accept your social class. Recognise the class you’re in and embrace your background. We should all live by the words spoken by Kurt Cobain; “I’d rather be hated for who I am than loved for who I am not.”

The Nature of Things

I believe that John Bemrose chose to write about social class because everyone is affected by social class. This creates many oportunities for the audience to relate with the characters. I also think Bemrose chose to write about class and cliques because it is a sensitive topic. This catches the reader’s attention and forces them to think about class and cliques. I had never really thought about my social class until I started reading this book. This novel has become valuable to me because it has forced to me to notice how I judge people and the role class plays in my daily life. This has helped me to become aware of my surroundings and even the reality of my potential in life.

So where do these social markers come from? We all like to think that we can take control of our lives and challenge society –but social order is inevitable. Social class is just part of human nature or even nature itself. Take for example in a herd of horses there is always a boss mare. The boss mare is the leader of the herd. She gets first choice on food and leads the pack. After that there is a social/feeding order. The order goes from the most aggressive and powerful to the smallest and weakest. The bottom horse gets fed last, is bullied, and is constantly scavenging for their meal. The human social order is very similar. There are one or two people who monopolize or “rule the roost”.  Those in the upper levels use their power to manipulate others. Upper class not only get first or top pick on everything, but they also choose the direction in which major decisions and even the economy flow. Meanwhile the lower class work extremely hard to get a miniscule amount of reward (salary, promotions, food, shelter, clothing etc.).

The social class system is in our nature.  We always have and always will have social markers, cliques, and classes. This makes social class a popular topic for books such as The Island Walkers. I had always thought of myself as an optimistic, happy, and accepting person. This novel has made me realize how much I judge and stereotype the people around me and the affects that has on them. This doesn’t make me, you, or anybody a bad person. It should however make us more empathic towards others and the reasons for each classification.  We all should try to be more understanding and  more tolerate of our differences.  It is simply state of mind. When we judge someone we are following what are brains are geared to do; analyze, judge, predict, and categorize. Skills that are all valued and taught inside and outside of school. Social class exists because we are all human.

Markovnikov’s Rule

Markovnikov’s rule is a principle in chemistry that is simply known as the “rich get richer”. In the novel The Island Walkers John Bemrose demonstrates this rule’s role in society.

From the very beginning he creates the setting with a small town similar to Almonte. The town has clear divisions with the upper, middle and lower class areas. On page five Bemrose says

“ For several generations, the people of the Island-mostly mill workers and their families-had considered themselves quite separate from the town’s other residents: a state of mind most pronounced among the children, who conducted ongoing crabapple and hockey wars with their enemies on the Flats or in South Ward and North End.”

Bemrose also plays upon stereotypes by making the North End people to appear posh, rich, powerful, and snobby. While the South Enders are working class, the underdogs with personality and perseverance.

Photo by: Shannon



Throughout the novel I found a reoccurring theme of the Markovnikov’s rule. There is a clear demonstration of Markovnikov’s rule when Kit Ford receives the foreman job instead of Alf. Ford already had a high paying prestigious job before he came to the mill. This shows the typical story of the working class losing to the experienced and highly educated “specialist”. The rich get richer because they have the education and resources to move up while the working class such as Alf have no means of self improvement and will never receive any benefits. This is the case in most industries today. It doesn't matter how long you have been working somewhere, if you don't have the education it is nearly impossible to generate new opportunities. I think Bemrose included this in the novel because it is a hardship that many people have and will experience in their lifetime.



The reverse of Markovnikov’s rule can also be seen in The Island Walkers. Towards the end when Joe does not get the opportunity to go to university. This shows the cycle of the poor remaining poor. Joe could not afford an education and is destined to follow in the footsteps of his father as a working class individual. Bemrose chose to imbed this theme not only because it is heart breaking, but because it is a relevant reality for many students. When student's such as I read this we become very empathetic, and begin to appreciate the opportunities we are able to pursue.



 It may be obvious that someone of high class can lift someone who is below their class. (Example Brittney spears and Kevin Federline). Unfortunately this only works when one partner is upper class. Margret who came from a middle class family in England appears to be very unhappy with her life. This is because when she married Alf she became part of a working class family. She is ashamed of her husband’s failure to run his own business or even to move his way up the ladder at the mill. Through the novel you realize that she misses her old life and the perks that came with having a greater social status.  I believe that Bemrose chose this theme because we live in such a consumerist world. People always desire something more. For most living a simple humble life with a happy family is  not enough. As a society we have built ourselves up to think that if we have more things we will be happier. When in reality this is not true. To demonstrate this Bemrose uses Doc McVey, who is successful and rich. He has everything money can buy but he is still not happy. He chooses to cheat on his wife for Babs Wilcocks. With this part of the story I think Bemrose is trying to prove that we should be happy with our social status. This is because increased income results in increased expectation and increased responsibilities. Therefore Bemrose is trying to imbed the lesson that life is what you make of it and you should not let your class limit your enjoyment. 



John Bemrose demonstrates how the Markovnikov’s rule cannot be defied. When Joe tries to challenge social order by making himself appear to be upper class he still ends up in the same place he began. Joe tried to use Liz Mcvey, clothes and other posessions to increase his social status and obtain the attention of Anna. Although this worked temporarily Joe still remained working class-without Anna. I think Bemrose included this in the novel because everyone can connect with trying to fit in. At one point or another I think it's safe to say that we have all tried to change our social status whether it was changing our appearance, personality, friends or interests in order to change our status. All to fit in where we just plain don’t belong. I think he used this to show that one truly cannot break the barriers of social class.

One continuing affect of the “rich get richer” is the diminishing middle class. As the rich continue to get richer, they take away the middle class. This leaves two sides-the rich and the poor. Bemrose begins to touch on this theme by writing “a world where a few men had a hundred pairs of shoes and millions had none was not a just world. But hell, wasn’t there room somewhere between the two extremes?” He also outlines how machines are slowly taking the jobs of the middle class workers through the many characters who lose their job at the mill. When the middle class lose their jobs they become lower class. This widens the gap to the point where there is those who own and those who work for them, with no in-between. I believe that Bemrose included this theme because this issue continues today. One of the biggest dilemmas heard on the news is the unemployment rate and the ever widening gap between rich and poor.



The rich get richer may be a simple concept but it is very obvious in society. It affects us on both a short term and long term basis. From our daily interactions with others to our success in life. For that reason Bemrose was able to easily play off of the rule and create a realistic novel that everyone can connect to.



"Birds of a feather flock together"

Hey guys this week’s topic is Social Class and Cliques within society!

 

Social Class divides pyramid

                Social markers influence our lives in almost every way. Class and cliques have such a big affect on our daily life that we don’t even take much notice. Social class affects our actions of every waking minute of our lives. There is literally 100’s of things that determine your social class. In the PBS documentary, People Like US: Social Class in America they explore many components that make up your social class. The general criteria are your job, income, background, appearance, upbringing, and education. These are all things you interact with on a daily bases. The documentary states “it's the humblest, everyday things which display what class you are.”

                Everyday I experience the affects of social class. I believe all of us do. So why isn’t it discussed? Most of us simply ignore it. According to the PBS documentary some people “deal with being lower class by flaunting it”, such as the stereotypical hicks. Many follow the illusion of the Canadian dream that if you work hard good things will come to you. But as explored in PBS the reality is that it all truly relates to your class. The documentary states  that class is a state of mind. This in many ways is true. Simply stated  social class is stereotyping. We all do it, I know I do it. The second we meet someone we judge them upon their appearance and initial impressions. Social class is not only how we view others but how we perceive them relative to ourselves and others we know. Within a few seconds of meeting someone we make conclusions and judgement that in most cases last a life time.  That is why “first impressions are the most important.”  

Social markers occur everywhere-especially in school. There are clear groups of friends. Since Almonte is so small when a new person arrives it is very difficult  for them to fit in. Cliques are so tightly knit at our school it is like we build boundaries that are both felt and seen. Classism can easily be ignored because how we choose our cliques are unconscious decisions. We just automatically go to those who are similar to us and disregard the others, without truly thinking about it. There isn't any simple signs that someone is your class you just know when someone doesn't belong. 

Social class is the most important predictor of what kind of social, financial, and educational opportunities someone will have in life. Recently I have found this particularly relevant in applying to University. Your family’s income determines what school you can go to, what type of residence you live in, your life style (such as those $3000 meal plans!), and in many cases whether you even receive higher education.

Although most of us would like to believe in the Canadian dream social class is still very relevant in today’s society. Your class will follow for you for your entire life time. Cliques are not just part of high school. They are part of the work-place, neighbourhoods, and communities.