Year 10 English Mr Mac Class Readings
Class refers to the inequalities in society based upon lines of income, status, and culture.
The essential difference being between the powerless and the powerful.
Income: Social groups are measured by their wealth (or lack thereof) and where that wealth comes from. Those that earn money through owning businesses or providing a direct service (hairdresser) are generally considered to have a higher class than those whose income comes from working for the benefit of another (working in a factory, for someone else’s profit).
Status: Social groups are also measured according to the esteem that is granted to them in society. Some groups will be seen as more valuable than others based on factors of family (royalty), education (doctors), wealth (large business owners), and position (managers).
Culture: Social groups are also judged according to factors of culture. These include language (slang or a ‘foreign’ accent/language), dress (suit vs jumpsuit), taste (opera/heavy metal), and race (black/white foreign/local). Most of these factors are influenced by upbringing but also finances.
< One theorist’s attempt to categorise our modern society according to social class theory. Notice they’ve mostly focused on education and income Year 10 English Mr Mac To make a class reading of a text you should look for two things: representation and power.
That is, how are people of different classes are represented? And which classes do and do not have power?
Representation Power
How are people presented? Who has it?
- How are they described? How do they use it?
- How do they speak? - Do they respect others?
- What thoughts do they have? - Do they expect to be respected?
- What do they do? Over whom do they have it?
How are they treated? What gives them that power?
- Are they respected? - Position?
- Are they listened to? - Status?
How do they treat others from different - Money? classes? - Race? - Do they have the right to speak?
o How do they respond? Year 10 English Mr Mac
Have you got class?