Perceptions of Discrimination, Research Paper Example

Shi, Dan (2014). De-egocentricity and Socialization: A Study of Hinton’s The Outsiders. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 4(4) 668-674.

Note card 31-“In the group of greasers, Johnny Cade is the second youngest adolescent besides Pony boy. In the novel, he is described as a gloomy boy after being beaten up badly by the Socs, “he had a nervous and suspicious look in his eyes” (Hinton, 2003, p. 11). Being deprived of family affection and care, he is portrayed as “the gang’s pet and everyone’s kid brother” in the novel (p. 12). In Social Psychology, it states that “Lacking a positive personal identity, people often seek self-esteem by identifying with a group” (Shi, 672)

Note Card 1- “The theory of ego-centrism of childhood and adolescence is of great importance in Jean Piaget’s genetic epistemology. According to Piaget, “ego-centrism is the most striking deficiency that contributes to the other intellectual shortcomings.”(668). The author is examining the novel from a psychological point of view. He uses Paigets major stages of development as a guide.

Note Card 2-“Unlike other Socs, Cherry Valance who is a cheerleader at school and a Soc’s leader’s girlfriend enjoys a friendly chat and shares the same interest with Pony boy. Cherry and Pony boy are both interested in watching the sunsets, but from different places. Namely, one is from the upper-class West Side, while the other is from the lower-class East Side. Though they belong to different classes, they can appreciate the same beautiful sunset” (670).  Here the author is attempting to show that although they come from different social classes, essentially all children develop in the same manner.

Note Card 3“The transformation from grease to kid symbolizes Randy’s renunciation of ego-centrism as well. In this case, there are two different kinds of ego-centrism. One is from Pony boy which refers to his misleading thinking towards Socs as dangerous enemies. The other is from Randy who used to regard greasers as unrefined low-class hoodlums and showed his contempt for them. Here, the process of de-egocentricity has been ascertained again” (671). Randy has his epiphany moment when he is referred to as just a kid, rather than a greaser.

Note Care 4“Socialization considered as a crucial phase in one’s childhood is another significant concept that this paper would like to attach great importance to. Through the analysis of socialization of the major characters in this paper, readers can better understand children’s long journey of coming-of-age” (671). According to Piaget’s theory, developing properly entails having social encounters. However, in the novel, the greasers are basically isolated from society.

Note Card 5“De-egocentricity is characterized by the understanding of others among adolescent individuals, which is the reflection of adolescents’ internal coming-of-age, while socialization signifies the consciousness of social norms to behave in a way that is acceptable to society, which is observable external behaviors of coming-of-age. It can be comprehended that the understanding of others suggests interpersonal relationship which reflects adolescents’ internal change of their coming-of-age, and the consciousness of social norms have a direct bearing on the adolescents’ visible moral behaviors in the society which can be regarded as external change of their coming-of-age”(673). So, although the greasers were isolated from society, they were still able to gain the necessary interpersonal skills needed to survive in society.

Elias, N. & J. L. Scotson (1994, 1965), The Establish and the Outsiders, Sage publ. London. Swedish translation (1999), Arkiv, Lund

Note Card 6 “Elias & Scotson studied in the beginning of the 1960’s a suburban area

in the outskirts of a large and wealthy industrial town in central England. They called it Winston Parva (WP). WP had a population of less than 5000, but had its own industries, schools, churches, shops and clubs.”(30). So, the authors had firsthand experience with segregation by social class.

Note Card 32-Social exclusion and inclusion must be understood as dynamic processes evolving over time. These processes are relational, i.e. they can only occur as a consequence of individuals or groups meeting. Outsiders are not excluded in any absolute sense; hence a term as”social exclusion” is problematic to use. Outsiders are always related to other individuals and to society. The established and the outsiders live in symbiosis, based on a figuration of power and dependency, ruled by social interaction and by the structures of society” (Elias & Scotson, 34).

Note Card 7 “Zone 3 was built later and on land earlier disqualified. It was claimed to be wetlands and the haunt of rats. The apartments stood empty for a long while despite low rents. It was first when an Army camp and a military industrial complex were established the zone was inhabited. Quickly an”Us and Them” relationship was realized between the established in zone 1 and 2 and the newcomers in zone 3” (30). This is exactly what is seen in the Novel, the greasers live over the tracks, so they are isolated in a physical sense as well.

Note Card 8 “Elias & Scotson searched answers to why this segregation had occurred and what function it had. Initially they studied demographic and social factors as class, income, work and origin of the population. However, they did only find minor differences between zone 2 and 3. The major differences were between zone 1 and 2” (31). Often the only difference is the perception that is held about a certain group of people.

Note Card 9 “Elias & Scotson’s conclusions were therefore that it was possible to analyze and compare areas as these three using historical, economical, cultural, political, religious and administrative variables. However, such an analysis would not provide a complete explanation of inclusion and exclusion, as well as of the existing process of marginalization” (31). Society seems to create its on differences with disregards to the obvious factors that one would use to separate.

Note Card 10 “A central theme described by Elias & Scotson concerns differing attached values of the families and their members in networks of the kind. Expressions as better, worse, nice, weird, connected to their capabilities of adapting and following existing values and norms, i.e. the rank of families and status in the society”(32). This is a primary example of how discrimination is perpetuated for generations.

Gurdon, Meghan Cox. “Darkness Too Visible.” Wall Street Journal. Wall Street Journal, 4 Jun. 2011. Web: 15 Apr.

Note Card 11 “Hundreds of lurid and dramatic covers stood on the racks before her, and there was, she felt, “nothing, not a thing, that I could imagine giving my daughter. It was all vampires and suicide and self-mutilation, this dark, dark stuff.” She left the store empty-handed” (1). Some parents are outraged by new teen fiction. They believe that teens are being introduced to the darkness too early.

Note Card 12 “If books show us the world, teen fiction can be like a hall of fun-house mirrors, constantly reflecting back hideously distorted portrayals of what life is. There are of course exceptions, but a careless young reader—or one who seeks out depravity—will find himself surrounded by images not of joy or beauty but of damage, brutality and losses of the most horrendous kinds”(3). Here, the author is saying that she is not totally against what’s in books for teens, but she is concerned for those young minds that are unable to handle it.

Note card 13- “If you think it matters what is inside a young person’s mind, surely it is of consequence what he reads” (3). Many believe that teens are being negatively affected by the materials they are reading.

Note Card 14 Perhaps the quickest way to grasp how much more lurid teen books have become is to compare two authors: the original Judy Blume and a younger writer recently hailed by Publishers Weekly as “this generation’s Judy Blume.”(4)  The Outsiders was a novel way ahead of its time.

Hinton, Susan. “Teen-Agers Are for Real.” New York Times 27 Aug. 1967: BR14, 27-29.

Note Card 15 –“Grownups write about teen-agers from their own memories” (29). This is the perspective that all writers used. There had never been a teenager writing about teen issues prior to The Outsiders. Naturally, teens were impelled to read this novel.

Note Card 16- Hinton conveys that what teens have been reading prior to this novel has been unrealistic. Most of the novels of her time were romance novels that include a knight in shining armor (29). She felt that teens found it amusing when adults tried to write from a teen perspective.

Note Card 17- She comments about the perspective that adults have of teens. She recounts an experience a friend had with an adult asking if teens experiment with sex. The friend said they experimented with sex, drugs, and alcohol. The friend reminded her that she should always tell adults what they want to here (27).

Note Card 18- Hinton mentions how cars are never mentioned in teen novels written by adults. She conveys that teens spend a lot of time in cars and thinking about cars, especially the boys. So, why have they been left out of their literature? Drag racing is a realistic topic because most teens have tried it (28).

Note Card 19- Hinton also professes that teen know a lot more than adults think they do. With that being said, she agrees that some subjects may be too touchy for children, but teens are not foolish enough to believe that life is a fairytale. She believes a common ground in the middle should be found (28).

Hinton, S. E. The Outsiders. 1967. New York: Speak, 2006.

Note Card 20- . (pg 4): ?sometimes I just don‘t use my head. It drives my brother Darry nuts when I do stuff like that, ?cause I‘m supposed to be smart; I make good grades and have a high IQ, but I don‘t use my head.? and ?Johnny had it awful rough at home—it took a lot to make him cry. This gives the reader some insight as to the life the boys are living.

Note Card 21- 1. (pg 1): ?When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house, I had only two things on my mind: Paul Newman and a ride home. I believe this is an allusion to the darkness that everyone has been talking about and discussing.

Note Card 22- . (pg 33): ?‘A blue mustang full . . . I got so scared. ‘? and ?I had seen Johnny take a whipping with a two-by-four from his old man and never let out a whimper. That made it hard to see him break now.? and ?He had been hunting our football to practice a few kicks when a blue mustang had pulled up beside the lot. There were four Socs in it. They had caught him and one of them had a lot of rings on his hand—that‘s what had cut Johnny up so badly. It wasn‘t that they had beaten him half to death—he could take that. They had scared him. Here, the reader gets a glimpse of how discrimination and isolation can frighten members of society.

Note Care 23- (pg 44): ?The mustang came to a halt beside us . . . Johnny was breathing heavily and I noticed he was staring at the Soc‘s hand. He was wearing three heavy rings. Often we are aware of the society’s norming process, but have been beaten into submission.

Note Card 24- (pg 59): ?I studied Dally, trying to figure out what there was about his tough looking hood that a girl like Cherry Valance could love. Towheaded and shifty eyed, Dally was anything but handsome. Yet in his hard face there was character, pride, and a savage defiance of the world. He could never love Cherry Valance back. It would be a miracle if Dally loved anything. The fight for self-preservation had hardened him beyond caring. Hinton is showing that beneath the surface, the greasers are normal people who developed a way to fight back with society.

Note Card 25- . (pg 73): ?It‘s like being in a Halloween costume we can‘t get out of. When faced with discrimination, many people may have felt this way. Attention has been called to the greasers for no apparent reason-in their minds.

Note Card 26- (pg 88): ?‘No, ‘snapped Dally, ?they didn‘t. Blast it Johnny, what do they matter? Shoot, my old man don‘t give a hang whether I‘m in jail or dead in a car wreck or drunk in the gutter. That don‘t bother me none. ‘Some of the greasers were living a tough life in society and at home.

Note Card 27- . (pg 98): ?Suddenly I realized, horrified, that Darry was crying. He didn‘t make a sound, but tears were running down his cheeks. I hadn‘t seen him cry in years, not even when Mom and Dad had been killed.? and ?In that second what Soda and Dally and Two-Bit had been trying to tell me came through. Darry did care about me, maybe as much as he cared about Soda, and because he cared he was trying too hard to make something of me.? and ?That was his silent fear then—of losing another person he loved.? Although Pony boy is the youngest, he has the most moments of epiphany during the novel.

Weitzer, Ronald and Steven Tuch. 1999. Race, Class, and Perceptions of Discrimination by the Police. Crime and Delinquency 45:494–507.

Note Card 29-“Blacks and whites often perceive American social institutions in starkly different terms, and views of criminal justice are no exception. Indeed, race is one of the most salient predictors of attitudes toward the police and other criminal justice institutions: blacks are more likely than whites to express dissatisfaction with various aspects of policing. Much less is known about Hispanics’ views of the police, however, and existing studies are limited either by focusing on Hispanics alone” (501    ).

Note Card 30-“Man can only come to know the world by means of the constructions he places upon it and he will be bound by events to the extent that his ingenuity limits his possibilities for reconstructing these events. Each man erects for himself a representational model of the world which allows him to make sense out of it and which enables him to chart a course of behavior in relation to it” ( 500 ). This is prevalent in the novel because Pony boy has decided to survive.

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2007, 182. Print

Note Care 33-The term deviant may mean different things from one group to the next. Deviant has been defined as any behavior, belief, or condition that violates cultural norms (Encyclopedia Britannica)

Note Card 34-“The Outsiders works on many levels: physical, emotional, symbolic, and aesthetic. Its themes of violence, class and social conflict, abuse, and prejudice as narrator Pony boy and his friends, fellow greasers, deal with their families, their neighborhood, and the rich Socs, come through as relatable to the modern teenager in ways that previous literature was not” (Gordon, 14 ). Reading the novel makes the reader look at the world from a different perspective.

Note: I have completed 34 notes cards, but many are very long and can be broken into 2. I seriously went over the amount of pages I quoted you, so if I could be compensated a little extra that would be great, but if not it’s ok. Thanks for allowing me to work for you.