Introduction to Social Class Theory

1. Introduction to Social Class Theory Moon Hinga: English 2014

2. So what is it? • a sociological approach to literature that views works of literature or art as the products of historical forces that can be analyzed by looking at the material conditions in which they were formed. • So wait… What?

3. Really, What does it mean? • Put simply, Social Class Theory focuses on power and money. Who has the power or money, who does not, and what happens as a result? • For example it could be said that “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” is about the upper class attempting to maintain their power and influence over the lower class by chasing Ichabod, a lower-class citizen with aspirations toward the upper class, out of town. This would explain some of the numerous descriptions of land, wealth, and hearty living through Ichabod's eyes.

4. Further Explanation • Some critics believe that human history and institutions, and even our ways of thinking, are determined by the way society is organized. Two major factors shape the way we see the world: economic power and social class. First, the social class to which we belong determines how much economic, political, and social privilege we may have. Because of this, different social classes find themselves in conflict with one another. Second, the social class we belong to hugely impacts our beliefs, values, perceptions, and ways of thinking and feeling. Social Class theory helps us understand how people from different social classes view situations in very different ways.

5. Analysis Questions: • Who benefits if the media is accepted or believed? (those with money, those without money?) • What is the social class of the author? • What social classes do the characters represent? • Which class does the work say it represents? • What values does the text support? • What values does the text criticize? • What conflicts are present between the values the text supports, and the ones it shows? • How do the characters from different classes interact, communicate, or conflict? • How do the more powerful characters hold the other ones down? • Who is in charge? Who has the money? Who doesn’t? What happens as a result?

6. Advertisement Analysis • Who benefits if the media is accepted or believed? (those with money, those without money?) • What is the social class of the advertiser? • What social classes do the characters represent? • Which class does the work say it represents? • What values does the text support? • What values does the text criticize? • What conflicts are present between the values the text supports, and the ones it shows? • How do the characters from different classes interact, communicate, or conflict? • How do the more powerful characters hold the other ones down? • Who is in charge? Who has the money? Who doesn’t? What happens as a result?

7. Versace Ad #1

8. Versace Ad #2

9. Versace #3

10. Versace Analysis • Who benefits if the media is accepted or believed? (those with money, those without money?) • What is the social class of the advertiser? • What social classes do the characters represent? • Which class does the work say it represents? • What values does the text support? • What values does the text criticize? • What conflicts are present between the values the text supports, and the ones it shows? • How do the characters from different classes interact, communicate, or conflict? • How do the more powerful characters hold the other ones down? • Who is in charge? Who has the money? Who doesn’t? What happens as a result?

11. And so… • Do these advertisements say anything about our society? • Is this a brand you would like to support? Why or why not? • Do you feel that you can perpetuate the stereotypes associated with social class by praising and purchasing different popular brands and labels?

12. More Food For Thought… • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATcF3BInt_w