The Outsiders: Does Social Class Determine Success?

“The higher the social class of other students the higher any given students achievement,” once said American Sociologist James S. Coleman who got it exactly right. Childhood achievement is one of the most strived for things in American society. The fact that social class determines success is a huge issue. The problem is that kids do not branch out from their social classes making lower class kids have a difficult time succeeding in life. Social classes can impact kids lives as they are maturing in ways that hurt their futures and confidence. Examples of the impacts social classes have can be found in our everyday lives and of those of fictional characters. Many characters in The Outsiders had to change their plans in life because of their social class and financial state. Darry, a well rounded intelligent and athletic high school boy had no choice but to abandon his college dreams, and financially support his two brothers. If he were to have parents with high paying jobs, they may have left him with enough money to go to
Often it is easy to tell the difference between classes based on how someone presents themselves. Therefore, fixing the way we judge certain cars, clothes, phones, etc., could help improve how kids feel about themselves. Classifying things as cool because of the brand name or even look of something is becoming more and more of an issue. Not having a Louis Vuitton handbag or cool sports car brings down the confidence of many kids without money. If humans were to eliminate brand names and make everything more generic it could help with social classes. If there was only one main brand of clothes everyone has to wear nobody would be stereotyped as poor and lame. Having a generic phone and car would help solve this problem as well. There would still be social classes, but there wouldn't be as big as a separation between