Enter Without So Much as Knocking

The idea of conformity is present throughout the poem Enter Without So Much as Knocking. How peoples live their lives is predominantly decided by what our parents think is right and wrong. Our belief system cycles around our parents and we learn from a young age that our life has order. We all want to be the same, so we try and have the same characteristics as other families. “Like every other…household, his included one economy-sized mum... with two other kids straight off the Junior Department rack” describes how family members are stereotyped into category’s that may be considered normal. We are given sets of rules to follow and our parents make sure we shadow those rules, so we can respect our parents and display we come from a good family. ‘Walk. Don’t run. Turn left. No parking. Wait here. No smoking Keep clear/out/off grass. No breathing except by order. Beware of this. Watch out for that.” These are the sorts of things we follow, our world is constantly surrounded with rules that we must follow so our societies can run smoothly. This influence on the public sets the rules into their mind. “I mean it’s a battle all the way.” This is an influence that people have on others; they don’t say life is easy after school, they tell them straight. Conformity is a process where an individual's attitudes, beliefs and behaviours are influenced by other people. It can occur in small groups or just in society as a whole.
Consumerism is an issue presented in the poem. Having the best and biggest of each thing impresses others and our self esteem grows. We have become more and more dependent on materials to make us happy, become part of certain social groups, and to be accepted in societies. “Good-as-new station-wagon” is the type of thing that gave people a ranking in society; having a new car meant you have money. Being able to spend money on luxury outings such as “the late show at the local drive in”. No matter what age, we are all ‘money-hungry’ and will do anything