The go between class Essay example

Submitted By essaytimeisfun
Words: 950
Pages: 4
Open Document
L.P Hartley’s novel The Go-Between is a novel in which social class plays a major role. Much of the action is driven by class distinctions, and the way in which the societal perception of class and the strict social hierarchy governs the lives of Hartley’s characters. Throughout the novel our main view of this class struggle is through the eyes of Leo Colston, the narrator of the novel. This is most evident as Leo, a middle class boy, naively acts as a go-between for illicit love across social classes. Hartley uses references to class, as evident as differences in clothing and more complex sub-textual elements of interactions between characters, to expose these differences in class.
The most obvious example of the class difference between Leo and the members of Brandham is Leo’s lack of summer clothing a result of which Leo is forced to wear his Eton uniform. In response Leo’s upper class school friend Marcus Maudsley states “only cads wear their school clothes in the holidays. It isn’t done.” This shows how Ted has to change the way he behaves around Marcus to observe the customs of the upper class. This encourages the audience to see the upper class as the dominant presence that over classes have to bend to. Marcus continues to give lessons to Leo on how to behave “properly”, which again highlights a different attitude among the upper class “You must leave them (Leo’s clothes) lying wherever they happen to fall the servants will pick them up that is what they’re for.” Something as simple as folding ones clothes is frowned upon as being below the station of the Maudsley’s and again Leo must change the way he acts to fit into this new station. Hartley uses Marcus’ opinions as a commentary on the restricting code the upper class must adhere to, but also the way the upper class use adhering to the code as a means of placing themselves above others.
In comparison to the upper class the lower and middle classes are much more relaxed in terms of codes and this is most obvious at the cricket match. The most noticeable difference between the two teams is again their clothing. Leo is distressed by the villagers lack lustre appearance comparing them to the Boers, “The village team were like the Boers, who did not have much in the ways of equipment by our standards, but could give a good account of themselves” meanwhile the members of the Hall are properly dressed in cricket whites. This noticeable difference in attire is intended to create a mental divide between the village and the Hall players. Leo even refers to the village players as “natives” a term the British would have used to describe the local inhabitants of subdued colonies, who they would most definitely see in a class much lower than their own. There is a sense of arrogance about the Hall team who draw confidence from their appearance as Leo states “I did not believe you could succeed at a game unless you were dressed properly for it.” Hartley uses this imagery to further the divide between classes and show how much the opinions of those at the hall have influenced Leo in his short stay. Even the way in which each teams playing style is described by Leo is different. The village team hit the ball with little style, relying solely on power. An example of which is the innings of Ted Burgess, who uses his strength to muscle the ball. The Hall team play with decorum, picking and choosing shots. These opposing styles point to
Show More

Related Documents: The go between class Essay example

Explanations of Social Class Differences in Educational Achievement Essay

As shown in item A, Cultural deprivation theorists believe that the most important factors causing social class differences in education are class differences,the difference between working class and middle class students. They believe there are deep-rooted differences between the middle and the lower class. An example they give is the lower class’ need for fatalism and collectivism. Fatalism is the belief that all events are predetermined and ‘whatever happens will happen’. This can lead to them…

Words 561 - Pages 3

The Outsiders Analysis

Text Evidence Assessment Name: Quelissa Stephen Class: 8B Lexile level: _________ Title of Book: The Outsiders Author: S.E. Hinton In the book “The Outsiders” by S.E. Hinton, there are two rival gangs living in a small town in America. The main character, Ponyboy, struggles with survival and success while dealing with the conflict that the rivalry creates. Ponyboy is a member of the Greasers. The rival gang is called the socs. The rivalry and Ponyboy’s…

Words 1269 - Pages 6

Alone- Monae Orange Essay

“Confronting Class in the Classroom”, written by bell hooks, hooks discusses the issues of class differences within educational settings. She states that class influences our values, attitudes, and social relations, and the assumptions of how knowledge is presented and digested (65). She believes the voices and ideas of the working-class population are silenced in a classroom setting that mostly consists of middle and upper class students. As a person that identifies with the working class, I agree with…

Words 1199 - Pages 5

Pygmalion Analysis

a time where equality between genders and equality between social classes did not exist. It was also a time where females asserted their independence and equality with men. George Bernard Shaw captures these ideas in ‘Pygmalion’ where his fabianist views and criticisms towards beliefs and ideas of Victorian era are portrayed. His purpose of critiquing society and give a voice to the poor has influenced his choice of characters and ideas in the text. The interaction between characters embodies the…

Words 737 - Pages 3

Heading South By Dany Laferreiere

Laferreiere, you don’t think about the typical struggles that most books have such as love, death, or even finding happiness in the end. You usually associate Heading South with a “series of stark, sensuous vignettes depicting erotic transactions between characters of different races, cultures and classes” (Southern Heat, Par. 2). So it came as a surprise in Laferreiere’s short story Magic Boys on how all of these significances played a part in the development of the character Mauleon Mauleus and…

Words 1581 - Pages 7

Social Class and Health Issues Essay

Social Class and Health Social determinants of health are the economic and social conditions, and their distribution among the population, that influence individual and group differences in health status. They are risk factors found in ones living and working condition such as the distribution of income and wealth rather than individual factors such as genetics that influence the risk for disease or vulnerability to disease or injury. The relationship between social class and what are now called…

Words 1254 - Pages 6

Assess The Importance Of Cultural Facto Essay

Assess the importance of cultural factors in causing social class differences in educational achievement. (20 marks) As shown it Item A some sociologists believe that the most important factor that causes social class differences in educational achievement is differences in class. They say that there are deep-rooted differences between the middle class and the working class. An example which they give is that is that the working class promotes and represents Fatalism and collectivism. Fatalism is…

Words 957 - Pages 4

A Tale Of Two Cities

to go through during the French Revolution, and how few were not affected at all.Marxist theory is going to be looking at the the bloody events and social issues of the 18th century. Charles Darnay finds himself being caught in a web of lies by the bourgeois class. He finds himself involved with economic, politics and even ends up being a tool in the unfolding of events. This novel dramatizes the human need of liberation and how capitalism is not the way to go, as well as how the upper class does…

Words 1888 - Pages 8

Essay on Google: College and Students

thing with just one monthly payment. Most dining halls are open all day between meal times for those students who need to eat around their class schedules. proximity to everything you need Living on-campus allows for the convenience of waking up 5 minutes before class and still making it on time, heading back to your room for a nap between classes, and not fighting the daily parking space battle while trying to get to class. Conc The University of Montana offers students a variety…

Words 842 - Pages 4

Essay on My Social Class

Principles of Marketing Project Out of the four different classes that exist in the social world, I would definitely belong to the Middle Class because I have a good household income, I go to a nice school, I have all the popular brands, and my mom has a good job at the college. Since I am a minor, by default, I would be in the same social class that my mother belongs to. For us to move up in the social classes my mom would have to get a higher income, and we would have to live in a better house…

Words 411 - Pages 2