Class Essay

@5752
English 101A
Professor Robert Vasquez
Class Status Essay
20 June 2011
Gloves and a Silver Spoon
Lawrence Kasdan’s film Grand Canyon metaphorically represents the differences between the low class and the high class. There is insight into the lives of several characters’ that allow them to figure out why the characters behave and feel a certain way. Each character’s class is determined by the following: clothing, housing, and occupation. In order to distinguish each class, we must look at Paul Fussell’s guide titled Class which points out and specifically explains the characteristics within each class. According to the text, research persuaded Fussell that there are nine social classes in total (Fussell 27). Mack, a respectable upper middle class immigration lawyer, lives in a well-off neighborhood and in an extravagant house with both his wife and son. In the beginning of the movie, Mack meets a mid-to-high proletarian (prole) tow-truck driver whose name is Simon. The friendship between them clicked and they both became closer friends as the movie gradually proceeded.
Mack’s clothing choices signal that he lives comfortably, and also that he is living the lifestyle of an upper middle. He oftentimes wears a tie showcasing a subtle design which is pointed out in Fussell’s text: “The ties worn by the top classes…[rely] on stripes, amoeba-like foulard blobs, or small dots to make the point that the wearer possesses too much class to care to specify right now out in front what it’s based on” (Fussell 67). Rarely does he wear an outfit that does not include a tie or suit; most mid-prole people would not be able to sustain such a thing. Fussell lists materials that are popular among the upper middle class that includes cotton, wool, and leather. Mack more than likely wears clothes made out of the most organic materials available. Paul Fussell says, “Organic materials like wool…outrank mad-made [materials] like nylon” (Fussell 71). Mack is also much more expendable with his wardrobe. He wears various outfits and seldom does he repetitively wear the same clothing. Mack remains, professional but he does not overdo it.
Simon, unlike Mack, is a mid-to-high proletarian and the idea is supported by his clothing preferences. "Legible clothing"...[are] things like T-Shirts or caps with messages on them you're supposed to read and admire" (Fussell 56). Early in the film, Simon is wearing a cap displaying his favorite sports team; in fact, team affiliated clothing is common within prole groups. Simon wears t-shirts and jeans off and on the job. Mack on the other hand, wears suits. Simon shows the audience that he rarely dresses fancy. When he does it is simple compared to Mack's. Simon's fancy attire consists of a purple sweater and slacks. According to Fussell's text, "If navy is the upper-middle-class color, purple is the prole equivalent" (Fussell 55) Simon and Mack do not try to keep themselves flawlessly neat; besides, having "excessively neat" and "excessively new" clothing are both low class signs.
However, living in an "excessively neat" and "excessively new" house is normal amongst many of the upper-middle-class people such as Mack. He lives in a Los Angeles area where every house is neatly arranged and seeping with high class. These households very often hire servants to take care of the property since the uppers obviously have no time to waste catering to every little stigma. Mack's backyard is marvelously built with natural wood furniture and the backyard is lush and lively. The organic-materials rule also applies to houses; moreover, there are certain areas where wood is regularly found: kitchen floors, patio furniture, and windows. "On a large house they presuppose a servant (or outdoor man)" (Fussell 84). Mack's wife, Claire, is a stay-at-home mother whose duty is to clean and organize. They live in a fairly large residence; consequently, her cleaning tasks vary a lot more. Mack's home has many shelves filled with books which infers that they do value literature and reading. Their living room also shows that they value art by displaying original oil paintings like a museum would; indeed, upper class homes tend to look like "art galleries and museums" (Fussell 89).
Simon’s house reflects his proletarian social status. He lives on the second floor of an apartment building. His house is a moderately small unit; however, he manages to fill it with many items. One notable item Simon owns is a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) which he uses regularly to contact his deaf daughter. By the TDD, among the other desk-top items, a miniature ornament of Abraham Lincoln sits proudly. "Quote goes here" said Fussell (Fussell 89).
A majority of the upper-middle class people holds educational values and strives to get a prestigious job such as physician and lawyer. Mack’s has a job as an L.A. immigration lawyer with his own office and personal assistant, Dee. His working schedules sometimes interfere with his other duties but very rarely. He has a lot of personal freedom doing his job.
On the other hand, Simon works on a more proletarian job. His main duty is to tow automobiles. During the movie, the audience sees that Simon works on a very dangerous job. Upon meeting, Simon and Mack are confronted by a street gang of muggers armed with a gun. Simon makes ends meet; in addition, he continues to sustain his daughter financially to be able to keep attending a respectable college for hearing impaired people.
Class is an issue that many try to avoid. Even though Mack and Simon remain friends, they will always be categorized into different social groups because of their clothing, housing, and occupation. So many things restrict them because of their social class. Will Mack ever be truly satisfied and happy with family and life; likewise, will Simon someday be able to go to a basketball game and sit on the front row with his friends? Some people may never fully understand the magnitude that social class plays in their lives. Fussell explained, "Most Americans...think that class has to do with money...[but] it has very little to do with money. It has to do with taste and style, and it has to do with the development of those features by acts of character" ("A Conversation"). 
Works Cited
Fussell, Paul. Class: a Guide through the American Status System. New York: Summit, 1983. Print.
Class. Dir. Lawrence Kasdan. Perf. Danny Glover and Kevin Kline. 20th Century Fox, 1991. Film.
"A Conversation with Paul Fussell." The National Endowment for the Humanities. Humanities, Nov.-Dec. 1996. Web. 20 June 2011. .

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