Snavely 1

Andrew Snavely
Professor Hamlett
English 101
25 November 2014
Classism in America: An Annotated Bibliography
Allen, David W. "Social Class, Race, And Toxic Releases In American Counties, 1995." Social
Science Journal 38.1 (2001): 13. Academic Search Complete. Web. 18 Nov. 2014
David W. Allen studies the effects on the environment based on the different social classes. His
studies are conducted in 1995 around the world including the United States. He also concentrated
on races more specially the Blacks. His finding was that as the populations of Blacks increased,
the amount of toxic release increased. Allen expresses the theory of Environmental classism
where the lower class is being targeted for environmental hazards. Allen argues through his
studies that the upper class is not experiencing the same predicaments, and this is an act of
discrimination.
The studies that Allen conducted are extremely complex where they can have a negative result to
his studies, but his studies have supported his theory and can help provide a prime example into
my ideas. David Allens article is a part of the The Social Science Journal at Colorado State
University. The article really focuses on the discrimination with the political system, but points
out some variables that explain why the system is what it is. Allen is focus on making a change
on the structure of the political world for the better.
Allens research will provide solid prove that there is class discrimination and is doing physical
damage to the environment as well as the citizens in the lower class. It will help me explore other
aspects besides the people in the lower class. His research help explore variables such as the
environment which is creating a negative effect and needs focusing on. I can use the example
that Allen use to connect class discrimination.

Desilver, Drew. "5 Facts about Economic Inequality." Pew Research Center RSS. N.p., 7 Jan.
2014. Web. 21 Nov. 2014.
This article displays eye opening statistics on the inequality between the lower class and the
upper class. It also displays statistics on the differences in wealth in races which has a connection
between the social classes. It shows that income gap between the lower class and the upper is at
an all-time high and will continue to grow. It finally points out how the United States was the
most desired place to live, but Desilver shows by his research that isnt the case anymore.
This article will be helpful when discussing the differences in classes and how the upper class is
more privileged than the lower class. It will provide facts that can back up my claims and make a
strong stand. This source is different from my other sources because this article is focus more on

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statistics rather than theories from experts in their respected fields. Although it has some
surprising facts, it has a movement to help Obamas midterm election by presenting
opportunities for improvement.
Desilvers article is a short article that is truly based on the statistics, but will do tremendously on
what I want to accomplish for my ideas. It certainly will help build around my other sources and
will strengthen my position on classism in the United States. While I already knew that there was
a quite a gap in the upper class and lower class, but this article certainly open up my eyes on how
much more privileged the upper class is, and has changed my view on how to approach my
views. The facts will make my ideas more aggressive toward making a change and get people to
focus on the issue.

Garrity, Rose. "Classism: Why Should We Care?." Off Our Backs 35.1/2 (2005): 2223. Academic Search Complete. Web. 17 Nov. 2014.
Rose Garrity presents a strong emotion toward the lack of fairness between the upper class and
lower class. He explains that citizens strive to be in the middle class or upper class, but they
cannot make those strides because the upper class is controlling the lower class from speaking
out. He explains why the lower class is being controlled is because if they speak out, then the
upper class will silence or criminalize the underprivileged. Garritys mission is to fight those
circumstances and have all the people that are treated unworthy to stand up and fight for their
rights.
Rose Garrity is Executive Director of A New Hope Center, a victim services agency for victims
of domestic violence and other crimes. He sees the justice system repeatedly, and feels that he
has seen enough to make a change. His view are straight from what he feels and doesnt have an
organization where he has a stronger stand to where he can let his voice out on a national level.
He doesnt have any research on his views but strongly believe that people should join him in
fighting the discrimination of class.
Rose Garritys views are fairly similar to how I feel on classism and how he vividly describe
why people should care about classism will fit very well into how I want to foreshadow what
America can look like without classism. I hope what he had to say in his article can create some
sort of emotion and to start to build a movement.

Gattaca. Dir. Andrew Niccol. By Andrew Niccol. Perf. Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman.
Columbia Pictures, 1997. Film.
Director Andrew Niccols film Gattaca features a futuristic look on how society will look like.
The film is focused around the main character Vincent. Vincent was born less gifted and
unprivileged than from what he was hoping for. Vincents dream was to join Gattaca, a society/
corporation, where he could eventually have the opportunity to go up into space. The problem
was that Vincent doesnt have the qualifications to join Gattaca. Vincent did whatever he had to

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do to get into Gattaca, so he found Jerome which looks just like Vincent. Jerome has the genetic
gifts that would qualify for Gattaca. Vincent takes Jeromes identity and is able to get in Gattaca.
While in Gattaca, a murder happens and questions are leading toward the real identity of Jerome.
It turns out that Vincent did not cause the murder and even though his real identity was exposed
for a moment, Vincent was permitted to go up into space.
Director Niccol perceives a vision into the future that can be relatable to the film The Island. It
presents aspects of the future that are science fictions in a lot of peoples eyes, but isnt so far
fetching that it couldnt happen in the near future. These future aspects can help steer me in
foreshadowing of what can happen if classism isnt controlled. The things like when Vincent was
being discriminated from Gattaca because he wasnt born with the right genetics, but when he
was in Gattaca he was at the top of class despite being less privileged than his peers. As Niccol
was writing this film, I believe he also had the same ideas.
Niccols film will hopefully generate two ways I can envision how I can incorporate his ideas
with my ideas. First, I can take the fact that I can make insight of what the future can look like if
nothing is done about classism. It can go to the point where actual grouping of classes are seen
like Gattaca. Finally, I can make an argument of which of just because someone belong in so
called class doesnt mean that person is forever labeled in that status. The film helped me change
my point of view for which someone cant be labeled in a certain class, and to treat them in a
certain manner. It made me push toward a position of equality.

Gorski, Paul C. "The Question Of Class." Education Digest 73.2 (2007): 30-33. Academic
Search Complete. Web. 20 Nov. 2014.
Questions must be asked when issue surface and Paul Gorski searches for answers with his
theories and research on the connection between the lack of teaching and poverty. The
connection is whether poverty has a direct impact when it comes to children engaging into their
education. Pauls argument to the connection is that school system is to be blamed for not setting
an equal playing field for citizens living in poverty. He presents research that the schools in high
poverty areas are not as privileged as the middle class schools. Paul wants the injustice to stop
and suggest that the solutions will be found if it starts with the children in lower class. He wants
them to recognize that they are underprivileged and wants them to overcome the barriers. It will
also take more effort from the school system to provide better privileges toward the children
living in poverty and to make all social classes as equal as possible.
Paul theories bring up a strong argument into the injustice in the school system and are a very
important variable that affects class discrimination. In contrast, his argument fails to address why
the school system is not focus on the lower class. This could a problem when backing up my
research. Paul C. Gorski is an associate professor in New Century College and a Research
Fellow in the Center for the Advancement of Well-Being, George Mason University. His work
and passion is social justice activism. His areas of scholarly focus include anti-poverty activism
and education, economic justice, racial justice, environmental justice, and animal rights. His
work is certainly precise, but his article fairly one sided and fails to focus on all side involved in

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the school system. Hopefully, I can overcome the strong position and use the facts to support my
other research.
Paul Gorskis position is parallel to my own on social discrimination and his research can be a
strong backbone to my other viewpoints. Pauls article was very helpful because it provided solid
facts how classism is affecting the lower class. Also, his theories on how to fix the issue can help
mold into what America can look like without classism. His theories also help change how my
argument will focus on the future of classism.

Newton, Kathryn. "A Two-Fold Unveiling: Unmasking Classism In Group Work." Journal For
Specialists In Group Work 35.3 (2010): 212-219. Education Research Complete. Web. 22
Nov. 2014.
Newtons article in classism in group work focuses on the conflict that is presented when
different social classes are working together. The article reflects aspects like verbal and nonverbal language that can affect other individual in different social classes and backgrounds. The
goal for people working in groups is to align together, but the differences in class are causing
conflicts. A case study was conducted where individuals from different social backgrounds come
together to work in a group. The group struggled to get anywhere because the lower class people
didnt want to work with people that were more privileged then them. Newton hopes with this
case study is to unmask classism and to help the growth in human relations in the workplace.
Kathryn Newton, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Counselor Education/School Counseling and
Guidance Services, provides evidence of what class differences can do in a social environment.
Her article defines both what classism is and what group work is and analyzing what happens
when classism is present in the workplace. Newtons objective is to make improvements in how
people treat each other in the work environment.
The case study that Newton conducted can provide solid evidence for why people care for
change in classism because they can be one those people that can have trouble in the workplace.
Newtons article gave me a new insight by how classism affects people in a large scale.
Hopefully, her article can help explain to the reader that there is a problem and action can take
place.

Piercy, Marge. He, She, and It: A Novel. New York: Knopf, 1991. Print.
Marge Piercys novel is based on the main character Shira, where she is discriminated by her
status at Y-S. In the novel, she goes through a divorce with her husband Josh and she is fighting
with him to gain custody right for their son Ari. The system of Y-S grants the custody rights to
Josh because Josh is a higher rank than Shira. Shira is upset with the decision and goes to live
with her grandmother to get over the situation. When she arrives, she is introduced to a cyborg
named Yod. She is responsible for getting Yod sociable and they become lovers. They come up
with a plan to take Shiras son from Josh and Y-S. Y-S also has plans to take Yod from the free

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town Tikva. Y-S threatens to attack the free town if they dont hand over Yod. Shira and Yod go
into Y-S and go after Ari. They manage to get Ari, but Yod kills Josh in the process. Yod and
Shira return to Tikva with Ari, but Y-S learns about what happens and wants a meeting with
Tikva. The meeting takes place and they will take legal actions if Yod isnt handed over. Yod
ultimately decides that it would best to go to Y-S. Yod leaves for Y-S, but he has a plan to selfdestruct himself and all the important people of Y-S that threaten Tikva. Yod is successful and
Shira is able to live in peace with Ari.
The novel will be the centerpiece of my ideas. The points that create the argument are the social
discrimination when Shira is trying to fight for her son Ari, but is stripped her rights because she
is a lower class than her husband Josh. Next, is the point that the corporation of Y-S is trying to
take away the privileges of the free town of Tikva. This will be the main resource for the essay
and all the other resources will reflect on the ideas in the novel. Marge Piercys goal was to have
readers like myself to take away concepts like classism that was displayed in the novel.
Since this will be the main resource in my argument, it is presented throughout my research and
the essay. Reading the novel help me present some of main ideas toward my argument. The
points from discrimination in the novel will provide evidence that classism exists and also goes
unnoticed which the novel did.

The Island. Dir. Michael Bay. Perf. Scarlett Johansson and Ewan McGregor. Dreamworks
Pictures, 2005. Film.
The Island is a film released in 2005 and it is based in the future when technology is far
advanced to where clones are produced for the wealthy. The clones are produced from DNA
replication and live in a private location in the desert of the United States. These clones
represent a social class, but they are unaware that there are other people on the Earth. The system
that they live in is actually the corporation that makes the technology to create the clones. The
corporation told the clones that they are survivors from an Earth epidemic and they are the only
ones left. One the clone name Lincoln questions the system and soon finds out the real purpose
of why they are kept there. Lincoln convinces his friend Jordan to leave the captivity because
they will eventually be killed for their organs. They manage to escape and find out that there is a
whole world that is being lived. Lincoln comes to conclusion that it isnt fair for all the clones to
be kept in with the corporation. Lincoln and Jordan go back to free the rest of the clones and to
shut down the corporation from killing any more clones.
The plot of the story is the bases of what discrimination is in social class. The clones are stripped
of all rights and have no say in what the system does. Even though the film is science fiction,
there is evidence that the technology could be presented in the future and could affect the aspect
of social class. The film will help to support my argument by presenting theories that could
happen in the near future. The film objective was to show the future of how discrimination of
class status will grow and justice needs to be brought up.

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The film will hopefully create examples of evidence of social class discrimination. Also, it can
also show what effects can happen if someone stands up and says that there is something wrong
with classism just like when Lincoln didnt accept how he was living. The film was recently
release which provides evidence that classism is becoming more and more relevant and I can
express that within my essay.