Research Paper on "Book Analysis of Honky by Dalton Conley"
Research Paper 4 pages (1126 words) Sources: 1
[EXCERPT] . . . .
Honky" by Dalton ConleyRace and Downward Mobility in Honky by Dalton Conley
Sociological history stems from two realities that inevitably influence the individual: his personal history and his social environment. Indeed, the past and the present combine to create the unique individual -- one part created by personal history, and another part developed by the social environment (primarily, the individuals and groups comprising the society the individual lives with). History and sociology combine to help a person make sense of his self, of what he was and has become through the years.
This is the reality that author and sociologist Dalton Conley discussed in his book, Honky. His book documents not only his personal history, but he also puts this personal history in the context of sociology. In Honky, he talks about his gradual 'awakening' to the realities that marginalized groups in the society, like the African-Americans, experienced before the rise of the civil rights movement of the 1960s. As a white American who grew up in a dominantly African-American community, Conley experienced what it was like to live as the 'minority' of his community, a reversal of role where the white American becomes marginalized, and African-Americans the dominant group in the society.
This reversal of roles between white and black Americans in Conley's community and personal history illustrates the sociological phenomenon called downward mobility. Downward mobility occurs when there is "a movement to a lower position in the stratification hierarchy" (Renzetti & Curran, 2000:209). The author's history manifests this phenomenon, as his family appea
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This thesis stems from a general observation of American social dynamics during the 1960s, wherein
Racial and ethnic minorities...have historically experienced obstacles to upward vertical mobility. Although civil rights legislation dating from the 1960s resulted in some improvement, the threat of downward mobility is still much greater for racial and ethnic minorities than for White Americans (ibid, 210).
From this passage, it becomes apparent that a dominant theme and issue in Honky, particularly its third chapter, aptly entitled, "Downward mobility," was the racial inequality between white and black Americans. In Conley's history, the status quo was that African-Americans were the minority and belonged to the lower class of the American class hierarchy. White Americans, meanwhile, were the majority group, and dominated the middle to upper classes in the society. This was, at least, the status quo in the society that existed outside of the Projects, where the author lived and spent his childhood and growing up years. In Conley's community, the status quo was poverty and inequality, where minority groups composed of African-Americans and Latin Americans carried on with their life without including white Americans as significant and integral part of their lives (Conley:2000:8).
Downward mobility in the world of Conley meant moving from being middle to lower class, living in poverty as the… READ MORE
Quoted Instructions for "Book Analysis of Honky by Dalton Conley" Assignment:
Paper Guidelines
You will write about Honky. The focus of the paper should be analyzing the book sociologically.
The format should be:
Introduction: summarize what you will do in this paper
Personal narrative: If you are so inclined, somewhere between the intro and summary you may add in what this book meant to you, or how you relate to it. This should not be more than a paragraph long. (optional)
Summary: this section should be short, summarize the book that you are discussing
Analysis: this should be the bulk of your paper; use the concepts we have used in class to analyze the book. Take a specific chapter, or issue, discuss how it applies to Dalton, how it affected him, and then talk about it outside the context of the book, sociologically. For example *****“ Dalton started a fire, he didn*****t get in trouble for it. Why didn*****t he. What would have happened if some else had set it, a different race, class gender? What would the situation have changed *****“ institutional racism/classism/sexism? Or some more overt reasons, how is this best explained? How might society resolve this issue? Most of the Topics discussed in Honky are: Learning what race and class mean. The effects of your ancestors. Social Mobility. School Segregation. Gangs. Race in different context (NYC vs. Pennsylvania). Race and Crime. Cultural Capital. Feel Free to use others not mentioned.
Conclusion: summarize what you did in the paper, not what happened in the book, and wrap it up
I will expect more from this paper. Grammar and formatting will count for more in the second paper because I will expect you to have learned from the first paper. All papers must be handed in on the date listed on the syllabus. Late papers will not be accepted. Do not plagiarize. Papers should be 12 point Times New Roman font and double spaced with no more than one inch margins on the top and bottom, and one and a quarter inch on the sides (this is how it is automatically set in Word). Number your pages. PROOFREAD, and then proofread again.
Use a bibliography or works cited page. You must include the book that you are writing about. This means every one must have one and must cite Honky. Check this website for ASA format. This time everyone must use ASA format!!
HYPERLINK "http://www.calstatela.edu/library/bi/rsalina/asa.styleguide.html"http://www.calstatela.edu/library/bi/rsalina/asa.styleguide.html
How to Reference "Book Analysis of Honky by Dalton Conley" Research Paper in a Bibliography
“Book Analysis of Honky by Dalton Conley.” A1-TermPaper.com, 2008, https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/honky-dalton-conley-race/86177. Accessed 5 Oct 2024.
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