Gloryhounds

32. The Social Stratification

Social Stratification: Social stratification refers to a system by which a society ranks categories of people in a hierarchy. It is perfectly clear that some groups have greater status, power, and wealth than other groups. These differences are what led to social stratification.

Two theorists, Karl Marx and Max Weber, are the primary contributors to this perspective.

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I knew the Universe was nudging me towards an apparent change ever since Ms. Eden tried her best not to mark her farewell with some abrupt smiles in my general direction. It was a different kind of emotion that swelled under the full beam cabin light, inside the hazardous and over worn car before the brown Volvo tripped onto the pitch black road and became running lights.

When I returned home at 7, after some lone wandering around Hindenburg to spot any blonde German women in the front, I felt worried and happy.

My mother was casual in her indifference and I felt obligated to worry more about if Ms. Eden reached home safely.

Especially in the Volvo which looked more unreliable than teenage romance.

'Social Stratification' are the first two words mum said when I slumped down on the breakfast table and tried to wake myself up with the wretched image of someone slurping from the bowl of oatmeal.

I blurted, "What?" and instantly regretted it as the owl faced woman in front went on with the quotes of Mark Weber and the nonchalantly unfair side of social equity.

One can never truly feel the escalated pain of Sociology till they are blessed with the words of Mark Weber before hearing the crunch of the morning toast.

But Mark Weber was waiting for me at school with his practical use of 'Social Stratification' and I felt not only awake but also blessed by the theory.

According to my mum's rigid voice and distinctively pronounced terms, 'Social Stratification means the division of people in Socio-Economic groups or strata by their economic status and social values.'

Then my mother's owl eyes looked extra keen as she gloomed her facial features and delivered the line, "But if you take the Economy and Finance away from it, Social Stratification and Inequality can be seen--"

She paused an unfortunate stop, mainly for her hand gestures and the next words to arrive in her tired mind.

"It can be seen under a philosophical light."

I regretted seeing the morning, philosophically enraged version of my mother. But I wiped the remorse away just like the patch of soot in the biology lab on the 3rd floor as I established a "Social Stratification" of Seine High.

Harvey was drawing the pure adolescence energy as he loaded the plastic spoon with chocolate pudding, ready to shoot as he sprints past Mrs. Yang's moped Sedan and catapults it over the brick barrier.

It journeyed like a comet, aimed at the bulky body of Pastry before plummeting on the tarmac.

Then lunch became more diabetic on the ground, as Kenny joined in to the fight, launching spoonfuls and then the whole cup of pudding travelled across the scream filled air and destroyed the shine of Pastry's artificially blonde hair.

I hoped to see a referee's whistle, a yellow shirt charging across the parking lot to stop Harvey from his act of culinary terrorism but Clay didn't even manage to get up. He sat on the brick barrier, not observing or shouting basic yells to stop since his arm latched around Rommery's skinny neck before they dulled their smiles and retracted their back to the debate papers in hand.