Social inequality is a form of differentiation in which individuals, social groups, and classes are at different levels of the vertical social hierarchy having unequal chances and opportunities to satisfy needs. Researchers note that the social structure is determined by the differences between people generated by public factors, such as the division of labor, lifestyle, and humanistic roles (Kteily, Sheehy-Skeffington, & Ho, 2017). The purpose of this paper is to illustrate social inequalities in American society through The Notebook movie by Nick Cassavetes.
The Notebook is the novel of the same name written by Nicholas Sparks is one of the most screened modern writers. The story tells about two young people (Noah and Allie) from different layers of society who fall in love during the summer holidays (Cassavetes, 2011). The whole world is at Allie’s feet, and Noah is a simple country boy from the working class. Stereotypical thinking suggests that there is nothing in common between the girl with a great future and the ordinary young man.
However, social boundaries are erased between people when they genuinely love each other. The evidence of social inequality creates conflict not only between lovers but also with the main heroine’s parents, who are not interested in seeing their daughter next to a lower-class person. Nonetheless, love is not subject to social status, and this is clearly shown in the movie. Heroes meet after a while and never break up again.
There was a similar love story in my life, but I had to break off the relationship under pressure from my parents. The social and economic status of my family far exceeded the material well-being of my beloved. In this regard, I succumbed to the structured thinking of a society that separates people according to racial, social-class, demographic, geographical, and other characteristics. The problem of social inequality is one of the most acute in interpersonal relations. A feature of the social structure of American society is the population division into rich and poor. Thus, the overwhelming majority of the middle class would be the basis of an economically stable and mature society.
References
Cassavetes, N. (Director). (2011). The Notebook [Video file]. Web.
Kteily, N. S., Sheehy-Skeffington, J., & Ho, A. K. (2017). Hierarchy in the eye of the beholder:(anti-) egalitarianism shapes perceived levels of social inequality. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 112(1), 136.