Saturday, May 9, 2015

What Does Our Stuff Say About Our Class?

This past week in American Studies, we have been studying class and classism. As part of this unit, we looked at various aspects of the Kenilworth train station (pictured below) and how these aspects indicate Kenilworth's class. Some things people noticed were the flower pots, the covered bike rack, the size, and the architecture.

Kenilworth Train Station
I don't even use the train, but my town's train station is an indication of my class. This made me wonder what other aspects of my life indicate my class and the class of people in my area. 

First, I thought that one's house and the houses around theirs could be an indicator of their class. I decided to take a look at my own house and see what aspects others would perceive as an indicator of my class. Below is a picture of my house, which is locate in Kenilworth, Illinois. What aspects of my house could indicate my class? I first noticed the putting green, which my family took out before we moved in. I also noticed the garage, the shrubbery and yard, the upkeep, and more. (I feel really "snooty" as I'm writing this, but I'm just trying to study other aspects of my life that could indicate my class). What else do you notice about my house that could indicate my class?
My house, located in Kenilworth, Illinois

It is clear that tangible aspects of people's lives (their train station, their home, what car they drive, etc.) indicate their class. What other aspects of people's lives indicate their class?

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