Actually, all the three essays published by the New York Times gives an in-depth coverage and analysis of the stratified society. In the United States of America, there is a great level of stratification based on factors like race, wealth and the level of education.
As said by the three authors, this results into different kinds of treatments each and everyone is entitled to. However, this makes it very hard for people, especially the underprivileged to rise the social ladder as elaborated herein.
Similarities
He uses Jeff Martinelli, a long serving employee who was finally laid off just because he did not have the right quality of education required by the company. He only had 30 years of experience, what the management seemed not interested in. to many observers, this is very unfair.
Besides, Antony DePalma in the Fifteen Years on the Bottom Rung sensitizes the readers on the kind of treatments the immigrants in the larger US are subjected to. He says that these foreigners, who boldly risk leaving their mother land in the pursuit of a blissful life in US end up being treated as second citizens. Even if some of them may be registers, the majority of the natives view them as a major threat to their country’s prospering economy.
Therefore, many immigrants particularly those from Mexico are thwarted nearly in all aspects of life: have no rights, job security, and educational opportunities. This, as the author asserts, makes life so woeful for them.
Isabel Wilkierson on the other hand gives an insightful hurdle faced by Angela Whitaker, an originally born poor lady who beasts all the odds to eventually extraordinarily liberate herself. Through the making of the right decisions, she finds herself transforming from the welfare to the middle classes.
The tree articles are similar because they give information on how society is segregated. They both report that an individual may not be responsible for their misfortunes. It may be because of circumstances beyond their capabilities. For instance, the immigrants find themselves in a lot of problems in a country where they thought they would change their lives positively. Angela also found herself in problems because of the misfortunes that had befallen her parents.
In addition, the three articles report on the kind of discriminations people are subjected because of their social class. Ideally, it appears that those at the top mistreat the poor and less privileged ones who have fewer opportunities. Jeff is seriously mistreated by his superiors who render him jobless after serving them for 30 years. Instead, he is replaced by a degree holder. This is very unfair. He should be retained for a longer period because his services must have been so good. Similarly, Angela is also mistreated by the many husbands whom she marries. They are really irresponsible and can’t take care of their biological children. At the same time, the Mexican immigrants are recruited in odd and tedious jobs where they are paid peanuts. This money is too little and can not sustain them. Practically, this happens because they are downtrodden and are not expected to vocally express their uncountable grievances. However, this kind of treatment can not be done to the natives simply because they are treated specially.
Lastly, the three essays tell us about discontent. Since most of the people are aware of their conditions, they are very much disturbed. All the people in the lower levels who are very much pone to challenges in this society always try to seek for ways through which they can make their lives better. Hence, they are all seeking for ways on how they can make their life be better. Definitely, this is why the Jeff, immigrants and Angela strive to do all that they can to liberate themselves.
Differences
However, despite all the above similarities in the way they are trying to inform the readers on class formation in US, these articles are also different in many ways. To begin with, while Timothy and Antony give us stories that end in disappointments, Isabel tells us about the stories that eventually result into success.
The Mexican immigrants left their country for us in order to solve their problems. Unfortunately, they become despaired when they become subjects to abuse, discrimination and injustice. Instead, they could not cope up with the living standards in US for they are not educated and have no proper mastery of the English language. On the other hand, Angela’s efforts finally yield fruits especially after excelling in the prerequisite registration tests.
Even if she’s undergone a lot of troubles: being born in a very poor family, dropping out of school and being betrayed in her marriages, she ends up accomplishing her lifetime goal of crossing to the middle class. This makes her story becomes so inspirational.
Finally, the articles are different in the way people are treated depending on their genders. While Timothy and Antony are silent on women, Isabel tells us about the different circumstances the women go through. Angela, despite all the obstacles finally becomes an admirable figure in her family: beats all the odds to become the first female in her entire family to get a college degree and become a nurse.
My ideas
I would like to agree with these writers for unveiling the truth to us. These articles actually enlighten us on the discriminatory practices in the US that make it very hard for people to climb the hierarchal social classes. It is true that the poor and immigrants and other underprivileged people in US to undergo social mobility.
Even if this is possible through education, many of these children still find it hard to have access to quality education. For instance, the immigrants who are not well acquainted with English language, need to be given special treatment. They should undergo bilingual education, which the natives call a burden to their strained economy.
In my well thought opinion, I would like to suggest that it is not good for society to be segregated on class lines. Instead, everybody should be given equal treatment in the social, economic and political aspects of life. More importantly, the less privileged should be given easier access to education. Surely, this will facilitate mobility to hire social orders.
