A Place On The Corner

            In reading chapter one, I think Anderson gives a descriptive analysis of the ‘place' so that the reader can understand the natural social world, its richness, and details (Anderson, 2003). The analysis of the place helps one understand how people live, what they do, and other cultural dynamics.  In other words,  in order to capture the readers' attention and more importantly help them apprehend the whole story,  it is important to give a description not only of ‘who' and ‘when', but also of ‘where' (Anderson, 2003).  In this case, Anderson gives a description of the place and its social environment which is the South Side of Chicago. The author goes ahead to include the physical details and non-physical details such as working class, nonworking class,  black people, children, business, and more (Anderson, 2003). In general, the description of the place is important as the reader is able to reflect on the characters and the social life.

 Anderson focus on the group by giving a description of social life. He studies the street-corner life, the stratification system, the social groups (primary groups and secondary group), how the groups form their social identity, and social relations (Anderson, 2003). These elements help the author understand the different groups and how they interact to form a social identity.  For instance, people create different social classes, gather to socialize, spend leisure time, and find a companion (Anderson, 2003). Mingling helps the social groups develop a sense of belonging and self-esteem. They also engage in various practices to create identity and status.

What I am learning concerning group life is that people create social groups and members of the groups tend to develop positive attitudes about themselves. The group members interact and form their own identity. I am also learning that the groups are not equal but rather, there is a primary group- a small social group where members are concerned with the life of the other and comfort each other psychologically (Anderson, 2003). Second, there is a secondary group where members have weak emotional ties and focus on performing functions.

 

 

 

 

 

Reference

Anderson, E. (2003). A place on the corner. Chicago: University of Chicago Press