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Examples Of Inequality In All Over But The Shoutin

Decent Essays

“Poverty is an anomaly to rich people- It is difficult to make out why people who want dinner do not ring the bell.” (Bagehot, inequality.org) Rick Bragg’s All Over But The Shoutin’ depicts an inequality in Alabama that is not commonly spoken of: the struggles of a white family in the 60s and 70s. While Bragg and his two brothers were raised by an impoverished single mother, his dream to one day live as though he were ‘middle class’ carried him. Bragg grows up to write for the New York Times and eventually buy his mother a new house. Throughout the memoir Bragg expresses his belief that one’s future is not defined by their past. This statement holds true for Bragg and others in his life. All Over But The Shoutin’ is proof that where someone starts in life has little to no effect on where they will end up. Initially, Bragg believed he was destined to be impoverished due to his socioeconomic status. He had difficulty understanding why his family was so much different than others he had seen in his small town of Piedmont, Alabama. “You reach the age when that barrier slams down hard between you and them, the rest of the nice, solid, middle class.” (Bragg, 98) This ‘barrier’ was described by Bragg as immovable, yet still allowed him to envy what was on the other side. However, this shame he felt was overshadowed by his dreams. His knack for writing led him to his first journalism job, which paid little but was a step towards his idea of normalcy: “I got to wear a tie…

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