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Examples Of Social Hierarchy In The Heat Of The Night

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Persaud 2 Social hierarchy does not benefit anyone During the 1960’s segregation dictated different group of races to being superior in position than others. Since different classes allow people to abuse or discriminate others, this it will only lead to more violence and inhumane actions. With this in mind author John Ball in, In The heat Of The Night, portrays the reader how discrimination does not help society instead it will cause a bully-like an environment. Furthermore, author John Ball display that individuals with high power dictate more dominates to people who are classified lower than themselves. Placement in a social hierarchy should not be determined by an individual's appearance. Social hierarchy does not benefit humanity. Social …show more content…

This is an example of how Sam was abused his power as in officer and choking and hurting Virgil because he thought he was a regular person and judge him for his appearance. Furthermore, Sam knew Virgil was not in the position to do anything because of his ranking until he told him he was an officer and then his status kept raising again and again because he was also a homicide detective. This made Gillespie and Sam think how a black person has a higher ranking than both of them and was also wealthy. Likewise, another example of a higher class showing his dominance is when Gillespie was talking impolitely to Virgil. Gillespie state ‘Who in the hell told you to open your big black mouth...Now get this I want you out right now. I don’t know when the next train is and I don’t care’’(Ball, 45). Gillespie speaks to Virgil in a unmannerly way, Gillespie disrespects him because he is the chief of Wells and nobody can do or say anything to him because he has one of the highest ranking in Wells. Although Virgil has a higher ranking than Gillespie in the police department Virgil was still not able to defy his command because he showed he has more power and that why he left the station without hesitation. In addition to that Gillespie was able to use his power to an inconsiderable reason, for example, Gillespie used Virgil to solve the case while he did not do nothing and tried to take the credit if Virgil solved the

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