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Micaela Pacheco
AP Language and Compositions, period 8
Ms. Evans
6/2/16
Rules and Belonging Essay
In everything we do, there are certain rules that pertain. Some are visible, like the no
running sign by the pool, while some are inferred, like no peeing in the pool. As one goes up in
formality, the inferred rules become more apparent. The relationship between unspoken rules and
belonging depends in where the class system is ins and if they were born into the class or not.
Unspoken rules are those that are usually placed into action in order to act a certain way
in a microculture. The higher up one goes in the class system, the more rules there are. This can
be seen in royal courts during the Medieval Period. In the Tudor court during the reign of King
Henry VIII, the way speech and mannerisms were dictated on which class one was in and those
around. People in those times used titles like Lady, Your Grace, Your Eminence, and
Your majesty, instead of names, even in colloquial language. It was a very class distinctive
society, and if one did not use these phrases, they would be punished. The unspoken rules of how
to act and behave were so strict , especially in the French court. The French Royal courts
unspoken rules were so extensive and elaborate that to a foreigner, the royals seemed to be doing
a dance. This was the primary reason the art of ballet was formed. If looked closely there are
many things that are taken right from royal court actions and adapted into ballet, like plie which
is a form of bow. The unspoken rules are especially elaborate in the higher societies in which
there are more customs to attend to.

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If a person is not born into a certain class, they may not know the proper way to act and
thus not be able to be included in the acts of that certain group, like a Wasp polo game or the Met
Gala, since they customs do not come naturally to them. An example of this can be seen in The
Great Gatsby, when Gatsby, a man who rose up the social classes due to his extravagant amount
of money, struggles with the mannerisms of those who are already rich and have been for a long
time since they were born that way. Due to his lack of knowledge of the high class customs , he
is used for his parties and mistreated by the other characters, often being left alone. He is refused
dinner plans and eventually killed due to the lack of respect given to him from the people of the
higher class since they thought he did not fit in with him. This lack of belonging demonstrates
how important the mannerisms of a certain microculture or class are. Being born in a social class
dictates the way one's life is going to be usually. Today, our social classes in America are similar
to those caste systems in countries like India. They are alike in the way that people who are born
in a certain class usually stay in that class and with people who are like them, for example a son
of a wealthy CEO is likely to go to an expensive boarding school in which he can spend time
with other sons of wealthy CEOs. They also dictate what job one is likely to get; in the caste
system the jobs are limited to those dictated in the caste, so sons of priests become priests and so
on. The U.S.A is different in that way in which there is not a specific law abiding people to lead
in the occupations of their parents but it seems to happen very frequently,sons of Plumbers
ecome plumbers, daughters of lawyers become lawyers. This is due to the fact that children
usually emulate their parents, whether they like it or not, and may look up to them in example. In
them, they learn the unspoken rules of the trades that they eventually will join. This again causes
newcomers to suffer in their lack of insight understanding since they were not born into the trade.

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For example, there is a internship opening at a prestigious law firm, who do they choose: the son
of their highest paying client or a young girl who has no contacts and no experience in the
field.Sadly, today's society favors to be prejudice towards people who are not like themselves
and favor those who are, due to the unspoken rules that dictate the daily interactions all around
the world.
Knowing the unspoken rules in a culture is critical in the way one will be inducted in it.
Sadly, class distinctions are still existing today and the way one looks is an image of their self
worth. People confine themselves in their own groups in order to find their niches in their
society.