Explanation Of Socialization In My Life With Lifer

In sociology, there is an in depth structure about society functions and how they connect to the individuals who are within it. In a society, there is always a form of a social structure—whether that is sex, ethnicity, or class. In a sense, society teaches people, that there is only one way of seeing. However, sociology goes more in depth as it gives a person different perspectives and behaviors of individuals. In My Life With Lifers, by Elaine Leeder, conveys a deeper explanation of socialization through the personal experiences of multiple real life prisoners (lifers). In the book, Little man, Black, and Don Baylor all share a point towards the reflection of society to oneself. Little Man’s behaviors reflect upon the idea of self-awareness …show more content…
In a sense, he develops his own individual personality, given within his set of social conditions. When one speaks of socialization, it is often associated with a young child because they grow up to learn and develop new skills to work within their environment. However, in Little Man’s case, it is a bit different. Indeed, it was “the toll of his childhood experiences that left Little man deeply damaged.”(Leeder, 77) However, comparing the man he grew out to be, to who he was when he was younger, there is a change in morals. Little Man learns to develop his own image of himself from basing how he imagined to appear to others, Looking Glass Self theory. He tunes himself by reflecting upon the suffered and “understanding of the pain he has caused, the self-awareness of how he became a criminal.” (Leeder, 79) For Little Man, socialization began from the day of his birth and kept going in a lifelong process. Although, he did not have a normal childhood, his socialization was more lenient towards a negative aspect. Little Man’s socialization changed over time because “as we gather new information about norms and expectations,” (Conley, 123) people become more socialized. This is normal as this is part of “human nature.” Morality, acceptance, and self awareness are characteristics that all fit into the category. All in which, Little Man conveys in his …show more content…
The medium take on an active role to produce an effect for the product. During Little Man and Black’s time in a total institution (prison), they became the products of the agents of socialization. For Little Man, he is a product because during his time in the total institution, he is exposed to different norms and values than what he was used to. Simultaneously, he is also confined to only that area where “all activity occurs in the same place and under the same single authority.” (Conley, 131) The same concept applies to Black, but the only difference is that his social construction of reality branches out in a different direction. Black’s social construction derives from symbolic interactionism where he comes to understand to “act towards ideas, concepts, and values on the basis of the meaning that those things have for” (Conley, 137) him. He begins to develop “good behaviors from the programs offered in prison.” (Leeder, 84) To Black, his behaviors during his time in the institution come to have a meaning. The programs that gave him the education he needed, allowed him to find himself and make a change for him and his loved ones. In a sense, his meanings were negotiated with himself, on the decision to change from being known as the “dysfunctional student” to being the “valedictorian of his class.” (Leeder,