The Saints and The Roughnecks': Analysis of Symbolic Interactionism

Symbolic interactionism, a micro-sociological theory created by Hurbert Blumer, focuses on the everyday face-to-face interactions. The core of this theory assumes people act in terms of the meaning they assign to objects. The meanings placed on objects are socially constructed.  In this paper I will make analysis of 'The Saints and the Roughnecks' as this article is a classic example of symbolic interactionism. Symbolic interactionism emphasizes the significance of symbols, language, and social interactions in shaping individuals' self-concepts and behaviors. It highlights the importance of shared meanings, social roles, and the construction of reality through social interaction.

'The Saints and the Roughnecks' Analysis Through the Lens of Symbolic Interactionism

Based on how we interpret the meaning of our world, we become that interpretation. As society places a label towards a group of people, more likely than not, those labeled will accept that label (internalization) and act on that label through the phenomenon called self-fulfilling prophecy. 'The Saints and the Roughnecks' as an example of symbolic interactionism was written by William Chambliss, behaviors of two groups of boys were observed within a prolonged period of time. The Saints came from an upper-middle-class household, while the Roughnecks came from a lower-class household. Both groups had two constant sociological variables; gender (males) and race (white). The Saints often engaged in deviant behavior such as drunk driving and messing with traffic lights. Nevertheless, their reputation in the community was still positive because they were less visible to the community. This was due to having access of cars which allowed them to drive away from their community to commit crimes. In the case when they were confronted by authority, they were simply polite and civil towards them. Their demeanor made them be perceived in a positive light, so most of the time they were let off the hook. Typically in school, their teachers viewed them as kids with “bright futures”. On the other hand, the Roughnecks engaged themselves in petty crimes such as brawls and theft. Since they had limited access to cars, they were more visible by their community committing the crimes, thus leaving an unfavorable impression. When confronted, they were extremely haughty towards authority and were punished for it. Most of the community viewed the Roughnecks as “troubled kids”. When both groups of boys turned into adults, The Saints generally had successful adult careers, while the Roughnecks generally continued their delinquencies (with the exception of 2 boys).

Symbolic interactionism helps us to understand the results of this case. The Saints grew up in an upper-middle-class so immediately the community perceives them to be kids that come from promising homes. Since their parents are providing good deeds through their labor, the probability of their kids doing the same when they turn into adults is higher. This perceived notion on the kids also affected the way the cops and teachers viewed them. Their teachers believed that they were good kids because they were respectful and lied that they had to do extra curricular activities as a way to get out of class. The cops on the other hand did not want to deal with the repercussions of putting a rich kid away in jail; lawyers and bad impressions by the community for locking the “good” kids up. Having these aspects in their life, including less tension with the police caused the Saints to internalize that they are indeed good kids so when they turned into adults, they took on roles that fulfilled to that label by having successful careers. In contrast, the Roughnecks, as previously said before, came from a low-class household. They had less access to cars. When they committed crimes, they were mostly punished, leaving a negative impression on the community. The teachers had little hope to believe that the Roughnecks will get out of the vicious life cycle they were placed in. Their predictions were right, within the exception of Jack and Herbert. Both kids received a scholarship for playing football. When this happened, their self-esteem went up. The perception that they had to be bad kids went away, and they began to internalize that indeed they can be productive members of their community. In both cases, we can see that labels can have a profound effect on the way people turn out as adults.

Conclusion

Applying the perspective of symbolic interactionism to the analysis of 'The Saints and the Roughnecks' highlights the influence of labeling, self-fulfilling prophecies, role-taking, and social interactions in shaping the experiences and outcomes of individuals within society. The study underscores the significance of societal perceptions, power dynamics, and the construction of identities. By examining this case through a symbolic interactionist lens, we gain valuable insights into the complexities of social interactions, the impact of labels, and the role of subjective meanings in shaping individuals' lives.