The Merton's Strain Theory

The theory I choose that I feel best represents the story would have to be the strain theory. I feel this theory best fits because I believe that society does put a lot of pressure into individuals, especially in the black community. Most of the high crime rates come from the black individuals due to the pressure that is put into them from trying to survive in the cruel world we live in. There is more pressure in the black community for reasons that racism still exists and stereotyping is still an issue in society. When certain people from society see a black person they automatically start assuming they are all criminals, drug addicts, uneducated, problematic and have no good future ahead of them. The strain theory comes from Robert K.

Merton that was first developed in 1957. In Merton strain theory he states and explains the reasons for the rising crime rates. Merton states that the American Dream was built from the cultural system. The American Dream is seen as equality and endless opportunities for all the Americans regardless of their ethnicity, class and gender. Many Americans are able to accomplish the dream while others struggle to do due to the obstacles that are presented while trying to obtain it. Merton also developed a concept of anomie. Anomie is the lacks from norms and values in our society for an individual. An individual who feels lonely or keeps getting into trouble sense a feeling of anomie because there is not someone to give them orders and keep them in the right path. Merton’s five reactions to Anomie include conformity, innovation, ritualism, retreatism and rebellion.

Conformity is following standards and doing what everyone else, more seeing as a follower. Innovation is doing things that are not approved in society but still doing them to achieve goals. For instance, selling drugs or stealing to have money to continue achieving their goals. Ritualism is a sense of being modest and humble. Retreatism: is to reject the cultural goals and means and finding a way to escape from it. Rebellion is to reject the cultural goals and means then work to replace them. In the Merton’s strain theory one of the strength is that it is able to explain the different types of criminal and noncriminal responses to strain. Evidence that support the strain theory can be Philip Bourgeois when he said that even the most despised criminals have become successful in life and that is exactly what happened with Nathan McCall, from going to prison and then landing a career in the Washington Post, shows that anyone can live to the American Dream. Evaluation of strain theory Marxists says that lack of equality opporunties are at the heart of the Capitalist system and that there is not enough evidence to explain who will commit crimes or not. Not everyone who is lacking from oppurnities turn to crimes to

do so.
There was a lot of rage in Nathan McCall, he had a burning hate passion for the white community.

McCall felt a lot of envy towards the white folks because the whites had it easier than the blacks. McCall and his friend would beat up white people and during the beatings he and his friend would express all the hatred they would hold in. For instance, in chapter One when McCall and his friends were hanging out they saw a white boy pass by them and they then started beating him up. “This is for all the times you followed me round in stores,… treated me like a nigger… and just cause you white” (3). When McCall was growing up, he attended school with all white kids in 1966 since it was the first year they allowed blacks to attend school wherever they wanted. McCall suffered a lot of racism, having white boys calling him a “nigger” or moving away when he would walk into class. In McCall eyes there were two distinct words in America and a different set of rules for each. The white one was full of the possibilities of life as the dark one was just dark and limited (17). One time McCall got beat up by older white men and he could not understand someone hating him for simply being black and alive. He wondered, “Where did those white people learn to hate so deeply at such a young age? I didn’t know but with time I learned to hate as blindly and viciously as any of them” (21). When McCall reached the seventh grade he realized that a dudes life had absolutely no meaning if he did not

have someone to hang with. He thought having no one to hang with meant no identity if you did not belong in a group. McCall started hanging with the group people that lead him to do bad things like beating people up, stealing and basically raping. In chapter 6 “Trains” is when McCall curiousity for love and sex took a different toll on his life. He learned what it meant to “beat your meat, bust a nut, and get some head” (41). The friends of McCall taught him about the two types of female, the women like his sister, mother, and teacher and then there were the bitches, and ho’s. Bitches and ho were good for one thing…boning (42). In this chapter McCall experience sex, he lost his virginity by raping this girl name Vanessa. They all took turns, training her. Although the word rape is never mention, but forcing someone into sexual relationships without consent is rape. As McCall kept growing up he learned the about respect and knew that the guy on the street who got the most respect were those with a rep as a “crazy niggers” He also learned about power when he first experience the touch of a gun and was taught how to use it. McCall felt so powerful with the use of a gun, felt untouchable, felt like he could take on the world and no one could tear him down. In 1975 he was sent to prison for armed robbery at a McDonalds where he served 3 years in a Virginia prison. “I was in jail, in one place in America that black men rule” (150). The judge sentenced McCall to twelve years. Prior to getting caught, McCall had shot and nearly killed Plaz, a black man and got a thirty-day sentence. He robbed a white business and did not hurt anyone and got twelve years. “I got the message, I’d gotten it al my life, Don’t fuck with white folks (150). In February 1978 after serving three years in prison McCall was released under parole. As McCall was leaving prison he said, “I’m proud that I had survived, and I told myself, then and there, I can do ANYTHING”. McCall states that been in prison for three years were the most tragic events in his life, it was also the most instructional challenge. Those challenges forced McCall to go deep within, and he found a new meaning to life. He no longer saw life as bewilderment or felt like a cosmic freak, or a black intruder in a world not created for him and his people. McCall was running into problems with his parole officer since he was young and white and lectured him about what he could and could not do. He felt humiliated, and made him feel like he was a child. McCall also ran into problems every time he would fill out job applications and came acorss the section about felony convictions. “No white folks would hire me, it was bad enough that I was black, a black man with a felony record didn’t stand a chance” (234). In 1981 McCall graduated from Norfolk State with honors. McCall got his first summer internship with his hometown paper The Virginian Pilot- Ledger Star, it went well, and he got offered to come back the next summer. McCall kept searching for more opportunities in different cities. McCall decided to take a more realistic approach dealing with white folks, and decided to first get his foot in and prove himself and maybe he will tell them about their past. He was tired of getting turned away for his felon record. After so long and the rough past that McCall faced he finally landed his big career. “For the first time in my life, I had a real gig, more than just a job, stare of a career” (258). McCall started working in an office job, and interviewed people and wrote for a living” (258). As time went on McCall ended up landing his real big job when he started working for the Washington Post. McCall ended up living with his son Monore where he had three goals to help him prepare for his future, whatever he chose, and keep him away from the macho pressure and keep him alive.