Running head: LIMBO: A CRITICAL BOOK REVIEW 1

LIMBO: A CRITICAL BOOK REVIEW

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Critical Book Review

Presented to

Jennifer Saxton

Arkansas Tech University

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PS 4003

Capstone Project

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by

Cami Lynn Woodruff

T01196188

April 11, 2017

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Lubrano, A. (2004). Limbo: Blue-collar roots, white-collar dreams. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Introduction

Education is the ultimate equalizer and opens more doors despite any preborn station an

individual is in. A person with education can push past any obstacles and build a new world for

themselves. However, it is a pain staking journey and those who are born to white collar families

have no idea what effort it takes to open different doors. Although education provides more

opportunities and jobs there are many times conflicts that arise when someone who is born into

the working class transitions into the white collar professional world. Many times the individual

despite education feels outside of this new culture and as if they will never belong. These

individuals are like lost souls in between two cultures yet never truly belonging to either. Limbo:

Blue-Collar Roots, White Collar Dreams written by Alfred Lubrano is essentially about this

experience.

Alfred Lubrano was a blue-collar son of a brick layer who transformed his life forever

through education and becoming a journalist. His life became a journey of self-discovery

throughout his education and after that forever changed him as a person. Priorities shift. Some

values change, while some remain constant(29). In the book Alfred discusses the duality of

his life and many other Straddlers who were born into blue collar families and by sheer will

pulled themselves into a new life and culture despite their obstacles. Currently, Lubrano is a

reporter, a contributing editor to GQ, and a commentator for National Public Radio (Lubrano,

2004). His accomplishments are vast including six national awards in journalism and he has

written one book.

Summary
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In America there is a socioeconomic caste system that determines what people will do

with their lives after they are born. Many people are not even aware this exists. This is due to the

fact that people who are born into different stations usually are comfortable with their

environment. Nevertheless, at an early age Straddlers express dissatisfaction within their

environment (12). Lubrano points out that that there are specific differences in manner, style,

thought, and approach to life that are class-based (18). Sadly due to class gap only about

twenty percent or less of people get out of the environment they are born into. For example, one

of five from working and lower classes actually go to a four year college whereas two out of

three middle-and upper-class do (11).

In many cases, it was implied throughout the entirety of the book that there was a lack of

desire to pursue education or enjoy learning from working class families and friends (113). The

Straddlers were dubbed as intellectual by others at a young age and libraries were considered a

refuge (114). As they grew older and pursued education there were many times a lack of

support from families and friends. Over time, not only did education benefit them but also

changed them which created alienation from friends and family (65). However, Straddlers were

still unable to relate to their new peer group and this makes even romantic relationships difficult.

Because of their difficulty reconciling both their past and present situations of who they are it

makes living a white-collar life difficult for most straddlers. In perpetual limbo it is difficult to

raise a family with their mixture of class ideals (189).

Critical Evaluation

Lubranos purpose was to help Straddlers born blue-collar and become white-collar develop a

better identity and realize they are not alone. Likewise, he wanted white-collar individuals to

become educated of what blue-collar born children are born into and pull out of. In the same
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manner, Lubrano probably hoped to give people who are currently blue-collar a deeper

understanding of what Straddlers went through to get where they are. In many cases, Straddlers

accomplished this. Frankly, a shorter book would have sufficed as many of the stories repeated

the same original theme. Nevertheless, the point he hoped to make he clearly did accomplish

which is you can change things in your life. However, when you do you will change as a person,

your culture will change, and the way you relate to others will change as well. But you can still

successfully function and find your path between both worlds (202).

Lubrano approaches the subject with significant biases. Lubrano used the term neanderthal

repeatedly throughout his text to describe both blue-collar actions and decisions. Subconsciously,

Lubrano might have felt inferiority associated with class jump but evidently to separate himself

from his blue-collar roots he repeatedly implies that blue-collar individuals cannot express or

possess intellectual thoughts. In the same manner, the theme of racism as a sole blue-collar issue

was covered in most chapters (15, 111). There were implications that religion and chastity is

something of the uneducated and after being enlightened most shed off these limitations (61). All

of these are clear and obvious biases of the authors world view that might not be class based but

personal opinions. Obviously, even if his conservative parents did not influence his world view

his liberal professors opinions did. It would be different if these opinions were obvious facts but

most were general assumptions.

Limbo contributed to greater insight into the identity crisis that happens with class jump.

Lubranos interview and thoughts on socialization within the work environment and relationships

in class cross over was incredibly insightful (170). Likewise, the fear associated with Straddlers

raising children not to be self-entitled was perceptive (183). My mother is a Straddler and my
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boyfriend is a Straddler these are legitimate fears but many of these fears were exaggerated to

make this book.

The weakness in the writing is associated with not with the thesis as Lubrano clearly covered

his purpose throughout the book but with the subject matter itself. Although there were several

chapters that were helpful within this book that can provide class insight into culture and class

difference that Straddlers experience there is an excessive amount of negative views of blue-

collar living. Honestly, my mothers side of the family is entirely blue collar. My mother was the

first in her family to go to college. If her family read this book they would be offended. To imply

that only through college education that someone can be aware of the world around them is

distasteful and rather pretentious. The books limitation is audience, as they could be only

Straddlers and white-collar readers as blue-collar readers would find this offensive and the author

repugnant. In the same manner, the book could not be considered relevant as it is dated. We are

now within the modern era of technology which means that information is at our finger tips.

Therefore, there is not the inability as in the past to not have instructions on anything we want. In

the Midwest class divides are not as extreme as other regions.

The material being presented was through personal experiences, more than one hundred

interviews, social psychologists, and national surveys (2). The connections between both the

claims and actual facts are somewhat gray. The interviews and the layout were methodical and

logical. However, since this was an opinion and interview based book it is not clear if Lubrano

had gotten a clear depiction of America as whole. Unless he interviewed people throughout all

five regions of the U.S. there might not be clear enough analysis to make this the rule. Likewise,

depending on where each interviewee attended school that would affect perspective as well.
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There was no contradictory evidence suppressed in this book. Since this was personal accounts

based there was no way on contradicting personal accounts or experiences.

Lubrano proved his case that people who transition from working class to middle-class will

see things differently and at time act different but can still thrive. Basically, the conclusion of the

book is you can have it all and at times it will be hard because you are going between classes but

you just try your best (225). The relational aspect of this book proves his thesis.

Conclusion

Limbo is a book about hardship, triumph, and identity. It provides a deeper perspective

about class culture many do not realize exists and is often over looked. I honestly would not

recommend this book to family or friends because many of my family and friends are blue-collar

born. Although there are many valid points on schooling, work environment socialization, and

relationships many facts seemed to be overstated. Likewise, there were many sections that the

author unintentionally stated the working class was incapable of deeper thought which is

offensive.

There are several things I learned from this book. First, many of the fears that my peers,

boyfriend, and mother from working class families have shared with me associated with anxiety

about school, work, and raising a family make a lot more sense. Likewise, since there were

undertones of resentment of Straddlers towards their upper class peers I have a better

understanding of some individuals animosity towards me growing up associated with my

socioeconomic status. It many times would be assumed I was better off because of my dads job.

Obviously, this was not the case and my life is in no way similar to the posh life styles that the

middle class kids lived like in the book. However, the information I learned about how Straddlers
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feel in different school and work situations gives me greater perspective on how to relate and

work with different people who grew up in different environments.

References:

Lubrano, A. (2004). Limbo: Blue-collar roots, white-collar dreams. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.