Social class in Dirty Dancing

If you analyze the movie Dirty Dancing you can really start to examine what us as viewers are wanted to walk away thinking about. Even though the movie is taken place around 25 years ago the story line is still very close to problems we see in society today. The movie brings up a lot of common interests with viewers, as well as everyday conflicts that are easily relatable. During the film one major issue brought up is when we find out that Penny, a dance instructor at the resort is pregnant and needs money for an abortion. Abortion was illegal, expensive, and very dangerous during this time frame. Since Penny is in the lower working-class she unfortunately couldn't afford the abortion, but at the same time she couldn't afford to lose the body she needed for her dancing career. Penny brought up two problems still addressed today; poverty levels and social class, as well as abortion. I think social class stood out in the movie and created the storyline. There were a lot of outcomes that came from opinions or actions coming from people in different classes. If Baby were not born into a higher class the movie would not have been the same. If Penny was born into a higher class her situation would have been totally different. This is why I decided to focus on how class rank in society is shown in the movie.

Penny pointed out to Baby in the beginning of the movie that she couldn't relate to her problems because Baby would never be in need for money and can't relate to Penny because Baby was born into a higher class, rich family. In an article by Bernice Menm's called Working Class it is explained, "clearly our assumptions, expectations, and hopes are unconsciously shaped by our class background." In the movie there is evidence that supports the quote and evidence that goes against it as well. If we look at Mr. Houseman, Baby's father, who is a rich doctor that takes pride in being in the higher class, we can relate his life to the quote. Since he was in the higher class his personality was more of the arrogant type that  looked down on the lower class. He expects Baby to become a lawyer or a doctor because that is what is expected in his class background, just like Menm mentioned. Baby on the other hand isn't so much changed by her class background. She wants to help people in life and is less worried about money and schooling. She doesn't look down on people in the working class and actually joins them, working just as hard as they all had too.

In the article Tired of Playing Monopoly by Donna Langston, Langston stated that in the lower class there is "a hope that they can escape the fate that awaits them due to the class position they were born into." Johnny was born into a lower class but worked hard to get money to the point where he wouldn't be considered lower class. Langston believes that class is pretty much your life, where you work, who your friends are, your values, what health care you receive. This is shown in the movie a lot between the workers at the hotel and Baby and her family. Penny probably doesn't have any healthcare and is fortunate to have Mr. Houseman save her after an illegal and painful abortion. A baby would be a lot of money and she would lose her job. Dr. Houseman had told Baby to never see "those" people again because his values towards abortion were different, and were probably similar to other higher class doctors. In today's society we can still see the lower, middle, and upper classes very easily.