Street Corner Society

by William Foote Whyte

To the average person corner boys are up to no good, but one corner boy, Doc, takes the author under his wing for a year and a half. Whyte learns that things are not as simple as they appear on the corner. The group is much more complex than you’d expect, with rules and regulations, leaders and deputy leaders, and due deference. Whyte tries to ingratiate himself with his new crowd by cursing and using the F word – this is, if you will, a Harvard boy’s perception of how one might fit in on the corner. However, Doc chastises him for doing so and indicates that more is expected of a Harvard boy.