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The Coming Apart Of A Firm Society Summary

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"The Coming Apart of a Dorm Society" by Edward Peselman offers insight into the environment that college students are subjected to if they choose to or are required to live in assigned dormitories on their school campuses. Peselman's analysis of the college dormitory environment is approached from a sociological perspective and provides scientific credibility into the points that he makes throughout his essay. In the essay, Peselman explores the power dynamics that are made present through habitation of a dorm and the struggle that must be undertaken in order to secure and maintain power. Peselman begins by describing the circumstances by which he came to live in the dormitory and the environment that he was thrust in to. Peselman's reason for living in the dormitory is a simple one; he was living on campus because he was a freshman. Whether he lived there by choice or if it was required by the school is not made clear, however Peselman is quick to note that everyone that was living in the dorms came from diverse cultural and economic backgrounds. He is also quick to note that the personalities that were present at the dorms were not confined to dormitory life, but that the residents of the dormitories brought with them the experiences, personalities, and behaviors that they had acquired from their many years living outside of the dormitories. During his freshman year, Peselman was assigned to room with two people that had opposing personalities, Dozer and Reggie. Dozer

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