Free Lunch

Classism, or prejudice against people based on class, is a pervasive issue in Rex Ogle’s life and American society as a whole. Because Rex’s family lives in poverty, he is judged and seen as an outcast—with “folks [acting] like being poor is a disease” (51)—and even peers and teachers look at him as if he were a criminal. In some cases, this classism is (potentially) tinged with racism (as Rex mentions his half-Mexican heritage eliciting hostile reactions). Rex’s friends push him away when he isn’t able to join expensive extracurricular activities like football, and he constantly feels like he has to lie to them to avoid having them find out about his financial situation (i.e., his enrollment in the Free Lunch Program at school, lack of adequate clothing, etc.). He comments on the irony of his free lunches when he says, “Lunch here is supposed to be free, but it feels like it costs me a lot” (71); his free lunches have a social toll. When Rex’s friends eventually lose their appeal, he feels he doesn’t belong anywhere, his isolation largely the result of classism (and potential racism). Despite his free lunches, he spends much of his time hungry, as his mother relies on government assistance and fast-food coupons to feed her family.