The Last Night of Ballyhoo Themes

The Last Night of Ballyhoo Themes

Social Standing

Social standing plays an important role in Boo's world. Her family numbers among the best Jewish families in Atlanta. Adolph is a past president of the restricted Standard Club, and their family home is the only Jewish household on Habersham Road. Boo wants her daughter to associate only with the right kind of Jews. For instance, she disparages the sorority bid because "Nobody but the other kind belong to A E Phi." She encourages Lala to try to become popular, insisting, "Your place in society sits there waiting for you, and you do nothing about it." The importance of social standing eventually allows even the socially awkward Lala to make a good marriage. Peachy Weil, himself uncouth and offensive, proposes to Lala. Because he is from one of the finest Jewish families in the South, Boo is ecstatic. Similarly, Peachy's father approves of his son's engagement to Lala because he...
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