Billions of people live their lives day-to-day without realizing just how many different people are going through the same things. One may walk down the street and pass a millionaire, a cancer patient, and a homeless person without a second glance. The difference in social classes is drastic so it has become a norm in everyday life to see people of different cultural and environmental pasts. This is prominent is Simon Van Booy’s short story, “No Greater Gift.” Gabriel, the main character, takes a train ride home with a present to surprise his son. The people he observes on this short ride live immensely different lives than those sitting in the seats next to them. By looking at paragraphs 5 through 7, Van Booy’s use of characterization reveals how one’s social class does not define what type of person they are. This is important because most people have false preconceived notions of social classes based on the way one looks and acts. 

The contrast in social classes is emphasized by Van Booy’s use of imagery to characterize Gabriel compared to the other riders. In the fifth paragraph Van Booy reveals to the readers Gabriel from an internal perspective. Gabriel notices the other train riders observing what he is holding. Due to their spectating eyes, his own insecurities about being in the lower class become apparent. His life of poverty is obvious to the others, for “They look at the hole in [his] sneakers.” (Van Booy 72). Although most people’s first impression of Gabriel may be negative due to his tattered clothing making it apparent he lacks a privileged life, his grungy appearance ironically sheds a positive light on his true character. The holes in Gabriel’s shoes symbolize the hard work he endures to provide for himself and his family. One may think that he does not work hard due to his poor image but in reality Gabriel works so hard that the holes in his shoes are the least of his worries. He lives with what he can have and although having holes in his shoes is unfortunate, his true character is shown when he works through his circumstances. The riders notice another insecurity of his when “they look at Gabriel’s scar” (Van Booy 72). Gabriel’s scar is similar to the holes in his shoes, for it appears to be ugly but it shows all that he has been through and overcome. He survived a fire and now has a reminder on his face every day of a blessing in his life: survival. The appearance of a scar is thought of to be a negative mark on one’s body for they often come from fights, drugs, or self-harm. Conversely a baby, being the purest a human will be in their lifetime, has no scars because they have not been exposed to any harm. People with no scars most likely live privileged lives. However, Gabriel’s scar is not a permanent mark from a past of corruption but instead a mark of strength and character that judgmental spectators may not realize. 

Van Booy shows the judgement that strangers possess by simply looking at Gabriel. Instead of judging him upon his personality, strangers judge Gabriel on his appearance. One may think Gabriel is somewhat mentally impaired due to the way “his mouth hangs open, a habit that makes him look absent but that his wife loves” (Van Booy 72). However, their assumptions of his mental ability are false. Gabriel seems to have no problems functioning and his habit further proves that appearances are the least of his concerns. Although others may judge him for his differences, Gabriel’s wife admires it. This emphasizes the difference in values between social classes; the upper class having values of superficiality and the lower class valuing geniality. Appearance versus reality plays a large role in how others judge Gabriel on his looks rather than the type of person he is. Van Booy shows that strangers judge people on their looks and this is emphasized when analyzing their characterization. 

Van Booy’s differentiation of social classes through characterization highlights their distinctions. Many different types of people ride the subway and they notice this as they sit. There are many people living intricate lives that may not seem apparent from a simple glance, but outsiders spectating each other reveal a lot about society. The lower class is characterized when they are observed, “short Mexican men… huddled together but [not] talk[ing]” (Van Booy 72). The word choice of huddled characterizes the men as a group, instead of standing alone as independent people. The group characterization lowers their worth as human revealing that they are part of the lower class. Also, the fact that they are not talking reveals there is some tension. Either the men posses fear or lack of energy from a long day of work. Either way the men have a negative air about them. Instead of complaining, the men’s silence shows their humbleness. Van Booy’s characterization of each character depends on which social class they are in. 

The actions of the characters contrast with common misconceptions. The lower class is usually judged as being lazy and uneducated. Their class worth is further enforced when one of the men, “is reading a children’s book to improve his English” (Van Booy 72). This exemplifies the general work ethic of the lower class, always striving for self improvement. One from a different social class may assume that the lower class is lazy and could easily improve their quality of life if they had motivation, but Gabriel realizes this is not the case. He sits next to a man reading a book far below his age level, and instead of the man being embarrassed by his deficit he is working to better himself. 

The social classes are easily deciphered in this section. Where a man in the lower class is shown to be working to improve his intelligence, the upper class is shown to already possess the skills for the same knowledge at a much lower age ages. Van Booy further emphasizes his differentiation of social classes when a “girl lean[s] and mouth[s] the words as [the Mexican man] thinks them” (72). The irony of a girl decades’ younger being more knowledgeable shows just how much one’s lifestyle differs depending on class. The little girl has been provided with an education enough to mouth the words at a mere age of eight, while the grown man struggles to read the same words. The young girl reads over the man’s shoulder as entertainment while the man reads for his own wellbeing. Van Booy’s point is eye-opening for it reminds one of how much people take for granted in their privileged lives. The comparison between not only upper and lower class, but also man and child highlights the range of social classes.

Van Booy shows how different people’s lives can be simply by characterizing and highlighting how one’s appearance does not pertain to their true character. The many different characters on the train parallel lives of those in the real world and show just how much lives vary between the social classes. The lower class works hard for what seems to be like no improvement, while the upper class starts ahead and easily maintains the higher ground. Ironically, the upper class does not see the values as true as the lower class does, for the background of poverty and hard work has shaped the lower class into well-rounded human beings. The difference between social classes in America is vast and continues to grow every day.
