One of the characters from Pat Conroy’s novel, The Lords of Discipline, who undergoes a cultural collision is Tradd St. Croix. His Old Charlestonian background and aristocratic nature collided with the Institute’s military culture. Tradd’s response to this cultural collision has a major effect on the plot of the novel.

Unlike the other boys at the Institute who assimilated to the military culture, Tradd responds to the cultural shift by keeping the attitude of an aristocrat. This is especially evident in his refined vernacular and his frequent comments on his roommates’ “disgusting” habits. Tradd remains a well mannered, high society Charlestonian Aristocrat. Consequently, Tradd is immediately labeled as different from the rest of the