Final answer:
Literary delinquents often have qualities like loyalty and resilience, which are influenced by their social environment. Compared to real-life gangs or other fictional groups, these delinquents are shaped by factors such as economic status and residential stability as explored in studies like Shaw and McKay's on juvenile delinquency.
Step-by-step explanation:
Delinquents in literature often possess a variety of interesting traits that are designed to make them multifaceted characters rather than simple stereotypes. Their qualities might include loyalty to each other, resilience in the face of hardship, or a certain level of honor, even among their unlawful activities. Comparing these literary delinquents to actual youth gangs or those from other stories, they may differ in terms of environment or motivations, reflective of the social environment influences as explored by studies like Shaw and McKay's theory on juvenile delinquency.
While analyzing various literary works, the qualities of characters and the narratives surrounding them make the literature of “lasting artistic merit.” Such characters might be judged by their complexity, depth, and the extent to which they mirror real-life scenarios, avoiding broad generalizations or harmful stereotypes. Through these lenses, we're compelled to look beyond the surface of characters' actions to understand their environmental and societal influences, prompting readers to challenge their preconceived notions about deviance and crime. This is seen in the way Shaw and McKay relate juvenile delinquency to factors like economic status and residential stability rather than ethnicity.