In “Hearts and Hands” by O. Henry, the author demonstrates how subconscious bias can blur the view of reality. Mr. Easton, a well groomed man, is chained to a messy looking marshal who is escorting him to prison for counterfeiting. They get into a coach with Miss Fairchild, who automatically assumes that Mr. Eaton is the marshal because he looks elegant. At the end, all the other passengers who don’t hold prejudice notice what is wrong, but Miss Fairchild still is oblivious.
First, she fails to notice that Mr. Eaton has the chain around his right hand. Something as clear as this should have been noticed, but Fairchild was too focused on his handsome face and wealthy appearance. Next, all the people around her noticed that Eaton was not the marshal. They do not have a bias point of view regarding social class and appearances, so they were able to see the obvious.
All in all, making assumptions based on appearances can alter what one sees. Even when everybody else saw the clear truth, the one who was holding prejudices could only see their narrow point of view.