Class

The titles in the Social Class Collection explore the historical and contemporary implications of social class and class division in cultures around the world. Representing a diverse range of perspectives, cultures, and societies, the selections in this Collection span a broad range of genres and forms, including essays, biographies, and fiction.

Publication year 1600

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Masculinity, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Class

Tags Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Korean Literature, Action / Adventure


Publication year 1927

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Colonialism, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Society: Class, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Indian Literature, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality, Politics / Government, History: Asian, History: World, Health / Medicine, Poverty, Military / War, Race / Racism, Relationships, Social Justice

The Story of My Experiments with Truth is the autobiography of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, more widely known as Mahatma Gandhi. A key political and spiritual leader of India and the Indian independence movement, Gandhi penned this work to narrate his quest for truth and the principles that underpinned his life’s journey. Originally published in 1927, this memoir provides a meticulous account of Gandhi’s spiritual, moral, and political evolution. The literary era in which this was... Read The Story of My Experiments with Truth Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Colonialism, Society: Class, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Mothers, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Marriage

Tags Realistic Fiction, Indian Literature, History: Asian, Gender / Feminism, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance, Arts / Culture


Publication year 1998

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Community, Society: Class, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Crime / Legal

The Street Lawyer, by John Grisham, was originally published by Bantam Books in January 1998. Grisham’s ninth novel, The Street Lawyer occupied a spot in Grisham’s streak of top-ten bestselling novels, which began with the record-breaking success of his second novel, The Firm, and lasted over two decades. Prior to penning his first novel, A Time to Kill, Grisham earned a JD from University of Mississippi School of Law and practiced civil and criminal trial... Read The Street Lawyer Summary


Publication year 1964

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Society: Class, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Midlife

Tags Surrealism, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Education, Education, History: U.S., American Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction

“The Swimmer” is a short story by John Cheever that was originally published in The New Yorker in 1964. The story is told in third-person limited narration and utilizes elements of Surrealism. The narrative draws on the myth of Narcissus and alludes to Homer’s The Odyssey while exploring the dynamics of post–World War II American suburbia. Content Warning: The source material and this guide include references to alcohol addiction.“The Swimmer” opens on Neddy Merrill, an... Read The Swimmer Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Asian Literature


Publication year 2003

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Class, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Fate, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope

Tags Fairy Tale / Folklore, Fantasy, Animals, Children's Literature, Action / Adventure, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1593

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Marriage, Identity: Gender, Society: Class

Tags Elizabethan Era, Play: Comedy / Satire, Humor, Education, Education, Drama / Tragedy, Romance, Classic Fiction

The Taming of the Shrew is one of William Shakespeare’s earliest comedies, probably first performed around 1593. While the play’s depiction of women is the subject of much debate among modern readers and scholars, its popularity endures, and the play continues to be reproduced in various mediums. Notable adaptations include the 1967 film starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, and the 1999 romantic comedy 10 Things I Hate About You.This guide refers to the 2014... Read The Taming of the Shrew Summary


Publication year 1848

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Victorian Period, Classic Fiction, Romance, British Literature, Gothic Literature, Gender / Feminism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Addiction / Substance Abuse, History: World, Historical Fiction, Victorian Literature / Period

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall is the second and final novel written by Anne Brontë (1820-1849), the youngest of the three celebrated Brontë sisters. The novel was published in 1848 under Anne’s pseudonym, Acton Bell. Unlike Anne’s first novel, Agnes Grey (1847), The Tenant of Wildfell Hall was an immediate sensation and stirred strong reactions to its subject matter, which touched on adultery, marital separation, alcohol use disorder, and domestic abuse. After her death, Anne’s... Read The Tenant of Wildfell Hall Summary


Publication year 1899

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Class

Tags Business / Economics, Education, Education, Social Science, History: World, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Sociology, Philosophy, Politics / Government

The Theory of the Leisure Class: An Economic Study of Institutions (1899), written by Norwegian-American sociologist and economist Thorstein Veblen, is a critique of consumerism and conspicuous culture promoted by the wealthy leisure class in America during the Industrial era. Veblen proposes that economics is not simply the study of markets and cash flow; it must include sociological analysis to accurately reflect a society’s consumption patterns and their cultural and economic repercussions. Though the book... Read The Theory of the Leisure Class Summary


Publication year 1961

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge

Tags Allegory / Fable / Parable, Class, Existentialism, African Literature, Education, Education, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction

The Thief and the Dogs is a 1961 surrealist, existentialist novel by Egyptian author Naguib Mahfouz. Mahfouz won the 1988 Nobel Prize for Literature and The Thief and the Dogs is considered one of his most celebrated works. The novel has been adapted for Egyptian television, and is the first novel written in Arabic to use the stream-of-consciousness style. Published nearly ten years after the Egyptian Revolution of 1952, the novel is also considered an... Read The Thief and the Dogs Summary


Publication year 2009

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Immigration

Tags African American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, African Literature, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, Relationships, Gender / Feminism

The Thing Around Your Neck by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie was published in 2009. Adichie had previously published two novels, making this text her third book and her first short story anthology. Some of the stories had been published previously in publications like The New Yorker and The Iowa Review. The book received praise, situating Adichie as a rising star of Nigerian literature. These short stories deal with problems of political conflict, immigration, artistic integrity, and... Read The Thing Around Your Neck Summary


Publication year 1915

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Class

Tags Action / Adventure, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Classic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction

The Thirty-Nine Steps, an early spy thriller, was published by Scottish author John Buchan in 1915. It was the first of five books to feature protagonist Richard Hannay. Alfred Hitchcock adapted the story to film in 1935, emphasizing the thriller elements and changing most of the secondary characters. A theatrical version, which drew from Hitchcock’s movie but restored the comedic tone of Buchan’s novel, ran in London’s West End for 10 years. Buchan’s story of... Read The Thirty Nine Steps Summary


Publication year 1928

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Play: Comedy / Satire, Classic Fiction, Poverty, Trauma / Abuse / Violence


Publication year 1895

Genre Novella, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Life/Time: The Future, Society: Class

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure

The Time Machine is a science fiction novel by H. G. Wells published in 1895. The book’s protagonist, who is never named and called only the Time Traveller, is a brilliant Victorian inventor who travels 800,000 years into the future. He finds that humans have evolved into two distinct species, called the Eloi and the Morlocks. The Eloi are peace-loving and childlike simpletons who are farmed and eaten by the brutal Morlocks, who live underground... Read The Time Machine Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Identity: Gender, Society: Class

Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Southern Literature, History: World


Publication year 1995

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Immigration, Society: Class, Natural World: Environment, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Satire, Drama / Tragedy, Race / Racism, Immigration / Refugee, American Literature

Published in 1995, The Tortilla Curtain by T. C. Boyle tells the story of two couples living parallel lives in Southern California: Delaney and Kyra Mossbacher, affluent white Americans with a home in the upper-middle-class subdivision of Arroyo Blanco; and Cándido and América Rincón, undocumented immigrants from Mexico living in a makeshift camp at the bottom of the canyon. Rotating among the perspectives of the four protagonists, the novel explores the inequality inherent in the United States... Read The Tortilla Curtain Summary


Publication year 1613

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Gender, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Class

Tags Classic Fiction, Play: Drama, Education, Education, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Historical Fiction

The Tragedy of Mariam, Fair Queen of Jewry recounts actual historical events surrounding the execution of Mariam, the second wife of Herod the Great. Written by Elizabeth Cary, the Viscountess Falkland, this five-act play published in 1613 is unique in several ways—chiefly, in that it is the first English-language play authored and published by a woman. Multiple tragedies occur in the drama, which falls into the genre of a Senecan revenge tragedy. It’s also a... Read The Tragedy of Mariam Summary


Publication year 1893

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Society: Class, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature

Tags Humor, Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Satire, Race / Racism, American Literature


Publication year 1952

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict

Tags Race / Racism, African Literature, Relationships

“The Train from Rhodesia” is a short story by Nadine Gordimer, who received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1991. The story originally appeared in The Soft Voice of the Serpent, her first collection of stories, published in 1953 and used as the basis for this study guide.The story takes place in a train station in an unnamed African village. The station is surrounded by beggars and by vendors selling carved wooden animals. A stationmaster... Read The Train From Rhodesia Summary