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 2006
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Identity: Disability, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
Publication year 1385
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Classic Fiction, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, Narrative / Epic Poem, Romance, Military / War, Education, Education, History: World
Troilus and Criseyde is an epic poem by Geoffrey Chaucer written between 1382 and 1386 in Middle English. The poem is divided into five books and features Chaucer’s innovation, the Rhyme royal stanza form, which is a seven-line stanza in iambic pentameter with an ABABBCC rhyme scheme. The poem is set during the Trojan War and tells the tragic story of Troilus, a prince of Troy who falls in love with a young woman named... Read Troilus and Criseyde Summary
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Food, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Great Depression, Animals, Realistic Fiction, History: World
Turtle in Paradise is a 2010 historical fiction children’s novel by Jennifer L. Holm. Set in the Florida Keys during the Great Depression, the novel follows an 11-year-old girl’s struggles and successes as she visits her aunt and cousins in the town where her mother grew up. The novel won the Golden Kite Award and is a Newbery Honor Book as well as a Junior Library Guild selection.This guide refers to the 2010 Random House... Read Turtle in Paradise Summary
Publication year 1954
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Class
Tags Classic Fiction, Play: Drama, Crime / Legal, Education, Education, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Drama / Tragedy
Reginald Rose was born in Manhattan, New York in 1920. He saw active service during the Second World War and began his writing career in 1950 with the play The Bus to Nowhere. The experience of serving on a jury in 1954 inspired Rose to write his most famous work, Twelve Angry Men. The play was first broadcast as a one-hour television drama that same year. In 1957, the play was adapted for film, starring... Read Twelve Angry Men Summary
Publication year 1853
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags History: World, Classic Fiction, Biography
Twelve Years a Slave is a memoir by Solomon Northup, a black man who was born free in New York and kidnapped by two men who sold him into slavery. Northup spent 12 years as a slave in the Deep South, encountering slave markets in Washington, DC and New Orleans and working on numerous cotton and sugar plantations throughout Louisiana. Northup narrated his memoir to American lawyer and writer David Wilson, who then edited Northup’s... Read Twelve Years a Slave Summary
Publication year 1910
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Immigration, Identity: Gender, Society: Class, Society: Community
Tags Sociology, Poverty, Industrial Revolution, Social Justice, History: U.S., History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Biography
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Romance, New Adult
Publication year 1914
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Class, Society: Nation
Tags British Literature, Arts / Culture, History: World, Irish Literature, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1594
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Class, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Play: Comedy / Satire, Classic Fiction, British Literature, Humor, Drama / Tragedy, Romance
Two Gentlemen of Verona is a romantic comedy generally assumed to be the first play written by William Shakespeare. It was likely written between 1587 and 1593, though the exact date of composition is unknown. The play describes the fallout that ensues when two young men (one of whom is engaged) fall in love with the same woman. Important themes in the play include The Restrictions of Courtly Love for Women, The Fickle Nature of... Read Two Gentlemen of Verona Summary
Publication year 1922
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Society: Nation
Tags Classic Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Modernism, Irish Literature, History: World
Ulysses is a 1922 novel by Irish author James Joyce. The story is a loose adaptation of Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey, portraying a day in the lives of several characters who live in Dublin, Ireland, in June 1904. Ulysses proved controversial on release due to accusations of obscenity but is now celebrated as one of the most important and influential works in the English language and considered a classic.This guide is written using the... Read Ulysses Summary
Publication year 2003
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Class, Society: Education, Society: Economics
Tags Sociology, Class, Race / Racism, Parenting, Poverty, Education, Education, Anthropology, Anthropology, Social Science, Psychology, Psychology
Publication year 2022
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Food, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Teams, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Business / Economics, Leadership/Organization/Management, Food, Self Help, Psychology, Psychology
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Identity: Mental Health
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Historical Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Publication year 1973
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Disability, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government
Tags History: U.S., Politics / Government
Publication year 2014
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Economics, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Globalization, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Immigration, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Science / Nature, Sociology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Politics / Government, Business / Economics, History: World, Social Justice, Education, Technology, Military / War
Publication year 2007
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Written in 2007 by Richelle Mead, Vampire Academy is the first of six novels in the Vampire Academy series, which follows the coming-of-age journey of Rosemarie “Rose” Hathaway, a dhampir (half vampire) who is training to become a guardian for her best friend, Vasilisa “Lissa” Dragomir. Lissa is a royal Moroi (or full vampire) with mysterious powers. The novel addresses themes of friendship, forbidden romance, and personal responsibility within a school setting. In 2014, Vampire... Read Vampire Academy Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Fame, Society: Class
Tags History: U.S., Finance / Money / Wealth, History: World, Biography
Publication year 1847
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness
Tags Satire, Victorian Period, Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, British Literature, Play: Comedy / Satire, History: World, Romance, Victorian Literature / Period
Vanity Fair is a serialized novel by William Makepeace Thackeray, published from 1847-1848. The novel was subtitled Pen and Pencil Sketches of English Society, then changed to A Novel without a Hero in 1848. The novel’s characters generally lack positive qualities and are obsessed with social climbing and the acquisition of wealth. Vanity Fair has been adapted for film, television, and theatre. This guide uses the 2001 Penguin Classics edition. Content Warning: The source material... Read Vanity Fair Summary
Publication year 1930
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Society: Economics, Society: War
Tags Satire, Classic Fiction, Humor, British Literature, Historical Fiction, History: World
Publication year 1848
Genre Reference/Text Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Class, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Business / Economics, Sociology, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government