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 1941

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Class

Tags Southern Literature, Race / Racism, Southern Gothic, Education, Education, History: U.S., History: World, Historical Fiction, Humor, Classic Fiction

“Why I Live at the P.O.” is a short story written in 1941 by Eudora Welty, an author and photographer from the American South. The story’s narrator, Sister, narrates her family’s reaction as her sister, Stella-Rondo, leaves her husband and returns to the family’s home in China Grove, Mississippi, surprising her family with a young child in tow. As conflict unfolds among the family members, Sister moves into the post office where she works, seeking... Read Why I Live at the P.O. Summary


Publication year 2017

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Race, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Race / Racism, Gender / Feminism, Politics / Government, Social Justice, Black Lives Matter, History: African , Sociology, History: World


Publication year 1995

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Equality, Identity: Gender

Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Classic Fiction

Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (1995) by Gregory Maguire reimagines the central antagonist of the iconic story The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, which was published in 1900 by author L. Frank Baum and became central to American popular culture through the 1939 film adaptation starring Judy Garland. Allusions to the original story recur throughout film, television, and novels. Decades later, expressions like “we’re not in Kansas anymore” or... Read Wicked Summary


Publication year 1919

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Classic Fiction, American Literature, Modernism, History: U.S., History: World

Originally published in 1919, Winesburg, Ohio: A Group of Tales of Ohio Small Town Life, is a short story cycle by American author Sherwood Anderson. Anderson drew inspiration from the Ohio town of Clyde, where he spent his childhood. By the late 20th century, many scholars considered Winesburg, Ohio a seminal text of American Modernist literature.Winesburg, Ohio focuses on the people who inhabit the eponymous town at the dawn of the Industrial Revolution. Among them... Read Winesburg, Ohio Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

Tags Politics / Government, Business / Economics, Social Justice, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, Class, Sociology, History: World


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Historical Fiction, Western, Magical Realism, History: World


Publication year 1981

Genre Book, Nonfiction

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

Tags Gender / Feminism, Race / Racism, History: U.S., Politics / Government, Social Justice, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Sociology, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy


Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Environment, Society: Community, Society: Education, Society: Nation, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Class, Disability, Depression / Suicide, Leadership/Organization/Management, Military / War, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Politics / Government

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War is a horror fiction novel by Max Brooks published in 2006. The book was a critical and commercial success, generally receiving positive reviews and spending several weeks on The New York Times bestseller list. It has sold millions of copies around the world and was subsequently turned into a successful movie starring Brad Pitt, released in 2013, and a highly rated video game, released in... Read World War Z Summary


Publication year 2007

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Identity: Femininity, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Historical Fiction, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, British Literature, History: World, Fantasy, Romance


Publication year 2020

Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Class

Tags Humor, LGBTQ, Diversity, Gender / Feminism, Love / Sexuality, Biography


Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Class, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

You is a 2014 thriller novel written by New York Times bestselling author Caroline Kepnes. The story is narrated by Joe Goldberg, a bookstore employee who develops an obsession with an aspiring writer named Beck. The title, You, alludes to the narrator’s obsession; the entire narrative is addressed to Beck in the second person. The novel and its sequels were adapted into a television series of the same name. This guide uses the 2014 Atria... Read You Summary


Publication year 1991

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Memory

Tags Free verse, Lyric Poem, Poverty


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Masculinity, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags LGBTQ, Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Bullying, Class, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Love / Sexuality, History: European, British Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance


Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Society: Class, Natural World: Animals, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, Latin American Literature, Class, History: World, Magical Realism, Romance, Classic Fiction

Zorro, first published in 2005, is a historical fiction novel by the Chilean writer Isabel Allende. Taking the form of a biography or bildungsroman, Zorro is the first work to chronicle the origins of Zorro, a fictional character created by American pulp writer Johnston McCulley in 1919.Set against the backdrop of Spanish colonialism at the turn of the 19th century, the novel details the events that led the protagonist, Diego de la Vega, to become... Read Zorro Summary