Class

This thematic collection covers texts that investigate the particularly fraught dynamics and divisions of class, including Upton Sinclair's The Jungle and Ernesto Galarza's Barrio Boy.

Publication year 1996

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Class

Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Race / Racism, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, Religion / Spirituality, Parenting, African American Literature, Great Depression, American Literature, Education, Education, Biography

The Color of Water is a nonfiction autobiography published in 1996 by the American author and musician James McBride. Subtitled A Black Man’s Tribute to His White Mother, The Color of Water chronicles the author’s challenges growing up in the 1960s and 1970s as a child with a white Jewish mother and Black father. Interspersed with the author’s recollections are interview transcripts describing his mother’s abusive upbringing as an Orthodox Jewish woman living in the... Read The Color of Water Summary


Publication year 1594

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos

Tags Classic Fiction, Play: Comedy / Satire, British Literature

The Comedy of Errors is one of Shakespeare’s earliest plays and is a comedy that incorporates slapstick humor, farce, and wordplay. Its first recorded performance was in 1594, and it has been performed and adapted numerous times since then. Its title has entered into the English lexicon: The phrase “comedy of errors” means a situation caused by many mistakes.The play follows the story of two sets of identical twins who also share the same names... Read The Comedy of Errors Summary


Publication year 1990

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Economics, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Relationships: Teams, Society: Class, Society: Immigration, Society: Globalization, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Society: Nation, Life/Time: The Future, Society: War, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

Tags Business / Economics, Finance / Money / Wealth, Leadership/Organization/Management, Social Science, History: World, Politics / Government

The Competitive Advantage of Nations is a 1990 work of economics by American author Michael E. Porter, a Harvard Business School professor and expert in corporate competitive strategy whose influential works are frequently cited in business and economics. In this book, Porter dismantles traditional economic theories about how well a nation fares in global competition (factor costs and macro-economic policy) and proposes a model that focuses on active and malleable factors of business rather than... Read The Competitive Advantage Of Nations Summary


Publication year 1722

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Classic Fiction, Play: Comedy / Satire, Restoration

The Conscious Lovers is a sentimental comedy play by 18th-century playwright Richard Steele. The play was first performed at Drury Lane in 1722, and it was published the same year with a different Epilogue. The Conscious Lovers, which is based loosely on Andria, or The Woman of Andros, a comedy by ancient Roman playwright Terence, is an explicitly moral comedy, following characters that are rewarded for their uprightness: Bevil Jr. wants to marry Indiana, a woman... Read The Conscious Lovers Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Community, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Language

Tags Lyric Poem, Race / Racism, Diversity, Social Justice


Publication year 1904

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Classic Fiction, Humor, American Literature, Education, Education, Historical Fiction


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Society: Class

Tags Romance, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Bullying, Class, American Literature, Fairy Tale / Folklore


Publication year 1913

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Society: Community, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Nation

Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, American Literature, History: World

The Custom of the Country by Edith Wharton is a tragicomedy of manners that explores themes of greed, ruthless ambition, progress, and gendered ideas. Wharton, who was herself a member of the New York City elite, was the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Literature, and her novels are pieces of classic American literature for their social commentary, multilayered characters, and analysis of American culture.Published in 1913, this novel can be read as... Read The Custom of the Country Summary


Publication year 2004

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Southern Literature, Race / Racism, African American Literature, History: World

The Darkest Child (2004) is a coming-of-age historical fiction novel by Delores Phillips. The teenage protagonist and first-person narrator, Tangy Mae Quinn faces racism and segregation in the Jim Crow South, as well as domestic abuse, poverty, and nonconsensual sex work. Despite these challenges, Tangy finds eventual escape when she leaves her abusive mother, Rozelle, and her past behind her to pursue her own goals, which are rooted in education. The novel explores The Role... Read The Darkest Child Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Class, Society: Economics, Society: Community

Tags Anthropology, Science / Nature, History: World, Anthropology, Business / Economics, Sociology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Politics / Government


Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Survival Fiction, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Fantasy, Action / Adventure

Susan Beth Pfeffer’s The Dead and the Gone, published in 2008, is the second book in The Last Survivors, a postapocalyptic series about an asteroid hitting the moon and setting off a chain of natural disasters on Earth. The novel focuses on three stateside Puerto Rican siblings as they struggle to survive starvation while living in a New York City apartment building. Pfeffer has written many young adult science-fiction novels and has likewise received several... Read The Dead and the Gone Summary


Publication year 1883

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Satire, Russian Literature

Anton Chekhov was born in Russia in 1860. His most celebrated works include the plays Uncle Vanya and The Cherry Orchard and the short stories “The Peasants” and “The Lady With the Dog.” Chekhov was no stranger to comedy, but his humor is often couched within serious, unsettling situations, featuring characters who are unable or unwilling to overcome their shortcomings and help themselves. “The Death of a Government Clerk” contains some of these same elements... Read The Death of a Government Clerk Summary


Publication year 1914

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, Free verse


Publication year 2018

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Society: Community, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Past, Identity: Disability, Life/Time: The Future, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Society: Education, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth

Tags Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Mental Illness, Science / Nature, Health / Medicine, Education, Education, Parenting, Psychology, Psychology, Self Help


Publication year 2020

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Class, Society: Economics, Society: Education, Society: Globalization, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags Business / Economics, Politics / Government, Finance / Money / Wealth


Publication year 1954

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: War

Tags Historical Fiction, British Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction

“The Destructors” is a frequently anthologized short story by Graham Greene (1904-1991) originally published in 1954. Greene is often regarded as one of the greatest British writers of the 20th century. His work was commercially and critically successful and was frequently adapted into films and television shows. An adaptation of “The Destructors” was included in the 1970s television series Shades of Greene. His work often reflects his Catholic values as well as his life-long battles... Read The Destructors Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Gender, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, History: World


Publication year 1871

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government, Relationships: Family

Tags Satire, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Psychological Fiction, Politics / Government, Philosophy, Russian Literature, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: World, Philosophy, Classic Fiction


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Class, Society: War

Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Realistic Fiction, Arts / Culture, Class, History: European, Military / War, Gender / Feminism, British Literature, History: World, Romance


Publication year 2021

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Class, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags Biography, History: World, Gender / Feminism, Health / Medicine, Science / Nature, Women's Studies (Nonfiction)