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 1935
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Community, Society: Class
Tags Play: Drama, Class, Social Justice, Education, Education, American Literature, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction
Waiting for Lefty is a one-act play by Clifford Odets. It initially premiered in January 1935, performed by the Group Theatre, a company started in 1931 by Harold Clurman, Cheryl Crawford, and Lee Strasburg with the goal of revolutionizing American theater as a means for social change. Lefty was Odets’s first produced play, written in response to a call by the New Theatre League for a piece to perform in union halls or meeting spaces... Read Waiting For Lefty Summary
Publication year 2013
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Objects, Natural World: Place, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Education, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Science / Nature, Business / Economics, Travel Literature, Action / Adventure, Biography
Publication year 1972
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Fathers, Society: Class
Tags Historical Fiction, Great Depression, Education, Education, Classic Fiction
“Walker Brothers Cowboy” by Alice Munro is a short story set during the Great Depression. The story uses the themes of The Disillusionment of Fading Childhood, The Bittersweet Effects of Nostalgia, and Finding Solace in Companionship to implicitly explore larger issues of poverty and social class. The story was published in Munro’s debut collection, Dance of the Happy Shades, in 1968. The stories in this collection are set in and around a variety of fictional... Read Walker Brothers Cowboy Summary
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2006
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Life/Time: Aging, Identity: Disability, Natural World: Animals, Society: Class, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Great Depression, Mental Illness, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Water for Elephants, a New York Times bestseller and author Sara Gruen’s third novel, was published in 2006 by Algonquin. The novel was adapted into a full-length film in 2011 starring Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattison.Gruen often features animals in her novels, and Water for Elephants is no exception, as she follows two lovers in a forbidden relationship set against the backdrop of a circus and its eclectic mix of characters and exotic animals. The... Read Water for Elephants Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Race, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Politics / Government, Social Justice, Gender / Feminism, Race / Racism, Philosophy, Philosophy
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Midlife, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Family
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance
Publication year 1998
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Colonialism, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Society: Politics & Government
Tags History: African , Journalism, Military / War, Politics / Government, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: World, Biography
We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with Our Families: Stories from Rwanda (1998) describes the Hutu majority’s slaughter of at least 800,000 Tutsis in 100 days in 1994—with author and journalist Philip Gourevitch documenting the meticulous planning behind the genocide. Gourevitch chastises the international community, especially the United States and France, for failing to stop the genocide in accordance with obligations under the Genocide Convention. Visiting Rwanda one year after... Read We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with Our Families Summary
Publication year 1941
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Art, Society: Class
Tags Classic Fiction, Satire, Philosophy, American Literature, Great Depression, Arts / Culture, Modern Classic Fiction, Philosophy, Self Help
Publication year 2022
Genre Novella, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Place, Society: Class, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Historical Fiction, Gothic Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 1896
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Lyric Poem, American Literature
Publication year 2024
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Society: Class, Society: Education, Society: Immigration, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Humor, Politics / Government, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Society: Community, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Hope
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Race / Racism, Romance, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Indigenous, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Natural World: Animals, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Magical Realism, Southern Literature, History: World
Publication year 2024
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags History: World, Biography, Gender / Feminism
Publication year 1967
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Race / Racism, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy, Social Justice, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 1995
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Family, Society: Community
Tags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Romance
Where the Heart Is was published in 1995 and is the first novel by award winning American novelist Billie Letts. The novel is set in Letts’s home state of Oklahoma and follows the story of teenager Novalee Nation and her ne’er-do-well boyfriend, Willy Jack Pickens. The novel was chosen as a selection for Oprah’s Book Club in December of 1998. It also won the Walker Percy Award in 1994. The novel was made into a... Read Where the Heart Is Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Teams, Society: Class, Identity: Gender, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Femininity
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Business / Economics, Bullying, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1993
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Historical Fiction, Race / Racism, Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World
White Lilacs by Carolyn Meyer is a middle grade historical fiction novel first published in 1993. It tells the story of Rose Lee, a young Black girl living in Dillon, Texas, in 1921. When the white citizens of Dillon vote to force the Black community out of their homes to turn the area into a city park, Rose Lee and her family battle against racism, violence, and injustice as they search for options.Meyer is the... Read White Lilacs Summary
Publication year 2016
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Sociology, History: U.S., Class, Social Justice, Race / Racism, Business / Economics, History: World, Politics / Government
IntroductionIn White Trash: The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America, Nancy Isenberg documents the historical and contemporary disdain of the upper and middle classes in America for the white poor and the resultant staying power of a class hierarchy. Isenberg, an award-winning historian, uses her expertise to contribute this non-fictional work to the academic literature on social class. Originally published in 2016, the book became a New York Times bestseller and was a finalist... Read White Trash Summary