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 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


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