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 2016
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Race / Racism, Education, Education, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Sociology, Social Justice, Politics / Government
Publication year 1949
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Relationships: Siblings, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, British Literature, Classic Fiction
Crooked House is a crime fiction novel by mystery writer Agatha Christie, and its title was inspired by the house in the nursery rhyme, “There Was a Crooked Man.” The novel was first published in the US in 1949 by Dodd, Mead, and Company, and in the UK by the Collins Crime Club in the same year. Crooked House is one of Christie’s favorites among her own work. The novel takes place in post-World War... Read Crooked House Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, African American Literature, Race / Racism, Urban Development, History: World
Publication year 1989
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: Colonialism, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Class
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Afro-Caribbean Literature, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Education, Education, French Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction
Crossing the Mangrove (1995) by Maryse Condé was originally published in French as Traversée de la Mangrove. It was translated to English by her husband Richard Philcox. Told from multiple perspectives, the novel opens with a mystery—that of Francis Sancher’s murder. As characters gather to speak at Sancher’s wake, they reveal his impact on the village of Rivière au Sel (“Salty River”), as well as why he returned to the village of his ancestors. While... Read Crossing the Mangrove Summary
Publication year 1940
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World, Classic Fiction
Cue for Treason by Geoffrey Trease is a children’s historical novel published in 1940. Set in Elizabethan England at the end of the 16th century, it follows the adventures of Peter, forced to run away from his Cumberland home. Peter becomes a boy-actor, traveling to London with another runaway, Kit. They uncover a conspiracy against the Queen that takes them on a series of escapades up and down the country.Trease wrote over 100 books and... Read Cue for Treason Summary
Publication year 1869
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Politics & Government, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Philosophy, Politics / Government, Arts / Culture, Class, Victorian Period, History: World, Philosophy, Victorian Literature / Period, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2017
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Disability, Identity: Gender, Identity: Language, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Magical Realism, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Korean Literature
Publication year 1878
Genre Novella, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Society: Community
Tags Classic Fiction, Romance, Victorian Period, Education, Education, American Literature, History: World
Daisy Miller is a novella by Henry James, first published in Cornhill Magazine in 1878 and in book form a year later. This short piece of fiction explores the differences in class and social expectations in America and Europe, especially for young women just before the turn of the 20th century. James was a member of a prominent and wealthy American family; his education and travels to England and continental Europe allowed him to gain... Read Daisy Miller Summary
Publication year 1975
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Class
Tags Classic Fiction, Children's Literature, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Humor, Finance / Money / Wealth
British author Roald Dahl first published Danny the Champion of the World in 1975. This award-winning children’s novel was adapted into a made-for-TV movie in 1989. The story follows Danny and his single-father, William, as they concoct a plan to poach all of the pheasants from a mean, rich landowner’s woods. Dahl’s children’s books are humorous and unsentimental, usually featuring a heroic young protagonist and an obnoxious adult antagonist. Dahl’s other works for children include The Gremlins... Read Danny, the Champion of the World Summary
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Romance, Classic Fiction, Ancient Greece, Pastoralism, Mythology, Classical Period, History: World, Fantasy
IntroductionDaphnis and Chloe is an ancient Greek romance novel and the only known work of the mysterious writer Longus, who lived during the 2nd century C.E., when Greece was part of the Roman Empire. The novel is a pastoral work depicting the idealized life of shepherds and rural communities, while following the love story of the two eponymous protagonists, Daphnis and Chloe. Due to the descriptions of nudity, desire, and sex, critics have traditionally considered... Read Daphnis and Chloe Summary
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Identity: Masculinity
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Crime / Legal, Modern Classic Fiction
Dark Places is a 2009 mystery thriller novel by American author Gillian Flynn. The narrative moves between two time periods, 1985 and 2009, as the protagonist, Libby Day, tries to solve her family’s brutal murder. The novel deals with the consequences of the 1980s Satanic Panic and the fallout from the 1970s Farm Boom for a community in the rural Midwest. Flynn is the author of Gone Girl (2012) and other popular mystery thrillers.Dark Places... Read Dark Places Summary
Publication year 1867
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Society: Colonialism
Tags Philosophy, Business / Economics, Politics / Government, Poverty, German Literature
Capital: A Critique of Political Economy (also popularly known in the English-speaking world by its original German title, Das Kapital) by Karl Marx is an influential critique of capitalism that sought to define the economic system’s functions. The first volume—which is the only volume fully written by Karl Marx himself—was published in 1867. Two further volumes were written by Marx’s long-time collaborator, Friedrich Engels, based on Marx’s notes, and were published in 1885 and 1894... Read Das Kapital Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Publication year 1842
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Classic Fiction, Satire, Class, History: European, Politics / Government, Religion / Spirituality, Russian Literature, Victorian Period, History: World, Historical Fiction, Humor
Nikolai Gogol called his 1842 work Dead Souls an “epic poem in prose,” though most critics and scholars now refer to it as a novel. Structured in part as an analog to Dante’s Inferno, Dead Souls is an absurdist social satire of imperial Russia before the emancipation of the serfs, especially the foibles and customs of the Russian nobility. Though Gogol is not interested in strict realism, his portraits of nobles who speak French more... Read Dead Souls Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: Education, Society: Class
Tags Realistic Fiction, Social Justice, Race / Racism, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Class, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1999
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Class, Society: Economics, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Education, Education, Social Science, Business / Economics, Sociology, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy, Indian Literature, Politics / Government
Publication year 1980
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Politics & Government, Society: Class, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags African Literature, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Education, Education, African American Literature, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government
Published in 1980, Devil on the Cross by Kenyan author Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o explores themes of Exploitation and Theft Under Capitalism, The Treatment of Women in the Workforce, and The Legacy of Colonialism through its complex, nested narrative and ironic exaggeration. The story centers on the female protagonist Jacinta Warĩĩnga as she leaves her complicated and abusive life behind to return home. On her journey, she experiences self-discovery and newfound autonomy, as well as the... Read Devil on the Cross Summary
Publication year 1835
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Russian Literature, Classic Fiction, Mental Illness