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.

Ethan Frome

by Edith Wharton

Publication year 1911

Genre Novella, Fiction

Themes Fate, Gender Identity, Social Class

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

Ethan Frome, first published in 1911, is a novella by American writer Edith Wharton. Wharton’s work, which most often concerned the lives of America’s Gilded Age elite, is usually classified as social realism or even naturalism, a realist subgenre that depicted human life and society through a determinist lens. Although Ethan Frome’s focus on rural, working-class life was unusual for Wharton, its themes and tone reflect this naturalist influence. The novel has become a staple... Read Ethan Frome Summary

Everything That Rises Must Converge

by Flannery O'Connor

Publication year 1965

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Family, Good & Evil, Social Class, Equality

Tags Race & Racism, Southern Gothic, American Literature, Southern Literature, World History, Classic Fiction

First published in New World Writing magazine in 1961, “Everything That Rises Must Converge” is the title story from Flannery O’Connor’s final collection of short stories. Hailed as one of the United States’ greatest writers, O’Connor is best known for her award-winning short fiction and her contributions to the genre of Southern Gothic literature. The collection Everything That Rises Must Converge was published posthumously in 1965. It contains nine stories, seven of which appeared previously... Read Everything That Rises Must Converge Summary

Exodus

by Paul Collier

Publication year 2013

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Economics, Social Class, Immigration, Nation, Politics & Government

Tags Immigration & Refugeeism, Politics & Government, Business & Economics, Sociology

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Fairview

by Jackie Sibblies Drury

Publication year 2018

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Family, Race, Social Class, Justice

Tags Comedy & Satire, Race & Racism, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, World History, Dramatic Literature

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Fair Weather

by Richard Peck

Publication year 1978

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Social Class

Tags Historical Fiction, Humor

Fair Weather is a 2001 historical fiction novel set against the backdrop of the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. The author is award-winning children’s novelist Richard Peck, known for his incorporation of historical settings and events. Fair Weather follows 13-year-old Rosie Beckett, her two siblings, and her grandfather as they journey from their rural Illinois farm to the bustling city of Chicago, at the invitation of Rosie’s Aunt Euterpe. Through Rosie’s eyes over the course of... Read Fair Weather Summary

Fake ID

by Lamar Giles

Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Truth & Lies, Trust & Doubt, Safety & Danger, Race, Coming of Age, Family, Social Class, Community

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Coming of Age, Bullying, Trauma & Abuse, Grief & Death, Race & Racism, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Action & Adventure

Originally published in 2014, Fake ID is a mystery/thriller novel written by Lamar Giles and intended for young adults. The narrator and main character is Nick Pearson, a 15-year-old who has just moved to Stepton, Virginia, becoming a Black student in a predominantly white setting. Nick and his family are in the Federal Witness Protection Program (WITSEC). Unintentionally, he finds himself involved in a love triangle and a mysterious murder.As a Black author, Giles is... Read Fake ID Summary

Fathers And Sons

by Ivan Turgenev

Publication year 1862

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Social Class, Power & Greed, Nation

Tags Classic Fiction, Russian Literature, World History, Historical Fiction, Philosophy, Philosophy

Ivan Turgenev’s Fathers and Sons, sometimes translated more literally as Fathers and Children, is a work of literary fiction first published in 1862. The novel describes Russia’s emerging class divisions and the political divides within the nobility in the 1860s. After the novel’s publication, radicals embracing nihilism turned their support for science and rationality into a defense of Marxism and its emphasis on the objective laws of history and the inevitability of revolution. In literary... Read Fathers And Sons Summary

Feminist Theory

by bell hooks

Publication year 1984

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Gender Identity, Race, Social Class, Community, Education, Family

Tags Gender & Feminism, Philosophy, Race & Racism, Politics & Government, Social Justice, Women`s Studies, Philosophy

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Fever Beach

by Carl Hiaasen

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Environment, Social Class, Politics & Government, Good & Evil, Justice, Power & Greed

Tags Satirical Literature, Humor, Mystery & Crime Fiction

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Finding Margaret Fuller

by Allison Pataki

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Love, Revenge, Femininity, Midlife, Future, Friendship, Marriage, Self Discovery, Social Class, Community, Education, Equality, Fate, Justice

Tags Historical Fiction, US History, Gender & Feminism, World History

... Read Finding Margaret Fuller Summary

Fireborne

by Rosaria Munda

Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Memory, Revenge, Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Social Class, Nation, Politics & Government, War, Justice, Order & Chaos

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Science Fiction

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Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions

by Edwin A. Abbott

Publication year 1884

Genre Novella, Fiction

Themes Social Class, Science & Technology, Nature Versus Nurture, Gender Identity

Tags Satirical Literature, Science Fiction, Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Philosophy, Social Class, Gender & Feminism, British Literature, Victorian Period, Science & Nature, World History, Philosophy

IntroductionIn his introduction to Flatland: a Romance of Many Dimensions (1884), British mathematician Banesh Hoffmann describes the novel as “a stirring adventure in pure mathematics” and emphasizes the fundamentally fantastical nature of the story (iii). He also says that author Edwin A. Abbott intended the novel to be instructional. Both the surreal nature of Flatland and its didactic elements are plain, but there is disagreement among scholars and readers on the question of exactly what... Read Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions Summary

Flesh

by David Szalay

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Apathy, Shame & Pride, Mental Health, Marriage, Social Class, Economics, Power & Greed

Tags Literary Fiction, Contemporary Literature

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