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.

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Romance


Publication year 1960

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Play: Drama, Play: Historical, Education, Education, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality

A Man for All Seasons is a 1960 play by English playwright Robert Bolt. Though it was published in its completed form in 1960, it was originally written for radio in 1954. It was then adapted for television in 1957 before finally being rewritten for the stage. The original runs of the show in London and later New York attained critical and commercial success. In 1966, the play was adapted into an Academy Award-winning film... Read A Man For All Seasons Summary


Publication year 1998

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Tags American Literature, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Southern Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Philosophy

A Man in Full, published in 1998, is the critically acclaimed second novel of journalist and author Tom Wolfe. Regarded as an example of the Great American Novel, the book captures American life at the end of the 20th century in its tragicomic complexity. Wolfe situates the novel largely in Atlanta and traces the fortunes of failing real-estate tycoon Charlie Croker, still caught in the ways of the Old South. When the daughter of Charlie’s... Read A Man In Full Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, LGBTQ, Edwardian Era


Publication year 1971

Genre Reference/Text Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: War, Society: Colonialism, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Society: Community, Society: Education, Society: Immigration, Society: Globalization, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Education, Education, History: World, History: U.S.


Publication year 1991

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Economics, Society: Class

Tags Satire, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Mystery / Crime Fiction, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction

American Psycho is a 1991 novel by American author Bret Easton Ellis. Set in 1980s New York, the novel follows the life of a wealthy young stockbroker, the novel’s narrator, Patrick Bateman. Surrounded by a world of vapid commercialism and empty excess, Bateman begins acting on his psychopathic thoughts and impulses. His disturbance begins in his imagination. However, it quickly bleeds over into reality with Bateman committing more and more horrific murders, fueled by drug... Read American Psycho Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Class

Tags Romance, Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Class, Society: Economics, Society: Education, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: U.S., Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, American Literature, Class, Poverty

Following in the literary footsteps of John Steinbeck and Cormac McCarthy, Philipp Meyer’s American Rust (2010) explores the catastrophic effects of economic devastation on the lives of six characters in Pennsylvania’s Mon Valley, once home to a thriving steel and coal industry (and a solid-middle class) but now populated by broken lives and shuttered businesses. The novel was a winner of the Los Angeles Times/Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction, a Washington Post Top Ten... Read American Rust Summary


Publication year 1927

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Immigration, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Class

Tags Classic Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Action / Adventure, Satire, Class


Publication year 1972

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude


Publication year 2020

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Teams, Society: Community, Society: Class, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Sports, Race / Racism, History: U.S., African American Literature, History: World, Inspirational, Biography


Publication year 1950

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Class, Society: Community

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, British Literature, Classic Fiction

First published in 1950, A Murder Is Announced is a mystery novel by one of the leading writers of the Golden Age of detective fiction: Agatha Christie, “Queen of Crime.” Although best known for her Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot novels such as Murder at the Vicarage and The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, Christie also published short story collections and wrote the world’s longest-running play—The Mousetrap (1952). Her fiction has inspired numerous film and television adaptations... Read A Murder Is Announced Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty

Tags Love / Sexuality, Realistic Fiction, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Historical Fiction, Romance


Publication year 1925

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Marriage

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, American Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction

Published in 1925, Theodore Dreiser’s realist novel An American Tragedy is one of the author’s most critically acclaimed works. Set in the 1920s in Kansas City, Chicago, and small-town New York state, the historical fiction novel is the story of how Clyde Griffiths, the son of poor, itinerant preachers, kills Roberta Alden during a boat trip in the Adirondack Mountains.This guide is based on the Kindle edition published by Rosetta Books.Content Warning: This novel contains... Read An American Tragedy Summary


Publication year 1974

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Economics, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Community

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


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Gothic Literature


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

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


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Food, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Grandparents, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Children's Literature


Publication year 2013

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Disability, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Humor


Publication year 1895

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Art

Tags Play: Comedy / Satire, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Romance, Victorian Literature / Period, Humor, Classic Fiction

An Ideal Husband is a satirical play about blackmail, politics, morality, and marriage by Victorian writer Oscar Wilde. It was first performed at the Theatre Royal in Haymarket, London, on January 3, 1895. Wilde was an acclaimed playwright in London at the time, though his imprisonment in late 1895 marked his fall from public grace. The play has since been adapted for both film and theater across the world, as have many of Wilde’s other... Read An Ideal Husband Summary