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.

Dogeaters

by Jessica Hagedorn

Publication year 1990

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Social Class, Gender Identity, Colonialism, Justice

Tags Historical Fiction, Asian Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, World History

Dogeaters, first published in 1990 by Jessica Hagedorn, is a literary and historical fiction novel set in the 1950s Manila, Philippines. Hagedorn, a Filipino American playwright and writer, uses her background to explore the complexities of Filipino society influenced by Spanish imperialism, class struggles, and American cultural dominance. The novel, known for its ensemble cast of characters like Rio Gonzaga, intertwines various narratives that gradually connect, reflecting the diverse social fabric of the Philippines. Dogeaters... Read Dogeaters Summary

Dolly All the Time

by Annabel Monaghan

Publication year 2026

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Perseverance, Love, Family, Social Class

Tags Romance, Contemporary Literature

Dolly All the Time (2026) is a contemporary romance novel by New York Times best-selling author Annabel Monaghan. Monaghan is known for her popular romance novels, including Nora Goes Off Script, a Reese’s Book Club selection, and Same Time Next Summer. Set in the fictional Rhode Island seaside town of Whitfield, Dolly All the Time follows 39-year-old single mother Dolly Brick, who spends her life solving problems for everyone around her. When a fire at... Read Dolly All the Time Summary

Dolores Claiborne

by Stephen King

Publication year 1992

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Marriage, Social Class, Gender Identity, Guilt

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Trauma & Abuse, Dramatic Literature

Dolores Claiborne (1992) is a psychological thriller by the American novelist Stephen King. The novel, narrated from Dolores’s first-person point of view, tells the story of her work as a housekeeper for the wealthy Vera Donovan and Dolores’s eventual murder of her abusive husband. Unique among King’s work for its unconventional narrative style, including a lack of chapter designations and section breaks, the novel deals with themes of revenge, family, physical and sexual abuse, and... Read Dolores Claiborne Summary

Dombey and Son

by Charles Dickens

Publication year 1848

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Loneliness, Love, Shame & Pride, Gender Identity, Death, Place, Daughters & Sons, Fathers, Marriage, Mothers, Social Class

Tags Classic Fiction, Victorian Period, British Literature

British author Charles Dickens, a notable figure in the canon of modern English literature, is a Victorian novelist famous for such stories as Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, and A Christmas Carol. A prolific author who blends sentiment, comedy, and social realism with a satiric edge, Dickens was enormously popular in his lifetime and deeply influential in the development of the English novel. Dombey and Son is considered one of his more mature if less popular... Read Dombey and Son Summary

Double Indemnity

by James M. Cain

Publication year 1936

Genre Novella, Fiction

Themes Guilt, Social Class, Regret, Truth & Lies, Good & Evil

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Action & Adventure, American Literature, Classic Fiction

Double Indemnity (1936) is a crime thriller novel by American novelist, journalist, and screenwriter James Mallahan Cain. Double Indemnity follows Walter Huff, an insurance agent who is seduced by Phyllis Nirdlinger into killing Phyllis’ husband for an insurance fraud scheme to collect 50 thousand dollars. “Double indemnity” is a clause in a life insurance policy that doubles the policy’s value if the policyholder dies in an accident. James M. Cain was a pioneer of American... Read Double Indemnity Summary

Dragonfly in Amber

by Diana Gabaldon

Publication year 1992

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Fear, Forgiveness, Grief, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Love, Perseverance, Shame & Pride, Revenge, Nostalgia, Memory, Hope, Masculinity, Gender Identity, Femininity, Sexual Identity, Death, The Past, Future, Place, Marriage, Nation, Politics & Government, War, Fate, Justice, Social Class, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Wins & Losses, Religion & Spirituality

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Action & Adventure, European History, Health, World History

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Dragonkeeper

by Carole Wilkinson

Publication year 2003

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Perseverance, Femininity, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Animals, Social Class, Politics & Government, Art, Good & Evil, Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Children`s Literature

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Dubliners

by James Joyce

Publication year 1914

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes Loneliness, Love, Memory, Regret, Shame & Pride, Masculinity, Mental Health, Coming of Age, Death, Fathers, Social Class, Colonialism, Nation, Politics & Government, Power & Greed

Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Irish Literature, Education, Education, World History

Dubliners is a collection of 15 short stories by Irish writer James Joyce. Originally published in 1914, the collection met resistance from publishers and critics due to its controversial themes and unusual portrayal of the everyday. Dubliners follows a range of people living in the titular city, often seeking some form of social or emotional transcendence without ever truly achieving it.This study guide is for the 1965 paperback edition from Penguin Modern Classics.Content Warning: This... Read Dubliners Summary

Ducks

by Kate Beaton

Publication year 2022

Genre Graphic Memoir , Nonfiction

Themes Coming of Age, Social Class, Gender Identity, Loneliness, Economics, Environment, Femininity, Masculinity, Friendship, Community, Safety & Danger

Tags Biography

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Duma Key

by Stephen King

Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Fear, Grief, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Memory, Revenge, Disability, Language, Race, Death, Environment, Place, Daughters & Sons, Fathers, Teamwork, Social Class, Art, Beauty, Good & Evil, Power & Greed

Tags Horror & Suspense, Fantasy, Psychological Fiction, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Religion & Spirituality

Duma Key by Stephen King is a novel in the literary-horror genre, praised for its eerie, spooky atmosphere and suspenseful build-up. Published in 2008, Duma Key is the first novel by King to be set in Florida. The book follows Edgar Freemantle as he moves from Minnesota to the island of Duma (one of the Florida Keys, or small islands) after a life-changing accident. Tormented by phantom-limb pain from his amputation and unable to remember... Read Duma Key Summary

Eggs

by Jerry Spinelli

Publication year 2007

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Death, Fear, Grief, Memory, The Past, Friendship, Grandparents, Mothers, Social Class

Tags Realistic Fiction, Children`s Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Coming of Age

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El Filibusterismo

by José Rizal

Publication year 1891

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Revenge, Colonialism, Social Class

Tags Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, Politics & Government, Social Justice, Race & Racism, Social Class, Education, Education, Asian Literature, World History

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Emako Blue

by Brenda Woods

Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Social Class, Coming of Age, Grief, Safety & Danger, Race, Justice, Community, Death

Tags Realistic Fiction, Poverty, Trauma & Abuse, Children`s Literature, Education, Education, Grief & Death, Urban Development, Arts & Culture

Emako Blue is a novel for young adults written by Brenda Woods. Set in Los Angeles, California, Emako's friends and schoolmates relay the events leading up to Emako Blue’s gang-related murder in alternating first-person narration, primarily through flashbacks. The text explores the effects of poverty, gang violence, guns, and how these issues have far-reaching impacts on each member of a community. As the events of the story unfold, each narrator must consider what they want... Read Emako Blue Summary

Emily Of New Moon

by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Publication year 1923

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Perseverance, Grief, Loneliness, Love, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Death, Environment, Place, Daughters & Sons, Family, Fathers, Friendship, Self Discovery, Social Class, Community, Beauty, Religion & Spirituality

Tags Classic Fiction, Children`s Literature, Historical Fiction, Coming of Age

... Read Emily Of New Moon Summary