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 1936
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Fate, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Poverty, Class, Indian Literature, Realism, Asian Literature, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction
Since its publication in 1936, Mulk Raj Anand’s novel Coolie has become a landmark in modern Indian literature. The novel condemned the social, economic, and cultural impact of more than two centuries of British occupation and indicted India’s own rigid caste system, which had long separated its citizens into groups based on their work status and their ethnicity. The novel appeared at the height of a turbulent decade in which India itself, under the moral... Read Coolie Summary
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Class, Relationships: Family
Tags Romance, Humor, Satire, Asian Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Crazy Rich Asians is a 2013 romance comedy novel by American author Kevin Kwan about a young Asian American woman who travels with her boyfriend to his native Singapore and finds herself suddenly thrust into the cutthroat world of Asia’s uber-rich. Kwan based the novel loosely on his own experiences growing up in Singapore. It is the first novel in a three-book series, followed by China Rich Girlfriend (2015) and Rich People Problems (2017), all... Read Crazy Rich Asians Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Food, Natural World: Place, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Globalization, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Psychological Fiction
Publication year 1998
Genre Reference/Text Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Natural World: Environment, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Literary Criticism, Philosophy
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 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Economics
Tags Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman
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 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Psychological Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
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 also the author of Sharp Objects (2006) and Gone Girl (2012).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