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 1961
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge
Tags Allegory / Fable / Parable, Class, Existentialism, African Literature, Education, Education, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction
The Thief and the Dogs is a 1961 surrealist, existentialist novel by Egyptian author Naguib Mahfouz. Mahfouz won the 1988 Nobel Prize for Literature and The Thief and the Dogs is considered one of his most celebrated works. The novel has been adapted for Egyptian television, and is the first novel written in Arabic to use the stream-of-consciousness style. Published nearly ten years after the Egyptian Revolution of 1952, the novel is also considered an... Read The Thief and the Dogs Summary
Publication year 2009
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Immigration
Tags African American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, African Literature, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, Relationships, Gender / Feminism
The Thing Around Your Neck by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie was published in 2009. Adichie had previously published two novels, making this text her third book and her first short story anthology. Some of the stories had been published previously in publications like The New Yorker and The Iowa Review. The book received praise, situating Adichie as a rising star of Nigerian literature. These short stories deal with problems of political conflict, immigration, artistic integrity, and... Read The Thing Around Your Neck Summary
Publication year 1915
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Class
Tags Action / Adventure, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Classic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction
The Thirty-Nine Steps, an early spy thriller, was published by Scottish author John Buchan in 1915. It was the first of five books to feature protagonist Richard Hannay. Alfred Hitchcock adapted the story to film in 1935, emphasizing the thriller elements and changing most of the secondary characters. A theatrical version, which drew from Hitchcock’s movie but restored the comedic tone of Buchan’s novel, ran in London’s West End for 10 years. Buchan’s story of... Read The Thirty Nine Steps Summary
Publication year 1928
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Play: Comedy / Satire, Classic Fiction, Poverty, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Publication year 1895
Genre Novella, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Life/Time: The Future, Society: Class
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure
The Time Machine is a science fiction novel by H. G. Wells published in 1895. The book’s protagonist, who is never named and called only the Time Traveller, is a brilliant Victorian inventor who travels 800,000 years into the future. He finds that humans have evolved into two distinct species, called the Eloi and the Morlocks. The Eloi are peace-loving and childlike simpletons who are farmed and eaten by the brutal Morlocks, who live underground... Read The Time Machine Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Identity: Gender, Society: Class
Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Southern Literature, History: World
Publication year 1995
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Immigration, Society: Class, Natural World: Environment, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Satire, Drama / Tragedy, Race / Racism, Immigration / Refugee, American Literature
Published in 1995, The Tortilla Curtain by T. C. Boyle tells the story of two couples living parallel lives in Southern California: Delaney and Kyra Mossbacher, affluent white Americans with a home in the upper-middle-class subdivision of Arroyo Blanco; and Cándido and América Rincón, undocumented immigrants from Mexico living in a makeshift camp at the bottom of the canyon. Rotating among the perspectives of the four protagonists, the novel explores the inequality inherent in the United States... Read The Tortilla Curtain Summary
Publication year 1613
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Gender, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Class
Tags Classic Fiction, Play: Drama, Education, Education, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Historical Fiction
The Tragedy of Mariam, Fair Queen of Jewry recounts actual historical events surrounding the execution of Mariam, the second wife of Herod the Great. Written by Elizabeth Cary, the Viscountess Falkland, this five-act play published in 1613 is unique in several ways—chiefly, in that it is the first English-language play authored and published by a woman. Multiple tragedies occur in the drama, which falls into the genre of a Senecan revenge tragedy. It’s also a... Read The Tragedy of Mariam Summary
Publication year 1893
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: Class, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature
Tags Humor, Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Satire, Race / Racism, American Literature
Publication year 1952
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Race / Racism, African Literature, Relationships
“The Train from Rhodesia” is a short story by Nadine Gordimer, who received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1991. The story originally appeared in The Soft Voice of the Serpent, her first collection of stories, published in 1953 and used as the basis for this study guide.The story takes place in a train station in an unnamed African village. The station is surrounded by beggars and by vendors selling carved wooden animals. A stationmaster... Read The Train From Rhodesia Summary
Publication year 1990
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction
Published in 1990, The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, by children’s book writer Avi, tells the story of a teenage girl who travels from England to America aboard a sailing ship filled with intrigue, mutiny, and murder; she learns to be a sailor, withstands a hurricane, and thwarts the captain’s attempts to kill her. Written for middle-grade readers, the book won several awards, including the Newbery in 1991. Plot SummaryThirteen-year-old Charlotte Doyle, at school in... Read The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle Summary
Publication year 2006
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Relationships: Teams, Relationships: Family
Tags Children's Literature, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction, Sports
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2000
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Class, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Fate, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Mothers, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Identity: Masculinity, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride
Tags History: World, Regency Era, Romance, Historical Fiction
Publication year 1848
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Society: Class
Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, Fireside Poets, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2023
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Colonialism, Society: Class
Tags Action / Adventure, History: World, Crime / Legal, Colonialism / Postcolonialism
Publication year 1981
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: War, Society: Politics & Government, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Society: Class, Society: Nation
Tags Historical Fiction, Latin American Literature, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1700
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Classic Fiction, Play: Comedy / Satire, Restoration, British Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Humor
The Way of the World is a play by William Congreve, first performed in 1700 at Lincoln’s Inn Fields. The Way of the World is a Restoration comedy, meaning it is a comedy written and performed in the boom of theater following the restoration of the Stuart Dynasty after the Interregnum period in England. As with many Restoration comedies, Congreve focuses his satire on the upper classes, but The Way of the World is notable... Read The Way of the World Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: War, Self Discovery
Tags British Literature, WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance
Publication year 2007
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure