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 1998
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Colonialism, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Society: Politics & Government
Tags History: African , Journalism, Military / War, Politics / Government, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: World, Biography
We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with Our Families: Stories from Rwanda (1998) describes the Hutu majority’s slaughter of at least 800,000 Tutsis in 100 days in 1994—with author and journalist Philip Gourevitch documenting the meticulous planning behind the genocide. Gourevitch chastises the international community, especially the United States and France, for failing to stop the genocide in accordance with obligations under the Genocide Convention. Visiting Rwanda one year after... Read We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with Our Families Summary
Publication year 1941
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Art, Society: Class
Tags Classic Fiction, Satire, Philosophy, American Literature, Great Depression, Arts / Culture, Modern Classic Fiction, Philosophy, Self Help
Publication year 2022
Genre Novella, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Place, Society: Class, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Historical Fiction, Gothic Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 1896
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Lyric Poem, American Literature
Publication year 2024
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Society: Class, Society: Education, Society: Immigration, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Humor, Politics / Government, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Society: Community, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Hope
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Race / Racism, Romance, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Indigenous, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Natural World: Animals, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Magical Realism, Southern Literature, History: World
Publication year 2024
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags History: World, Biography, Gender / Feminism
Publication year 1967
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Race / Racism, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy, Social Justice, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 1995
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Family, Society: Community
Tags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Romance
Where the Heart Is was published in 1995 and is the first novel by award winning American novelist Billie Letts. The novel is set in Letts’s home state of Oklahoma and follows the story of teenager Novalee Nation and her ne’er-do-well boyfriend, Willy Jack Pickens. The novel was chosen as a selection for Oprah’s Book Club in December of 1998. It also won the Walker Percy Award in 1994. The novel was made into a... Read Where the Heart Is Summary
Publication year 2000
Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Gender / Feminism, Race / Racism, Class, Social Justice, Politics / Government
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Teams, Society: Class, Identity: Gender, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Femininity
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Business / Economics, Bullying, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1993
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Historical Fiction, Race / Racism, Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World
White Lilacs by Carolyn Meyer is a middle grade historical fiction novel first published in 1993. It tells the story of Rose Lee, a young Black girl living in Dillon, Texas, in 1921. When the white citizens of Dillon vote to force the Black community out of their homes to turn the area into a city park, Rose Lee and her family battle against racism, violence, and injustice as they search for options.Meyer is the... Read White Lilacs Summary
Publication year 2016
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Sociology, History: U.S., Class, Social Justice, Race / Racism, Business / Economics, History: World, Politics / Government
IntroductionIn White Trash: The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America, Nancy Isenberg documents the historical and contemporary disdain of the upper and middle classes in America for the white poor and the resultant staying power of a class hierarchy. Isenberg, an award-winning historian, uses her expertise to contribute this non-fictional work to the academic literature on social class. Originally published in 2016, the book became a New York Times bestseller and was a finalist... Read White Trash Summary
Publication year 2006
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Place, Society: Class, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Biography
Publication year 2007
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Identity: Race, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Education, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Biography, History: World, Children's Literature, Race / Racism, Historical Nonfiction, Spanish Literature
Publication year 1941
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Class
Tags Southern Literature, Race / Racism, Southern Gothic, Education, Education, History: U.S., History: World, Historical Fiction, Humor, Classic Fiction
“Why I Live at the P.O.” is a short story written in 1941 by Eudora Welty, an author and photographer from the American South. The story’s narrator, Sister, narrates her family’s reaction as her sister, Stella-Rondo, leaves her husband and returns to the family’s home in China Grove, Mississippi, surprising her family with a young child in tow. As conflict unfolds among the family members, Sister moves into the post office where she works, seeking... Read Why I Live at the P.O. Summary
Publication year 2017
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Race / Racism, Gender / Feminism, Politics / Government, Social Justice, Black Lives Matter, History: African , Sociology, History: World
Publication year 1995
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Equality, Identity: Gender
Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Classic Fiction
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (1995) by Gregory Maguire reimagines the central antagonist of the iconic story The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, which was published in 1900 by author L. Frank Baum and became central to American popular culture through the 1939 film adaptation starring Judy Garland. Allusions to the original story recur throughout film, television, and novels. Decades later, expressions like “we’re not in Kansas anymore” or... Read Wicked Summary
Publication year 1919
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Classic Fiction, American Literature, Modernism, History: U.S., History: World
Originally published in 1919, Winesburg, Ohio: A Group of Tales of Ohio Small Town Life, is a short story cycle by American author Sherwood Anderson. Anderson drew inspiration from the Ohio town of Clyde, where he spent his childhood. By the late 20th century, many scholars considered Winesburg, Ohio a seminal text of American Modernist literature.Winesburg, Ohio focuses on the people who inhabit the eponymous town at the dawn of the Industrial Revolution. Among them... Read Winesburg, Ohio Summary