20. CLASS IN BRITISH AND AMERICAN LITERATURE

COMMON THEMES IN BRITISH AND AMERICAN LITERATURE:

• Social Mobility

• Power and Privilege

• Identity and Class

CLASS IN BRITISH LITERATURE

• The upper classes look down on the middle and the working classes

• The middle and the working classes look up to the upper classes

• Partially based on money X the middle classes may be richer than the upper classes, partially based on culture

• the middle-class seen as vulgar

• The middle class is the most influential socio-economic class

• Sitcoms, TV, consumer pro

BR Regenency era

• stories start to focus on real life and people , especially the lives of middle and upper classes

• how people behave , relationships, role of woman and man, class differences

POST-WAR BRITISH LITERATURE:

often grapples with the erosion of traditional class structures

BR VICTORIAN LITERATURE

• industrialization deepend the class idvision

• wealth of few, poor of many

autors of middle class BR

wrote for middle class

upper class depicted in BR victorian lit as

out of touch

BR victorial lit was often time a

lens to criticize social injustice

BR ictorian lit showed

how difficult it is to climp up to class ladder

POST-WAR BRITISH LITERATURE:

less romantic in the depiton of class

POST-WAR BRITISH LITERATURE was angra about

class priviledges

Class in American literature is often connected to

• The American Dream (success through hard work)

• Capitalism & consumerism

• Social mobility vs. inherited wealth

• Intersection with race, gender, and power

writers in Am lit often explore:

• the gap between rich and poor

• working-class struggles

• myths about equal opportunity.

the gilded era + progressive era - key themes

• economic injustice

• false appearance of prosperty

the gilded era + progressive era - authors

• twain

the jazz age, great depression - themes

• class division

• dissilusement of american dream

• wealth vs morality

the jazz age, great depression - authors

• fitzerald

• steinbeck

• wright

post war era in am lit - themes

• breakdown of class structures

• rise of consumer society

post war era in am lit - authors

• ellison

• morrison

• plath

How is class represented in British literature?

• class is often explored through the lens of social hierarchy and class mobility.

• Novels frequently depict the struggles between the aristocracy, the working class, and the emerging middle class.

• Writers such as Charles Dickens and the Brontë sisters examined class struggles, the limitations placed on individuals based on their class, and the social mobility that could (or could not) occur.

How does class function in Charles Dickens' novels?

• a significant role in shaping characters’ experiences and societal positions.

• His novels, such as Great Expectations and Oliver Twist, often explore the harsh realities of poverty and class inequality.

• he critiques social injustices and advocates for social reform by portraying the lives of the working and lower classes, while also highlighting class mobility and its limitations.

What role does the middle class play in Victorian literature?

• often portrayed as the emerging class that bridges the gap between the aristocracy and the working class.

• The rise of the middle class is reflected in literature through themes of aspiration, individualism, and morality.

• Writers like George Eliot and Elizabeth Gaskell explored the complexity of middle-class life, highlighting both its challenges and its moral authority.

How does the concept of class impact American literature?

• class is often intertwined with the concept of the American Dream

• Early American literature, such as works by Nathaniel Hawthorne and Herman Melville, examined the tensions between wealth, status, and individual ambition.

• However, the gap between the rich and poor is often criticized in works like those by F. Scott Fitzgerald, who critiques the elitism of the American upper class in The Great Gatsby.

How does The Great Gatsby address class in America?

• critiques the American class system, particularly the way wealth and social status are inherited and displayed.

• Through the character of Jay Gatsby, who is wealthy but does not come from an elite background, the novel highlights the myth of upward mobility and the American Dream, ultimately questioning the attainability of true social integration for those without inherited wealth.

What is the significance of class in Jane Austen's novels?

• class is central to the characters' relationships and social interactions.

• works, such as Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility, explore the rigid class system of early 19th-century England, where marriage and status are often determined by class.

• she critiques the limitations placed on women and the social expectation that marriage be based on financial stability and social standing.

How does class influence the works of the American Realists?

• writers like Henry James, Edith Wharton, and Theodore Dreiser, used class as a way to explore social structures and the inequalities between the upper and lower classes.

• Wharton’s The House of Mirth critiques the aristocratic class’s obsession with status, while Dreiser’s Sister Carrie portrays the harsh realities faced by the working class and the American Dream’s fallacies.

How does Wuthering Heights explore class and social status?

explores class and social status through the contrasting characters of Heathcliff and Catherine. Heathcliff, a poor orphan, rises to wealth but struggles with his outsider status, while Catherine’s desire to marry for social advancement rather than love highlights the social expectations and limitations placed on individuals based on their class position.

How does class mobility play a role in Great Expectations?

Charles Dickens examines class mobility through the story of Pip, who rises from a humble background to become a gentleman. The novel critiques the notion that class can be easily changed and presents the complexities of identity, belonging, and social expectations. Pip’s transformation, both personal and social, serves as a commentary on the limits and costs of aspiring to a higher class.

What are the class dynamics in the works of George Orwell?

In works like Animal Farm and 1984, George Orwell critiques class dynamics and the power structures within society. His novels examine the manipulation of the working class by those in power and the corruption of revolutionary ideals. Orwell’s portrayal of class is focused on the cyclical nature of oppression, where the working class remains subjugated, even under regimes that claim to promote equality.

How is the American class system portrayed in The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck?

The Grapes of Wrath portrays the severe class divide between the land-owning class and the displaced farmers during the Great Depression. Steinbeck highlights the struggle of the Joad family, whose quest for dignity in the face of poverty underscores the harsh reality of class struggles in America. The novel critiques the greed and exploitation of the upper class while emphasizing the resilience of the working class

What is the impact of social class in The Scarlet Letter?

n The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, class is intricately tied to the themes of guilt, sin, and societal judgment. The protagonist, Hester Prynne, is ostracized by her Puritan community not only for her sin but also for her lower social standing, which compounds her punishment. Hawthorne critiques the rigidity of class and the moral hypocrisy of the community that enforces social norms.

How does class function in Moby-Dick?

In Moby-Dick, Herman Melville uses class dynamics to explore hierarchy, authority, and the relationships between different social groups. The relationship between the ship's captain, Ahab, and the working-class sailors reflects the tension between authority and subordination. The novel also examines the equality of all men in the face of death, suggesting that, ultimately, class differences are meaningless when confronted with nature’s power.

How does the theme of class appear in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn?

In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain addresses the theme of class through Huck’s adventures and interactions with characters of various social standings. The novel critiques the rigid social hierarchy of the time, particularly in its exploration of race, slavery, and social conventions. Huck’s rejection of society’s norms and his journey toward self-discovery challenge the class distinctions and expectations placed on individuals.