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Classic books about social class

Classic books about social class show how money and rank decide who may marry whom, who is respected and who is ignored. Many of these authors were laughing at snobs, or angry at how the poor were treated.

Title page of the first edition of Pride and Prejudice, volume one, London, 1813Pride and PrejudiceJane Austen, 1813Original 1925 dust jacket of The Great Gatsby by Francis Cugat: a face with eyes above a glowing city at nightThe Great GatsbyF. Scott Fitzgerald, 1925Title page of the first edition of Jane Eyre, edited by Currer Bell, 1847Jane EyreCharlotte Brontë, 1847John Leech's 1843 illustration Marley's Ghost: Scrooge by the fire meets the chained ghost of Jacob MarleyA Christmas CarolCharles Dickens, 1843Title page of the first edition of Great Expectations, volume one, Chapman and Hall, 1861Great ExpectationsCharles Dickens, 1861Title page of the first edition of Wuthering Heights by Ellis Bell (Emily Bronte), 1847Wuthering HeightsEmily Brontë, 1847

What each book says about social class

  • Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen, 1813)Money and rank shape who may marry whom, and Austen shows how silly snobbery can be.
  • The Great Gatsby (F. Scott Fitzgerald, 1925)Old money in East Egg looks down on new money in West Egg, and both ignore the poor.
  • Jane Eyre (Charlotte Brontë, 1847)As a governess, Jane is neither servant nor family, and she feels it every day.
  • A Christmas Carol (Charles Dickens, 1843)Dickens wanted readers to care about the poor of London.
  • Great Expectations (Charles Dickens, 1861)Pip learns that being a gentleman is about character, not money or manners.
  • Wuthering Heights (Emily Brontë, 1847)Catherine chooses rank over love, and Heathcliff spends his life getting even.

Lines to remember

  • It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.
    Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 1
  • just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had.
    The Great Gatsby, Chapter 1
  • Do you think, because I am poor, obscure, plain, and little, I am soulless and heartless?
    Jane Eyre, Chapter 23
  • “Bah!” said Scrooge, “Humbug!”
    A Christmas Carol, Stave 1

Frequently asked questions

Which classic novel is best about class?

Great Expectations is the clearest: Pip learns that being a gentleman is about character, not money. Pride and Prejudice shows the same idea with more comedy.

Why do so many old novels focus on class and marriage?

In the 1800s, especially for women, marriage often decided a person’s money and position for life, so novelists used it to explore class.

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Published 2026-10-27. Last checked 2026-10-27.