Society and Class :
Great Expectations
A Raisin in the Sun
Hamlet
The Lottery
Example Pip's main goal in life is to become a gentleman so he can marry Estella. Guided, and often pushed, by Mrs. Joe and Pumblechook, his desire to better his position in society becomes the driving force in the plot, and his eventual downfall. His first encounter with the upper class was his visit with Miss Havisham in Satis House. He meets Estella, who is so beautiful and wealthy that he can only dream to be with her. Although a depressing, worn down place he is still in awe of its wealth and immediately begins to feel insecure about his own upbringing.
Example Pip becomes obsessed with climbing the social ladder. As Pip becomes a gentleman, the reader realizes that his life is not much better off than when he was a blacksmith. He still has not won over Estella and is mocked and ridiculed by high society. He begins to feel embarrassed by Joe, arguably the only genuine friend in his life, and eventually cuts him out of his life.
Citation So, leaving word with the shopman on what day I was wanted at Miss Havisham's again, I set off on the four-mile walk to our forge; pondering, as I went along, on all I had seen, and deeply revolving that I was a common labouring-boy; that my hands were coarse; that my boots were thick; that I had fallen into a despicable habit of calling knaves Jacks; that I was much more ignorant than I had considered myself last night, and generally that I was in a low-lived bad way. .
Analysis: Pip's desire to become a gentleman becomes apparent early on in the novel. Even though Satis House is clearly much more depressing than his, he still yearns for it because it is of a higher social standing. He is ashamed of his clothing and his upbringing, even though he has more morals than Miss Havisham and Estella. The Satis House was his introduction to society. 
Citation Whatever I acquired, I tried to impart to Joe. This statement sounds so well, that I can't in my conscience let it pass unexplained. I wanted to make Joe less ignorant and common, that he might be worthier of my society and less open to Estella's reproach.
Analysis Pip sounds very ignorant in this statement. Caught up in his desire to become a gentleman, he wants Joe to listen to the advice of Estella and Miss Havisham. However, Pip doesn't realize that Joe is filled with much more wisdom and morality than the superficial Estella.
Example Dickinson provides a critique of society and class in Great Expectations. Although Pip may have money as a gentleman, he is void of all morals and still has not accomplished his main goals in life. This shows that morality, honesty, and friendship should be valued over one's social standing.
Citation "Abroad," said Miss Havisham; "educating for a lady; far out of reach; prettier than ever; admired by all who see her. Do you feel that you have lost her?"
Pip never lost Estella because he was never meant to have her. His climb up the social ladder was futile - he would never reach the top. No matter how hard Pip tried, he was always somehow bound to the societal role he was born in.
Example Race is a dominating factor in the Younger's family place in society. Being African-American, they are at an inherent socioeconomic disadvantage compared to their white peers. Their place in society is at a low one at the beginning of the novel.
Citation Mama – sometimes when I’m downtown and I pass them cool-quiet-looking restaurants where them white boys are sitting back and talking ‘bout things…sitting there turning deals worth millions of dollars…sometimes I see guys don’t look much older than me
Analysis This quote from Walter exemplifies the disadvantage society has place the Younger family in. Walter is anguished because white men who are younger than him are enjoying a luxurious lifestyle. He feels they are in this position that should belong to him because of their race.
Example Beneatha has two love interests, Asagai and George. George is of a much higher social standing than Asagai, and because of this has assimilated into white culture. Asagai, on the other hand, encourages Beneatha to embrace her African roots.
Citation GEORGE (Nastily)
Let’s face it, baby, your heritage is nothing but a bunch of raggedy-assed spirituals and some grass huts!
BENEATHA
GRASS HUTS!…See there…you are standing there in your splendid ignorance talking about people who were the first to smelt iron on the face of the earth!
Analysis This shows a disconnect between the two social classes. George views Asagai's culture as primitive and savage. Ironically, George, who is of a higher social class, is more ignorant than Asagai who is of a lower social class. This is a common idea in many books.
Example The Younger family defies societal standards and move into the house. Even though the neighborhood is majority white and they are clearly discriminated against, the Younger family makes the choice to stay.
Citation Of course, baby. Ain’t no need in ‘em coming all the way here and having to go back. They charges for that too. (She sits down, fingers to her brow, thinking) Lord, ever since I was a little girl, I always remembers people saying, "Lena – Lena Eggleston, you aims too high all the time. You needs to slow down and see life a little more like it is. Just slow down some." That’s what they always used to say down home – "Lord, that Lena Eggleston is a high-minded thing. She’ll get her due one day!"
Analysis Before choosing to move into the house, Mama questions her place in society. She wonders if she made a mistake migrating from the South to Chicago in the first place, into a society where they are second class citizens.
Pride and Prejudice
Example Hamlet wants to escape the confines and expectations of society.
Citation “by evading the formal definitions society lays on him, by cutting through expected behaviour and approaching Ophelia with a directly personal appeal after the shock of the Ghost’s announcement, he is acting counter to the patterns prescribed for him: his ‘authentic’ and ‘social’ selves, his own sense of himself and the way others see him, are at odds.”
-Terry Eagleton, Shakespeare and Society
Analysis Hamlet does not conform to societal norms. This causes society to label him as insane, even thought the definition of insane is created by society.
Example Society attempts to oppress Hamlet and control his wants and desires
Citation “I loved Ophelia. Forty thousand brothers could not, with all their quantity of love, make up my sum.”
Analysis Despite society attempting to control his love for Ophelia and telling Hamlet to forget her, he still insists he loves her and pursues her.
Example Many characters in Hamlet are social climbers, whether it be Polonius wanting to gain favor with the royal family, or Claudius, who goes as far as killing his own brother to become king.
Citation: Excellent well; you're a fishmonger. -Hamlet, to Polonius
Analysis Fishmongers were known to be of a lower class and very talkative and abrasive. Hamlet is clearly making fun of Polonius's social standing and personality. A fishmonger was also a slang term for a pimp, referring to Polonius exploiting Ophelia to gain more information about Hamlet, so he can gain the royal family's confidence to improve his social class.
Example Societal class in this era was largely based on how much money you have. That is why Mrs. Bingley attempts to get her daughters married to rich men or men of a higher social class - to her, that's all that matters.
Citation They were in fact very fine ladies; not deficient in good humour when they were pleased, nor in the power of making themselves agreeable when they chose it, but proud and conceited. They were rather handsome, had been educated in one of the first private seminaries in town, had a fortune of twenty thousand pounds, were in the habit of spending more than they ought, and of associating with people of rank, and were therefore in every respect entitled to think well of themselves, and meanly of others. They were of a respectable family in the north of England; a circumstance more deeply impressed on their memories than that their brother's fortune and their own had been acquired by trade.
Analysis Even thought the Bingley's were very sophisticated and well-educated, the Bennetts looked down on them because their money came from trade, not land like the Bennetts. Even if you had money, the money had to come from a respectable place.
Example Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth's love story defies societal expectations
Citation He spoke well; but there were feelings besides those of the heart to be detailed; and he was not more eloquent on the subject of tenderness than of pride. His sense of her inferiority—of its being a degradation—of the family obstacles which had always opposed to inclination, were dwelt on with a warmth which seemed due to the consequence he was wounding, but was very unlikely to recommend his suit
Analysis This wasn't exactly the best way to convince a girl to marry you. Although Mr. Darcy admits he loves Elizabeth, most of the proposal is about him losing a place in social class if she marries him. Mr. Darcy strongly believes in his lineage, and the social class associated with it.
Example Mr. Collins panders to his wealthy patron, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, throughout the entire novel
Citation "'After mentioning the likelihood of this marriage to her ladyship last night, she immediately, with her usual condescension, expressed what she felt on the occasion; when it became apparent, that on the score of some family objections on the part of my cousin, she would never give her consent to what she termed so disgraceful a match. I thought it my duty to give the speediest intelligence of this to my cousin, that she and her noble admirer may be aware of what they are about, and not run hastily into a marriage which has not been properly sanctioned.'"
Analysis Mr. Collins writes to Mr. Bennett and tells him that Lady Catherine would never approve Mr. Darcy's marriage to Elizabeth. Mr. Collins desire to be of a higher social class and his obsession with the idea is a source of satire throughout the entire novel.
Example The events of the lottery are seen as completely normal in the society
Citation The lottery was conducted – as were the square dances, the teen club, the Halloween program – by Mr. Summers, who had time and energy to devote to civic activities.
The Lottery is seen as casual as a square dance. This introduces the theme that seemingly normal events in our society are wrong, and we are conditioned to follow them blindly, like a routine.
Example The citizens of the town begin questioning the purpose of the lottery, which is a staple part of their town's routine.
Citation The crowd was quiet. A girl whispered, "I hope it's not Nancy," and the sound of the whisper reached the edges of the crowd.
"It's not the way it used to be." Old Man Warner said clearly. "People ain't the way they used to be."
Analysis This shows that the town is evolving, and beginning to question the purpose of the lottery. Soon, the town may end it entirely. Society has the potential to evolve and grow from oppressive traditions.
Example Mrs. Hutchison is the victim, and protests her death.
Citation "It isn't fair, it isn't right," Mrs. Hutchinson screamed, and then they were upon her.
Analysis Mrs. Hutchison only questions the purpose of the lottery when she is the victim. This can correlate directly to our society. We only become aware of faults in the system when it fails us.