Poverty and Wealth in World Literature

Everyone knows what poverty and wealth are, without necessarily being poor or rich. Those who were born poor and became rich can say that they succeeded in life, which does not necessarily mean that they became happier. On the other hand, those who were born rich but ended up impoverished took the opposite path, which does not necessarily mean that they became unhappier. The phrase "money cannot buy happiness", if said by a poor person, can mean that they have given up on the search for wealth; on the other hand, if said by a rich person, it can show that, despite all the luxury, their life has been worth little.

The beginning of human wealth began with the Neolithic Revolution when agriculture generated inequalities. Ancient civilizations, such as Mesopotamia and Egypt, consolidated this concentration in the hands of an elite. The Industrial Revolution increased inequalities and created great opportunities for entrepreneurs, but it also increased poverty among workers by consolidating an unequal economic model that persists to this day. Let us look at some examples of how great authors have dealt with these two themes in literature.

Quarto de Despejo - Carolina Maria de Jesus

Quarto de Despejo (Dump Room) is a raw and true diary about life in the Canindé favela in São Paulo. With direct and shocking writing, Carolina Maria de Jesus describes her routine as a paper collector and recounts in detail the hunger, prejudice, and daily struggles to support her children. Published in 1960, the book exposes the difficulties faced by marginalized people. Her narrative reveals the scars of poverty and the overcoming of those who survive even when excluded from society. Carolina shows Brazilian inequality with a unique and courageous voice.

The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Great Gatsby, an influential critique of the American dream and the superficiality of 1920s society in the United States. Written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the story is narrated by Nick Carraway, who moves to Long Island and becomes a neighbor of the mysterious Jay Gatsby, a millionaire involved in extravagant parties and obsessed with winning back Daisy Buchanan, his past love. Through Gatsby, Fitzgerald presents themes of ambition, materialism, and illusion. The novel reveals the disillusionment hidden beneath glamour and wealth and shows the emotional emptiness and failures of the relentless pursuit of success and recognition.

Les Misérables - Victor Hugo

Written by Victor Hugo, Le Misérables (The Miserable) is one of the most iconic works of world literature, its themes are justice, love, redemption, and inequality. Set in 19th-century France, the novel follows Jean Valjean, a former prisoner who seeks to rebuild his life but faces the relentless Inspector Javert. Throughout the narrative, Victor Hugo portrays the misery of the time, the oppression of the poor and human suffering. He creates deep characters that reflect the human condition and the complexities of morality. Les Misérables is an epic portrait of social struggles and a call for compassion and justice.

The Bonfire of the Vanities - Tom Wolfe

A biting satire on American society in the 1980s. It addresses themes such as greed, social status, and the insatiable search for power. The novel follows Sherman McCoy, an ambitious Wall Street broker, whose life is turned upside down after a car accident in New York involving two young Black men. From there, McCoy finds himself immersed in a whirlwind of scandals, media manipulations and political interests. Wolfe criticizes the arrogance of the upper class and exposes the fragility of appearances. It is a scathing portrait of the excess and corruption of the Reagan era.

Hunger - Knut Hamsun

Hunger, written by Knut Hamson, is a psychological and intense novel that follows the journey of a young, unnamed writer, struggling to survive on the streets of Kristiania (now Oslo), Norway. Published in 1890, the book narrates the protagonist's trials as he faces extreme hunger, cold and social alienation, while trying to maintain his dignity and sanity. Hunger, in the human mind, reveals fragmented thoughts and delusions caused by misery. With an introspective and innovative language for its time, Hunger is a masterpiece about human vulnerability and the search for identity. It is no wonder that it won the Nobel Prize in 1920.

The Buddenbrooks - Thomas Mann

A novel The Buddenbrooks, written by Thomas Mann, that narrates the decadence of a German bourgeois family over four generations. Set in the 19th century, the book portrays the story of the Buddenbrooks, a respectable family of merchants who face the loss of their fortune and prestige. With intense and complex characters, Mann highlights the conflicts between tradition and change, materialism, and spirituality. The plot highlights the fragility of human ambition and personal sacrifices for the sake of status. With detailed and profound writing, Mann reveals the ephemerality of success and the transformations of bourgeois society.

The Grapes of Wrath – John Steinbeck

An epic novel The Grapes of Wrath, written by John Steinbeck, is about survival, social struggle, and human dignity during the Great Depression in the United States in the 1930s. The work follows the journey of the Joad family, poor farmers who are forced to leave their land in Oklahoma and migrate to California in search of a better life. Facing exploitation, hunger, and prejudice, they come face to face with the harsh realities of the economic system. Steinbeck's narrative is deeply humanistic, highlighting the resilience and solidarity of oppressed workers.

War and Peace – Leo Tolstoy

War and Peace, written by Leo Tolstoy, is a monumental work that narrates life in Russia during the Napoleonic Wars. Interweaving stories of love, battles and internal conflicts, Tolstoy writes the trajectory of characters such as Pierre, Andrei, and Natasha, who face moral dilemmas, spiritual quests, and the complexities of war. The novel not only portrays Russian society with psychological depth, but also questions the role of history and destiny in individual lives. With its analysis of the transience of life and human essence, War and Peace is a landmark in universal literature and in the understanding of human nature.

Germinal - Émile Zola

Germinal, written by Émile Zola, is a landmark novel about the exploitation of workers and the class struggle in the coal mines of 19th-century northern France. Étienne Lantier, a young unemployed man, joins the miners and witnesses their inhumane working conditions. Amid low wages, hunger and constant danger, the miners organize a strike to demand better conditions. Zola portrays the misery and strength of the workers with brutal realism, making Germinal a powerful call to action against social injustice and a landmark in naturalist literature.

The Charterhouse of Parma - Stendhal

The Charterhouse of Parma, by Stendhal, is a novel that combines elements of history, philosophy, and psychological romance. Fabrizio del Dongo, a young Italian aristocrat, becomes involved in the political struggles and intrigues of the Napoleonic era. After an incident during a battle, he takes refuge in a monastery, where he seeks a life of introspection and reflection. The novel presents themes such as the search for personal freedom, the dilemma between duty and personal desires, and the tension between society's expectations and individual ambitions. Stendhal, with his ironic and detailed style, criticizes social conventions and presents a complex study of human character and its choices.

Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens

The famous work of Charles Dickens, Oliver Twist, is a classic of literature that exposes the dark reality of the lower classes in Victorian England. The novel tells the story of Oliver, an orphan who has faced hunger, abuse, and exploitation since childhood. After escaping from the orphanage, he comes across a network of criminals led by the sinister Fagin. Oliver represents innocence that resists corruption. With this, Dickens harshly criticizes the conditions of poor children and the indifference of society. A timeless work about injustice and hope, the book combines social criticism and exciting narrative.

Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen

Pried and Prejudice, written by Jane Austen, is one of the most celebrated novels in English literature, deals with the issues of social class, marriage, and character. Initially, the intelligent and independent young woman, Elizabeth Bennet finds Mr. Darcy proud, but charming. She despises Darcy for his apparent arrogance and high social class, but as the story progresses, she discovers that her first impressions were wrong. The work is a subtle critique of the social norms of the time and a study of the importance of self-knowledge, pride, and prejudice in human relationships.

Vidas Secas - Graciliano Ramos

Vidas Secas (Dry Lives), by Graciliano Ramos, is a profound and moving portrait of the life of a family from the backlands amidst the drought and poverty of the Brazilian Northeast. Fabiano, his wife Sinhá Vitória, their children and their dog Baleia fight for survival in a hostile environment marked by misery. The author uses dry and direct language that reflects the arid environment of the backlands. In its pages, the struggle for dignity, social brutality, and the silence of those who suffer are ever present. Vidas Secas is a classic of Brazilian literature and a sensitive study of human resistance.

A Ilustre Casa de Ramires - Eça de Queirós

A Ilustre Casa de Ramires (The Illustrious House of Ramires) is a novel written by Eça de Queirós, that tells the story of a noble but decadent Portuguese family and the decline of a tradition. The protagonist, Pedro Ramires, a man who seeks to restore the family's honor, represents the weight of history and the choices of the past. The work combines elements of realism and modernism, with dense and poetic writing. It portrays themes such as love, memory, destiny, and the struggle against the limitations of society. The author criticizes nobility, the illusion of prestige and the fragility of social structures, an intimate and melancholic portrait of Portuguese life֍

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