# What Class and Social Climbing means in Elmer Gantry

> Elmer's career is marked by strategic social maneuvering, as he ingratiates himself with wealthy businessmen and elites, revealing how class and money shape religious institutions.

## Explanation

Elmer's career is marked by strategic social maneuvering, as he ingratiates himself with wealthy businessmen and elites, revealing how class and money shape religious institutions.

Mrs. Gantry dreams of Elmer's future success and social elevation, imagining him with a famous church and a summer cottage.

The dinner setting and the expectation that clergy be 'instructive' while enjoying hospitality illustrate the social dynamics and pressures of rural religious life.

Elmer and Sharon bond over their humble origins, contrasting with Cecil's refined demeanor, underscoring class tensions within the religious movement.

Sharon's invented Falconer identity and the Virginia plantation setting highlight the theme of constructed aristocracy and social aspiration.

## Links

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