# What Class and Social Mobility means in Short Fiction

> Irene's comfortable middle-class life in Harlem contrasts with Clare's precarious position as a wealthy white woman, and the novel examines how race and class intersect to determine social standing and opportunity.

## Explanation

Irene's comfortable middle-class life in Harlem contrasts with Clare's precarious position as a wealthy white woman, and the novel examines how race and class intersect to determine social standing and opportunity.

Clare's ascent from poverty to wealth through passing underscores themes of class ambition and the price of social mobility.

Clare's escape from poverty through marriage and her desire for material wealth reflect the pursuit of social mobility.

## Links

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