Reading Fiction for Status

In a comically unforgettable scene from one of my favourite movies, Metropolitan, our two young protagonists—Tom and Audrey—have a spirited discussion about Jane Austen. Audrey is a sheltered romantic who idealizes old-fashioned gentility. Tom is a self-proclaimed utopian socialist who, by virtue of being slightly less wealthy than his prep school peers, acts like he disdains upper-class traditions.