Poverty on social conditions affects everyone in every part of the world, no matter whether they are rich or poor. First of all, everyone is divided into some kind of social class. The best known classes are the economic classes: the lower class, the middle class and the upper class. The lower class has to go through hard work all day and night to earn a decent amount of money to provide for themselves and their families. Most likely, they are the only source of income for the entire family. The upper class works hard to maintain or increase their high social status. They also work hard to maintain their social status, which allows them to hold greater power over the middle and lower classes. The similarities between the decisions made by the characters in these two literary works will be analyzed to understand the meaning behind the actions and the influences of social classes on each other. In Crime and Punishment, by Fyodor Dostoevsky, Raskolnikov lives a poor life along with most other Russians. Most families in the time period in which this book takes place are classified as lower class. The decisions they make are based solely on how to improve the quality of life and social conditions. In The Metamorphosis, by Franz Kafka, Gregor works hard night and day at a job he despises because he needs to earn money to support his poor, impoverished, and dependent family. Gregor also sacrificed himself, believing it was best for all members of his family. He didn't want to burden his family by reminding them of the insignificant, incompetent insect he had become. With these decisions Raskolnikov and Gregor strove to improve living conditions for themselves and their families. Belonging to a lower class rank and wish... the family of mid card with affection and love. His opinion on the need to disappear was, if possible, even firmer than his sister's. (Kafka, 49). This choice symbolizes how the world's poor citizens have to sacrifice many things, including their own lives, to survive in this hostile and competitive world. The men of the upper classes do nothing to make life easier and more tolerable for the poor. In fact, they simply make it harder to live in this cruel environment. Riots and rebellions are the only solution that can change and improve the standard of living of the middle and lower classes of society. Works Cited Dostoevsky, Fyodor. Crime and punishment. Trans. Constance Garnet. New York: Modern Library, 1950.Kafka, Franz. “The Metamorphosis”. The Metamorphosis. Trans. and Ed. Stanley Corngold. New York: Bantam Books, 1972.