History Main / SocialClimber

* The M.O. of protagonist Hyacinth Bucket[[note]]"It's ''[[ItsPronouncedTroPay Bouquet]]''"[[/note]] on ''Series/KeepingUpAppearances''. She's an ordinary middle-class woman from a somewhat lower-class family, but she spends all her time putting on airs and trying to impress important people in order to seem more important and higher class than she is, to the despair of everyone around her.

* ''{{WesternAnimation/Cinderella}}''- This seems to be [[WickedStepmother Lady Tremaine's]] major goal, and the reason she was attempting so hard to get her daughters to marry the prince.

* '''The Snob''': In RealLife, originally Snob used to refer to the non-noble students of {{UsefulNotes/Oxbridge}}, who'd imitate the nobles' mannerisms UpToEleven as a way of sticking it to them. Nowadays, it's used to refer to people who are perfectly willing to stick up their noses at people they've left behind.

* ''Literature/AnAmericanTragedy'' by Theodore Dreiser was an attempt to take this trope from its European setting and transplant it to American society, to show that it was NotSoDifferent. In this instance, the Social Climber uses {{Nepotism}} to get into the family business and also hopes to marry into money. (The same plot features in the film adaptation, ''Film/APlaceInTheSun''.)

* ''{{WesternAnimation/Cinderella}}''- This seems to be [[WickedStepmother Lady Tremain's]] major goal, and the reason she was attempting so hard to get her daughters to marry the prince.

* ''TheLastDaysOfKrypton:''

* In ''Fanfic/HarryPotterAndTheIcePrincess'', Lucius Malfoty is shown trying to subtly encourage a relationship between Malfoy and the princesses of Arendelle for the social boost it will give his own family, although he is unaware that Elsa is already attending Hogwarts and has become aware of Draco's ulterior agenda in spending time with her.

* ''Film/TheFavourite'': Abigail comes to Queen Anne's court after becoming destitute. She gets work as a scullery maid, but gradually schemes her way into becoming the RoyalFavorite and marrying a nobleman to secure a comfortable position for herself.

* ''Literature/ALadderToTheSky'' lampshades this with the books title. Maurice has a lot of things working in his favor in pursuit of becoming a famous author. He is just not a talented writer. He preys on and kills others in his cold hearted efforts to rise to the top.

* Tedic from ''Literature/SuperMinion'', not that he's very good at it. To his coworkers he constantly brags about how fast he's going to climb the ranks, and to his superiors he's an annoying butt-kisser. He's also lazy and a pervert.
* ''Literature/MyYearOfRestAndRelaxation'': The rich WASP narrator considers Reva, who is from a middle class family, constantly buying knockoff designer bags, bulimic in an attempt to get skinnier, and transparently covetous of the narrator's privilege, as a disasteful social climber.

* The ''Series/BlackMirror'' episode [[Recap/BlackMirrorNosedive "Nosedive"]] takes place in a dystopian future where people rate each other out of five stars on social media. Having a high rating not only means increased social standing but a slew of other benefits like preferential treatment for airline seats, in hospitals and on housing waiting lists, whereas having a low rating can cost you your job or even your freedom. As a result, there are a ''lot'' of people who fit the bill, including the main character Lacie.

* The M.O. of protagonist Hyacinth Bucket[[note]]"It's ''[[ItsPronouncedTroPay Bouquet]]''"[[/note]] on ''Series/KeepingUpAppearances''. She's an ordinary middle-class woman from a somewhat lower class family, but she spends all her time putting on airs and trying to impress important people in order to seem more important and higher class than she is, to the despair of everyone around her.

* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas'': The hero Carl Johnson grows up in a Los Angeles slum with poor weapons and neighbourhood gun-fights, graduates to working with the Triads, moonlights with a corrupt American agent and then becomes a wealthy entrepreneur in the casino business while tussling with the Italian Mob for turf.

* ''WesternAnimation/MonstersUniversity'' reveals that Randall is one of these; he starts off as an {{Adorkable}} roommate of Mike's whose only desire, it turns out, is to hang out with the cool kids, whom he ditches Mike for at the first opportunity. This eventually leads to their rivalry in ''WesternAnimation/MonstersInc''.

* William Makepeace Thackeray's ''Literature/VanityFair'' is a famous portrait of a female social climber. It's moreover highly sympathetic and [[spoiler:in the end Becky Sharp succeeds]]. It's also one of the few books where the focus is directed to the corruption of the society that forces people to be amoral for basic opportunities.

[[quoteright:146:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mousepillow.png]]

* A frequent accusation made against [[RagsToRoyalty anyone who marries into royalty]]. Sometimes it's justified, sometimes not. Recent examples from UsefulNotes/TheBritishRoyalFamily:
** According to some truly deranged Twitter and Tumblr users, Kate Middleton married Prince William as part of an evil scheme concocted by her mother, who masterminded every last part of their relationship. These loonies also tend to believe Kate wasn't really sick during pregnancy and she faked it all for sympathy. [[FandomRivalry The vast majority of people who claim this are fanatical fans of Harry and Meghan.]]
** According to [[NotSoDifferent some equally deranged Twitter and Tumblr users]], [[FandomRivalry mostly fanatical fans of Will and Kate]], Meghan Markle married Prince Harry as part of some evil scheme to disgrace the royal family. ''These'' loonies also tend to believe Meghan faked her pregnancy and Archie is actually a doll or a surrogate's child.
** Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, Princess Beatrice's new husband, provides a male example. In his case the accusations are fuelled by the fact Edoardo left his girlfriend and infant son shortly before it was announced he was dating Beatrice.

* ''Series/GameOfThrones'': Bronn is quite open that he wants to move as high up in society as he possibly can. He really wants his retirement payday and that is being a Lord with a castle, a wife and kids, and grow old to see his kids squabble about who gets his property. Basically, Bronn may hang out with Jaime and Tyrion, but the Lannister he really wants to be is Tywin.

* P.T. Barnum, the titular ''Film/TheGreatestShowman''. Despite going from RagsToRiches upon the success of his circus, Barnum never quite gets over the discrimination he faced for being poor in his youth and bristles at how they are still seen by the wealthy. He approaches Philip and Jenny to improve his reputation and neglects his troupe once he thinks he's got the upper class's approval.

[[/folder]]

* Creator/StanleyKubrick's ''Film/BarryLyndon'', an adaptation of the Victorian novel, features a clinical deconstruction of a social climber and his drive to fit in with the "social betters" and the hypocrisy that keeps social barriers in place.

* P.T. Barnum, the titular ''Film/TheGreatestShowman''. Despite going from RagsToRiches upon the success of his circus, Barnum never quite gets over the discrimination he faced for being poor in his youth and bristles at how they are still seen by the wealthy. He approaches Philip and Jenny to improve his reputation and neglects his troupe once he thinks he's got the upper class's approval.

%% * The entire motivation for Snatcher's schemes in ''WesternAnimation/TheBoxtrolls''.

* Hyacinth Bucket in ''Series/KeepingUpAppearances'', a dissatisfied woman seeking to vault up the social ladder from her lowly upper-middle-class retiree status, who fails miserably and humiliatingly.

* '''[[WideEyedIdealist The Idealist]]''': Generally a more benevolent type (at least at first), this kind of social climber wants to make it into the elite to change the world, and at first, they try the more honorable ways of gathering prestige, such as heroism for glory's sake. However, to be a successful social climber, the Idealist has to resort to underhanded tactics and dubious schemes and make compromises with his conscience. Usually, when the Idealist finally makes it to the top, he has already abandoned his morals for one reason or another and becomes one of the other types.

* ''{{Disney/Cinderella}}''- This seems to be [[WickedStepmother Lady Tremain's]] major goal, and the reason she was attempting so hard to get her daughters to marry the prince.
* Mentioned specifically by Wiggins about Governor Ratcliffe in Disney's ''Disney/{{Pocahontas}}''.

* Heather from ''Literature/{{Speak}}''. She had no problems with dumping Melinda who, by the way, was struggling with her inner demons and trying to rebound from her [[spoiler:traumatic experience over the summer]], and abandoning her for a group of cool girls. To make it worse, she expected Melinda to help her out when she needed help the most. She does get chewed out by Melinda, which she deserved after her treatment towards her.

* ''Series/BlackMirror'': "Nosedive" takes place in a dystopian future where people rate each other out of five stars on social media. Having a high rating not only means increased social standing but a slew of other benefits like preferential treatment for airline seats, in hospitals and on housing waiting lists, whereas having a low rating can cost you your job or even your freedom. As a result, there are a ''lot'' of people who fit the bill, including the main character Lacie (Creator/BryceDallasHoward).