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extrapenguinHi! I'm going to quote some textev on Wei Wuxian's class issues. I'm focusing on the Poisons arc, since there we get the most of it.
Let's start by defining class issues. Here, by "class issues" I mean that his self-esteem and way of interacting with others, especially Jiang Cheng, are significantly affected by the fact that his father was a servant. I am not arguing that Wei Wuxian consciously thinks of himself as a Jiang sect servant. Instead, the effect is more subtle.
三毒: The arc is called "Sandu", like Jiang Cheng's sword. (K translates it here to "Poisons".) The Three Poisons the arc title refers to are greed, anger, and ignorance. The greed is mostly from the Wen sect, the anger universal, but the ignorance is the interesting point.
The setting: Wei Wuxian is 17. The Wen sect is out to get him, but he hasn't realized that yet. This is the last flush of his childhood.
Chapter 56
Note the "again" when referring to the sour feelings. Jiang Cheng is envious, and as soon as Wei Wuxian spots it, he goes to soothe Jiang Cheng's feelings.
As soon as Jiang Fengmian scolds his son, Wei Wuxian jumps to the rescue, even when he was the one insulted. "Jiang Cheng's feelings are more important than mine."
This is an important backstory for why Wei Wuxian is as he is. Madam Yu thinks he might be Jiang Fengmian's bastard, and fears for her own son's status. Now, let's think for a moment: Wei Wuxian is the head disciple, he's older, he's the better cultivator, he's taller, he's more handsome, and higher ranked on the list of young masters. Jiang Fengmian also seems to prefer him in everything, scolding him less and not lamenting how he doesn't conform to the Jiang sect's image. If Wei Wuxian were secretly Jiang Wuxian, it would be no question that Jiang Fengmian would make him sect leader. Even if Wei Wuxian isn't secretly Jiang Wuxian, he's being treated awfully suspiciously like he were secretly Jiang Wuxian, since the position of head disciple should by rights be Jiang Cheng's: Jiang Cheng has been a disciple of the Jiang sect for longer (while Wei Wuxian was eating scraps on the street), and he's the Sect Leader's son.
Despite his injuries still not having healed, he chases out after Jiang Cheng. Also, note that he's proud of his heritage: "I don't want others assigning me to other households!" and “What’s wrong with servants? I’m also the son of a servant, aren’t I?” Please note that he also sees himself as Jiang Cheng's subordinate, and draws an equivalence between Jiang Cheng and himself, and a Sect Leader (Jiang Fengmian) and a servant (Wei Changze). Not a sect leader and a young master, not the Twin Jades of Lan (one of whom will be sect leader), no. A sect leader and a servant. Subconsciously, Wei Wuxian does not see himself as Jiang Cheng's equal, despite the praise and title as Head Disciple.
Chapter 57
[Doylistically: WWX's foils all lower-class with own class issues, WN-WWX like WWX-JC]
Let's start by defining class issues. Here, by "class issues" I mean that his self-esteem and way of interacting with others, especially Jiang Cheng, are significantly affected by the fact that his father was a servant. I am not arguing that Wei Wuxian consciously thinks of himself as a Jiang sect servant. Instead, the effect is more subtle.
三毒: The arc is called "Sandu", like Jiang Cheng's sword. (K translates it here to "Poisons".) The Three Poisons the arc title refers to are greed, anger, and ignorance. The greed is mostly from the Wen sect, the anger universal, but the ignorance is the interesting point.
The setting: Wei Wuxian is 17. The Wen sect is out to get him, but he hasn't realized that yet. This is the last flush of his childhood.
Chapter 56
Jiang Cheng, “Congratulations.”
The tone of his congratulations sounded quite strange. Seeing how he folded his hands and raised his brows, Wei WuXian knew that those sour feelings were at him again. Jiang Cheng, right now, must be making a fuss in silence, defiantly asking himself why he wasn’t the one who had stayed in the cave to kill the beast. If it had been him, he could definitely also do this and do that.
Wei WuXian laughed, “What a pity that you weren’t there as well. Or else, you’d be able to share some of that credit as well. You’d also be able to chat with me and chase the boredom away. Good Heavens, sitting face-to-face with Lan Zhan these days almost bored me to death.”
Note the "again" when referring to the sour feelings. Jiang Cheng is envious, and as soon as Wei Wuxian spots it, he goes to soothe Jiang Cheng's feelings.
Jiang FengMian didn’t look as if he was blaming him of anything, but his expression had turned from calm to more solemn, “Do you know in which ways what you just said is not appropriate?”
Jiang Cheng’s head hung low, “Yes.”
Wei WuXian, “He’s just angry and speaking without care.”
As soon as Jiang Fengmian scolds his son, Wei Wuxian jumps to the rescue, even when he was the one insulted. "Jiang Cheng's feelings are more important than mine."
“Sect Leader Jiang, […] I don’t believe for one second that you haven’t heard of how the outside people gossips, that Sect Leader Jiang has still not moved on from a certain Sanren though so many years have passed, regarding the son of his old friend as a son of his own; they’re speculating if Wei Ying is your…”
This is an important backstory for why Wei Wuxian is as he is. Madam Yu thinks he might be Jiang Fengmian's bastard, and fears for her own son's status. Now, let's think for a moment: Wei Wuxian is the head disciple, he's older, he's the better cultivator, he's taller, he's more handsome, and higher ranked on the list of young masters. Jiang Fengmian also seems to prefer him in everything, scolding him less and not lamenting how he doesn't conform to the Jiang sect's image. If Wei Wuxian were secretly Jiang Wuxian, it would be no question that Jiang Fengmian would make him sect leader. Even if Wei Wuxian isn't secretly Jiang Wuxian, he's being treated awfully suspiciously like he were secretly Jiang Wuxian, since the position of head disciple should by rights be Jiang Cheng's: Jiang Cheng has been a disciple of the Jiang sect for longer (while Wei Wuxian was eating scraps on the street), and he's the Sect Leader's son.
Jiang Cheng gave no answer. With a few steps, he had already turned the corner of the hallway. Wei WuXian could only roll out of bed and chase over, dragging with him his stiff, sore body, “Jiang Cheng! Jiang Cheng!”
[…]
Wei WuXian, “Those things dirty your mouth even if you just say them. Both of my parents are real people in this world. I don’t want others assigning me to other households!”
[…]
“In the future, you’ll be the sect leader, and I’ll be your subordinate, like your father and my father. So what if the GusuLan Sect has its Two Jades? The Yunmeng Jiang Sect will have its Two Prides! So, shut up. Who said that you don’t deserve to be the sect leader? Nobody can say this, even you can’t either. If you do you’re looking for a beating.”
[…]
Wei WuXian, “What’s wrong with servants? I’m also the son of a servant, aren’t I?”
Despite his injuries still not having healed, he chases out after Jiang Cheng. Also, note that he's proud of his heritage: "I don't want others assigning me to other households!" and “What’s wrong with servants? I’m also the son of a servant, aren’t I?” Please note that he also sees himself as Jiang Cheng's subordinate, and draws an equivalence between Jiang Cheng and himself, and a Sect Leader (Jiang Fengmian) and a servant (Wei Changze). Not a sect leader and a young master, not the Twin Jades of Lan (one of whom will be sect leader), no. A sect leader and a servant. Subconsciously, Wei Wuxian does not see himself as Jiang Cheng's equal, despite the praise and title as Head Disciple.
Chapter 57
[Doylistically: WWX's foils all lower-class with own class issues, WN-WWX like WWX-JC]