The different professions described in the passage called Instructions in Letter Writing by an Egyptian Scribe (c. 1200 B.C.E.) gives valuable insight into the ancient Egyptian’s economy and social structure.  By describing all of the different occupations to the young man in question, the “teacher” informs the pupil on maintaining the course of study to become a scribe as opposed to another not so glamorous position within the society.  The descriptions given by the “teacher” of the occupations available demonstrate that there was a distinction between people and their relationship or activities within a particular field of work.

The passage first reveals that there is a class distinction within the society of ancient Egypt.  For example, the “teacher” laments on the fortunes of being a person within the scribe community.  For instance, the “teacher” says, “be a scribe! Your body will by sleek; your hand will by soft.  You will not flicker like a flame, like one whose body is feeble” (pg. 33) describing the luxury of being a scribe.  This illustrates that the lifestyle of a scribe is less physically demanding than that of the washerman, pot maker or carpenter.  Also, the teacher says, “set your sight on being a scribe; a fine profession that suits you.  You call for one; a thousand answer you.  You stride freely on the road.  You will not by like a hired ox.  You are in front of others” (pg. 33) further lamenting the lifestyle of the scribe.  This demonstrates that the scribe is someone of relative importance, therefore, distinguishing them from those who labor and are of less importance.  Furthermore, this demonstrates that there is a class distinction within the society, those who labor on the bottom, those with an “education” farther up the scale, and finished with the pharaoh at the top.

Finally, the descriptions of the different occupations give some insight into the economy of ancient Egypt.  For example the scribe is an “educated” individual and as a result is able to demand more for their important services.  The “teacher” explains the economic benefit to becoming a scribe when he says, “You are dressed in fine clothes; you own horses.  Your boat is on the river; you are supplied with attendants. You stride about inspecting.  A mansion is built in you town. You have a powerful office, given you by the king.  Male and female slaves are about you.  Those who are in the field grasp your hand, on plots that you have made” (pg.33).  This further demonstrates that laborers like the carpenter or cobbler, or peasants that work in the fields, are not regarded as high in the social structure and as a result are worth less economically.  They have no mansions, slaves, or boats.  They are the poor who work at labor-intensive occupations with little or no reward in an economic sense.

The descriptions of different occupations and the lifestyles that are rewarded them demonstrates that there were social and economic differences within the ancient Egyptian culture.  Those that labored were often looked upon as the “lower” class of person within the society, and as a result they were usually economically worse off because of their class distinction.  This illustrates that class and wealth often go hand in hand even in ancient Egypt.