In Pat Conroy's book Prince of Tides, the main character's mother calls him a "cracker" when she feels he behaves in a low class manner- the character Tom explains to the reader that "crackers" were poor illiterate workers on crabbing boats- they "cracked" crab shells for a living becasue they weren't good enough to do any other work.
That stupid boy is beahving like a "cracker"
by NancyFrancy June 05, 2005