Aging

"Nature abhors the old," said Ralph Waldo Emerson, and yet poet John Donne wrote, "No Spring nor Summer Beauty hath such grace / As I have seen in one Autumnal face." So, is aging a gift—or a curse? In this thematic collection, we present texts that reflect on this question.

Publication year 1972

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Life/Time: Aging, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Humor, Children's Literature, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1952

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: Aging, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Fate, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Animals, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude

Tags Classic Fiction, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Children's Literature, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Animals, Education, Education, Fantasy

Charlotte’s Web was written by E. B. White, illustrated by Garth Williams, and first published in 1952. It is considered a quintessential American children’s fiction novel and has been adapted into two films (1973, 2006) and a stage musical. Over the years, Charlotte’s Web has been awarded the Newbery Honor Award for children’s books, the George C. Stone Center for Children’s Books Recognition of Merit Award, the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award, and the Massachusetts Children’s... Read Charlotte's Web Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Grandparents, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags African American Literature, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, History: U.S., Black Lives Matter, Grief / Death, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2010

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Fantasy, Magical Realism, Grief / Death, Relationships, Depression / Suicide, Latin American Literature, Surrealism, Arts / Culture

Daytripper is a graphic novel written and illustrated by comic book artists Fábio Moon and Gabriel Bá. Originally published in 2010 as a comic book series by Vertigo, the collected series was published as a completed book in 2011. Daytripper won the 2011 Eisner Award for Best Limited Series. Bá has also worked on popular comic series such as Umbrella Academy and Casanova. Both Moon and Bá are twins, and they sometimes refer to themselves... Read Daytripper Summary


Publication year 1912

Genre Novella, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Beauty

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, LGBTQ, German Literature, History: World, Education, Education, Classic Fiction, Arts / Culture

Death in Venice (1912) is a novella by celebrated German author Thomas Mann (1875-1955). The story follows Gustav von Aschenbach, a successful but aging writer who travels to Venice seeking inspiration and respite. There, he becomes infatuated with Tadzio, an exceptionally beautiful young boy whose ethereal presence awakens a profound and dangerous longing in Aschenbach. As Venice succumbs to a cholera epidemic, Aschenbach’s obsession leads to his downfall.Mann, the recipient of the 1929 Nobel Prize... Read Death in Venice Summary


Publication year 1605

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Aging, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Classic Fiction, Mental Illness, Class, Philosophy, Politics / Government, Renaissance, Religion / Spirituality, Satire

Don Quixote is a novel in two parts by Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes published between 1605 and 1615. The novel portrays the life of a middle-aged Spanish man who decides to become a knight, just like the characters in the works of fiction he loves. Considered to be a foundational work of Western literature and one of the first modern novels, Don Quixote is one of the most translated books of all time. It... Read Don Quixote Summary


Publication year 1979

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Aging, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Place, Natural World: Appearance & Reality

Tags Lyric Poem, Grief / Death


Publication year 1837

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Aging, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Gothic Literature, American Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Education, Education, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction

“Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment” is a short story about a doctor who invites four elderly friends to his study to participate in a curious experiment that temporarily restores their youth. The story explores themes of Youth and Old Age, Humans Versus Nature, and Good and Evil. It invites questions like: Does age affect an individual’s potential for happiness? If given a second opportunity to relive youthful years, would a person remediate their failures?“Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment” was... Read Dr. Heidegger's Experiment Summary


Publication year 1940

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality


Publication year 2019

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Food

Tags Health / Medicine, Science / Nature, Self Help


Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Aging

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction

Elizabeth Is Missing by British author Emma Healey was published in 2014 and tells the story of Maud Horsham, an old woman suffering from dementia. Maud’s older sister, Sukey, disappeared in the 1940s. Seventy years later, this tragic event continues to haunt Maud, who now thinks her best friend Elizabeth is missing. Maud is desperate to figure out what happened to Sukey and Elizabeth before she loses her ability to piece together the clues. Maud’s... Read Elizabeth is Missing Summary


Publication year 1990

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Aging

Tags Children's Literature, Fantasy, Humor, Animals, Romance, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1985

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Life/Time: Aging, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Aging, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos

Everybody’s Fool is a 2016 novel by American Pulitzer Prize–winning author Richard Russo. The second in Russo’s North Bath trilogy, Everybody’s Fool is set in the small, eccentric, and troubled town of North Bath, New York. The tragicomic novel follows a group of characters whose dramas unfold over a single Memorial Day Weekend, exploring how individuals react to and rebel against their emotional and moral ties to their communities. The novel also grapples with existential themes... Read Everybody's Fool Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: Aging, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Historical Fiction, Depression / Suicide, Health / Medicine, Love / Sexuality, Mental Illness, Parenting, Social Justice, Science / Nature, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1986

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Fathers, Life/Time: Aging

Tags American Literature, Race / Racism, Education, Education, Drama / Tragedy, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction

August Wilson’s play Fences premiered in 1985 at the Yale Repertory Theatre and was published the following year. It opened on Broadway in 1987 with James Earl Jones in the role of Troy. It was the third play to premiere of Wilson’s Century Cycle, although it is the sixth play chronologically. The Century Cycle, also known as the Pittsburgh Cycle, consists of 10 plays, one set in each decade of the 20th century. Each play... Read Fences Summary


Publication year 1945

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Aging

Tags Classic Fiction, British Literature


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: Aging, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Family

Tags Romance, LGBTQ


Publication year 1941

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: Aging, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict

Tags Lyric Poem, The Lost Generation

Four Quartets is a collection of four poems by T.S. Eliot. The four pieces were originally published between 1934 and 1942, during a period of time in which Eliot’s life was disrupted by the events of World War II. They were then collected into a single volume in 1943. The poems are linked loosely by theme; all of them are about the relationship between people and the divine. At the time of its publication, several of... Read Four Quartets Summary


Publication year 2007

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Immigration, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Asian Literature