We can call it destiny; we can call it providence; we can even call it the will of the gods. Whatever words we use, the idea that the events in our lives are beyond our control is powerful — which explains why so many authors, past and present, have used the ever-relevant idea of fate to communicate rich lessons about humanity.
Publication year 1972
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Auto/Biographical Fiction, Historical Fiction, Survival Fiction, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Children's Literature, Jewish Literature, Military / War, History: World
The Upstairs Room (1972) is a novel based on the experiences of author Johanna Reiss as a Jewish girl during World War II. The novel follows protagonist Annie de Leeuw and her sister Sini as they hide from the Nazis during the German occupation of Holland. Annie’s story, which is told from her first-person perspective, celebrates human resilience and compassion while exploring themes concerning the loss of childhood innocence, the sacrifices people make during wartime... Read The Upstairs Room Summary
Publication year 2000
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Class, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Fate, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Mothers, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Identity: Masculinity, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride
Tags History: World, Regency Era, Romance, Historical Fiction
Publication year 1952
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Self Discovery, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Fantasy, Children's Literature, Religion / Spirituality, Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Christian literature
C. S. Lewis’s The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is a fantasy novel for children originally published in 1952 as the third installment of The Chronicles of Narnia series. However, because recent editions of the series tend to number the books in chronological order of storytelling rather than the original order of publication, it is most often counted as the fifth volume in modern printings. The Chronicles of Narnia includes seven novels: The Lion, the... Read The Voyage of the Dawn Treader Summary
Publication year 950
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Lyric Poem, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, Classic Fiction, History: European
Publication year 1995
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Values/Ideas: Fate
Tags Fantasy, Mythology, Ancient Greece, Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1987
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Community, Natural World: Animals, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Values/Ideas: Fate
Tags Mythology, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Animals, Magical Realism, Fantasy
The Whale Rider is a 1987 novel by New Zealand author Witi Ihimaera. A film adaptation was made in 2002 that would go on to win several awards. Throughout the novel, Ihimaera juxtaposes the migration of a herd of whales with the Maori tribe’s search for a male heir. The Whale Rider comprises four major sections, as well as a prologue, epilogue, and glossary. Each section of text is named after one of the seasons... Read The Whale Rider Summary
Publication year 1994
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Fate
Tags Magical Realism, Fantasy, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Japanese Literature, Love / Sexuality
Publication year 1808
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Relationships: Marriage, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags Historical Fiction, Race / Racism, Gender / Feminism, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, Education, Education, British Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2024
Genre Novella, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Animals, Values/Ideas: Fate
Publication year 1971
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Literature, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Fate
Tags Lyric Poem, Grief / Death, Arts / Culture, Heinemann African Writers, African Literature
Publication year 2009
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Self Discovery, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Fate
Tags Philosophy, American Literature, Self Help, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Self Discovery
Tags Romance, Holidays & Occasions, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Mythology
Publication year 1952
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Values/Ideas: Fate, Society: Globalization
Tags Japanese Literature, Love / Sexuality, Asian Literature, Romance, Classic Fiction
The novel Thousand Cranes (in Japanese, Senbazuru) was written by Japanese author Yasunari Kawabata. It was originally published in serialized form between 1949 and 1951 and compiled with another of Kawabata’s novels, Snow Country (1948), in book form in 1952. The narrative follows Kikuji, an orphaned young businessman, as he navigates the legacy of his father’s infidelity against the backdrop of traditional Japanese tea culture. It explores themes of Decay of Traditions and Values, Legacy:... Read Thousand Cranes Summary
Publication year 1883
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hope
Tags Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
Thus Spoke Zarathustra: A Book for All and None is a work of fiction written by the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. Published between 1883 and 1885, the allegorical novel also known as Thus Spake Zarathustra is a collection of speeches by a character named Zarathustra to the villagers of The Motley Cow. Nietzsche uses many literary devices such as personification, allegory, and allusion. The philosophical points referenced in Thus Spoke Zarathustra include the death of... Read Thus Spoke Zarathustra Summary
Publication year 65
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Play: Tragedy, Ancient Rome, Classical Period, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Publication year 1648
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Future, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Lyric Poem, Love / Sexuality
Publication year 1988
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Food, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Action / Adventure, Travel Literature, Sports, Science / Nature, Biography
Touching the Void is a 1988 memoir by British author Joe Simpson. The book recounts the disastrous, near-fatal attempt of Simpson and his climbing partner, Simon Yates, to ascend the West Face of Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes. The book details Simpson’s harrowing ordeal, in which he broke his leg and fell into a crevasse, and how he survived against seemingly insurmountable odds.Simpson’s narrative highlights the resilience of the human spirit and explores the... Read Touching the Void Summary
Publication year 2016
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Natural World: Objects, Values/Ideas: Fate, Identity: Race
Tags Lyric Poem