Italian novelist Umberto Eco wrote, "I believe that what we become depends on what our fathers teach us at odd moments, when they aren’t trying to teach us." This study guide collection gathers texts that explore what it means to be a father and what profound lessons their presence—or absence—teaches us.
Publication year 2005
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Identity: Indigenous, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Latin American Literature
Written by Luis Alberto Urrea in 2005, The Hummingbird’s Daughter is a fictional account of the life of Teresa Urrea, a woman whose mystical powers and religious fervor earned her the reputation of a living saint in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Luis Alberto Urrea is a distant cousin of Teresa and grew up hearing about her. He eventually researched her life through his family connections and the communities that she helped. The novel... Read The Hummingbird's Daughter Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Irish Literature
Publication year 1673
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers
Tags Play: Comedy / Satire, Classic Fiction, French Literature
Le Malade Imaginaire, typically translated as The Imaginary Invalid, opened in Paris in 1673 and was the final play written by the famous French satirist Molière. Molière wrote frequently about doctors, and six of his comedies deal significantly with medical practitioners. The trope of the doctor who is as greedy and as pompous as he is inept—often speaking a jumble of Latin and Greek to prove his intelligence—is a stock character of commedia dell’arte, the... Read The Imaginary Invalid Summary
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Mental Health, Society: War, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Life/Time: The Past
Tags Realistic Fiction, Mental Illness, Military / War, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance
Publication year 2000
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Siblings, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Nation, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Korean Literature, Agriculture
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Fathers, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Asian Literature, Children's Literature, Asian Literature
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 1759
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Birth
Tags Classic Fiction, Satire, Humor, British Literature, Age of Enlightenment, History: World
The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman is a nine-volume novel published between 1759 and 1767 by English novelist Laurence Sterne. The novel is considered by many scholars as an early forerunner of postmodern literature due to its metafictional commentary on its own narrative. Contemporary critics did not view the novel favorably, though its humor and sentimentalism helped it find an audience. The novel has been adapted for radio and opera and as a... Read The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger
Tags Historical Fiction, Incarceration, Mental Illness, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Class, History: World, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Society: Politics & Government, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Immigration, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Romance
Publication year 1789
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Relationships: Fathers
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Relationships: Fathers, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Fame, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride
Tags Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Class, Finance / Money / Wealth, Gender / Feminism, History: U.S., Leadership/Organization/Management, Relationships, History: World, Romance
Publication year 1850
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, French Literature, History: World
Among the most widely read and translated of all French authors, Alexandre Dumas lived and worked in the 19th century. A playwright, journalist, and travel writer, Dumas is likely best known for his historical fiction, much of which was initially published in serialized form. Along with The Count of Monte Cristo, his most enduring works are the three books that make up his D’Artagnan Romances: The Three Musketeers, Twenty Years After, and The Vicomte de... Read The Man In The Iron Mask Summary
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Realistic Fiction, Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, September 11 Attacks, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction
Publication year 1997
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Sports, Realistic Fiction, Humor
Publication year 2003
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Self Discovery, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Romance, Parenting
Publication year 1998
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Psychology, Parenting, Science / Nature, Sociology, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Social Science, Psychology
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Class, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Community, Relationships: Fathers, Natural World: Place, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Disability, Identity: Femininity
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Gothic Literature, Realistic Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Depression / Suicide, Disability, Grief / Death, Class
Publication year 1965
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Natural World: Environment, Life/Time: The Future
Tags Historical Fiction, Southern Literature, American Literature, Southern Gothic, Classic Fiction
The Orchard Keeper is the 1965 debut novel of American author Cormac McCarthy. The story explores the relationship between a young boy and the man who killed the boy’s father; it explores themes of The Chaos of the Wilderness, Cyclical Violence, and The Encroachment of Modernity. The Orchard Keeper won a number of awards, while McCarthy’s later works would earn him a Pulitzer Prize. Other works by this author include No Country for Old Men... Read The Orchard Keeper Summary