"To err is human, to forgive divine," wrote poet Alexander Pope, suggesting that to forgive is sacred but also difficult—even impossible—for us mortals. This study guide collection gathers together texts with themes on the merits and challenges of forgiveness.
Publication year 1999
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness
Tags Romance, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Depression / Suicide, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy
Publication year 1955
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness
Tags The Beat Generation, Action / Adventure, Relationships, Love / Sexuality, Absurdism, History: U.S., American Literature, History: World, Travel Literature, Classic Fiction
On the Road, published in 1957, is a novel by prominent Beat Generation writer Jack Kerouac that recalls his cross-country travels across the US in the late 1940s. It explores concepts of society, freedom, and—most of all—friendship.Sal Paradise (Kerouac’s pseudonym) is the story’s protagonist and narrator, while other key characters stand in for fellow Beat luminaries in his circle, including poet Allen Ginsberg (best known for the revolutionary 1956 poem Howl) and writer William S... Read On the Road Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery
Tags Romance, New Adult, Latin American Literature, Love / Sexuality, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Publication year 1997
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Class, Natural World: Place, Natural World: Climate, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Identity: Disability, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Music, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Art, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Animals, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Natural World: Food, Society: Education
Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Agriculture, History: U.S., Great Depression, Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction
Karen Hesse’s Out of the Dust is a historical middle-grade novel in verse first published in 1997. Through 110 first-person free verse poems, the narrative tells the story of two years in the life of Billie Jo Kelby, young daughter of a struggling farming family in the Oklahoma Panhandle in the mid-1930s. After a tragic accident results in the death of Billie Jo’s mother and baby brother, she and her father must find a way... Read Out of the Dust Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings
Publication year 2009
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness
Tags Crime / Legal, Race / Racism, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Social Justice, Biography
Picking Cotton: Our Memoir of Injustice and Redemption is a 2009 memoir written by Ronald Cotton and Jennifer Thompson-Cannino. The coauthors share a unique relationship. When she was 22, Jennifer mistakenly identified Ronald as the man who raped her in her apartment. He was wrongfully convicted and spent 11 years in prison before being exonerated by DNA testing. Together, they tell their story, which explores themes of Victimization, Guilt, and Shame; The Unreliability of Eyewitness... Read Picking Cotton Summary
Publication year 1987
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Race, Society: Immigration
Tags Historical Fiction, Japanese Literature, Education, Education, History: U.S., Asian Literature, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1987
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Crime / Legal
Presumed Innocent (1987) is Scott Turow’s first novel, originally published by Farrar Straus & Giroux. The hit novel stayed on the New York Times bestseller list for 44 weeks and is often credited as an early example of the modern legal thriller, helping to shape the genre’s conventions. Turow went on to publish 12 additional novels and three nonfiction works. He also continued to practice law, specializing in criminal defense, contrasting with Presumed Innocent’s protagonist... Read Presumed Innocent Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Family, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags History: World
Publication year 2008
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Fate, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Identity: Indigenous, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Community
Tags Poverty, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Grief / Death, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction, Canadian Literature
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Realistic Fiction, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Self Discovery, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness
Tags Romance, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Midlife, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Music, Identity: Gender
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Life/Time: Aging, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Midlife, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Literary Fiction, Humor, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1997
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Animals, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Society: Community
Tags Realistic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Relationships
Publication year 1977
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags WWI / World War I, Irish Literature
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, British Literature, Military / War, History: World
Secrets of a Charmed Life is a historical fiction novel written by Susan Meissner and published by New American Library, a division of Penguin Random House, in 2015. The book follows two sisters in wartime England, Emmeline and Julia Downtree, who are separated from each other during the Blitz. The book also follows an interview between American Oxford student Kendra Van Zant and Blitz survivor and artist Isabel MacFarland. The novel explores the themes of... Read Secrets of a Charmed Life Summary
Publication year 2012
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Birth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Fathers, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality, Historical Fiction, Romance
Shadow of Night (2012) is a historical fantasy romance novel by Deborah Harkness, and the second book in the All Souls Trilogy, preceded by A Discovery of Witches (2011) and followed by The Book of Life (2014). A prequel novel, Time’s Convert (2019), follows the origin story of Matthew’s son Marcus, who is a minor character in Shadow of Night.Harkness holds a PhD from the University of California, Davis and teaches early modern European history... Read Shadow of Night Summary
Publication year 1998
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Animals, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Education
Tags Realistic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Relationships, Children's Literature, Animals, Classic Fiction