Grief

"The art of losing isn't hard to master," wrote poet Elizabeth Bishop. Perhaps she meant that we will all face loss at some point in our lives. In this collection, we have brought together texts that take up the universal experience of grief.

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Fathers, Natural World: Food, Natural World: Appearance & Reality

Tags Food


Publication year 1986

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Food

Tags Education, Education, History: U.S., American Literature, History: World, Chinese Literature, Grief / Death, Food


Publication year 1965

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature

Tags Depression / Suicide, Confessional, Free verse, Grief / Death


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Indigenous, Relationships: Family

Tags Fantasy, Mystery / Crime Fiction, LGBTQ, Magical Realism, Action / Adventure, Grief / Death, Race / Racism, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 450

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Fate, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Natural World: Appearance & Reality

Tags Play: Tragedy, Mythology, Grief / Death, Ancient Greece, Drama / Tragedy, Classical Period, Fantasy, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1751

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Lyric Poem, Grief / Death, Classical Period, Education, Education, Romanticism / Romantic Period, British Literature, Gothic Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1987

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Mothers, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Natural World: Appearance & Reality

Tags Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction, Southern Literature, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Race / Racism

Ellen Foster is a work of adult fiction by US novelist Kaye Gibbons, first published by Algonquin Books in 1987. The novel was Gibbons’s debut, and it won the Sue Kaufman Prize for literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters and a notable citation from the Ernest Hemingway Foundation. Critics praised the novel for its unsentimental outlook and the wry, distinct voice of its protagonist. Ellen, a young girl living in the American... Read Ellen Foster Summary


Publication year 1717

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy

Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Religion / Spirituality, Age of Enlightenment, British Literature, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, Gothic Literature, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Romance, Classic Fiction

“Eloisa to Abelard” is a poem published in 1717 by Alexander Pope. The poem discusses the ill-fated love affair of a real-life couple from 12th-century France: Heloïse d’Argenteuil, a gifted 18-year-old student, and Peter Abelard, a renowned French scholar, philosopher, and poet of the Medieval era who was 20 years older than Heloïse. The poem is a heroic verse epistle, which is a genre first made famous in Ovid’s Heroides. Pope adopts Eloisa’s persona and... Read Eloisa to Abelard Summary


Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Grief

Tags Magical Realism, Grief / Death, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Religion / Spirituality

Elsewhere is a coming-of-age story and work of magical realism—a genre in which fantastical elements (e.g. talking animals) are woven into an otherwise ordinary setting. First published in 2005, it was writer Gabrielle Zevin’s first novel for a YA audience, and was a 2006 Bank Street Best Children’s Book; it is also an American Library Association Notable Children’s Book. All page numbers in this guide refer to the Farrar, Straus, and Giroux edition. Plot SummaryElsewhere begins... Read Elsewhere Summary


Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Class, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Community, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Realistic Fiction, Poverty, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Grief / Death, Urban Development, Arts / Culture

Emako Blue is a novel for young adults written by Brenda Woods. Set in Los Angeles, California, Emako's friends and schoolmates relay the events leading up to Emako Blue’s gang-related murder in alternating first-person narration, primarily through flashbacks. The text explores the effects of poverty, gang violence, guns, and how these issues have far-reaching impacts on each member of a community. As the events of the story unfold, each narrator must consider what they want... Read Emako Blue Summary


Publication year 1999

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Society: War, Society: Colonialism

Tags History: Asian, WWII / World War II, Politics / Government, Military / War, Asian Literature, History: World, Japanese Literature


Publication year 1995

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Natural World: Environment


Publication year 2018

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Race, Society: Class

Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman


Publication year 1847

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Grief

Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, Romance, American Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1904

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Society: Colonialism

Tags Irish Literature, Modernism, Gender / Feminism, Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction

“Eveline” is the fourth short story in James Joyce’s Dubliners collection, completed in 1907 and published in London in 1914. This story, like the others in Dubliners, reveals Joyce’s view of Ireland, then a British colony, as existing in a state of paralysis. Alongside this broader theme, “Eveline” also explores topics like duty versus freedom, English imperialism, and individual autonomy. Nearly a story of a young woman escaping the confines of her abusive and lonely... Read Eveline Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Fate, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness

Tags Chinese Literature, Asian Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Philosophy, Philosophy

Ted Chiang’s Exhalation is a collection of nine science fiction short stories. Published in 2019, the stories feature time travel, robots, artificial intelligences, and human beings grappling with an everchanging world. Seven of the nine stories appeared in previous publications, going on to win multiple Hugo, Nebula, and Locus awards. Through the science fiction/dystopian genre, Exhalation explores forgiveness, parenting, technology ethics, free will, and climate change. This is Ted Chiang’s second collection, following Stories of... Read Exhalation Summary


Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Relationships: Family, Society: War

Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Drama / Tragedy, Grief / Death, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, September 11 Attacks, Modern Classic Fiction

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is a realistic fiction novel written by Jonathan Safran Foer and based on the September 11 terrorist attacks that occurred in New York City in 2001. The novel was originally published in 2005. Its characters grapple with Fear of Death and Loss as an Obstacle to Living, The Complex Nature of Relationships, The Importance of Little Things, and The Influence of the Past on the Present. This guide uses the... Read Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close Summary


Publication year 1978

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Disability, Identity: Gender, Society: War

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World

The Eye of the Needle is an espionage thriller by best-selling author Ken Follett. Originally published in 1978 under the title, Storm Island, the novel follows the hunt for German spy and assassin Henry Faber. Faber has obtained information that will influence Adolf Hitler’s decision on whether to send reinforcements to Erwin Rommell’s army in Normandy in anticipation of a joint British and American attack. The Eye of the Needle is Ken Follett’s first commercially... Read Eye of the Needle Summary


Publication year 1988

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Grief

Tags Lyric Poem, History: U.S., Vietnam War

The poem “Facing It” by Yusef Komunyakaa is a meditation on the first time Komunyakaa visited the US Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington DC. Komunyakaa served in the Vietnam War as an Army journalist for the military newspaper, Southern Cross, until he was discharged in 1966. He began writing about the war approximately 14 years after coming home from Vietnam.Prior to this, he had only written one poem about his experience in the war, and... Read Facing It Summary


Publication year 1996

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Natural World: Food

Tags Action / Adventure, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature

Set in Canada, American author Will Hobbs’s young-adult novel Far North (1996) follows Gabe Rogers, who lives with his grandparents in Austin, Texas. When Gabe tells his father that he wants to live with him in Canada, his father tells him he may on two conditions. First, Gabe must travel up north to experience the severe cold of the Northwest Territories for one year. Second, he must attend boarding school. While flying through Canada with... Read Far North Summary