With classics like J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan and contemporary hits like Min Jin Lee's Pachinko, this collection gathers texts that grapple with the complex and archetypal role of the mother.
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Fantasy, Mythology, Historical Fiction, Romance, History: World
Publication year 1930
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Southern Gothic, American Literature, Classic Fiction, Grief / Death, Parenting, Education, Education, Southern Literature, History: World
As I Lay Dying is a Southern Gothic novel by William Cuthbert Faulkner, which he published in 1930. The story follows a poor, rural family’s journey across Mississippi to bury their dead matriarch and is marked by dark humor and stream-of-consciousness style narration.Faulkner (1897-1962) was a writer from Oxford, Mississippi. His novels and works of short fiction, including The Sound and the Fury (1929) and As I Lay Dying (1930), earned him the Nobel Prize... Read As I Lay Dying Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
Publication year 1971
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Gender, Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Depression / Suicide, Gender / Feminism
“A Sorrowful Woman” is Gail Godwin’s most anthologized short story and tackles the themes of depression, domesticity, and female identity. Godwin is a best-selling American author and multiple National Book Award finalist who often explores these themes in her novels. “A Sorrowful Woman,” a subversion of the fairy tale, details a woman’s struggles with her role as wife and mother and the expectations and disappointments that lead her to suicide. Godwin’s unnamed characters upend the... Read A Sorrowful Woman Summary
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Fate
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Mythology, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Historical Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Mothers, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Education
Publication year 1983
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Prose poetry, Post Modernism, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Gender / Feminism, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1964
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Ekphrastic, Parenting, Love / Sexuality
Publication year 1977
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Femininity
Tags Disability
“Average Waves in Unprotected Waters,” originally published in the February 28, 1977 edition of The New Yorker, is one of American author Anne Tyler’s most anthologized stories. Through the third-person-limited point of view of the protagonist, Bet Blevins, Tyler presents the story of a single mother on the day she intends to institutionalize her developmentally disabled son, Arnold. As Bet struggles to navigate her complex emotions regarding Arnold, the story explores themes of the conflicting... Read Average Waves in Unprotected Waters Summary
Publication year 1964
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Grief / Death, Gender / Feminism, French Literature, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Biography
Publication year 2023
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Biography, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Relationships: Family
Tags Relationships, Historical Fiction, Vietnam War, Asian Literature, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 1995
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Animals, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Immigration, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Music
Tags Historical Fiction, Southern Literature, Depression / Suicide, Grief / Death, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy
Pat Conroy’s 1995 novel Beach Music is a work of historical fiction. Set primarily in South Carolina, the novel follows a community fractured by memories of the Holocaust and the social upheaval of the 1960s and 1970s. Beach Music explores the nature of generational trauma and the way our pasts shape our futures. The power of forgiveness and the differences between duty and loyalty are also prominent themes. The setting and culture of the American... Read Beach Music Summary
Publication year 2002
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Animals, Romance, Canadian Literature, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2021
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Immigration, Identity: Language, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Identity: Race, Natural World: Food, Society: Education, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Chinese Literature, Immigration / Refugee, Poverty, American Literature, Education, Biography
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Life/Time: Midlife
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Auto/Biographical Fiction, British Literature, Christian literature, History: World, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2004
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Community, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Identity: Language, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Hope
Tags Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Indigenous, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Trauma / Abuse / Violence