Nature Versus Nurture

How much of our identity is shaped by our environments? How much is intrinsic to who we are and beyond the control of external forces? These are ancient questions with complex answers. In this collection we've gathered texts that explore the issue of nature versus nurture from a variety of angles.

Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Science / Nature, Education, Technology, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Children's Literature


Publication year 2006

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Aging, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature

Tags Lyric Poem


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Science / Nature, Animals, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1817

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Natural World: Objects, Natural World: Place, Natural World: Environment

Tags Philosophy, Science / Nature, Romanticism / Romantic Period, Education, Education, British Literature, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1946

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Nurture v. Nature

Tags Christian literature, Animals, American Literature


Publication year 2007

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Music, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Memory

Tags Music, Science / Nature, Psychology, Health / Medicine, Psychology


Publication year 2012

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Society: Economics, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature

Tags Crime / Legal, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Biography

My Friend Dahmer is a graphic novel/memoir by American cartoonist and writer Derf Backderf, known for utilizing darkness and shading in his comic strips and graphic novels. Evolving from a 24-page cartoon created in 2002, My Friend Dahmer (2012) depicts the author’s memories of his high school friend, notorious serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, in novelistic form—exploring the ways Dahmer himself could have been helped and his 17 murders prevented. The graphic novel was adapted into... Read My Friend Dahmer Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Values/Ideas: Beauty

Tags Satire, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

My Sister, the Serial Killer, is a novel by Nigerian-born British writer Oyinkan Braithwaite, originally published in the UK in 2019. Set in Nigeria’s largest city, Lagos, this darkly satirical, structurally experimental crime story about the extremes of family bonds bears an unusually revealing and literal title, and it has been longlisted for the prestigious Booker Prize. The novel was also shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction and the 2019 Amazon Publishing Readers’ Awards... Read My Sister, the Serial Killer Summary


Publication year 1878

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Disability, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Teams

Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1789

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Animals

Tags Romanticism / Romantic Period, Religion / Spirituality, History: World, Arts / Culture


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1988

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Economics, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature

Tags Finance / Money / Wealth, Business / Economics, Self Help


Publication year 1978

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Natural World: Nurture v. Nature

Tags Science / Nature, Sociology, Psychology, Philosophy, Anthropology, Anthropology, History: World, Psychology, Philosophy


Publication year 1910

Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction

Themes Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Emotions/Behavior: Fear

Tags Philosophy, Italian Literature, Ancient Rome

On the Nature of Things is a philosophical work by the Roman author Titus Lucretius Carus (whom we call “Lucretius”). It was written in the early 50s BC, in Latin. Though this is a work of science and philosophy, it is also a poem. This work provides a detailed description of Epicurean philosophy, which encompasses theories of atoms, cosmology, theology, and a wide variety of natural phenomena. It also addresses the nature of the mind... Read On The Nature Of Things Summary


Publication year 1859

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Natural World: Place, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Food, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos

Tags Science / Nature, History: World, Religion / Spirituality

Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life (published in 1859) is a seminal work in evolutionary biology of great historical and scientific importance. Darwinian thought, especially regarding evolution, is now commonly accepted as the most powerful theory in biology and the natural history of species—and the system of natural selection that this theory advanced has been applied (and misappropriated)... Read On the Origin of Species Summary


Publication year 49

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

Themes Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature

Tags Classical Period, Philosophy, Ancient Rome, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Self Help, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 1823

Genre Novella, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Mothers, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature

Tags Classic Fiction, French Literature, Education, Education, Historical Fiction

Written in 1823 by Claire de Duras, Ourika is a French novella based on real events about a Senegalese woman taken as a slave from her native country and raised in French high society. Ourika is one of the first European texts to feature a black protagonist, the psychological depth of whom promotes empathy with the racial “Other” and highlights the importance of nurture (versus nature) in human psychological development. In the Introduction, a young doctor is summoned to an... Read Ourika Summary


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Class, Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Sexuality, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Fathers, Identity: Gender, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope

Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Southern Literature, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: World, Romance

Out of the Easy, written by Ruta Sepetys and published in 2013, is a young adult historical fiction novel. Sepetys is an award-winning Lithuanian American writer of young adult historical fiction. Her honors include the Carnegie Medal, awarded to one work of children’s or young adult literature per year. Her novels are international best sellers and are widely translated. Out of the Easy is about Josie, a teenage girl living in the French Quarter of... Read Out of the Easy Summary


Publication year 1977

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Nurture v. Nature

Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, Agriculture