Like night and day or winter and summer, there is a rigid division between the states of order and chaos that seems immutable. Nevertheless, these opposing forces also depend on one another. In this study guide collection, we've put together texts that explore themes related to the diametrically opposed yet inextricably linked forces of order and chaos.
Publication year 1962
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Art, Life/Time: Aging
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction
Publication year 1995
Genre Poem, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Society: War, Relationships: Teams, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Space & The Universe
Tags Free verse, Lyric Poem, Spoken Word Poetry, Politics / Government, History: World, Military / War, Grief / Death, American Literature
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQ
Publication year 1955
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Fate, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Allegory / Fable / Parable, Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, WWI / World War I, Military / War, American Literature, 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: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: Midlife
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1981
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Society: Community, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Philosophy, Post Modernism, Religion / Spirituality, Arts / Culture, History: World, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government
An influential work of moral philosophy, After Virtue (1981) by the Scottish-born philosopher Alasdair MacIntyre takes a bleak view of the state of modern moral dialogue, viewing it as suffering from a lack of rational thought and an inability to resolve disagreements. By looking at older forms of moral discourse, such as Aristotle’s moral framework, and comparing them to the modern version, he generally finds the modern moral framework to be lacking and suggests fixes... Read After Virtue Summary
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Politics & Government, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Colonialism, Society: Education, Relationships: Family
Tags Historical Fiction, Social Justice, Class, Education, History: World, History: Asian, History: European, Incarceration, Politics / Government, Children's Literature, Indian Literature, Arts / Culture
Publication year 1959
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Masculinity, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, American Literature, Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Military / War, Relationships, History: U.S., Cold War, Fantasy
Alas, Babylon is a 1959 novel by Pat Frank. Written during the Cold War, it is one of the earliest post-apocalyptic novels to deal with the potential consequences of nuclear war. It examines themes of nationalism, natural selection, deterrent force, and resilience and contains elements of dystopian literature.Plot SummaryAs the novel begins, Mark Bragg sends a telegram to his brother, Randy. The telegram includes the words, “Alas, Babylon,” their code for the onset of a... Read Alas, Babylon Summary
Publication year 1959
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Technology
First published in Fantasy and Science Fiction magazine, the classic science fiction/dystopian short story “All You Zombies—” (1959) by Robert A. Heinlein explores an unusual paradox involving transsexual time travel: What if you undergo sexual reassignment surgery, go back in time, have an affair with your younger self, and become your own parent? The story became an award-winning 2014 science fiction film, Predestination. Heinlein is known for his other science fiction works, including Stranger in... Read All You Zombies Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Place, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Mental Illness
Publication year 1595
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags British Literature, Play: Comedy / Satire, Fantasy, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Arts / Culture, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Animals
A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a comedic play by William Shakespeare that was likely first written and performed around 1600. The first certifiably recorded performance took place in 1604. Set in the Greek city-state of Athens, the play centers on an impending marriage. Before the wedding, the characters find themselves in a forest where a group of fairies manipulates and tricks them. A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of Shakespeare’s most popular and most performed... Read A Midsummer Night's Dream Summary
Publication year 1957
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Economics, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Business / Economics, Politics / Government, Philosophy, Education, Education, Social Science, Philosophy
Publication year 1690
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Identity: Language, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality, Education, Science / Nature, Age of Enlightenment, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government
An Essay Concerning Human Understanding by John Locke is a study of how humans think, learn, and retain knowledge. Scholars often focus first on Locke’s philosophical treatises, but his work on epistemology complements and shapes his political thought. Born in 1632, the English philosopher ushered in the Age of Enlightenment and is considered one of the greatest Western philosophers in history. An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, first published in 1690, explores the origin and nature... Read An Essay Concerning Human Understanding Summary
Publication year 1668
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: War, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Literary Criticism, Education, Education
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Race / Racism, Social Justice, History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance
Publication year 1897
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Classic Fiction, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, Depression / Suicide, Existentialism, Education, Education, British Literature, History: World
In “An Outpost of Progress,” Joseph Conrad (1857-1924), a Ukrainian-born Polish-British novelist and short story writer, presents a disturbing psychological case study centered on the struggle between good and evil in the hearts and souls of two white traders dispatched to a remote corner of Africa to oversee a trading station along the Congo River. The story probes how easily the heart can lose its moral and ethical bearings amid the oppressive emptiness of the... Read An Outpost Of Progress Summary
Publication year 1965
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Free verse, Animals, Race / Racism, Gender / Feminism, Confessional, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), American Literature, History: World, Mental Illness, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1872
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: The Future, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Action / Adventure, French Literature, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Travel Literature, Classic Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction
Around the World in Eighty Days is from the Extraordinary Voyages series published in 1872 by French Victorian author Jules Verne. Recognized as an early example of the science fiction genre, the novel blends scientific content with artistic style. Verne is well known for writing adventure novels that accurately portray the use of complex travel-related technology developed during the Industrial Revolution such as steam engines and railways. His novels, at the same time, incorporate artistic... Read Around the World in Eighty Days Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Fate, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Self Discovery
Tags Fantasy, Romance, New Adult, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 1790
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, British Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Gothic Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance, Classic Fiction