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 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Teams, Relationships: Family, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Relationships: Friendship, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction
Publication year 2004
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Colonialism, Society: Class, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Social Justice, Anthropology, Class, Depression / Suicide, Finance / Money / Wealth, Politics / Government, Love / Sexuality, Race / Racism, Sociology, Religion / Spirituality, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Cloud Atlas is a 2004 dystopian novel by British author David Mitchell. The sprawling narrative is composed of a series of nested stories, spanning centuries into the past and the future. In addition to winning numerous literary and science fiction awards, the novel was adapted into a 2012 film of the same name. This guide uses the 2014 Sceptre edition of Cloud Atlas.Content Warning: The novel and this guide depict slavery and discuss racism, death... Read Cloud Atlas Summary
Publication year 1850
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Nation
Tags Politics / Government, History: U.S.
Publication year 1963
Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Education, Education, Science / Nature, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government
Publication year 1869
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Politics & Government, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Philosophy, Politics / Government, Arts / Culture, Class, Victorian Period, History: World, Philosophy, Victorian Literature / Period, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1962
Genre Anthology/Varied Collection, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Language, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Education, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Fantasy, Mythology, Children's Literature
Publication year 1927
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Historical Fiction, Western, American Literature, Religion / Spirituality, History: World, Classic Fiction
Death Comes for the Archbishop (1927) is a novel by American author Willa Cather. The story is loosely based on the experiences of Priests Jean-Baptiste Lamy and Joseph Projectus Machebeuf as they sought to establish a Catholic diocese (an ecclesiastical district under the control of one particular bishop) in the newly acquired territory of New Mexico.A major figure in American literature, Cather is best known for the novels O Pioneers! (1913), The Song of the... Read Death Comes for the Archbishop Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Science / Nature, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy
Publication year 1918
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Society: Politics & Government, Society: Community, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Classic Fiction, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Mental Illness, Chinese Literature, History: World
Lu Xun's "Diary of a Madman" was first published in China in 1918, during a period of significant cultural and political upheaval in the country. The Qin dynasty, in power since 1644, had recently collapsed from internal and external pressures in the 1912 Xinhai Revolution, marking a dramatic break from the past. New ideas about government, philosophy, and science prompted many Chinese intellectuals to reflect on long-held traditions and look toward a rebirth of the... Read Diary of a Madman Summary
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, 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: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Self Discovery, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Identity: Mental Health
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Doctor Sleep is a 2013 horror novel by Stephen King. It is a sequel to the events that occurred in King’s popular novel The Shining and features the return of Danny Torrance. Decades after the horrors at the Overlook Hotel, Dan Torrance must now reckon with the renewed threat of the spirits. When the novel begins, the dead woman from the Overlook’s Room 217 has returned and threatens Danny in his bathroom. King uses this... Read Doctor Sleep Summary
Publication year 1897
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Identity: Sexuality
Tags Victorian Period, British Literature, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Gothic Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, History: World, Fantasy, Religion / Spirituality
Dracula (1897) is a Victorian gothic novel by Irish writer Bram Stoker. Though the novel is by far his best-known, other significant works include The Jewel of the Seven Stars (1903), The Lair of the White Worm (1911), and the short story collection Dracula's Guest and Other Weird Stories (1914). Like Dracula, many of these works—written at the peak of the British Empire’s power—reveal an Orientalist fascination with regions outside Western Europe.In Dracula, Stoker tells... Read Dracula Summary
Publication year 1992
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure, History: European, Health / Medicine, History: World
Publication year 1940
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Publication year 1992
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Historical Fiction, Philosophy, Science / Nature
Einstein’s Dreams (1993) by Alan Lightman is a best-selling novel that explores the intersection of art and science, and the nature of time. The novel imagines the dreams of a fictionalized version of Albert Einstein to explain various theories about time, leading up to Einstein’s 1905 theory of special relativity, which he formed while working as a patent clerk and starting a family in Berne, Switzerland.Each chapter of the novel features a dream that exemplifies... Read Einstein's Dreams Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Play: Drama, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Grief / Death, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality, American Literature, Drama / Tragedy, Education, Education
Everybody, a one-act play by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, premiered Off-Broadway in 2017 at the Signature Theatre and was first published in 2018. It is a modern retelling of Everyman, the most well-known and anthologized example of a medieval morality play, which was adapted from a Dutch play by an anonymous 15th century English writer. Morality plays first appeared in the 12th century, evolving from the Catholic Church’s cycle plays and liturgical dramas, which reenacted biblical scenes... Read Everybody Summary
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Aging, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Everybody’s Fool is a 2016 novel by American Pulitzer Prize–winning author Richard Russo. The second in Russo’s North Bath trilogy, Everybody’s Fool is set in the small, eccentric, and troubled town of North Bath, New York. The tragicomic novel follows a group of characters whose dramas unfold over a single Memorial Day Weekend, exploring how individuals react to and rebel against their emotional and moral ties to their communities. The novel also grapples with existential themes... Read Everybody's Fool Summary
Publication year 2007
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Immigration / Refugee, African Literature, Black Lives Matter, Business / Economics, African American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Travel Literature
Nigerian author Teju Cole’s Every Day Is for the Thief is a work of autofiction originally published in Nigeria in 2007 and published in the US in 2014. The novel unfolds in picaresque style from the first-person perspective, as a narrator who closely resembles the author returns to Nigeria after 15 years in the US to reckon with Nigerian national identity and his own legacy. Surprised to find that he feels less comfortable in his... Read Every Day Is for the Thief Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags History: World, Politics / Government, Philosophy
Publication year 1920
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Lyric Poem, Natural Disaster, Relationships, Climate Change, American Literature, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction