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 1874
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Society: War, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Ancient Greece, Philosophy, Military / War, Social Justice, History: World, Politics / Government
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
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Objects, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality, Ancient Greece, Education, Education, Classic Fiction, Philosophy
Aristotle (384-322 BC) was an important ancient Greek philosopher whose work embraced politics, ethics, and metaphysics. The title of his treatise On the Soul (sometimes known by its Latin title De Anima) suggests it is a seminal work on the process of understanding human beings. For Aristotle, “soul” denotes the life principle in plants, animals, and humans, and is thus a more biological and psychological than a spiritual concept. Some scholars believe that On the... Read On the Soul Summary
Publication year 2009
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Midlife, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Relationships: Teams
Tags History: U.S., Sports, Biography
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Community, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Food
Tags Fantasy, Magical Realism, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Animals, Food, Relationships
Publication year 1938
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Arts / Culture, Christian literature, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Published in 1938, Out of the Silent Planet is a science fiction novel by author C. S. Lewis, best known for his bestselling fantasy children’s series, The Chronicles of Narnia. It is the first book in Lewis’s Space Trilogy, followed by Perelandra (1943) and That Hideous Strength (1945). With Out of the Silent Planet, Lewis sought to write a narrative that differed from contemporary popular science fiction, which he believed promoted harmful ideas like human... Read Out of the Silent Planet Summary
Publication year 1994
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Mythology, Religion / Spirituality, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Education, Education, Philosophy, Philosophy, History: World, Fantasy
Publication year 2024
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Publication year 1670
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality, Christian literature, French Literature, History: World, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
Publication year -1
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags Philosophy, History: European, Ancient Greece, Military / War, Education, Education, Philosophy, History: World, Classical Period, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government
Publication year 1836
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Community, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage
Tags Classic Fiction, Victorian Period, Action / Adventure, Humor, Travel Literature, Class, History: European, Politics / Government, Social Justice, Sports, British Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Victorian Literature / Period
The debut novel of British author Charles Dickens, The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club (commonly known as The Pickwick Papers) was first published as a series by Chapman and Hall between 1836 and 1837. The Pickwick Papers chronicles the adventures of the members of the Pickwick Club, a group of travelers who journey around England and share their experiences. Because of the original serial format of the novel, the chapters contain individual but interconnected... Read Pickwick Papers Summary
Publication year 1967
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Colonialism, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Identity: Femininity, Natural World: Place
Tags Historical Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Gothic Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1974
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Space & The Universe, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Femininity
Tags Lyric Poem, Gender / Feminism, Social Justice, Relationships
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Children's Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Disability
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Masculinity, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Society: Class
Tags Philosophy, Education, Education, Philosophy, Classical Period, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government, History: World, Ancient Greece
Politics by Aristotle is a study of political theories and approaches written in the fourth century BCE. Politics serves as a companion to Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics. In Politics, Aristotle builds a case in response to Plato’s Republic. Aristotle argues that the purpose of a city is to contribute to the common good, creating a framework for individuals to pursue happiness through virtue. The philosopher and scientist gathered data on 158 different cities before writing his... Read Politics Summary
Publication year 1907
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Philosophy, Psychology, American Literature, Religion / Spirituality, Science / Nature, Psychology, Philosophy, Self Help, Classic Fiction
Pragmatism: A New Name for Some Old Ways of Thinking (1907) is a philosophical work by the American philosopher and psychologist William James. It consists of eight lectures originally delivered at the Lowell Institute in Boston and at Columbia University in New York. James is closely associated with the philosophy of pragmatism, originally formulated by the American philosopher Charles Sanders Peirce, and this book is considered the major statement of the ideas and principles of... Read Pragmatism Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Self Help, Action / Adventure, Military / War
Publication year 1928
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Language, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Psychology
Publication year 1959
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Education, Society: Immigration, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Education, Education