Power

This curated selection of titles examines the concept of power and its role in shaping society. The texts in the Power Collection draw upon a wide range of literary traditions and genres to explore concepts related to power and its pursuit, such as equality and injustice, colonialism, authority, and conflict.

Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure


Publication year 2010

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure, Fantasy, Romance

Mockingjay, published in 2010 by Scholastic, is the third novel in Suzanne Collins’s bestselling Hunger Games series. The series follows the life of Katniss Everdeen, an adolescent girl living in the futuristic dystopia of Panem. Mockingjay focuses on the civil war between the 13 districts of Panem and the oppressive government of the Capitol. Through Katniss’s experiences in the war, Collins explores cycles of oppression, the meaning of love in wartime, and the power of... Read Mockingjay Summary


Publication year 1722

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Identity: Gender

Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, British Literature, History: World

Published in 1722, The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe tells the life story of a woman who carves her own path through late 17th-century England and North America. Like Defoe’s first novel, Robinson Crusoe, this work also tells the tale of a singular individual who overcomes adversity—in her case, extreme poverty—to become considerably wealthy. Moll Flanders is a wife, a thief, a sex worker, and an impresario. She is... Read Moll Flanders Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

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


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Language, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Indigenous

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Depression / Suicide, History: The Americas, Leadership/Organization/Management, Race / Racism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Colonialism / Postcolonialism


Publication year 2010

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Society: Immigration, Society: Education, Society: War, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Realistic Fiction, History: World

Moon Over Manifest is a 2010 novel by author Claire Vanderpool. It relates the story of 12-year-old Abilene Tucker, a drifting girl in search of her father, a home, and a sense of belonging. When the novel starts, her father, Gideon Tucker, has just sent Abilene to the Kansas town of Manifest, claiming that he can’t take her to Iowa, where he is allegedly taking a railroad job. It is 1936, and the Great Depression... Read Moon Over Manifest Summary


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Space & The Universe, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy


Publication year 2001

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Technology, Class


Publication year 1939

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Education, Education, African American Literature, Historical Fiction, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality

Moses, Man of the Mountain is an allegorical novel by African-American author and anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston. The novel reimagines the life of Moses and the biblical narrative of the Exodus from Egypt with several important changes, including the use of African American dialect, slang, and folklore. Throughout the novel, Hurston draws allegorical parallels between the enslavement of the Hebrew people in Egypt and the enslavement of people of African descent in the United States... Read Moses, Man of the Mountain Summary


Publication year 1988

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Community

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Animals, Children's Literature, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1939

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Society: War, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Play: Drama, German Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Classic Fiction

Mother Courage and Her Children (1939) is a play by German author Bertolt Brecht (1898-1980). It tells the story of Anna Fierling, nicknamed Mother Courage, a peddler who travels across Europe during the Thirty Years’ War. It is a drama that questions the justification of warfare, revealing the hypocrisy of a war fought on religious grounds. As the war unfolds, Mother Courage struggles to keep her business afloat and her three children safe. The play... Read Mother Courage and Her Children Summary


Publication year 2000

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Asian Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature

Mohsin Hamid’s first novel, Moth Smoke, examines class and privilege, drugs, and sex in 1990s Pakistan. The novel plots the unraveling of Darashikoh Shezad’s life. When the book opens, Daru is on trial for the death of a boy, and the text examines the events leading up to this false accusation. Multiple narrators chart Daru’s moral decline, and the examination of Daru’s choices from different angles asks the reader to be the judge of Daru’s... Read Moth Smoke Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Literature

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness, Trauma / Abuse / Violence


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Fantasy, Romance, History: World, Historical Fiction, Humor


Publication year 2002

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Education, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Business / Economics, Education, Education, Science / Nature, Social Science, Psychology, Psychology, Finance / Money / Wealth, Politics / Government

Naked Economics: Undressing the Dismal Science is a nonfiction book by Charles Wheelan published in 2002. The author holds a PhD from the University of Chicago and is a senior lecturer and policy fellow at Dartmouth College. Previously, he was a correspondent for the magazine The Economist. He has written a number of other books, including Naked Statistics and Naked Money. This study guide refers to the 2019 third edition of Naked Economics.SummaryNaked Economics is... Read Naked Economics: Undressing the Dismal Science Summary


Publication year 1880

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Society: Class, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity

Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Love / Sexuality, Realism, Realistic Fiction, Naturalism, Class, History: European, French Literature


Publication year 1845

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags American Literature, Race / Racism, History: U.S., Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction, Biography

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass is an autobiography by Frederick Douglass that was first published in 1845. Douglass escaped from slavery in 1838 and became a prominent abolitionist, orator, and writer. His autobiography describes his experiences under slavery and his eventual freedom. The book was widely read and influenced public opinion in favor of the abolition of slavery. It remains one of the most read memoirs from the antebellum period. The autobiography includes... Read Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Summary


Publication year 1779

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Play: Historical, Religion / Spirituality, Relationships, Elizabethan Era, Drama / Tragedy, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1940

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Existentialism, American Literature, African American Literature, Education, Education, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, Race / Racism

Richard’s Wright’s debut novel Native Son was an immediate success upon its publication in 1940, selling 250,000 copies in three weeks. Today, it is widely recognized as not only Wright’s greatest work, but as one of the most significant American novels of the twentieth century. In his essay “How ‘Bigger’ Was Born” (1940), Wright explains that he based the protagonist of the novel on five young Black men he had known as a child. These... Read Native Son Summary


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Class

Tags Historical Fiction, Poverty, Social Justice, Health / Medicine, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Drama / Tragedy