How do we uphold goodness in a world where it can seem impossible? What are the consequences to the human heart when we fail to live up to the ideals of goodness? These are some of the questions posed by the texts in this collection which explores the theme of Good & Evil.
Publication year 1937
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, American Literature, Classic Fiction
Written by American author Stephen Vincent Benét, “The Devil and Daniel Webster” is a variation on the Faust myth. Benét’s story tackles themes such as The Devil in America, Patriotism and the Limits of Loyalty, and The Nature of Justice. The story first appeared in The Saturday Evening Post in 1936, though it was later republished in Benét’s collection of stories titled Thirteen O’Clock in 1937. The story subsequently received the O. Henry Award, earning... Read The Devil and Daniel Webster Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Gender, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, History: World
Publication year 1824
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Allegory / Fable / Parable, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality, Arts / Culture, History: U.S., American Literature, Colonial America
Publication year 1871
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government, Relationships: Family
Tags Satire, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Psychological Fiction, Politics / Government, Philosophy, Russian Literature, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: World, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1955
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Life/Time: The Future, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope
Tags Holocaust, Play: Drama, WWII / World War II, Grief / Death, History: European, Military / War, Love / Sexuality
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Identity: Language, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Nation, Society: Education, Self Discovery, Relationships: Fathers
Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Free verse, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Race / Racism, History: African , African American Literature, History: World
Publication year 1846
Genre Novella, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Mental Health, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Classic Fiction, Russian Literature, Psychology, History: World, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy
Publication year 1987
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Western, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1891
Genre Novella, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Marriage
Tags Russian Literature, Classic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 1929
Genre Novella, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Classic Fiction, Fantasy
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Race, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Globalization, Society: Immigration, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Education, Education, British Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2001
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams
Tags Fantasy, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, Humor, Children's Literature
Publication year 1820
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, Romanticism / Romantic Period, Gothic Literature, History: World, Fantasy, Romance, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1984
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Relationships: Siblings, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature
Tags Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Action / Adventure
The Eyes of the Dragon was originally self-published by Stephen King in 1984 with Philtrum Press. The first edition, illustrated by Kenneth R. Linkhauser, had a limited run, and the books were mostly given as gifts by the author. Three years later, Viking published a mass-market version with new illustrations by David Palladini. The novel was a departure for King, who had earned a reputation as a master of horror novels by the 1980s. Instead... Read The Eyes of the Dragon Summary
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, Fantasy, Allegory / Fable / Parable, British Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction
Edmund Spenser, who went from an impoverished upbringing to a celebrated English poet, is the author of The Faerie Queene. The epic, as the word implies, is long. The first three books came out in 1590, and the next three books arrived in 1596. The work is an allegory; each book symbolizes one of the moral virtues advocated by the Greek philosopher Aristotle. At the same time, the poem qualifies as a quest narrative and... Read The Faerie Queene Summary
Publication year 1956
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Society: Class
Tags Philosophy, Absurdism, French Literature, Post-War Era, History: World, Classical Period, Philosophy
The Fall (French: La Chute) is a 1956 novel by French author and philosopher Albert Camus, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature the following year. It is the last novel Camus published before his death in 1960. Camus’s work deals with absurdism, the philosophical stance that life has no higher meaning. The Fall is told in first-person perspective by the protagonist Jean-Baptiste Clamence as he tells his life story over a series of five... Read The Fall Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Fantasy, Historical Fiction, History: World, Magical Realism, Romance
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Finance / Money / Wealth, Holidays & Occasions, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Contemporary Literature