James Baldwin said, "It is certain, in any case, that ignorance, allied with power, is the most ferocious enemy justice can have." In this collection, we've compiled texts that explore the idea of what justice is — and how it can thrive.
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 1990
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Identity: Gender, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Historical Fiction, Asian Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, History: World
Dogeaters, first published in 1990 by Jessica Hagedorn, is a literary and historical fiction novel set in the 1950s Manila, Philippines. Hagedorn, a Filipino American playwright and writer, uses her background to explore the complexities of Filipino society influenced by Spanish imperialism, class struggles, and American cultural dominance. The novel, known for its ensemble cast of characters like Rio Gonzaga, intertwines various narratives that gradually connect, reflecting the diverse social fabric of the Philippines. Dogeaters... Read Dogeaters 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 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Satire, Modern Classic Fiction
Olga Tokarczuk is among Poland’s most famous and critically acclaimed contemporary authors. She has received multiple national and international literary awards, including the 2018 Nobel Prize in Literature. Her most well-known novels and their translations into English are House of Day, House of Night (2003), Primeval and Other Times (2010), Flights (2018), and The Books of Jacob (2021).Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead was published in Poland in 2009 but didn’t become... Read Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead Summary
Publication year 1931
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Race
Tags American Literature, Race / Racism, Education, Education, Southern Gothic, History: World, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction
“Dry September,” by American author William Faulkner, is a short story that explores racial tension, violence, and moral decay in a small Southern town when a white woman’s accusation against a Black man leads to violence. The story, which unfolds in five parts, revolves around the rumors that Will Mayes, a Black man, assaulted or frightened a white woman, Miss Minnie Cooper. Without concrete evidence, the men of the town exact their revenge against Mayes... Read Dry September Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Disability, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Fathers, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Education, Society: Immigration, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Mental Illness, Disability, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Realistic Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, Children's Literature, Social Justice, Modern Classic Fiction, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Indigenous, Relationships: Family
Tags Fantasy, Mystery / Crime Fiction, LGBTQ, Magical Realism, Action / Adventure, Grief / Death, Race / Racism, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2005
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Disability, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Teams, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction
Eldest is the second book in American author Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance Cycle, the popular young adult fantasy series that consists of Eragon (2003), Eldest (2005), Brisingr (2008), and Inheritance (2011). This installment follows Eragon’s continuing adventures as he and his dragon, Saphira, take on new responsibilities in their fight against the despotic king, Galbatorix. Paolini also wrote a collection of short stories titled The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm (2018), which is set in... Read Eldest Summary
Publication year 450
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Fate, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Play: Tragedy, Mythology, Grief / Death, Ancient Greece, Drama / Tragedy, Classical Period, Fantasy, Classic Fiction
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger
Tags Play: Tragedy, Mythology, Ancient Greece, Classical Period, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Drama / Tragedy, Fantasy, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1991
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Education, Education, American Literature
Publication year 1987
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Mothers, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction, Southern Literature, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Race / Racism
Ellen Foster is a work of adult fiction by US novelist Kaye Gibbons, first published by Algonquin Books in 1987. The novel was Gibbons’s debut, and it won the Sue Kaufman Prize for literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters and a notable citation from the Ernest Hemingway Foundation. Critics praised the novel for its unsentimental outlook and the wry, distinct voice of its protagonist. Ellen, a young girl living in the American... Read Ellen Foster Summary
Publication year 2005
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Community, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Realistic Fiction, Poverty, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Grief / Death, Urban Development, Arts / Culture
Emako Blue is a novel for young adults written by Brenda Woods. Set in Los Angeles, California, Emako's friends and schoolmates relay the events leading up to Emako Blue’s gang-related murder in alternating first-person narration, primarily through flashbacks. The text explores the effects of poverty, gang violence, guns, and how these issues have far-reaching impacts on each member of a community. As the events of the story unfold, each narrator must consider what they want... Read Emako Blue Summary
Publication year 1863
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Nation, Identity: Race
Tags History: U.S., Politics / Government, Race / Racism, American Civil War
Publication year 1999
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Society: War, Society: Colonialism
Tags History: Asian, WWII / World War II, Politics / Government, Military / War, Asian Literature, History: World, Japanese Literature
Publication year 2017
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags Politics / Government, Self Help, Gender / Feminism, Philosophy, Leadership/Organization/Management, Social Justice, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2021
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Class, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Health / Medicine, Politics / Government, History: U.S., Addiction / Substance Abuse, Business / Economics, Crime / Legal, Finance / Money / Wealth, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Science / Nature, History: World, Biography
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Fathers, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, Fantasy, Religion / Spirituality