This thematic Collection highlights Books that Feature the Theme of Femininity. Through novels, plays, and works of nonfiction, the selections in this Collection explore the feminine experience in a variety of historical settings and cultures as they examine topics such as gender roles, feminism, and what it means to be feminine.
Publication year 1892
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Identity: Race, Society: Class, Society: Education, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Race / Racism, African American Literature, Gender / Feminism, History: U.S., Sociology, History: World, Social Justice, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government
Publication year 2025
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Memoir / Autobiography, Relationships
Publication year 1893
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Play: Drama, Play: Comedy / Satire, Victorian Literature / Period, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Humor, Classic Fiction
A Woman of No Importance is a play by Oscar Wilde that was first performed in 1893. It is one of Wilde’s four drawing room plays, which satirize English high society, but critics often consider this play to be his least successful. The action of the play takes place at a party held at Lady Hunstanton’s English country estate and depicts the conflict that arises when Lord Illingworth, a wealthy and charming aristocrat, encounters his... Read A Woman of No Importance Summary
Publication year 2014
Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags Gender / Feminism, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Race / Racism, Social Justice, Politics / Government
Bad Feminist is a collection of essays from writer, scholar, and social critic Roxane Gay. Published in 2014 by Harper Perennial, the New York Times best seller draws together an array of topics, from pop culture to literary discourse to political legislation to personal recollections, in an analysis of society, culture, and politics. Gay tackles modern patriarchy and racism in ways that emphasize the humanity of marginalized people and how those systems of oppression deny... Read Bad Feminist Summary
Publication year 1990
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Education, Society: Globalization, Society: Immigration, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Courage
Tags Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Education, Education, Gender / Feminism, Sociology, History: World, Social Justice, Politics / Government
Publication year 1971
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Gender / Feminism, Narrative / Epic Poem, American Literature
The American writer Marge Piercy wrote “Barbie Doll.” Originally published in Moving Out (1971), the poem also appears in her 1982 collection, Circles on the Water. A highly descriptive poem, “Barbie Doll” offers staunch diction and vivid, stereotypical imagery of a girl who grows up and dies by suicide as an adult. This free verse poem is an example of second-wave feminist thought, also known as the Women’s Liberation Movement, something Piercy explores here through... Read Barbie Doll Summary
Publication year 1988
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Historical Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Military / War, History: U.S., Gender / Feminism, Social Justice, American Civil War, Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World
Behind Rebel Lines: The Incredible Story of Emma Edmonds, Civil War Spy by Seymour Reit is a work of historical fiction and children’s literature based on the true story of a young woman who pretends to be a man so that she can join the Union army during the US Civil War. The book’s target audience is ages 10-14, and it uses a simple style to appeal to a young audience. It is categorized as... Read Behind Rebel Lines Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Self Discovery
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Gothic Literature, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 1920
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Self Discovery
Tags Classic Fiction, American Literature, The Lost Generation, Education, Education, History: World, Historical Fiction
“Bernice Bobs Her Hair” is a short story by American author F. Scott Fitzgerald. The story demonstrates Fitzgerald’s interest in the shifting social trends of the 1920s American Jazz Age, in which he and his wife, Zelda, figured prominently. While drawing on Modernist concerns and the literary tradition of makeover stories, Fitzgerald particularly highlights themes of Shifting Feminine Identity in the Early 20th Century, Downfall Through the Temptation of Social Acceptance, and Detachment in Modern... Read Bernice Bobs Her Hair Summary
Publication year 2014
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Society: Community, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Femininity, Self Discovery
Tags LGBTQ, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Gender / Feminism, Biography
Publication year 1929
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Beauty, Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Marriage, Identity: Mental Health
Tags Relationships, Depression / Suicide, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Humor, Classic Fiction
“Big Blonde” is a short story written by Dorothy Parker. It was first published in 1929 in The Bookman (a prestigious New York City literary magazine) and won the O. Henry competition for the best story that same year. It was later published in Parker’s 1930 short-story collection Laments for the Living.This study guide refers to the online flipbook version of “Big Blonde.”Content Warning: The source text contains references to domestic violence, alcohol addiction, and... Read Big Blonde Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Realistic Fiction, African American Literature, Race / Racism
Publication year 1945
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Society: Colonialism
Publication year 2000
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Values/Ideas: Fame, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Love / Sexuality, Historical Fiction, Psychological Fiction
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Femininity, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags New Adult, Romance, Fantasy, Mythology, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Identity: Race
Tags Fantasy
Publication year 1993
Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality
Tags Love / Sexuality, Education, Education, Gender / Feminism, LGBTQ, Philosophy, Philosophy
Publication year 2008
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Disability, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Sexuality, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Education, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Science / Nature, Love / Sexuality, Health / Medicine, Psychology, Humor
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Disability, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Midlife, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Objects, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction
Publication year 1958
Genre Novella, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Classic Fiction, American Literature, History: World, Romance
Breakfast at Tiffany's is a 1958 novella by Truman Capote. In the story, an unnamed narrator is introduced to a young woman named Holly Golightly and the unique New York world she inhabits. The novella is one of Capote’s most popular works and has been adapted as a musical, a play, and most famously as an Academy Award–winning film in 1961 starring Audrey Hepburn. This guide refers to the eBook version of the 2000 Penguin... Read Breakfast at Tiffany’s Summary