Forgiveness

"To err is human, to forgive divine," wrote poet Alexander Pope, suggesting that to forgive is sacred but also difficult—even impossible—for us mortals. This study guide collection gathers together texts with themes on the merits and challenges of forgiveness.

We Were Liars

by E. Lockhart

Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Forgiveness, Truth & Lies

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance

We Were Liars is a 2014 young-adult novel by E. Lockhart, a pen name of writer Emily Jenkins. The book tells the story of Cady (short for Cadence), who is nearly 18, as she recounts the story of her life. She is a member of the wealthy New England Sinclair family whose patriarch and matriarch, Harris and Tipper, still dominate the family as the story begins. The Sinclair family is so wealthy that it owns... Read We Were Liars Summary

What Comes After

by JoAnne Tompkins

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Forgiveness, Grief, Guilt, Hope, Loneliness, Coming of Age, Midlife, Death, Future, The Past, Animals, Appearance & Reality, Nature Versus Nurture, Family, Friendship, Mothers, Self Discovery, Community, Fate, Good & Evil, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Religion & Spirituality, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Psychological Fiction

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When Bad Things Happen to Good People

by Harold S. Kushner

Publication year 1981

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Forgiveness

Tags Religion & Spirituality, Philosophy, Self-Improvement, Jewish Literature, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy

Written by Rabbi Harold Kushner, When Bad Things Happen to Good People is a contemplation on the death of his son due to a degenerative disease, progeria. As a devout man, Kushner’s first response was to ask, 'Why? Why did God permit such suffering?' The book documents Kushner’s grappling with this question, the doubts and fears it triggered, and offers others afflicted by grief comfort and solace. It proposes that while God desires to ease... Read When Bad Things Happen to Good People Summary

While the World Watched

by Carolyn Maull Mckinstry

Publication year 2011

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Forgiveness, Grief, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Hope, Mental Health, Race, Coming of Age, Death, Family, Politics & Government, Equality, Justice

Tags Race & Racism, African American Literature, Civil Rights & Jim Crow South, World History, Biography

Carolyn Maull McKinstry's memoir While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age during the Civil Rights Movement (2011) describes the author’s experiences growing up in Birmingham, Alabama, during the 1950s and 1960s. At 14 years old, McKinstry survived the racially motivated bombing of Sixteen Street Baptist Church. Four of McKinstry’s friends were killed in the explosion, and the trauma of the experience haunted her into adulthood. McKinstry later embraced a peaceful approach... Read While the World Watched Summary

Whiskey Tender

by Deborah Jackson Taffa

Publication year 2024

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Forgiveness, Grief, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Loneliness, Memory, Nostalgia, Shame & Pride, Indigenous Identity, Mental Health, Coming of Age, The Past, Family, Self Discovery, Colonialism, Politics & Government, Justice, Religion & Spirituality

Tags World History, Race & Racism, Biography

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Wild

by Cheryl Strayed

Publication year 2012

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Forgiveness, Memory, Hate & Anger, Love, Shame & Pride, Fear, Grief, Perseverance, Conflict, Loneliness, Hope, Safety & Danger, Environment, Place, Mothers

Tags Grief & Death, Travel Literature, Relationships, Love & Sexuality, Science & Nature, Action & Adventure, Biography

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Wings of Starlight

by Allison Saft

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Forgiveness, Gratitude, Guilt, Hope, Joy, Love, Coming of Age, Future, The Past, Animals, Appearance & Reality, Environment, Nature Versus Nurture, Place, Friendship, Teamwork, Community, Politics & Government, War, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Wins & Losses

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Fairy Tale & Folklore

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Written in My Own Heart's Blood

by Diana Gabaldon

Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Forgiveness, Fate, Love

Tags Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Romance, Science Fiction, World History

Written in 2014 and published by Delacorte Press, Written in My Own Heart’s Blood is the eighth book in the Outlander saga by author Diana Gabaldon. The series follows Claire Fraser, a time-traveling World War II nurse who married Jamie Fraser, an 18th-century Highlander and insurrectionist against the British crown. The Fraser family occupies multiple timelines in the series, which celebrates family and romantic love. The novel spans colonial America to the Highlands of Scotland... Read Written in My Own Heart's Blood Summary