In Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment, a character remarks, "If he has a conscience he will suffer for his mistake; that will be punishment—as well as the prison." In other words, guilt is its own form of imprisonment, from which someone may never be released. In this collection explore titles that probe the questions and implications raised by the idea of guilt.
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 1998
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Teams, Society: Globalization, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Historical Fiction, Middle Eastern Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Asian Literature, History: World, Arts / Culture
My Name is Red (originally titled Benim Adim Kirmizi) is a 1998 historical novel by the Nobel Prize winning Turkish author Orhan Pamuk. Set in late-16th century Istanbul, the novel explores cultural tensions stemming from contemporary philosophical understandings of visual art. Told from the viewpoints of many different animate and inanimate characters—including Muslim and Jewish individuals, a corpse, the color red, and paintings of a horse, a devil, and a dog—the novel integrates elements of... Read My Name is Red Summary
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
Publication year 2004
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Identity: Disability
Tags Drama / Tragedy, Health / Medicine, Disability, Grief / Death, Parenting
My Sister’s Keeper is a 2004 novel by bestselling author Jodi Picoult centered on the controversy of savior siblings. In the novel, Anna Fitzgerald fights for medical emancipation in order to have a choice in whether or not she will donate a kidney to her sister, Kate, who has leukemia. In 2009, the novel was adapted into a feature film released by New Line Cinema. The movie was directed by Nick Cassavetes and starred Cameron... Read My Sister's Keeper Summary
Publication year 2007
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory
Tags Lyric Poem
Publication year 1991
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Addiction / Substance Abuse
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Crime / Legal
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Identity: Race, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Emotions/Behavior: Regret
Tags Race / Racism, Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Fear
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Religion / Spirituality, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction
Nine Perfect Strangers is a 2018 novel by Liane Moriarty. Set in Sydney, Australia, the novel follows a group of strangers who gather at a wellness retreat to receive treatment from a mysterious health guru. The novel was adapted for a 2021 television series starring Nicole Kidman, Melissa McCarthy, and Michael Shannon.Other works by this author include Apples Never Fall, What Alice Forgot, and Here One Moment.This guide uses an eBook copy of the text... Read Nine Perfect Strangers Summary
Publication year 1944
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt
Tags Existentialism, Play: Drama, French Literature, Philosophy, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Relationships, Education, Education, Drama / Tragedy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
No Exit (1944) is a play by French philosopher, writer, and critic Jean-Paul Sartre. Sartre was drafted into the French army during World War II and spent nearly a year as a German prisoner of war. He then wrote and debuted No Exit in Paris while the city was still under German occupation and control. No Exit is comprised of one act which takes place in a single room in the afterlife, which the characters... Read No Exit Summary
Publication year 1948
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Japanese Literature, Depression / Suicide, Realistic Fiction, Mental Illness, Asian Literature, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2012
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Relationships: Siblings
Tags Addiction / Substance Abuse, Surrealism
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
Publication year 1970
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Relationships: Family, Identity: Masculinity, Self Discovery
Tags Historical Fiction, Great Depression, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Food, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction, History: World, Action / Adventure, Classic Fiction
No Promises in the Wind is a young-adult historical novel that takes place at the height of the Great Depression. The first-person narrative tells the coming-of-age story of a 15-year-old boy who leaves home with his younger brother because their family doesn’t have enough to eat. Josh and Joey Grondowski use their musical talents to survive on their own as they travel through a country of angry and impoverished people. First published in 1970, the... Read No Promises In The Wind Summary
Publication year 1916
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Beauty
Tags Mythology
Publication year 2025
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery
Tags Memoir / Autobiography
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community
Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Romance, Grief / Death, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Identity: Mental Health, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Teams, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure, Narrative / Epic Poem