Guilt

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.

The Correspondent

by Virginia Evans

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Fear, Forgiveness, Grief, Guilt, Hope, Loneliness, Memory, Regret, Disability, Gender Identity, Indigenous Identity, Mental Health, Death, Marriage, Mothers, Siblings, Community, Beauty, Literature

Tags Epistolary Fiction, Domestic Fiction

... Read The Correspondent Summary

The Cost of Knowing

by Brittney Morris

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Mental Health, Siblings, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Gratitude, Grief, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Joy, Love, Memory, Regret, Shame & Pride, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Death, Future, The Past, Fathers, Equality, Fate, Justice, Safety & Danger, Music, Appearance & Reality

Tags Magical Realism, Coming of Age, Race & Racism, Science Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness, Fantasy

... Read The Cost of Knowing Summary

The Dead

by James Joyce

Publication year 1914

Genre Novella, Fiction

Themes Love, Loyalty & Betrayal, Music, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Memory, Guilt, Perseverance, Nostalgia, Conflict, Hope, Marriage

Tags Grief & Death, Relationships, Education, Education, World History, Irish Literature, Classic Fiction

“The Dead” is a short story by Irish writer James Joyce. The story is a part of Joyce’s renowned Dubliners collection, first published in 1914, which portrays daily life in the Irish city of Dublin in the early 20th century. In “The Dead,” a literary young man attends a party with his wife. The events at the party prompt him to reflect on his life and his place in the universe. The short story has... Read The Dead Summary

The Death of Mrs. Westaway

by Ruth Ware

Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Guilt, The Past, Mothers

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Psychological Fiction, Grief & Death, Trauma & Abuse, Modern Classic Fiction, Gothic Literature

The Death of Mrs. Westaway is a 2018 mystery novel by the British author Ruth Ware. The story concerns a young woman named Hal Westaway, a poor and lonely tarot card reader who becomes embroiled in a mystery involving an inheritance, her family, and a possible murder. The novel was nominated for several awards. This guide references the 2018 Simon and Schuster eBook edition.Plot SummaryHarriet “Hal” Westaway lives in a small apartment in the British... Read The Death of Mrs. Westaway Summary

The Door

by Magda Szabó

Publication year 1987

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Perseverance, Guilt, Love, Memory, Death, The Past, Place, Friendship, Self Discovery, Social Class, Community, Nation, Politics & Government, War, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Literature, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Classic Fiction

... Read The Door Summary

The Door of No Return

by Kwame Alexander

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Grief, Guilt, Place, Family, Siblings, Grandparents, Friendship, Mothers, Equality, Power & Greed, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Good & Evil, Literature, Safety & Danger, Order & Chaos, Truth & Lies, Wins & Losses, Language, Masculinity, Race, Love, Coming of Age, Childhood & Youth, Colonialism, Community, Death, Nation, Education, Self Discovery, Fathers

Tags Historical Fiction, Children`s Literature, Free Verse, Coming of Age, Race & Racism, History: African , African American Literature, World History

... Read The Door of No Return Summary

The Dream Hotel

by Laila Lalami

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Grief, Guilt, Loneliness, Memory, Nostalgia, Regret, Shame & Pride, Femininity, Gender Identity, Mental Health, Race, Future, Appearance & Reality, Marriage, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Immigration, Politics & Government, Justice, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Science & Technology

Tags Science Fiction

... Read The Dream Hotel Summary

The Fall

by Albert Camus

Publication year 1956

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Good & Evil, Guilt, Social Class

Tags Philosophy, Absurdism, French Literature, Post-War Era, World History, 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