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 Heart of the Matter

by Graham Greene

Publication year 1948

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Guilt, Shame & Pride, Religion & Spirituality

Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Christian, Religion & Spirituality, History: African , British Literature, Colonialism & Postcolonialism, World History

Graham Greene’s The Heart of the Matter was published in 1948 and is one of his most famous Catholic-themed novels. These novels comprise the majority of his literary oeuvre and underscore a recurring theme in Greene’s works: moral crisis and true faith. Greene’s iconoclastic views of Catholicism are explored through complex protagonists like Henry Scobie, the flawed hero of The Heart of the Matter, who are torn between passion and faith.The Heart of the Matter... Read The Heart of the Matter Summary

The Housemaid

by Freida McFadden

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Perseverance, Guilt, Fear, Revenge, Mothers, Family, Marriage, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies, Trust & Doubt

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

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The House of the Seven Gables

by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Publication year 1851

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Guilt, Family, Justice, Power & Greed

Tags Classic Fiction, Horror & Suspense, American Literature, World History, Historical Fiction, Gothic Literature, Trauma & Abuse

The House of the Seven Gables (1851) is a novel by American author Nathaniel Hawthorne. With the eponymous New England mansion serving as the novel’s centerpiece, the story charts the fortunes and misfortunes of the Pyncheon family as they navigate the haunting legacy of their family’s violent past. The novel explores the themes The Influence of the Past on the Present, The Complications of Home, and The Legacy of Violence. Like Hawthorne’s earlier novel, The... Read The House of the Seven Gables Summary

The Hundred Dresses

by Eleanor Estes

Publication year 1944

Genre Novella, Fiction

Themes Childhood & Youth, Forgiveness, Guilt

Tags Classic Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Children`s Literature, Bullying

The Hundred Dresses is a children’s book by Eleanor Estes that was originally published in 1944. It includes pen-and-ink illustrations by Louis Slobodkin. In 1945, it was awarded the Newbery Honor, and it continues to be a popular book in elementary schools. A 2004 survey of third-grade teachers found that the book was a popular choice for reading aloud in the classroom, and a 2007 survey by the National Education Association named it one of... Read The Hundred Dresses Summary

The Husbands

by Chandler Baker

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Marriage, Guilt, Gender Identity, Equality

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Gender & Feminism, Modern Classic Fiction

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The It Girl

by Ruth Ware

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Self Discovery, Guilt, Friendship, Loyalty & Betrayal, Trust & Doubt

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Psychological Fiction, Social Class, Grief & Death, Education, Love & Sexuality, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction

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The Kitchen Boy

by Robert Alexander

Publication year 2003

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Memory, Guilt, Loyalty & Betrayal, The Past, Forgiveness, Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Politics & Government, Russian Literature, World History, European History

The Kitchen Boy: A Novel of the Last Tsar (2003) is a historical fiction novel detailing the fate of the Romanovs by Robert Alexander (a pen name for Robert Zimmerman). Although Alexander is American, he spent decades in Russia. He attended Leningrad State University and, afterward, ran various businesses in St. Petersburg. As such, he has personal experience with Russian culture. He wrote several historical fiction novels that take place during the Russian Revolution—including Rasputin’s... Read The Kitchen Boy Summary

The Kite Runner

by Khaled Hosseini

Publication year 2003

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Guilt, Social Class, Religion & Spirituality, Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Historical Fiction, 9/11, Middle Eastern Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, World History

Khaled Hosseini’s debut novel, The Kite Runner, was published in 2003, two years after the events of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the US invasion of Afghanistan. Hosseini, the son of a diplomat for the Afghan Foreign Ministry, was born in Kabul, Afghanistan, and relocated to France as a child. When Afghanistan was thrown into turmoil by the Soviet occupation at the height of the Cold... Read The Kite Runner Summary

The Lady With The Dog

by Anton Chekhov

Publication year 1899

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Marriage, Loyalty & Betrayal, Love, Guilt

Tags Classic Fiction, Russian Literature, Education, Education, World History, Romance

First published in 1899, “The Lady with the Dog” is one of Anton Chekhov’s most well-known stories. The short story examines the conflict between conformity to marital and gender conventions and faithfulness to one’s inner principles. Focusing on an adulterous relationship, the story challenges the patriarchal mindset, criticizes the arbitrariness of prescribed gender roles and marriage conventions, and explores the meaning of genuine relationships. Chekhov’s protagonists expose the crippling effect of societal gender roles on... Read The Lady With The Dog Summary