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 Roaring Girl

by Greg Hollingshead

Publication year 1995

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Guilt, Fathers

Tags Realistic Fiction, Canadian Literature

“The Roaring Girl” is a short story published in 1995 by the Canadian author Greg Hollingshead. It is included in a short story collection of the same name which won Canada’s Governor-General Literary Award. Set in 1954, the story concerns a homeless girl who “roars” into the life of an eight-year-old boy, transforming him and his family.This study guide refers to the 1997 G. P. Putnam’s Sons hardback edition.At the start of the story, the... Read The Roaring Girl Summary

The Shape of Thunder

by Jasmine Warga

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Fear, Forgiveness, Grief, Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Hope, Hate & Anger, Loneliness, Memory, Regret, Shame & Pride, Childhood & Youth, Justice, Safety & Danger, Family

Tags Race & Racism, Trauma & Abuse, Depression & Suicide, Realistic Fiction, Christian, Grief & Death, Science Fiction, Children`s Literature, Modern Classic Fiction

... Read The Shape of Thunder Summary

The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber

by Ernest Hemingway

Publication year 1936

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Loyalty & Betrayal, Guilt, Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Fate, Shame & Pride, Safety & Danger, Marriage

Tags Classic Fiction, American Literature, Education, Education, US History

“The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber” is a short story by American author Ernest Hemingway that was first published in Cosmopolitan in 1936. It explores themes of power and dominance, courage and cowardice, and the nature of masculinity. The story details a hunting party and love triangle in which a husband, a wife, and their hired huntsman struggle for dominance and power over one another. This guide references the collection The Snows of Kilimanjaro... Read The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber Summary

The Signal-Man

by Charles Dickens

Publication year 1866

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Guilt, Science & Technology, Appearance & Reality

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction

“The Signal-Man” is a gothic short story published in 1866 by English author Charles Dickens. It was one of several stories included in the Mugsy Junction collection in the Christmas edition of the periodical All the Year Round. The story revolves around the titular “signal man” (so named because his primary duty is to signal trains with lamps, lights, and flags, as well as to communicate via telegraph with fellow signal men) and his desperate... Read The Signal-Man Summary

The Silkworm

by Robert Galbraith

Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Perseverance, Fear, Grief, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Loneliness, Memory, Regret, Revenge, Shame & Pride, Disability, Gender Identity, Masculinity, Mental Health, Death, Appearance & Reality, Marriage, Teamwork, Justice, Power & Greed

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense

J.K. Rowling has published seven novels in the Cormoran Strike mystery series under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith, beginning in 2013 with The Cuckoo’s Calling. The Silkworm was released in 2014 as the second installment of the series. The novel received praise for its intricate plotting and satirical take on the publishing industry, though it also drew criticism for its controversial portrayals of gender and graphic imagery. Set in the London literary world, The Silkworm satirizes... Read The Silkworm Summary

The Sniper

by Liam O'Flaherty

Publication year 1923

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes War, Family, Guilt

Tags Historical Fiction, Military & War, Irish Literature, Dramatic Literature, Education, Education, World History, Classic Fiction

“The Sniper” is a short story by Liam O’Flaherty. It was first published in the British socialist newspaper, The New Leader in January 1923. The story takes place within the span of a few hours during an afternoon in June 1922 (the beginning of the Irish Civil War). The Irish Civil War was a one-year struggle that began in June 1922 and concluded in May 1923.“The Sniper” portrays the experience of a Republican (rebel) sniper... Read The Sniper Summary

The Son

by Philipp Meyer

Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Conflict, Perseverance, Guilt, Loneliness, Regret, Femininity, Indigenous Identity, Masculinity, Race, The Past, Environment, Place, Daughters & Sons, Fathers, Grandparents, Social Class, Colonialism, Community, Nation, War, Fate, Power & Greed, Wins & Losses

Tags Historical Fiction, Western, US History, World History

... Read The Son Summary

The Son of Neptune

by Rick Riordan

Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Death, Teamwork, Friendship, Fate, Safety & Danger, Coming of Age, Memory, Guilt, Objects & Materials, Good & Evil, Fathers, Perseverance

Tags Mythology, Fantasy, Children`s Literature, Action & Adventure

The Son of Neptune is the second novel in Rick Riordan’s The Heroes of Olympus series. Released in 2011, this novel continues the story begun in The Lost Hero, following Percy Jackson as he stumbles into the Roman demigod camp, Camp Jupiter, after losing his memory and eight months of his life. At the camp, Percy meets Hazel, daughter of Pluto, and Frank, son of Mars. Together, Percy, Hazel, and Frank are charged with a... Read The Son of Neptune Summary

The Soul of America

by Jon Meacham

Publication year 2018

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes The Past, Guilt

Tags Politics & Government, US History, American Literature, World History, Biography

The Soul of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels is a nonfiction book published in 2018 by American journalist, historian, and presidential biographer Jon Meacham. The book explores periods of US history during which the politics of fear battled against the politics of hope. The author largely threads his narrative around issues of racial justice and anti-immigrant nativism, from the Reconstruction era in the postbellum South, to the civil rights era of the mid-20th... Read The Soul of America Summary

The Sound and the Fury

by William Faulkner

Publication year 1929

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Power & Greed, Fate, Economics, Siblings, Family, Guilt, Sexual Identity, Masculinity

Tags Southern Gothic, Classic Fiction, Modernism, Education, Education, Southern Literature, American Literature, World History

William Faulkner’s 1929 novel The Sound and the Fury relays the trials and decline of a once-prominent Southern family, the Compsons. The novel grapples with the challenges of a changing cultural landscape as modernity encroaches on the values—and deep-seated prejudices—of the Old South. Told through the perspectives of the three Compson brothers, Benjy, Quentin, and Jason, the novel visits and revisits key events in the family’s past and present. Much of the concern swirls around... Read The Sound and the Fury Summary