Hate & Anger

"In time we hate that which we often fear," a character remarks in William Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra. Here, we've gathered thematically connected study guides that explore the experience, origin, and consequence of hatred.

The Catbird Seat

by James Thurber

Publication year 1942

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Hate & Anger, Order & Chaos

Tags Humor, Satirical Literature, Classic Fiction, Gender & Feminism, Mental Illness, American Literature, Education, Education, British Literature

When the story begins, a man named Erwin Martin, who never smokes, is buying cigarettes. Mr. Martin works for a company called F & S, where he is in charge of the filing department. Mr. Martin has already been contemplating—and planning—the murder of a coworker for over a week. Two years prior, a woman named Ulgine Barrows joined F & S, where she quickly proposed changes to the department—changes that Mr. Martin finds intolerable.Later, as... Read The Catbird Seat Summary

The Chestnut Man

by Søren Sveistrup

Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Equality, Family, Apathy, Fear, Grief, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Regret, Revenge, Death, The Past, Nature Versus Nurture, Place, Mothers, Politics & Government, Justice, Order & Chaos, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Trauma & Abuse

In 1989, police officer Marius Larsen drives to a remote farm on the Danish island of Møn. Inside, he finds the farmer Ørum's two teenage children shot dead and Ørum's wife hacked to death with an axe. In the bathroom, Larsen discovers a young boy barely alive beneath a shower curtain. Remembering the boy has a twin sister, he descends to the basement and finds the girl cowering in a room used as a prison... Read The Chestnut Man Summary

The Children

by Melissa Albert

Publication year 2026

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Grief, Hate & Anger, Loneliness, Love, Memory, Revenge, Gender Identity, Mental Health, Sexual Identity, Childhood & Youth, Death, The Past, Appearance & Reality, Mothers, Siblings, Self Discovery, Art, Fate, Literature, Loyalty & Betrayal, Safety & Danger

Tags Fantasy

The narrative alternates between the adult life of Guinevere "Guin" Sharpe and her childhood at a remote Vermont house called the Farmhouse. Guin is the daughter of Edith Sharpe, author of the popular Ninth City children's fantasy series, and Llewellyn Sharpe, a deceased stage actor. The series follows two child protagonists, named after Edith's real children, who travel to the Ninth City, a magical realm overseen by the Architect, an elusive figure who steals visitors'... Read The Children Summary

The Chocolate War

by Robert Cormier

Publication year 1974

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Hate & Anger, Masculinity, Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Education, Good & Evil, Justice, Power & Greed

Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age, Bullying, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction

The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier, first published in 1974, is a novel that delves into the dark aspects of adolescence, authority, and conformity. Set in an all-boys Catholic high school called Trinity, the story centers around Jerry Renault, a freshman who defies the school’s two most powerful forces–the secret student group known as the Vigils, and acting Headmaster Brother Leon–by refusing to participate in the annual chocolate sale. Jerry’s act of defiance exposes the... Read The Chocolate War Summary

The Chosen

by Chaim Potok

Publication year 1967

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Fathers, Community, Coming of Age, Hate & Anger, Religion & Spirituality

Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Religion & Spirituality, Jewish Literature, Education, Education

Rabbi Chaim Potok published The Chosen in 1967, and the book became a National Book Award finalist and established Potok as an influential Jewish writer. Born in Brooklyn and raised by Hasidic parents, Potok’s historical novel arguably links to parts of his personal life, as it follows two Jewish best friends, Reuven and Danny, and emphasizes Danny’s rocky relationship with his Hasidic father. The book centers on themes like Judaism and the Quest for Knowledge... Read The Chosen Summary

The Christie Affair

by Nina de Gramont

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Forgiveness, Revenge, Hate & Anger, Love, Conflict, Loyalty & Betrayal, Safety & Danger, Literature, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, World History, Romance

... Read The Christie Affair Summary

The Coming of the Third Reich

by Richard J. Evans

Publication year 2003

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Conflict, Fear, Hate & Anger, Nostalgia, Revenge, Shame & Pride, Disability, Gender Identity, Race, The Past, Social Class, Colonialism, Community, Economics, Globalization, Politics & Government, War, Art, Good & Evil, Justice, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Religion & Spirituality, Safety & Danger

Tags World History, Military & War, World War II, European History, Politics & Government

... Read The Coming of the Third Reich 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 Crossing

by Gary Paulsen

Publication year 1987

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Hate & Anger, Shame & Pride, Fear, Perseverance, Conflict, Hope, Gratitude, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Good & Evil

Tags Action & Adventure, Immigration & Refugeeism, Trauma & Abuse, Children`s Literature, Poverty, Military & War, Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction

Gary Paulsen’s The Crossing is a young adult novel published in 1987. This realistic work of fiction highlights the hope and opportunity Manny, a Mexican teenager, envisions waiting for him in America, and the desperation that propels him to attempt the border crossing from Mexico into the United States.Paulsen (1939-2021) was a celebrated author of middle grade and young adult fiction, best known for writing the award-winning Hatchet series. His work often depicts wilderness settings... Read The Crossing Summary

The Darkest Child

by Delores Phillips

Publication year 2004

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Perseverance, Fear, Hate & Anger, Hope, Revenge, Mental Health, Race, Sexual Identity, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Daughters & Sons, Family, Mothers, Social Class, Politics & Government, Equality, Justice, Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age, Southern Literature, Race & Racism, African American Literature, World History

The Darkest Child (2004) is a coming-of-age historical fiction novel by Delores Phillips. The teenage protagonist and first-person narrator, Tangy Mae Quinn faces racism and segregation in the Jim Crow South, as well as domestic abuse, poverty, and nonconsensual sex work. Despite these challenges, Tangy finds eventual escape when she leaves her abusive mother, Rozelle, and her past behind her to pursue her own goals, which are rooted in education. The novel explores The Role... Read The Darkest Child Summary

The Day of the Jackal

by Frederick Forsyth

Publication year 1971

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Perseverance, Fear, Hate & Anger, Revenge, Masculinity, Death, Teamwork, Colonialism, Politics & Government, War, Loyalty & Betrayal, Truth & Lies

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Politics & Government

The Day of the Jackal is a 1971 thriller by Frederick Forsyth. The novel is centered around a professional assassin, known only as the Jackal, who is hired by a French paramilitary group to assassinate French President Charles de Gaulle. Forsyth’s realistic, research-based writing style builds suspense through a detailed account of the cat-and-mouse chase that spans across Europe, showcasing the complexities of security and espionage during a tumultuous political era. The novel has been... Read The Day of the Jackal Summary

The Dead Zone

by Stephen King

Publication year 1979

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Good & Evil, Fear, Grief, Hate & Anger, Shame & Pride

Tags Horror & Suspense, Science Fiction, Trauma & Abuse, Religion & Spirituality, Relationships, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Fantasy

The Dead Zone (1979) is a science fiction thriller novel by Stephen King. King’s story about a man who sees visions of the future after awakening from a years-long coma explores themes of missed opportunity, belief, and the sacrifices inherent in moral action. The novel was nominated for numerous awards, including the 1980 Locus Award, and has been adapted for film (1983) and television (2002-07). Please be advised that The Dead Zone includes mention of... Read The Dead Zone Summary

The Doorman

by Chris Pavone

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Perseverance, Fear, Grief, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Loneliness, Love, Nostalgia, Revenge, Femininity, Gender Identity, Masculinity, Mental Health, Race, Sexual Identity, Aging, Childhood & Youth, Midlife, Death, The Past, Place, Family, Marriage, Mothers, Self Discovery, Social Class, Community, Economics, Nation, Politics & Government, Art, Beauty, Equality, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Safety & Danger

Tags Horror & Suspense

... Read The Doorman Summary

The Embassy of Cambodia

by Zadie Smith

Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Perseverance, Hate & Anger, Shame & Pride, Race, Social Class, Colonialism, Community, Globalization, Immigration, Politics & Government, Good & Evil, Justice, Religion & Spirituality

Tags Education, Education, British Literature, Modern Classic Fiction

... Read The Embassy of Cambodia Summary

The Fifth Child

by Doris Lessing

Publication year 1988

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Fear, Hate & Anger, Loneliness, Shame & Pride, Disability, Femininity, Gender Identity, Masculinity, Mental Health, Birth, Childhood & Youth, Appearance & Reality, Nature Versus Nurture, Daughters & Sons, Family, Marriage, Mothers, Siblings, Social Class, Beauty

Tags Horror & Suspense, Gothic Literature, Classic Fiction

The Fifth Child is a novella by British writer Doris Lessing, recipient of the 2007 Nobel Prize for Literature. First published in the UK in 1988, the work blends domestic realism and gothic horror in an unsettling portrait of Harriet and David Lovatt, a couple with old-fashioned values whose lives are upended by the birth of their fifth child, Ben. Aggressive, unusually strong, and non-communicative, Ben does not conform to the Lovatts’ expectations of a... Read The Fifth Child Summary