James Baldwin said, "It is certain, in any case, that ignorance, allied with power, is the most ferocious enemy justice can have." In this collection, we've compiled texts that explore the idea of what justice is — and how it can thrive.
Publication year 1990
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Race / Racism, Asian Literature, Chinese Literature
“Mother Tongue” explores Amy Tan’s relationship with the English language, her mother, and writing. This nonfiction narrative essay was originally given as a talk during the 1989 State of the Language Symposium; it was later published by The Threepenny Review in 1990. Since then, “Mother Tongue” has been anthologized countless times and won notable awards and honors, including being selected for the 1991 edition of Best American Essays.The original publication of “Mother Tongue,” which this... Read Mother Tongue Summary
Publication year 2000
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Asian Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature
Mohsin Hamid’s first novel, Moth Smoke, examines class and privilege, drugs, and sex in 1990s Pakistan. The novel plots the unraveling of Darashikoh Shezad’s life. When the book opens, Daru is on trial for the death of a boy, and the text examines the events leading up to this false accusation. Multiple narrators chart Daru’s moral decline, and the examination of Daru’s choices from different angles asks the reader to be the judge of Daru’s... Read Moth Smoke Summary
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance, Humor, Great Depression, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
Publication year 2012
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1930
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Classic Fiction, British Literature
Published in 1930, Murder at the Vicarage is Agatha Christie’s first novel featuring the elderly detective Miss Marple. The character first appears in a 1927 short story entitled “The Tuesday Murder Club.” In Murder at the Vicarage, unpopular bully Colonel Protheroe dies from a gunshot wound in the study of St. Mary Mead’s Vicarage. All suspects have an alibi, including the victim’s wife and her lover, who each admits guilt to divert suspicion from the... Read Murder at the Vicarage Summary
Publication year 1934
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Globalization, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Classic Fiction
Murder on the Orient Express, first published in 1934, is a mystery by Agatha Christie featuring one of her most famous characters, the Belgian detective Hercule Poirot. A locked-room mystery, the novel unfolds in a train, the Orient Express, which has become stranded in a snowstorm. Poirot happens to be on the train when a man named Mr. Ratchett is murdered. Poirot is called upon to solve the case, and the book follows his investigation... Read Murder on the Orient Express Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: The Past, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Society: Class, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Humor, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2011
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Education, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Indigenous, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Historical Fiction
Publication year 2016
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Politics / Government, Gender / Feminism, History: U.S., History: World, Biography
Publication year 1942
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Mythology, Classical Period, Education, Education, History: World, Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Originally published in 1942, Mythology is primarily a compendium of Greek and Roman myths, with a brief final section on Norse mythology, written by American educator and classicist Edith Hamilton. Hamilton engages with the myths as both a storyteller and a literary critic. She organizes and retells the myths narrated in ancient sources, and she assesses those ancient sources as works of literature. Her approach is grounded in the assumptions that Greek and Roman civilizations... Read Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes Summary
Publication year 1959
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government
Tags The Beat Generation, Classic Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Addiction / Substance Abuse, American Literature, Satire, Politics / Government, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Naked Lunch is a 1959 novel by American author William. S. Burroughs. In it, Lee, a heroin user, looks to escape New York to avoid arrest by the police. He thus embarks on a journey through Philadelphia and Mexico before arriving in the fictional state of Freeland, where all life is well-ordered and hygienic. Following a riot in a Freeland psychological reconditioning center, however, Lee flees to the strange and fantastical city of Interzone. There... Read Naked Lunch Summary
Publication year 2016
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Globalization, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Philosophy, Social Science, Politics / Government, Sociology
Publication year 1994
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Language, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Place, Society: Colonialism, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Race / Racism, History: U.S., Travel Literature, Creative Nonfiction, Philosophy, Philosophy, History: World, Biography
Neither Wolf Nor Dog: On Forgotten Roads with an Indian Elder is a memoir by American author Kent Nerburn. The book describes a road trip Nerburn took with two Lakota men, weaving Nerburn’s personal experiences with lengthy speeches from the men on indigenous history and culture. Major themes in the book include The Role of Language in Oppression, The Lasting Trauma of America’s Violence Against Indigenous Communities at the hands of white colonizers, and The... Read Neither Wolf Nor Dog Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Nation, Identity: Race
Tags History: U.S., Race / Racism, African American Literature, American Revolution, Children's Literature, History: World, Biography
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 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Children's Literature, Fantasy
Publication year 1839
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Classic Fiction, Victorian Period, Historical Fiction, British Literature, History: World, Victorian Literature / Period
Nicholas Nickleby is Victorian writer Charles Dickens’s third novel. Published through serialization in 1838, it first appeared in its novel form in 1839. The novel has been adapted for the stage and for the screen several times, the first theatrical version appearing in 1838, before the novel was even finished. Dickens wrote Nicholas Nickleby with the intention of exposing the abuses of for-profit boarding schools in England. In focusing on the titular hero, Nicholas, Dickens’s... Read Nicholas Nickleby Summary