Like night and day or winter and summer, there is a rigid division between the states of order and chaos that seems immutable. Nevertheless, these opposing forces also depend on one another. In this study guide collection, we've put together texts that explore themes related to the diametrically opposed yet inextricably linked forces of order and chaos.
Publication year 1983
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Military / War, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, History: World, Religion / Spirituality, Politics / Government
Publication year 1966
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Satire, Post Modernism, American Literature, History: U.S., Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Classic Fiction
The Crying of Lot 49 (1966) is a short novel by Thomas Pynchon that handles topics related to the US counterculture movement and the 1960s at large. In the novel, Oedipa Maas unearths a centuries-old conspiracy about warring mail-delivery firms. This discovery leads her along an absurdist investigation of the firms and their motivations. The novel has been heralded as one of the best English-language novels of the 20th century and is considered a primary... Read The Crying of Lot 49 Summary
Publication year 2016
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Self Discovery, Society: Education
Tags Philosophy, Self Help, Psychology, Leadership/Organization/Management, Business / Economics, History: World, Psychology, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2002
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Teams, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags History: World, Inspirational
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Society: War
Tags Ancient Rome, Politics / Government, History: World, Military / War, History: European, Classical Period, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1987
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Identity: Language, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Nation, Society: Education, Self Discovery, Relationships: Fathers
Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Free verse, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Race / Racism, History: African , African American Literature, History: World
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Business / Economics, Drama / Tragedy, Romance, Fantasy, Humor
Publication year 1846
Genre Novella, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Mental Health, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Classic Fiction, Russian Literature, Psychology, History: World, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy
Publication year 1987
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Western, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Immigration, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction
Publication year 1962
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Climate, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Climate Change, British Literature
The Drowned World is a 1962 post-apocalyptic science fiction novel by British author J.G. Ballard. Set in a future London that has been completely submerged in the ocean due to climate change-induced flooding, it follows a group of scientists who embark on a mission to study its unique, rapidly evolving flora and fauna. The novel is an extension of a shorter story published in Science Fiction Adventures. The novel is one of the first works... Read The Drowned World Summary
Publication year 1929
Genre Novella, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Classic Fiction, Fantasy
Publication year 1852
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Economics, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags History: European, Politics / Government, Philosophy, Sociology, German Literature, Business / Economics, History: World, French Literature, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1999
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Space & The Universe, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Science / Nature, Philosophy, Philosophy
Publication year 2001
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams
Tags Fantasy, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, Humor, Children's Literature
Publication year 1953
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, American Literature, Fantasy, Humor, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1991
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Relationships: Mothers, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Society: Politics & Government, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Crime / Legal
OverviewBook DetailsThe Firm is the second legal thriller written by attorney John Grisham. It followed his 1988 debut novel A Time to Kill. The Firm was the top-selling novel of 1991 on the New York Times bestseller list, bringing its author international fame. It focuses on new Harvard Law School graduate Mitch McDeere, who accepts a financially lucrative position with a Memphis law firm that he discovers is embroiled in unethical and illegal activities.Author HighlightsGrisham... Read The Firm Summary
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Romance
Carrie Ryan’s young adult novel The Forest of Hands and Teeth (2009) uses a literary voice to blend elements of several different genres, including horror, romance, and dystopian fiction. The story follows Mary, a teenage girl growing up in the aftermath of a world ravaged by hordes of the undead. As she struggles to defy her community’s rigid rules, she must also confront existential challenges like love, loss, and the constant threat of death at... Read The Forest of Hands and Teeth Summary
Publication year 2025
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags True Crime, Military / War