Order & Chaos

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.

The Comedy of Errors

by William Shakespeare

Publication year 1594

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Family, Social Class, Economics, Order & Chaos

Tags Classic Fiction, Comedy & Satire, British Literature

The Comedy of Errors is one of Shakespeare’s earliest plays and is a comedy that incorporates slapstick humor, farce, and wordplay. Its first recorded performance was in 1594, and it has been performed and adapted numerous times since then. Its title has entered into the English lexicon: The phrase “comedy of errors” means a situation caused by many mistakes.The play follows the story of two sets of identical twins who also share the same names... Read The Comedy of Errors Summary

The Comfort of Crows

by Margaret Renkl

Publication year 2023

Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction

Themes Grief, Memory, Aging, Death, Future, The Past, Animals, Climate, Environment, Plants, Food, Nature Versus Nurture, Objects & Materials, Place, Family, Self Discovery, Community, Education, Globalization, Beauty, Equality, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Order & Chaos, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies

Tags Animals, Science & Nature

... Read The Comfort of Crows 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 Competitive Advantage Of Nations

by Michael E. Porter

Publication year 1990

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Economics, Colonialism, Community, Teamwork, Social Class, Immigration, Globalization, Science & Technology, Education, Order & Chaos, Nation, Future, War, The Past, Power & Greed, Equality, Politics & Government, Wins & Losses

Tags Business & Economics, Finance, Leadership, Social Science, World History, Politics & Government

The Competitive Advantage of Nations is a 1990 work of economics by American author Michael E. Porter, a Harvard Business School professor and expert in corporate competitive strategy whose influential works are frequently cited in business and economics. In this book, Porter dismantles traditional economic theories about how well a nation fares in global competition (factor costs and macro-economic policy) and proposes a model that focuses on active and malleable factors of business rather than... Read The Competitive Advantage Of Nations Summary

The Coral Island

by R.M. Ballantyne

Publication year 1857

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Hope, Loneliness, Love, Memory, Nostalgia, Regret, Indigenous Identity, Language, Masculinity, Race, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Death, The Past, Animals, Climate, Environment, Plants, Objects & Materials, Place, Friendship, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Colonialism, Education, War, Literature, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Religion & Spirituality, Safety & Danger, Science & Technology

Tags Classic Fiction, Action & Adventure, Children`s Literature, Historical Fiction

... Read The Coral Island Summary

The Crying of Lot 49

by Thomas Pynchon

Publication year 1966

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fate, Truth & Lies, Order & Chaos

Tags Satirical Literature, Postmodernism, American Literature, US History, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, World History, 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

The Door

by Magda Szabó

Publication year 1987

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Perseverance, Guilt, Love, Memory, Death, The Past, Place, Friendship, Self Discovery, Social Class, Community, Nation, Politics & Government, War, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Literature, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Classic Fiction

... Read The Door Summary

The Door of No Return

by Kwame Alexander

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Grief, Guilt, Place, Family, Siblings, Grandparents, Friendship, Mothers, Equality, Power & Greed, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Good & Evil, Literature, Safety & Danger, Order & Chaos, Truth & Lies, Wins & Losses, Language, Masculinity, Race, Love, Coming of Age, Childhood & Youth, Colonialism, Community, Death, Nation, Education, Self Discovery, Fathers

Tags Historical Fiction, Children`s Literature, Free Verse, Coming of Age, Race & Racism, History: African , African American Literature, World History

... Read The Door of No Return Summary

The Doors of Perception, and Heaven and Hell

by Aldous Huxley

Publication year 1954

Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction

Themes Art, Religion & Spirituality, Fear, Joy, Memory, Indigenous Identity, Language, Mental Health, Appearance & Reality, Environment, Objects & Materials, Place, Self Discovery, Community, Politics & Government, Beauty, Good & Evil, Literature, Music, Order & Chaos, Science & Technology, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Philosophy, Psychology, Religion & Spirituality, Science & Nature, Health

... Read The Doors of Perception, and Heaven and Hell Summary

The Do-Over

by Lynn Painter

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Family, Conflict, Love, Self Discovery, Order & Chaos

Tags Love & Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Business & Economics, Dramatic Literature, Romance, Fantasy, Humor

... Read The Do-Over Summary

The Double

by Fyodor Dostoevsky

Publication year 1846

Genre Novella, Fiction

Themes Fear, Loneliness, Shame & Pride, Mental Health, Social Class, Community, Equality, Fate, Good & Evil, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Safety & Danger

Tags Classic Fiction, Russian Literature, Psychology, World History, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy

... Read The Double Summary

The Drawing of the Three

by Stephen King

Publication year 1987

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Forgiveness, Love, Mental Health, Death, Friendship, Community, Fate, Good & Evil, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt

Tags Fantasy, Horror & Suspense, Science Fiction, Western, Action & Adventure

... Read The Drawing of the Three Summary

The Dream Hotel

by Laila Lalami

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Grief, Guilt, Loneliness, Memory, Nostalgia, Regret, Shame & Pride, Femininity, Gender Identity, Mental Health, Race, Future, Appearance & Reality, Marriage, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Immigration, Politics & Government, Justice, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Science & Technology

Tags Science Fiction

... Read The Dream Hotel Summary

The Drowned World

by J. G. Ballard

Publication year 1962

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Climate, Death, Future, The Past, Environment, Place, Social Class, Politics & Government, Art, Beauty, Order & Chaos

Tags Science 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