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.

V for Vendetta

by Alan Moore

Publication year 1990

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Power & Greed, Politics & Government, Order & Chaos, Justice, Good & Evil, Nation

Tags Science Fiction

IntroductionV for Vendetta is a graphic novel written by Alan Moore and illustrated by David Lloyd. Moore also wrote the acclaimed graphic novel Watchmen and is considered one of the greatest living graphic novel authors, while Lloyd created Marvel’s Night Raven and has done illustrations for many Marvel and DC properties. V for Vendetta was initially serialized in the British anthology Warrior between 1982 and 1984. In the late 80s, it was reprinted in color... Read V for Vendetta Summary

Vietnamerica

by GB Tran

Publication year 2011

Genre Graphic Memoir , Nonfiction

Themes Family, Fathers, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Immigration

Tags Vietnam War, Military & War, Immigration & Refugeeism, World History, Biography

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Voices from Chernobyl

by Svetlana Alexievich

Publication year 1997

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Science & Technology, Order & Chaos, Truth & Lies, Politics & Government, Economics, Death, Grief, Environment

Tags European History, Journalism, Natural Disaster, Science & Nature, Agriculture, Business & Economics, Food, Education, Grief & Death, World History, Military & War, Poverty, Politics & Government, Social Justice, Russian Literature, Biography

Voices from Chernobyl: The Oral History of a Nuclear Disaster by Svetlana Alexievich is a collection of 35 first-person oral accounts of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster in the former Soviet Union. Originally published in Russian in 1997, the book was translated into English by Keith Gessen in 2005; it has been translated into almost every European language. Alexievich, a Belarusian investigative journalist, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for Voices from Chernobyl in... Read Voices from Chernobyl Summary

Waiting on the Moon

by Peter Wolf

Publication year 2025

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Love, Fame, Aging, Conflict, Fear, Gratitude, Hope, Family, Friendship, Marriage, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Art, Beauty, Loyalty & Betrayal, Music, Order & Chaos

Tags Memoir & Autobiography, Music, Grief & Death

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War and Peace

by Leo Tolstoy

Publication year 1867

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes War, Order & Chaos, Marriage

Tags Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, Coming of Age, Realistic Fiction, European History, Military & War, Philosophy, Relationships, Realism, Russian Literature, World History

War and Peace is a historical fiction novel by Russian author Leo Tolstoy that was first published between 1865 and 1869. The story charts the alliances and wars between Russia and France at the beginning of the 19th century, following the lives of characters swept along by historical events and examining key themes like Living a Meaningful Life, The Purpose of Suffering, and History and Free Will. Heralded as one of the most important novels... Read War and Peace Summary

Water Moon

by Samantha Sotto Yambao

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fear, Hope, Joy, Love, Memory, Regret, Sexual Identity, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Future, The Past, Family, Fathers, Friendship, Mothers, Self Discovery, Community, Fate, Good & Evil, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt

Tags Fantasy, Romance

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We Are Seven

by William Wordsworth

Publication year 1798

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Love, Childhood & Youth, Death, Siblings, Order & Chaos, Wins & Losses

Tags Lyric Poem

“We Are Seven” is a lyric poem by English Romantic poet William Wordsworth. Wordsworth wrote it in the spring of 1798 on a walking tour with his sister Dorothy and his friend and fellow poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge. He was recalling a young girl whom he’d met on a previous walking tour, at Goodrich Castle, Herefordshire, in 1793. “We Are Seven” describes a young girl who believes herself to be one of seven siblings, even though... Read We Are Seven Summary

We Did OK, Kid

by Anthony Hopkins

Publication year 2025

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Grief, Loneliness, Memory, Shame & Pride, Mental Health, Childhood & Youth, Midlife, The Past, Place, Daughters & Sons, Family, Fathers, Friendship, Marriage, Mothers, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Community, Education, Fame, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Religion & Spirituality, Truth & Lies

Tags Memoir & Autobiography, Arts & Culture, Addiction & Substance Abuse, Relationships

... Read We Did OK, Kid Summary

Weedflower

by Cynthia Kadohata

Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Community, Safety & Danger, Coming of Age, Justice, Race, Shame & Pride, Loneliness, Family, Order & Chaos, Trust & Doubt, Equality, Fear, War

Tags Historical Fiction, Children`s Literature, Military & War, World History, Japanese Literature, Arts & Culture, World War II, Coming of Age

Weedflower, Cynthia Kadohata’s 2006 historical fiction young adult novel, tells the story of 12-year-old Japanese American Sumiko amid Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor and the US government’s ensuing involvement in World War II. Kadohata depicts the conditions of Japanese internment camps from Sumiko’s perspective, providing unique insight and education on the racism that Japanese Americans faced and the US government’s poor decisions.This guide references the 2009 paperback reprint edition from Atheneum Books for Young Readers.Plot... Read Weedflower Summary

We Used to Live Here

by Marcus Kliewer

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Memory, Mental Health, Future, The Past, Appearance & Reality, Objects & Materials, Place, Self Discovery, Fate, Good & Evil, Order & Chaos, Religion & Spirituality, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, LGBTQ+, Religion & Spirituality, Horror & Suspense

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We Who Wrestle with God

by Jordan B. Peterson

Publication year 2024

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Gender Identity, Justice, Religion & Spirituality, Perseverance, Shame & Pride, Masculinity, Coming of Age, Death, The Past, Self Discovery, Fate, Good & Evil, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos

Tags Psychology, Philosophy, Self-Improvement, Religion & Spirituality

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What Comes After

by JoAnne Tompkins

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Forgiveness, Grief, Guilt, Hope, Loneliness, Coming of Age, Midlife, Death, Future, The Past, Animals, Appearance & Reality, Nature Versus Nurture, Family, Friendship, Mothers, Self Discovery, Community, Fate, Good & Evil, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Religion & Spirituality, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Psychological Fiction

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What If? 2

by Randall Munroe

Publication year 2022

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Animals, Appearance & Reality, Climate, Environment, Plants, Food, Objects & Materials, Place, Space, Education, Order & Chaos, Science & Technology

Tags Science & Nature, Humor, World History

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When Broken Glass Floats

by Chanrithy Him

Publication year 2000

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Community, War, Order & Chaos, Coming of Age

Tags Asian History, Military & War, World History, Action & Adventure, Biography

Chanrithy Him’s memoir, When Broken Glass Floats: Growing Up Under the Khmer Rouge, was first published in 2000. This study guide refers to the 2001 Kindle edition. In the text Him details her experiences as a young child in Cambodia. Him was only five when the autocratic communist Khmer Rouge took over the country, and she recounts the trauma she endured during the five years the regime remained in power. Him’s father was beaten to... Read When Broken Glass Floats Summary

Why Liberalism Failed

by Patrick J. Deneen

Publication year 2018

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Power & Greed, Politics & Government, Community, Equality, Science & Technology, Order & Chaos, Environment

Tags Politics & Government, Philosophy, World History, Education, Education, Social Science, Business & Economics, Sociology, Philosophy, Arts & Culture

... Read Why Liberalism Failed Summary