Good & Evil

How do we uphold goodness in a world where it can seem impossible? What are the consequences to the human heart when we fail to live up to the ideals of goodness? These are some of the questions posed by the texts in this collection which explores the theme of Good & Evil.

Publication year 2010

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Society: War

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy

The Passage is a 2010 novel by Justin Cronin. It is the first novel in a post-apocalyptic horror series that includes The Twelve and City of Mirrors. The Passage is Cronin’s take on the vampire genre. He uses world-building to examine themes of Passages and Transitions, Vampirism as a Metaphor, and The Value of Life. The Passage was well-received and was adapted into a television series for the Fox Network, which aired its final episode... Read The Passage Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1947

Genre Novella, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Colonialism, Relationships: Family

Tags American Literature, Classic Fiction, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Historical Fiction, Education, Education

The Pearl is a 1947 historical fiction novella by John Steinbeck. It is an expansion of his earlier short story, “The Pearl of the World,” published in the Woman’s Home Companion in 1945. Steinbeck also co-wrote the screenplay for a 1947 film adaption of the novella titled La perla, directed by Emilio Fernández. Citations in this guide correspond to the 1994 Penguin Books edition. The story, which is presented as a parable, follows a poor... Read The Pearl Summary


Publication year 1985

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Equality, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Food, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Fate, Identity: Race, Identity: Language, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Teams

Tags Fairy Tale / Folklore, Allegory / Fable / Parable, History: U.S., African American Literature, Race / Racism


Publication year 2003

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: The Past, Self Discovery, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Sports, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction

The Perfect Shot by Elaine Marie Alphin was published in 2005. Her 17th book, it won The Foreword Book of the Year Gold Medal for Young Adult Fiction and the VOYA Top Shelf Fiction Award. It was also a Bank Street College Teen Selection in 2006. In it, high school basketball player Brian Hammet works on a history project about the trial of Leo Frank. This historical event mirrors the current trial of Michael Daine... Read The Perfect Shot Summary


Publication year 1910

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Values/Ideas: Music, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude

Tags Classic Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Romance, Gothic Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, French Literature, Historical Fiction, Fantasy

The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux is a Gothic mystery novel first published serially in 1910. The novel follows a “ghost” who haunts the Paris Opera and the mysterious incidents attributed to this figure. The characters and the narrator himself try to uncover the secret of this ghost, who is really a masked man infatuated opera singer, Christine Daaé. The novel has been adapted into several formats, most notably a 1925 silent film... Read The Phantom of the Opera Summary


Publication year 1890

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Art

Tags Classic Fiction, British Literature, Victorian Period, Irish Literature, Arts / Culture, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Gothic Literature, History: World, Fantasy, LGBTQ

The Picture of Dorian Gray is a work of Gothic horror by fin-de-siècle Irish writer Oscar Wilde. Originally released as a novella in 1890, it was published in its complete form in 1891 and sparked public outcry for its perceived amorality. The work chronicles the life of Dorian Gray, a fictional 19th-century British aristocrat, in his pursuit of beauty and pleasure—a pursuit he shared with Wilde, who was a leading figure in the aesthetic literary... Read The Picture of Dorian Gray Summary


Publication year 1933

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Self Discovery, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Christian literature, Fantasy, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2010

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Natural World: Environment, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism

Tags Post Modernism, Poverty


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Society: Class, Society: War, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Military / War, Race / Racism, History: World


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Community, Society: Immigration, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Jewish Literature, French Literature, Military / War, History: World


Publication year 1872

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Society: Class

Tags Fairy Tale / Folklore, Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Children's Literature, Action / Adventure, Religion / Spirituality

The Princess and the Goblin, first published in 1872, is a Victorian children’s fantasy novel written by George MacDonald. Arthur Hughes and W. B. MacDougall created the accompanying drawings for the original publication, and Jessie Wilcox Smith added new visual art to the story in 1920. In 1992, the novel was adapted into a full-length animated feature film of the same name. This guide utilizes the 2018 Leaves of Gold Press version of the novel... Read The Princess and the Goblin Summary


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1824

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Classic Fiction, Gothic Literature, Religion / Spirituality, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, British Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction


Publication year 1940

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Christian literature, Religion / Spirituality, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction


Publication year 2013

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure


Publication year 2002

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Religion / Spirituality, Christian literature, Inspirational, Self Help

The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? by Rick Warren, an American evangelical Christian pastor and author, is a work of Christian literature that offers guidance by means of a 40-day personal, spiritual journey. Warren brings his experience in spiritual leadership to this text, exploring what he identifies as God’s five purposes for human life on Earth. This framework seeks to serve as a blueprint for Christian living in the modern... Read The Purpose Driven Life Summary


Publication year 1834

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Fear

Tags Classic Fiction, Russian Literature, History: World, Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction

“The Queen of Spades” is a short story by Russian author Alexander Pushkin, first published in 1834. In the story, a young army officer becomes obsessed with learning a trick to win vast sums of money at cards. The story has been adapted into films, radio broadcasts, and operas. Many scholars consider Pushkin to be one of the greatest Russian writers and the founder of modern Russian literature. His most famous works include Eugene Onegin... Read The Queen Of Spades Summary


Publication year 1972

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos

Tags Religion / Spirituality, Mythology, Indian Literature

R. K. Narayan’s The Ramayana: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic (Suggested by the Tamil Version of Kamban) was first published in 1972 by Viking Press. The epic story of Rama’s journey contains the teachings of ancient Hindu sages, and these teachings continue to have a major influence on Indian culture.The story of Rama stems from the tradition of bardic literature that was passed down orally through the generations across different regions... Read The Ramayana Summary


Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Self Discovery

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Religion / Spirituality

The Raven Boys (The Raven Cycle, #1) by Maggie Stiefvater is a young adult fantasy novel about a girl from a family of clairvoyants, the boys she befriends, and how their lives are intertwined along their journey to wake a slumbering king. The book was nominated for the Bram Stoker Award and the Locus Award for science fiction and fantasy in 2013, and the Raven Cycle series was nominated for the Mythopoeic Awards in 2017... Read The Raven Boys Summary