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 171
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Colonialism, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags History: European, Politics / Government, Philosophy, Military / War, Ancient Rome, Classical Period
Publication year 2019
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Christian literature, Religion / Spirituality, Self Help
Publication year 1984
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Society: War, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Historical Fiction, Japanese Literature, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2006
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Mythology, Relationships, Arts / Culture, Parenting, American Literature, Children's Literature, Action / Adventure
Book DetailThe Sea of Monsters, published by Miramax Books in 2006, is the second installment of Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians fantasy adventure series for young readers. The novel begins the summer after the first book in the series, The Lightning Thief, ends and follows returning heroes Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase on a quest to save Camp Half Blood. The Sea of Monsters was a New York Times best seller and Book... Read The Sea of Monsters Summary
Publication year 1919
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Lyric Poem, History: World, History: European, WWI / World War I
“The Second Coming” is an allegorical poem that W. B. Yeats penned in 1919 and published in The Dial in 1920. The poem describes a declining, violent present and an impending apocalyptic future, marked by the approach of a sphinxlike monster. The poem is often considered an allegory for the fraught times Yeats was living in—namely, the end of World War I, the midst of the Spanish flu pandemic, and the beginning of the Irish... Read The Second Coming Summary
Publication year 1947
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, Post-War Era, Japanese Literature
Publication year -1
Genre Scripture, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Life/Time: The Past
Tags Mythology, Religion / Spirituality, History: Middle Eastern
Publication year 2007
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Economics, Society: Class, Society: Globalization, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Business / Economics, Politics / Government, History: World, Social Justice, Political Science, Philosophy
The Shock Doctrine (2007) is a critique of neoliberalism by Canadian writer and activist Naomi Klein. Klein analyzes the history of neoliberalism and its relationship with crises to argue that neoliberal economics—as promoted by Milton Friedman and his acolytes—exploit and create crises to impose neoliberal policies on unwilling populations through undemocratic means. In Klein’s view, this happens through the mechanism of “shock therapy,” through which nations take advantage of crisis moments to strategically introduce new... Read The Shock Doctrine Summary
Publication year 2009
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Natural World: Environment, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Politics / Government, History: U.S., American Literature, History: World, Western, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2005
Genre Reference/Text Book, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: The Future, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Technology, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Science / Nature, Futurism, Technology, Philosophy, Philosophy
Publication year 2016
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Biography, Religion / Spirituality
The Sound of Gravel is a memoir by Ruth Wariner about her experiences growing up in a polygamist colony in Mexico. Originally published in 2015, the memoir is a rare, detailed examination of the life of children in polygamist colonies, and it examines several themes, including The Consequence of Childhood Neglect, The Flaws and Dangers of Fundamentalism, Courage and Resilience in the Face of Adversity, and The Joys, Pains, and Sacrifices of Familial Love. Ruth... Read The Sound of Gravel Summary
Publication year 1996
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Indigenous, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Objects, Natural World: Place, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Society: Community, Society: Globalization, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Identity: Language
Tags Philosophy, Science / Nature, Psychology, Religion / Spirituality, Anthropology, Anthropology, Psychology, Philosophy
Publication year 1955
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Creative Nonfiction, Action / Adventure
Gabriel García Márquez’s The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor was first published in Spain in 1970 under the title Relato de un naufrago (“story of a castaway”). The nonfiction work relates Luis Alejandro Velasco’s 10-day survival adrift on a raft in the Caribbean after being thrown overboard from his Colombian destroyer in rough seas. While there had been a censored, government-backed version of Velasco’s story that was publicized, the uncensored story was first published in... Read The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor Summary
Publication year 1903
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Masculinity, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags Mythology, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, History: World, Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Fairy Tale / Folklore
The Story of King Arthur and His Knights, written and illustrated by Howard Pyle, was originally published in 1903. Pyle’s Book 1s part of the Arthurian romance genre, which begins with Geoffrey of Monmouth’s introduction of the Arthur character in The History of the Kings of Britain, written in the twelfth century. The Arthurian, or chivalric, romance genre includes texts from many different eras and in many different languages. Pyle’s novel offers an American perspective... Read The Story of King Arthur and His Knights Summary
Publication year 2012
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Identity: Language
Tags Anthropology, Anthropology, Science / Nature, Business / Economics, Sociology, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy
Publication year 1962
Genre Reference/Text Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Science / Nature, Education, Education, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Philosophy, History: World, Sociology
The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (1962) by Thomas Kuhn stands as a seminal work that revolutionized the philosophy of science. As a scholar who shifted his focus from physics to the history of science, and later to the philosophy of science, Kuhn challenged prevailing notions about the nature of scientific progress, introducing concepts such as paradigms, normal science, and scientific revolutions. Situated at the nexus of science, history, and philosophy, Kuhn’s work upended the view... Read The Structure of Scientific Revolutions Summary
Publication year -1800
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Historical Fiction, Ancient Egypt
Publication year 1984
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Society: War, Relationships: Family
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Action / Adventure
The Talisman is a 1984 novel co-written by Stephen King and Peter Straub. It is a fantasy novel with horror elements and has connections to the works in King’s Dark Tower series. The Talisman is a road trip book that tells the story of Jack Sawyer and his quest to save his mother. The Talisman examines themes of lost innocence, coming of age, friendship, the corrupting nature of power, and more.The Talisman has a sequel... Read The Talisman Summary
Publication year 2011
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Science / Nature, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Health / Medicine
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Relationships: Family, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Animals, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Society: Education
Tags Action / Adventure, Humor, Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education