Satire

Satire is a powerful literary device authors use to critique or mock various aspects of society, often through the use of humor and irony. The titles in this Collection exemplify the art of satire as they critique and interrogate cultural, political, philosophical, and other social ideas and structures.

Publication year 1681Genre Poem, FictionTags Lyric Poem, Satire, Politics / Government, Restoration, Education, Education, British Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction

John Dryden’s “Absalom and Achitophel” was first published in 1681, in direct response to a political crisis faced by King Charles II from 1679 to 1681. In what became known as the “Exclusion Crisis,” the king’s opponents in Parliament tried to exclude Charles’s brother James from the succession on the grounds that he was a Roman Catholic. “Absalom and Achitophel” is a satiric narrative poem in which Dryden uses a biblical allegory to discuss the... Read Absalom and Achitophel Summary


Publication year 1962Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Justice & InjusticeTags Satire, British Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Classic Fiction

Published in 1962, during the height of Cold War tensions between the Soviet Union and the West, Anthony Burgess’s A Clockwork Orange reflects the anxieties and paranoia of the era. It is a dystopian novel about a roving gang of teenagers who instill fear in and inflict violence on the populace. The novel is known for its invented language, called Nadsat, which is an amalgam of Russian-influenced slang and Cockney dialect. The protagonist, the gleefully... Read A Clockwork Orange Summary


Publication year 1710Genre Poem, FictionThemes Society: ClassTags Satire, Classic Fiction

Publication year 1975Genre Short Story, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Justice & InjusticeTags American Literature, Satire

“Africa Kills Her Sun” is a satirical short story by Nigerian author Ken Saro-Wiwa. Published in 1989 in the anthology Adaku and Other Stories, “Africa Kills Her Sun” takes the form of a letter, written in first-person present tense by the main character, Bana. Bana recounts his adult life—his career change, crimes, and remaining moments before execution—to his childhood girlfriend, Zole, whom he has not seen or spoken to in 10 years.Bana begins the letter... Read Africa Kills Her Sun Summary


Publication year 1934Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Society: ClassTags Satire, Classic Fiction, British Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Humor

A Handful of Dust is a satirical novel by Evelyn Waugh, published in 1934. The novel satirizes the lives of the English gentry and middle class in the interwar period. Waugh’s highly regarded satire is based on his own experience of divorce and unhappiness, as well as his understanding of the English class system. The novel has been dramatized for radio, theater, and screen. This guide uses the 2018 Penguin English Library edition.Content Warning: The... Read A Handful of Dust Summary


Publication year 1966Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: RevengeTags Satire, Modern Classic Fiction, Politics / Government, Heinemann African Writers, African American Literature, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction

A Man of the People is a 1966 novel by Chinua Achebe. Achebe, a Nigerian novelist and well-known figure of African literature, also wrote Things Fall Apart (1958) and Arrow of God (1964). A Man of the People chronicles political unrest in an African nation that only recently gained its independence from Britain. The novel opens with the narrator, Odili Samalu, awaiting the arrival of Minister Nanga, also known as Chief Nanga, at Anata Grammar... Read A Man of the People Summary


Publication year 1956Genre Poem, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Mental HealthTags Poetry: Dramatic Poem, Satire, Politics / Government, Mental Illness, The Beat Generation, WWII / World War II

Publication year 1991Genre Novel, FictionThemes Society: Economics, Society: ClassTags Satire, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Mystery / Crime Fiction, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction

American Psycho is a 1991 novel by American author Bret Easton Ellis. Set in 1980s New York, the novel follows the life of a wealthy young stockbroker, the novel’s narrator, Patrick Bateman. Surrounded by a world of vapid commercialism and empty excess, Bateman begins acting on his psychopathic thoughts and impulses. His disturbance begins in his imagination. However, it quickly bleeds over into reality with Bateman committing more and more horrific murders, fueled by drug... Read American Psycho Summary


Publication year 1927Genre Novel, FictionThemes Society: Immigration, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: ClassTags Classic Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Action / Adventure, Satire, Class

Publication year 1729Genre Essay / Speech, NonfictionTags Satire, Irish Literature, Education, Education, Philosophy, Philosophy, Humor, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government

A Modest Proposal For preventing the Children of Poor People From being a Burthen to Their Parents or Country, and For making them Beneficial to the Publick is a satirical essay published anonymously in 1729 by Irish author Jonathan Swift. Using irony and hyperbole, the essay mocks heartless attitudes toward the poor among English and Irish elites by proposing that impoverished families sell their infant children to be killed and eaten by the rich. One... Read A Modest Proposal Summary


Publication year 1945Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: CommunityTags Satire, History: European, Politics / Government, Philosophy, Animals, Post-War Era, Allegory / Fable / Parable, British Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Education, Education, Fantasy, Classic Fiction

Published in 1945, Animal Farm by George Orwell (1903-1950) achieved immediate success and remains one of Orwell’s most popular works. A political satire in the guise of a moving and whimsical animal fable, the novella is about a group of farm animals who overthrow their owner, Mr. Jones, and establish animal rule. Although the animals start with high hopes for Animal Farm as a harmonious and just utopia where “all animals are equal” (19), it... Read Animal Farm Summary


Publication year 2015Genre Play, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Justice & InjusticeTags Play: Drama, Race / Racism, Satire, Education, Education, American Literature, Drama / Tragedy

Publication year 2006Genre Novel, FictionThemes Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Natural World: PlaceTags Satire, Humor, Race / Racism, History: U.S., Business / Economics, American Literature, Reconstruction Era, African American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction

Apex Hides the Hurt, a 2006 novel by American author Colson Whitehead, follows a nameless, emotionally muted nomenclature consultant, or an expert in creating brand names. The novel toggles between the protagonist’s memories of success at his company, and his current consulting assignment—renaming a town. The novel satirizes contemporary American consumer culture and features themes of race and identity. Whitehead uses humor and revelation as key narrative techniques in this story about a man who... Read Apex Hides the Hurt Summary


Publication year 1908Genre Novel, FictionThemes Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Identity: Femininity, Self Discovery, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: ArtTags British Literature, Italian Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Satire, Edwardian Era

A Room with a View is a 1908 historical fiction/romance novel by British author E. M. Forster. The novel is split between Italy and England, telling the story of Lucy Honeychurch, a young and spirited middle-class Englishwoman who embarks on a journey of self-discovery during a trip to Italy. During her travels, Lucy falls in love with the free-spirited and unconventional George Emerson, a fellow tourist, but is later forced to choose between her heart's... Read A Room with a View Summary


Publication year 1704Genre Novella, FictionThemes Relationships: SiblingsTags Satire, Irish Literature, British Literature, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy, Humor, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality

Jonathan Swift wrote A Tale of a Tub (published in 1704) not only to expound upon the hypocrisy of religion in early 18th century England, but to explore ideas about critics, oration, ancient and modern philosophies, digressions, and the nature of writing itself. These themes are all underscored with a satirical tone that takes religion, authors, and critics to task. The title refers to the tub that sailors used to toss out to distract whales... Read A Tale Of A Tub Summary


Publication year 1939Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Literature, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Fate, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: ConflictTags Irish Literature, Humor, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Satire, Arts / Culture, Class, British Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction

Publication year 2023Genre Novel, FictionThemes Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Truth & LiesTags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Romance, Satire, Modern Classic Fiction

Publication year 1970Genre Novel, FictionThemes Society: Politics & Government, Natural World: Appearance & RealityTags Satire, Humor, American Literature, Politics / Government, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction

Polish-born author Jerzy Kosiński (1933-1991) wrote Being There, published in 1970. The novella satirizes mid-20th-century politics and culture, focusing on the twin pillars of bureaucracy and the media as vehicles for the deterioration of modern thought. Kosiński grew up in Soviet-controlled Poland and came to the United States in 1957. In 1958, he was awarded a Ford Foundation fellowship. He studied at the New School and Columbia University in New York, where he received a... Read Being There Summary


Publication year 2021Genre Novel, FictionThemes Identity: Race, Society: Colonialism, Society: EconomicsTags Satire, Humor, Race / Racism, Modern Classic Fiction

Publication year 1931Genre Novel, FictionTags Satire, Harlem Renaissance, Race / Racism, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, American Literature, Humor, Classic Fiction

George S. Schuyler’s novel, Black No More: Being an Account of the Strange and Wonderful Workings of Science in the Land of the Free, A.D. 1933-1940, is a satirical novel first published in 1931 by the Macaulay Company. The novel was reissued in 2015 by Martino Publishing, based in Mansfield Centre, Connecticut. Some contemporary scholars categorize this work retrospectively as one of the earliest pieces of literary Afrofuturism, a kind of science fiction unique to... Read Black No More Summary


Publication year 1853Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: FamilyTags Classic Fiction, Victorian Period, Satire, British Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, Victorian Literature / Period

Bleak House is a novel by English Victorian author Charles Dickens, published between 1852-1853. The expansive narrative covers many plots, including the first-person account of the life of Esther Summerson and an ongoing court case concerning a large inheritance thrown into chaos by the existence of contradictory wills. Bleak House has been adapted for the theater, radio, film, and television (most recently in 2005) and is considered among Dickens’ greatest novels. This guide uses an... Read Bleak House Summary


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Publication year 1993Genre Short Story, FictionThemes Identity: Race, Society: Colonialism, Society: Nation, Relationships: FamilyTags Satire, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction

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Publication year 1759Genre Novella, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & DoubtTags Satire, Philosophy, Science / Nature, French Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Historical Fiction, Humor, Classic Fiction

Candide, or Optimism was first published in 1759 by the French writer Voltaire (born Francois-Marie Arouet in 1694, died in 1778). The most famous and widely read work published by Voltaire, Candide is a satire that critiques contemporary philosophy, and specifically Leibnizian optimism, which posited the doctrine of the best of all possible worlds. Along with other French contemporaries, such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Denis Diderot, and Montesquieu, Voltaire published at the height of the French... Read Candide Summary


Publication year 1963Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Art, Life/Time: Mortality & DeathTags Satire, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Post Modernism, Humor, American Literature, Fantasy, Classic Fiction

Cat’s Cradle is a satirical science fiction novel by Kurt Vonnegut, published in 1963. The novel, which explores themes related to science, technology, and religion against the backdrop of the Cold War arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union, won critical acclaim for Vonnegut and was nominated for a Hugo Award. This guide refers to the 2010 Dial Trade Press edition.Content Warning: This guide references death by suicide and sexual assault found... Read Cat's Cradle Summary


Publication year 2023Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Fame, Society: Community, Relationships: Teams, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Identity: Race, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental HealthTags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Satire, LGBTQ, Black Lives Matter, Business / Economics, Grief / Death, History: U.S., Incarceration, Race / Racism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Social Justice, Fantasy

Publication year 1914Genre Poem, FictionThemes Society: War, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: ConflictTags Lyric Poem, Satire, Military / War, Victorian Period, Christian literature

English poet and novelist Thomas Hardy wrote “Channel Firing” in May of 1914, only three months before the beginning of WWI. Eerily prophetic, the poem depicts the global chaos and destruction that soon followed. Overlaid by tones of satire and irony, the poem details the violence of war and humanity’s age-old proclivity toward it through a conversation between God and the dead. Hardy, although best known for his earlier novels, received positive reception concerning war... Read Channel Firing Summary


Publication year 2015Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: Family, Society: Economics, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: LoveTags Humor, Satire, Romance, Asian Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Chinese Literature

China Rich Girlfriend is an adult novel published by Doubleday in 2015, the sequel to Singapore-born author Kevin Kwan’s internationally bestselling romantic comedy Crazy Rich Asians (2013) and second in a trilogy which concludes with Rich People Problems (2017). Billed as a satire, a mock-epic, and a sprawling family saga that peers into the lives of the ultra-wealthy in Asia, China Rich Girlfriend depicts the efforts of Rachel Chu, a Chinese-born American university professor, and... Read China Rich Girlfriend Summary


Publication year 1996Genre Short Story Collection, FictionTags Satire, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Humor

George Saunders’s debut collection, CivilWarLand in Bad Decline, was originally published in 1996. Comprised of six stories and a novella, the collection is satirical and interrogates late American capitalist consumer culture. In the title story, “CivilWarLand in Bad Decline,” the protagonist works at a CivilWar-era themepark. Due to slumping profits from an increasing gang presence in the park, the boss, Mr. A, decides to hire a psychotic ex-soldier, Samuel. Samuel winds up being a little... Read CivilWarLand in Bad Decline Summary


Publication year 1932Genre Novel, FictionThemes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: MemoryTags Humor, Classic Fiction, Satire, British Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction

Cold Comfort Farm (September 1932) is the first book by British author Stella Gibbons. Upon publication, it became an instant success. The comic novel is a parody of rural romances that were popular in Britain at the time. The story was adapted for two BBC television shows in 1968 and 1981. It was also made into a film starring Kate Beckinsale in 1995. Cold Comfort Farm is classified under the category of Classic Humor Fiction... Read Cold Comfort Farm Summary


Publication year 1939Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Society: Class, Life/Time: The Past, Society: War, Society: Nation, Emotions/Behavior: MemoryTags Historical Fiction, Satire, British Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction

Coming Up For Air is an interwar novel written by British author George Orwell shortly before the outbreak of World War II. Originally published in 1939, the novel was written in Morocco while Orwell was recovering from injuries received while fighting in the Spanish Civil War. Set in the late 1930s, the novel follows a middle-aged insurance salesman named George Bowling as he struggles with anxieties about the coming war. Like Orwell’s more famous novels... Read Coming Up for Air Summary


Publication year 2013Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Class, Relationships: FamilyTags Romance, Humor, Satire, Asian Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

Crazy Rich Asians is a 2013 romance comedy novel by American author Kevin Kwan about a young Asian American woman who travels with her boyfriend to his native Singapore and finds herself suddenly thrust into the cutthroat world of Asia’s uber-rich. Kwan based the novel loosely on his own experiences growing up in Singapore. It is the first novel in a three-book series, followed by China Rich Girlfriend (2015) and Rich People Problems (2017), all... Read Crazy Rich Asians Summary


Publication year 1842Genre Novel, FictionThemes Society: Class, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Truth & LiesTags Classic Fiction, Satire, Class, History: European, Politics / Government, Religion / Spirituality, Russian Literature, Victorian Period, History: World, Historical Fiction, Humor

Nikolai Gogol called his 1842 work Dead Souls an “epic poem in prose,” though most critics and scholars now refer to it as a novel. Structured in part as an analog to Dante’s Inferno, Dead Souls is an absurdist social satire of imperial Russia before the emancipation of the serfs, especially the foibles and customs of the Russian nobility. Though Gogol is not interested in strict realism, his portraits of nobles who speak French more... Read Dead Souls Summary


Publication year 1832Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Natural World: Place, Society: Politics & GovernmentTags British Literature, American Literature, Sociology, History: World, Classic Fiction, Travel Literature, Satire, History: U.S.

Frances (Fanny) Trollope, today best known as the mother of the popular Victorian author Anthony Trollope, was herself an extraordinarily productive writer in many genres. Her literary career began in middle age when, out of financial desperation, she wrote a travelog describing her impressions of America, gathered on a three-year excursion there. Published in 1832 in two volumes, Domestic Manners of the Americans was a runaway bestseller and a wildly controversial takedown of what Trollope... Read Domestic Manners of the Americans Summary


Publication year 1605Genre Novel, FictionThemes Life/Time: Aging, Relationships: FriendshipTags Classic Fiction, Mental Illness, Class, Philosophy, Politics / Government, Renaissance, Religion / Spirituality, Satire

Don Quixote is a novel in two parts by Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes published between 1605 and 1615. The novel portrays the life of a middle-aged Spanish man who decides to become a knight, just like the characters in the works of fiction he loves. Considered to be a foundational work of Western literature and one of the first modern novels, Don Quixote is one of the most translated books of all time. It... Read Don Quixote Summary


Publication year 1968Genre Poem, FictionThemes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Values/Ideas: FameTags Satire, Lyric Poem, Race / Racism

Publication year 2009Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: RevengeTags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Satire, Modern Classic Fiction

Olga Tokarczuk is among Poland’s most famous and critically acclaimed contemporary authors. She has received multiple national and international literary awards, including the 2018 Nobel Prize in Literature. Her most well-known novels and their translation dates into English are House of Day, House of Night (2003), Primeval and Other Times (2010), Flights (2018), and The Books of Jacob (2021).Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead was published in Poland in 2009 but didn’t... Read Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead Summary


Publication year 1991Genre Short Story, FictionThemes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: TeamsTags Addiction / Substance Abuse, Relationships, Humor, Psychological Fiction, Satire, Education, Education

Denis Johnson originally published “Emergency” in the September 16, 1991 issue of New Yorker magazine and later as part of his critically acclaimed 1992 short story collection, Jesus’ Son. These linked, fragmentary stories, all narrated by the same troubled, drug-addicted character, examine themes of violence, addiction, loss, and friendship from an unreliable yet sympathetic narrative voice. This guide uses the 1992 version of Jesus’ Son published by Picador/Farrar, Straus and Giroux.“Emergency,” the sixth story in... Read Emergency Summary


Publication year 1872Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & GovernmentTags Victorian Period, Classic Fiction, Satire, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, British Literature, History: World, Fantasy, Philosophy, Philosophy

Erewhon: or, Over the Range is a satirical novel detailing the adventures of an unnamed narrator into the fictional country of Erewhon. The novel was written by Samuel Butler, though it was published anonymously in 1872. Butler was known for his controversial views on religion and science, wavering between support of and condemnation of both the Church of England and the Darwinian scientists. As such, his own views influence the satire of the novel, and... Read Erewhon Summary


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Publication year 2002Genre Novel, FictionThemes Natural World: EnvironmentTags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Satire, Technology, Grief / Death, Social Justice, Class, Education, Education, Fantasy, Romance

Feed by M.T. Anderson, published in 2002, is a young adult dystopian cyberpunk novel set in a future in which excessive consumerism is at the center of human identity and technology-driven artificiality serves as a distraction for a world that is in the final stages of complete ecological destruction. The feed is a brain-implanted device that integrates computer and network capabilities into the user’s consciousness and biological functions.For most, the feed is implanted at birth... Read Feed Summary


Publication year 1996Genre Novel, FictionThemes Identity: Masculinity, Society: Community, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: GenderTags Satire, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mental Illness, Grief / Death, Mystery / Crime Fiction, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction

Fight Club (1996) is the debut novel of American author Chuck Palahniuk. Three years later, American filmmaker David Fincher directed the film adaptation starring Brad Pitt as Tyler Durden, Edward Norton as the Narrator, and Helena Bonham Carter as Marla Singer. This study guide uses the 2018 paperback edition published by W. W. Norton & Co.Fight Club is a contemporary work of literary fiction that contends with masculinity, materialism, consumer culture, and modern disillusionment. Inspired... Read Fight Club Summary


Publication year 1884Genre Novella, FictionThemes Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Identity: GenderTags Satire, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Philosophy, Class, Gender / Feminism, British Literature, Victorian Period, Science / Nature, History: World, Philosophy

IntroductionIn his introduction to Flatland: a Romance of Many Dimensions (1884), British mathematician Banesh Hoffmann describes the novel as “a stirring adventure in pure mathematics” and emphasizes the fundamentally fantastical nature of the story (iii). He also says that author Edwin A. Abbott intended the novel to be instructional. Both the surreal nature of Flatland and its didactic elements are plain, but there is disagreement among scholars and readers on the question of exactly what... Read Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions Summary


Publication year 1965Genre Novel, FictionThemes Society: Class, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: EqualityTags Satire, Humor, Post Modernism, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Classic Fiction

God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater, or Pearls Before Swine is a 1965 novel by American author Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (1922-2007). The novel is a postmodern satire on wealth, capitalism, and the dark side of the American Dream. Vonnegut’s fifth novel is considered a precursor to Slaughterhouse Five (1969) since it introduces many of the themes that appear in that much-lauded novel. God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater contains elements of science fiction, which emerge in a... Read God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater Summary


Publication year 1973Genre Novel, FictionThemes Society: War, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Science & TechnologyTags Historical Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, WWII / World War II, Satire, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Military / War, American Literature, Classic Fiction

Gravity’s Rainbow is a 1973 historical satire by American novelist Thomas Pynchon, who is known for complex narratives that are often dense, fragmented, and episodic. The story is set during the last days of World War II as characters search for a mysterious rocket developed by the German military. The novel has been hailed as one of the most important English language works of the 20th century.Pynchon, disinclined to engage with the press or public... Read Gravity's Rainbow Summary


Publication year 1726Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Politics & Government, Self Discovery, Society: NationTags Satire, Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Travel Literature

Gulliver’s Travels is a 1726 novel written by Jonathan Swift. It is both an early English novel and a seminal satirical text in British Literature, remaining Swift’s best-known work and spawning many adaptations in both print and film. The targets of Swift’s satire range from political structures in early 18th-century England to the national rivalry between England and France during the same period. Swift also lampoons science and educational trends that lean towards more speculative... Read Gulliver's Travels Summary


Publication year 1854Genre Novel, FictionThemes Society: Class, Society: Economics, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: FemininityTags Victorian Period, Satire, Classic Fiction, British Literature, Class, Gender / Feminism, Poverty, Education, Education, History: World, Historical Fiction, Victorian Literature / Period

Hard Times is an 1854 novel by Charles Dickens. The 10th book of Dickens’s career, Hard Times is notably shorter than his other works and is one of the few that isn’t set in London. Instead, Hard Times provides a satirical examination of the fictitious industrial city of Coketown, England. The novel has been adapted numerous times for radio, television, theater, and film.This guide is written using an eBook edition of the 2003 Penguin Classics... Read Hard Times Summary


Publication year 1960Genre Short Story, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: EqualityTags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Satire, Education, Education, American Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction

Kurt Vonnegut’s dystopian science fiction story “Harrison Bergeron” was first published in 1961 in The Magazine of Science Fiction and Fantasy. It has since been adapted for film and television in PBS’s Between Timid and Timbuktu series, Showtime’s Harrison Bergeron, a 2008 short film also titled Harrison Bergeron, and a 2009 short film titled 2081. The story was republished in Vonnegut’s collection Welcome to the Monkey House in 1968. This guide references the e-book version... Read Harrison Bergeron Summary


Publication year 1915Genre Novel, FictionTags Gender / Feminism, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Satire, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Education, Education, Fantasy, Classic Fiction

Herland (1915) is the second installment of The Herland Trilogy by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, but it is typically read as a standalone novel. Gilman was an American humanist, feminist activist, and author of both fiction and nonfiction. Her most famous work is “The Yellow Wallpaper” (1892), a short story that depicts the late 1800s “rest cure”: a popular treatment for women’s mental health that Gilman underwent herself. Herland follows three men—Van, Jeff, and Terry—who find... Read Herland Summary


Publication year 2000Genre Novel, FictionTags Satire, Post Modernism, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Religion / Spirituality

Mark Danielewski’s 2000 debut novel, House of Leaves, is an experimental text that contains multiple layers of narration. It is a type of frame story: the top frame, or layer, follows the life of Johnny Truant after he finds Zampanò’s manuscript The Navidson Record, with this manuscript acting as House of Leaves’ second layer. Zampanò’s manuscript analyzes the third layer of House of Leaves: a documentary of the same name filmed by Will Navidson. The... Read House Of Leaves Summary


Publication year 1996Genre Novel, FictionTags Satire, Modern Classic Fiction, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Humor, Post Modernism, American Literature, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Sports

Infinite Jest is a fiction novel by David Foster Wallace. First published in 1996, the novel has an unconventional narrative structure with hundreds of extensive footnotes. Exploring themes of addiction, alienation, and the plight of modern existence, Infinite Jest is famous for its complexity and humor. The novel has been praised by critics and heralded as one of the most important literary works of the 20th century. This guide was written using the 2014 Abacus... Read Infinite Jest Summary


Publication year 1999Genre Novel, FictionThemes Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Gender, Self DiscoveryTags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Satire, Modern Classic Fiction, Humor

Invisible Monsters is the third novel by bestselling novelist Chuck Palahniuk. Published in 1999, the novel was intended to be Palahniuk’s first published novel but was rejected for its disturbing content. Invisible Monsters is a contemporary work in the first person with a non-linear narration. The main characters include a former model and transgender woman focused on the search for identity in a society where beauty defines a person’s self-worth.Content Warning: Please be advised that... Read Invisible Monsters Summary


Publication year 1935Genre Novel, FictionTags Satire, Politics / Government, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction

It Can’t Happen Here (1935) is a dystopian political novel by Sinclair Lewis. The narrative details the rise, consolidation, and partial collapse of an American fascist dictatorship and is told through the perpesective of 60-year-old protagonist Doremus Jessup, owner-editor of a small Vermont newspaper and self-described middle-class liberal intellectual. Initially a cynical and detached political observer, Jessup becomes an increasingly active member of the resistance.Considering themes like American Totalitarianism and The Conditions Necessary for Liberal... Read It Can't Happen Here Summary


Publication year 2024Genre Novel, FictionThemes Identity: Race, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Good & EvilTags Historical Fiction, Satire, Action / Adventure

Publication year 1936Genre Novel, FictionThemes Society: Economics, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & AngerTags Classic Fiction, Satire, Class, Relationships, British Literature, History: World, Politics / Government

Keep the Aspidistra Flying was first published in 1936. Written by George Orwell (whose real name was Eric Arthur Blair), it is not as well-known as other works like 1984 and Animal Farm, nor was it well received when it was released. Like much of Orwell’s other fiction, though, it is a social criticism novel; it examines and critiques social, political, and economic issues contemporary to the time of its writing. In 1997, Robert Bierman... Read Keep the Aspidistra Flying Summary


Publication year 2017Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Equality, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: ArtTags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Satire, Relationships, Agriculture, Arts / Culture, Business / Economics, Class, Finance / Money / Wealth, Food, Health / Medicine, History: U.S., Politics / Government, Poverty, Religion / Spirituality, Social Justice

Landscape with Invisible Hand is a satirical dystopian science fiction novel by M. T. Anderson, written for a young adult audience. A diverse author, Anderson writes both fiction and nonfiction for people of all ages. In 2023, Landscape with Invisible Hand was adapted for film, reflecting the novel’s popularity and relevance. The book depicts a future world in which an alien species, the vuvv, have sold their technology to humans, causing the collapse of the... Read Landscape with Invisible Hand Summary


Publication year 1857Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Society: Class, Society: Politics & GovernmentTags Classic Fiction, Victorian Period, Satire, Class, British Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance, Victorian Literature / Period

Charles Dickens’s novel Little Dorrit was originally published in serialized form between 1855 and 1857. In this novel, the author satirizes government and society at large, with a specific focus on debtors’ prisons that incarcerated those in debt. The prison in Little Dorrit is the Marshalsea, where at one time, Charles Dickens’s father was imprisoned for debt. Little Dorrit explores common Dickensian themes such as economic class, duty, and societal issues.Other works by this author... Read Little Dorrit Summary


Publication year 1955Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: ArtTags Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Satire, Realism, Russian Literature, History: World, Romance

Lolita, a novel by Russian-American author Vladimir Nabokov, was published in 1955 in Paris. American publishing companies refused to publish the novel due to its scandalous plot, but the book was considered a classic almost instantly. In 1967, the novel was finally published in America and, since then, Lolita has appeared on several lists of the greatest English-language and American novels of all time. The novel blends genres, offering readers elements of romance, erotica, and... Read Lolita Summary


Publication year 1738Genre Poem, FictionThemes Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Nation, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: GriefTags Satire, Poetry: Dramatic Poem, Age of Enlightenment, Neoclassical, British Literature, Finance / Money / Wealth, History: European, Politics / Government

Publication year 1682Genre Poem, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: LiteratureTags Satire, Arts / Culture, Restoration

During his lifetime, John Dryden (1631-1700) was an esteemed poet, literary critic, and playwright. His influence was so large that the literary period after the Restoration of Charles II is sometimes called the “Age of Dryden.” Dryden’s literary abilities were recognized by the Stuart Monarchy in 1668 when he was made England’s first Poet Laureate. In addition to his role as Poet Laureate, Dryden is best remembered for his refinement of English verse, his development of... Read Mac Flecknoe Summary


Publication year 1903Genre Play, FictionThemes Relationships: MarriageTags Satire, Irish Literature

In an epistolary preface to Man and Superman (1903), Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw writes a letter to Arthur Bingham Walkley, his friend and a theatre critic for The Times, who had inspired the play by asking Shaw why he had never written a play based on Don Juan, the legendary fictional Spanish lothario. This presented a particular challenge for Shaw, who had been writing works that challenged the popular romanticism that dominated theatre at... Read Man And Superman Summary


Publication year 1961Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Truth & LiesTags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Humor, American Literature, Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Satire, Military / War, WWII / World War II, Post Modernism

Mother Night, by Kurt Vonnegut, is a World War II novel first published in 1961. Vonnegut’s third novel, it garnered little recognition when it was first released, and it wasn’t until Vonnegut’s success with Cat’s Cradle in 1963 and his breakout fifth novel, Slaughterhouse-Five (1969), that Mother Night was revaluated as a powerful work of moral exploration by an author who would go on to become America’s leading satirist and who is now recognized as... Read Mother Night Summary


Publication year 2018Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: Family, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Values/Ideas: BeautyTags Satire, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

My Sister, the Serial Killer, is a novel by Nigerian-born British writer Oyinkan Braithwaite, originally published in the UK in 2019. Set in Nigeria’s largest city, Lagos, this darkly satirical, structurally experimental crime story about the extremes of family bonds bears an unusually revealing and literal title, and it has been longlisted for the prestigious Booker Prize. The novel was also shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction and the 2019 Amazon Publishing Readers’ Awards... Read My Sister, the Serial Killer Summary


Publication year 1959Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Community, Society: Politics & GovernmentTags The Beat Generation, Classic Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Addiction / Substance Abuse, American Literature, Satire, Politics / Government, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World

Naked Lunch is a 1959 novel by American author William. S. Burroughs. In it, Lee, a heroin user, looks to escape New York to avoid arrest by the police. He thus embarks on a journey through Philadelphia and Mexico before arriving in the fictional state of Freeland, where all life is well-ordered and hygienic. Following a riot in a Freeland psychological reconditioning center, however, Lee flees to the strange and fantastical city of Interzone. There... Read Naked Lunch Summary


Publication year 2021Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: Family, Society: CommunityTags Magical Realism, Satire, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Gender / Feminism, Relationships, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Modern Classic Fiction

Publication year 1887Genre Novel, FictionThemes Society: Colonialism, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Politics & GovernmentTags Satire, Historical Fiction, Asian Literature, History: Asian, Politics / Government, Asian Literature, History: World, Romance, Classic Fiction

Noli Me Tángere (1887)—which translates to “Touch Me Not” in Latin—is a novel written by Filipino writer José Rizal. The novel tells the story of Don Crisóstomo Ibarra, a young man of Filipino and Spanish descent who returns to the Philippines after a seven-year trip to Europe. Upon his return, and because he is now old enough to better understand the world, Ibarra sees the oppression wrought on the Indigenous population by Spanish colonialism. As... Read Noli Me Tángere Summary


Publication year 1817Genre Novel, FictionThemes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Class, Relationships: MarriageTags Classic Fiction, Romance, Historical Fiction, Satire, Gothic Literature, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, British Literature, History: World

Northanger Abbey is an early novel by Jane Austen. Though it wasn't published until after her death in 1817, Austen wrote the novel in 1803, intending it as a satire of the gothic novels that were popular during this period. Northanger Abbey follows the life and loves of its unlikely heroine, seventeen-year-old Catherine Morland, a naïve young woman away from her family for the first time and trying to navigate the world and the heart—with... Read Northanger Abbey Summary


Publication year 2021Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Society: CommunityTags Humor, Satire, Modern Classic Fiction

Publication year 1959Genre Novel, FictionThemes Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Natural World: Appearance & RealityTags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Satire, Military / War, Politics / Government, Cold War, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, British Literature, History: World, Humor, Classic Fiction

Graham Greene’s Our Man in Havana, a 1958 satirical spy novel, evokes the political atmosphere in Cuba on the cusp of the Communist takeover and the Cuban Missile Crisis. Relevant and well-received, the novel has been adapted into a film, a play, and an opera. Greene was himself a member of M16, the United Kingdom’s Secret Intelligence Service, and his background allowed him to portray both accurately and comically the behind-the-scenes espionage antics that make... Read Our Man in Havana Summary


Publication year 1865Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Power & GreedTags Classic Fiction, Victorian Period, Satire, British Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Victorian Literature / Period

Our Mutual Friend is a Victorian Realist novel by Charles Dickens, published in serial form from 1864 to 1865. The novel is notable among Dickens’s work for its scathing satire of social conditions in London during the era. Our Mutual Friend has been adapted for film, television, and radio and explores themes of The Tension Between Poverty and Dignity, The Relationship Between Names and Identity, and The Rigidity of Social Class.This guide uses the 2008... Read Our Mutual Friend Summary


Publication year 1992Genre Novel, FictionThemes Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & TechnologyTags Historical Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Satire, Post Modernism, Gothic Literature, History: World, Fantasy, Classic Fiction

Publication year 1511Genre Essay / Speech, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Politics & GovernmentTags Religion / Spirituality, Satire, Philosophy, Politics / Government, Relationships, Renaissance

Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam (c. 1466-1536) was one of the most influential Renaissance humanists, and his 1509 satire Praise of Folly has become his best-known and most popular work. Originally written in Latin, the book is presented as a long speech or “declamation” delivered by a personified Folly. Erasmus uses the character of Folly as a mouthpiece to criticize and to poke fun at the foibles of human nature in general as well as many... Read Praise Of Folly Summary


Publication year 1926Genre Poem, FictionThemes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Identity: Mental HealthTags Depression / Suicide, Satire, Roaring Twenties

Publication year 2017Genre Novel, FictionTags Humor, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, Romance, Satire, Asian Literature

Rich People Problems, a contemporary romantic comedy of manners, was published in 2017. It is the third and final book in Kevin Kwan’s “Crazy Rich Asians” trilogy, which includes the first installment, the eponymous Crazy Rich Asians (2013), and the second, China Rich Girlfriend (2015). Crazy Rich Asians was adapted into a film, released in 2018 and starring Constance Wu and Michelle Yeoh. The film was a box-office success.Plot SummaryRich People Problems opens with the... Read Rich People Problems Summary


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Publication year 2018Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Immigration, Natural World: Place, Identity: Language, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Mothers, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Self DiscoveryTags Satire, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Survival Fiction, Chinese Literature, Immigration / Refugee, Modern Classic Fiction

Publication year 1969Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: FateTags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Satire, Military / War, Surrealism, American Literature, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Classic Fiction

Slaughterhouse-Five is a 1969 science fiction novel written by the American author Kurt Vonnegut Jr. The novel deals with anti-war themes and time travel while centering its narrative around the bombing of Dresden, Germany during World War II. Slaughterhouse-Five is considered one of the most important anti-war and science fiction novels of the 20th century and has been adapted into films, theatre productions, and radio plays. Plot SummaryThe narrative of Slaughterhouse-Five is told in a... Read Slaughterhouse-Five Summary


Publication year 1973Genre Short Story, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Mortality & DeathTags Satire, Post Modernism, History: U.S., Humor, Classic Fiction

“Some of Us Had Been Threatening Our Friend Colby” is a short story by American author Donald Barthelme. Originally published in a 1973 issue of The New Yorker, it was later included in Barthelme’s 1976 anthology, Amateurs. The narrative follows the extended and absurd deliberation of a group of friends about how to hang their friend for committing an unnamed offense. With the friends embodying a range of logistical roles and viewpoints concerning the act... Read Some of Us Had Been Threatening Our Friend Colby Summary


Publication year 1980Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: ObjectsTags Humor, Satire, Magical Realism, Absurdism, Fantasy, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction

Publication year 2010Genre Novel, FictionTags Satire, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Humor

Gary Shteyngart’s 2010 novel Super Sad True Love Story is a futuristic tale of love, mortality, family, and technology. In the tradition of science fiction and apocalyptic storytelling, Shteyngart creates a world full of all-consuming technology that distracts from the fall of America and the rise of a new global economy. Told through the diaries of an old-timey Russian Jewish protagonist, Lenny Abramov, and the online messages of his youthful Korean-American love interest, Eunice Park... Read Super Sad True Love Story Summary


Publication year 2013Genre Short Story Collection, FictionThemes Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Society: Community, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Identity: Masculinity, Values/Ideas: Power & GreedTags Satire, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Relationships, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World

Tenth of December: Stories (2013) is American author George Saunders’s fourth short story collection. Saunders is widely regarded as one of the modern masters of the short story form, and this collection features stories written between 1995 and 2012, some of which were previously published in various literary outlets. The book was a bestseller and was widely praised on release, winning both the Story Prize and the Folio Prize. This guide refers to the 2013... Read Tenth of December Summary


Publication year 1994Genre Novel, FictionThemes Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & LiesTags Humor, Satire, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Politics / Government

Originally published in 1994, Thank You for Smoking is a political satire novel centered around Nick Naylor, a lobbyist for the fictional Academy of Tobacco Studies, an organization founded by the tobacco industry with the true purpose of countering negative scientific data and public condemnation of tobacco. Nick’s job has made him a pariah, as he has humiliated everyone from grieving relatives of cancer victims to federal employees. He also must watch his back, as... Read Thank You for Smoking Summary


Publication year 1610Genre Play, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Class, Society: Community, Relationships: TeamsTags British Literature, Play: Historical, Play: Comedy / Satire, Satire, Class, Finance / Money / Wealth, Renaissance, Education, Education, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Humor, Classic Fiction

Publication year 1963Genre Poem, FictionThemes Relationships: Marriage, Identity: Gender, Values/Ideas: BeautyTags Free verse, Poetry: Dramatic Poem, Satire, Confessional

Publication year 1959Genre Novel, FictionTags Satire, Education, Education, Jewish Literature, Historical Fiction, Canadian Literature, Classic Fiction

The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz, by Mordecai Richler, originally published in 1959, follows the exploits of a working-class Jewish boy growing up in a turbulent neighborhood and family in Montreal, Canada. Told in four parts, the novel chronicles Duddy’s relentless pursuit of higher social status and monetary success. Duddy travels on both sides of the law in his business dealings, keeping company with moguls and outlaws alike. He ends up working in industries that he... Read The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz Summary


Publication year 1969Genre Novel, FictionThemes Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Politics & GovernmentTags Heinemann African Writers, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, Satire, Poverty, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, African American Literature, History: World

The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born, published in 1968, is a debut novel by Ayi Kwei Armah, one of the most noteworthy writers of postcolonial Ghana. Armah was born in Takoradi, Ghana, in 1939. He was educated at schools in Ghana and private institutions in America, including Harvard University. He has also worked as a translator, scriptwriter, and a university lecturer.The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born focuses on life in post-independence Ghana and... Read The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born Summary


Publication year 1987Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Truth & LiesTags Satire, Class, Race / Racism, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Humor, Classic Fiction

Tom Wolfe’s The Bonfire of the Vanities, published in 1987, is a critically acclaimed, sprawling saga of the vivid world of New York City in the 1980s. Modeled after Charles Dickens’s socially realistic novels, the book is a satire on the excesses and disparities of New York society. Powered by diverse, opinionated characters and iconic locations, the plot follows the wealthy, married Manhattan investment broker Sherman McCoy as his American Dream begins to unravel. Sherman’s... Read The Bonfire of the Vanities Summary


Publication year 1400Genre Novel/Book in Verse, FictionThemes Relationships: Marriage, Identity: Sexuality, Emotions/Behavior: LoveTags Classic Fiction, Satire, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, Narrative / Epic Poem, British Literature, Education, Education, Historical Fiction

Written in the late 1300s, Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales is one of the greatest surviving works of Middle English literature, and was a huge influence on later writers from Shakespeare to Keats, among many others.This guide refers to Neville Coghill’s modern English translation (Penguin, 2003).Plot SummaryThe Canterbury Tales tells the story of a group of pilgrims traveling from London to Canterbury to visit the holy shrine of St. Thomas Becket. This is a story... Read The Canterbury Tales Summary


Publication year 1887Genre Novella, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: ForgivenessTags Satire, Classic Fiction, Irish Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Gothic Literature, Fantasy, Humor, Religion / Spirituality

The Canterville Ghost, by Oscar Wilde, is a story about forgiveness, love, and the clash of Old World and New World beliefs. Through a satirical approach, Wilde highlights the shortcomings of each set of beliefs and how the characters overcome those shortcomings to bridge the two worlds. The story begins with Hiram Otis and Lord Canterville discussing the ghost that haunts Canterville Chase, where the Otis family will be living. When they arrive, they find... Read The Canterville Ghost Summary


Publication year 1942Genre Short Story, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Values/Ideas: Order & ChaosTags Humor, Satire, Classic Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Mental Illness, American Literature, Education, Education, British Literature

When the story begins, a man named Erwin Martin, who never smokes, is buying cigarettes. Mr. Martin works for a company called F & S, where he is in charge of the filing department. Mr. Martin has already been contemplating—and planning—the murder of a coworker for over a week. Two years prior, a woman named Ulgine Barrows joined F & S, where she quickly proposed changes to the department—changes that Mr. Martin finds intolerable.Later, as... Read The Catbird Seat Summary


Publication year 1940Genre Short Story, FictionThemes Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: MasculinityTags Magical Realism, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Humor, Satire, Love / Sexuality, Business / Economics, Relationships, American Literature, Post-War Era, Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction

John Collier (1901-1980) is best known for his short stories, many of which are constructed as fantastic parables of modern day life. He also wrote poetry and screenplays, and was a developer for the television show “The Twilight Zone.” “The Chaser” first appeared in his short story collection Fancies and Goodnights, which won the 1952 Edgar Award and the 1952 International Fantasy Award. It is a cautionary parable of love, capitalism, and the wisdom of... Read The Chaser Summary


Publication year 1983Genre Novel, FictionThemes Natural World: Space & The Universe, Society: Economics, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Values/Ideas: FateTags Fantasy, Humor, Action / Adventure, Satire, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction

Publication year 1912Genre Poem, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Objects, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Science & TechnologyTags Lyric Poem, Satire, Science / Nature, Technology, Class, Edwardian Era

Publication year 1958Genre Short Story, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Power & GreedTags Satire, Education, Education, Jewish Literature, American Literature, Classic Fiction

“The Conversion of the Jews,” originally published in 1958 in the literary magazine The Paris Review, is a satirical postmodern short story by American novelist Philip Roth (1933-2018). The short story was later included in a collection of Roth’s stories titled Goodbye Columbus (1959), which won the National Book Award for Fiction. This guide references the version collected in The Oxford Book of Jewish Stories (1998).“The Conversion of the Jews” centers around the precocious and... Read The Conversion of the Jews Summary


Publication year 1966Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Order & ChaosTags 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 1883Genre Short Story, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Society: Class, Society: Politics & GovernmentTags Satire, Russian Literature

Anton Chekhov was born in Russia in 1860. His most celebrated works include the plays Uncle Vanya and The Cherry Orchard and the short stories “The Peasants” and “The Lady With the Dog.” Chekhov was no stranger to comedy, but his humor is often couched within serious, unsettling situations, featuring characters who are unable or unwilling to overcome their shortcomings and help themselves. “The Death of a Government Clerk” contains some of these same elements... Read The Death of a Government Clerk Summary


Publication year 1871Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government, Relationships: FamilyTags Satire, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Psychological Fiction, Politics / Government, Philosophy, Russian Literature, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: World, Philosophy, Classic Fiction

Publication year 2003Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Natural World: Appearance & RealityTags Humor, Satire, American Literature, Arts / Culture, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance

The Devil Wears Prada, published in 2004, is the debut novel of author Lauren Weisberger. It tells the tale of a hapless assistant working for a tyrannical boss in the fashion industry.The story takes place largely in present-day New York City, mostly in the offices of a high-fashion magazine called Runway. The central character, Andrea Sachs (who uses the nickname Andy), narrates the story from the first-person perspective, and the events she describes transpire over... Read The Devil Wears Prada Summary


Publication year 1743Genre Novel/Book in Verse, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: ArtTags Narrative / Epic Poem, Satire, British Literature, Georgian Era, Education, Education, History: World, Humor, Classic Fiction

Publication year 1969Genre Novel, FictionThemes Identity: FemininityTags Gender / Feminism, Food, Satire, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Modern Classic Fiction, Canadian Literature, Classic Fiction

Published in 1969, The Edible Woman was Margret Atwood’s first novel and established her reputation as a significant contemporary novelist. The Edible Woman follows recently engaged Marian McAlpin as she attempts to reconcile her need for personal autonomy with the gendered expectations inherent within the roles of a wife and mother. As Marian begins to feel a loss of identity, her body suddenly refuses certain foods, particularly meat. To reflect the inner struggle her protagonist... Read The Edible Woman Summary


Publication year 1771Genre Novel, FictionThemes Society: Class, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Family, Relationships: MarriageTags Classic Fiction, Humor, Satire, Travel Literature, British Literature, Georgian Era, Education, Education, History: World

Publication year 1956Genre Novel, FictionThemes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & RealityTags Classic Fiction, Satire, Grief / Death, Military / War, Magical Realism, Post Modernism, History: U.S., American Literature, History: World

Published in 1956, The Floating Opera is a literary novel by John Barth. Barth’s first novel, The Floating Opera focuses on Todd Andrews as he makes plans to commit suicide in the late 1930s, utilizing first-person nonlinear storytelling and humor to meditate on life and death. Following its publication, the novel was nominated for the National Book Award. Barth has published numerous novels since, becoming a seminal figure in postmodern American literature. Plot SummaryTodd Andrews narrates... Read The Floating Opera Summary


Publication year 1873Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Economics, Society: Politics & GovernmentTags American Literature, History: World, Humor, Classic Fiction, Satire, Historical Fiction, Gilded Age, Politics / Government

Publication year 1749Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Class, Life/Time: Coming of AgeTags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Classic Fiction, Satire, Humor, Romance, Historical Fiction, British Literature, History: World

First published in 1749, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling is considered one of the best and most influential early novels in English literature. Henry Fielding was a respected dramatist, essayist, and satirist, and as a public official, he helped to establish London’s first professional police force.A comic novel that blends romance, realism, picaresque, and social commentary—while passing itself off as a true history of a life as well as a reflection of human... Read The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling Summary


Publication year 1991Genre Poem, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Society: Education, Society: Community, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Safety & DangerTags Satire, Narrative / Epic Poem, Modernism, Humor

Publication year 1978Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Trust & DoubtTags Satire, Humor, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction, Health / Medicine

The House of God is a novel written by American author and doctor Samuel Bergman under the pseudonym Samuel Shem and originally published in 1978. The book is heavily based on Bergman’s own experiences as a medical intern in the early 1970s, and the fictional hospital “the House of God” is a thinly veiled fictional version of the Beth Israel teaching hospital associated with Harvard Medical School. The novel is a satire in the vein... Read The House of God Summary


Publication year 1905Genre Novel, FictionThemes Society: Class, Society: Community, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Economics, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Equality, Identity: Gender, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Art, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: HopeTags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Satire, Class, Gilded Age, Naturalism, American Literature, History: World

Set in New York’s high society at the turn of the 20th century, The House of Mirth (1905), was the second novel by renowned American writer Edith Wharton. Wharton drew upon her own privileged upbringing in a wealthy, long-established New York family for her astute observations of this social milieu during the Gilded Age, a period marked by economic disparities and ostentatious materialism. Prior to the novel’s publication in October 1905, The House of Mirth... Read The House of Mirth Summary


Publication year 1967Genre Novel, FictionThemes Life/Time: The Past, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Self DiscoveryTags Satire, Philosophy, Historical Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Philosophy, Classic Fiction

The Joke is a novel by Czech author Milan Kundera. Released in 1967, it tells the story of Ludvik Jahn and his life under the Czech communist regime. The novel has been celebrated as one of the most important literary works of the 20th century. A 1968 film adaptation by director Jaromil Jires was banned in Eastern European cinemas. The Joke was Kundera’s first novel in his long and distinguished career. He received the Jerusalem... Read The Joke Summary


Publication year 1996Genre Novel, FictionThemes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Truth & LiesTags Humor, Politics / Government, Satire, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction

Publication year 1759Genre Novel, FictionThemes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: BirthTags Classic Fiction, Satire, Humor, British Literature, Age of Enlightenment, History: World

The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman is a nine-volume novel published between 1759 and 1767 by English novelist Laurence Sterne. The novel is considered by many scholars as an early forerunner of postmodern literature due to its metafictional commentary on its own narrative. Contemporary critics did not view the novel favorably, though its humor and sentimentalism helped it find an audience. The novel has been adapted for radio and opera and as a... Read The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman Summary


Publication year 1948Genre Novella, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Art, Life/Time: Mortality & DeathTags Satire, British Literature, Humor, Grief / Death, History: World, Classic Fiction

Published in 1948, The Loved One: An Anglo-American Tragedy by English writer Evelyn Waugh is a short satirical novel that lampoons both the Los Angeles funeral industry and the Hollywood film business. British expatriates and Americans clash in this morbid but merry tale of smiling corpses and lavish pet funerals. Waugh wrote it after a trip to Hollywood during which he visited the Forest Lawn Cemetery. The book inspired the 1965 film The Loved One... Read The Loved One Summary


Publication year 1967Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Good & EvilTags Satire, Fantasy, Russian Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Magical Realism

The Master and Margarita is a novel by Russian author Mikhail Bulgakov. The novel was written over the course of 12 years but due to the content being deemed controversial by the Soviet Union it was not published until 1966, which was more than two decades after Bulgakov’s death. The novel uses themes, ideas, and imagery from Christianity and the supernatural as well as dark comedy to subtly critique the Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin... Read The Master and Margarita Summary


Publication year 2001Genre Novel, FictionThemes Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of AgeTags Humor, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Satire, Bullying, Diversity, LGBTQ, Education, Modernism, American Literature, Children's Literature, Education, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

The Misfits is a young adult novel by bestselling American author James Howe. The first of four in The Misfits series, the novel chronicles a group of unpopular seventh graders’ participation in a contentious student council election. The series inspired No-Name Calling Week, a bullying-prevention initiative that has been held by schools across the country.Plot SummaryThe Misfits is told from the perspective of Bobby Godspeed, a seventh grader living in Paintbrush Falls, New York. Bobby... Read The Misfits Summary


Publication year 2021Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Nation, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The PastTags Historical Fiction, Satire, Politics / Government, Jewish Literature, American Literature

Publication year 1836Genre Short Story, FictionThemes Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Politics & GovernmentTags Satire, Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Russian Literature, History: World, Fantasy, Humor

This guide refers to the story as it appears in the 1965 Norton Library edition of The Overcoat & Other Tales of Good and Evil, translated by David Magarshack.Nikolai Gogol’s short story “The Nose,” written between 1835 and 1836, was originally published in The Contemporary, a literary journal owned by famed Russian Romantic poet Alexander Pushkin. A satire on bureaucratic life in the Tsarist capital of St. Petersburg, “The Nose” has since become an important... Read The Nose Summary


Publication year 1916Genre Short Story, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Self DiscoveryTags Satire, Japanese Literature, Asian Literature, Classic Fiction

Publication year 1961Genre Poem, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Religion & SpiritualityTags Satire, Religion / Spirituality, Post Modernism

Publication year 2021Genre Novel, FictionThemes Identity: Race, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Truth & LiesTags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Satire, Race / Racism, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

Publication year 1842Genre Short Story, FictionThemes Society: Class, Values/Ideas: FateTags Classic Fiction, Russian Literature, Satire, Education, Education, History: World

Nikolai Gogol’s short story “The Overcoat” is one of the best-known and most anthologized examples of Russian fiction. Numerous authors have cited “The Overcoat” as influencing Russian surrealism, short fiction, and satire. In 1941, the Russian American author Vladimir Nabokov referred to “The Overcoat” as “the greatest short story ever written” (Nabokov, Vladimir. “The Art of Translation.” The New Republic, 4 Aug. 1941). Likewise, one of the most famous apocryphal sayings in Russian literature (attributed... Read The Overcoat Summary


Publication year 60Genre Novel/Book in Verse, FictionThemes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Identity: SexualityTags Satire, Classic Fiction, Love / Sexuality

Publication year 1942Genre Novel, FictionThemes Life/Time: The Future, Relationships: MarriageTags Satire, Christian literature, Fantasy, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality

The Screwtape Letters, first serialized in The Guardian and then published as a single volume in 1942, is an epistolary novel by British author CS Lewis. The epilogue, “Screwtape Proposes a Toast,” was published in 1959. Like much of Lewis’s work—which includes the beloved Chronicles of Narnia children’s series—the novel is a work of Christian apologetics that uses letters penned by a senior devil named Screwtape to expound on different elements of Christian theology and... Read The Screwtape Letters Summary


Publication year 1907Genre Novel, FictionThemes Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & GreedTags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, History: World, Classic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Satire, British Literature

The Secret Agent is a novel by British Polish writer Joseph Conrad, first published in 1907. Set in London in 1886, it portrays Adolf Verloc as the titular secret agent who works for a powerful but unnamed country, likely Russia. The novel has been adapted for film and television under various titles. This guide uses the 2008 Oxford World Classic’s edition of The Secret Agent. Content warning: This text discusses suicide, abuse, and ableism.Plot SummaryAdolf... Read The Secret Agent Summary


Publication year 1939Genre Short Story, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Literature, Identity: Masculinity, Relationships: MarriageTags American Literature, Humor, Classic Fiction, Satire, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure

First published in the New Yorker in 1939, “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” is James Thurber’s short story about the flamboyant fantasy life of a timid suburban Everyman. A gentle satire of the human imagination (among other things), the story struck an immediate and lasting chord in the midcentury American imagination and is widely regarded as a comic masterpiece. Its distinctive mixture of pathos and parody made it one of the most anthologized short... Read The Secret Life of Walter Mitty Summary


Publication year 2015Genre Novel, FictionThemes Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Identity: RaceTags Satire, Humor, Race / Racism, African American Literature, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction

Paul Beatty is the author of the 2015 novel The Sellout—a satire that makes fun of contemporary norms around race and identity. In the novel, Beatty applies his no-holds-barred idea of comedy to segregation, slavery, police brutality, and countless tragic and fraught issues that people typically treat with extreme seriousness and sensitivity. Through the main character, Me, the book provides an ironic and unexpected take on themes like Racial and Personal Identity and Capitalism’s Power... Read The Sellout Summary


Publication year 2022Genre Novel, FictionThemes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: HopeTags Satire, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Magical Realism, LGBTQ, Journalism, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World

Publication year 2011Genre Novel, FictionThemes Identity: Masculinity, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: CommunityTags Historical Fiction, Satire, Western, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: U.S., Addiction / Substance Abuse, Gender / Feminism, American Literature, American Civil War, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World, Action / Adventure, Humor

The Sisters Brothers is a 2011 novel by Canadian writer Patrick DeWitt. Set in 1851, it traces the journey of Charlie and Eli Sisters, two hired killers traveling from Oregon to San Francisco to find a man called Warm, who allegedly stole something from their boss, the Commodore. The darkly comic Western is in the picaresque genre, as the brothers’ episodic misadventures explore different communities populating the American West.The Sisters Brothers is divided into 64... Read The Sisters Brothers Summary


Publication year 1995Genre Novel, FictionThemes Society: Immigration, Society: Class, Natural World: Environment, Values/Ideas: Justice & InjusticeTags Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Satire, Drama / Tragedy, Race / Racism, Immigration / Refugee, American Literature

Published in 1995, The Tortilla Curtain by T. C. Boyle tells the story of two couples living parallel lives in Southern California: Delaney and Kyra Mossbacher, affluent white Americans with a home in the upper-middle-class subdivision of Arroyo Blanco; and Cándido and América Rincón, undocumented immigrants from Mexico living in a makeshift camp at the bottom of the canyon. Rotating among the perspectives of the four protagonists, the novel explores the inequality inherent in the United States... Read The Tortilla Curtain Summary


Publication year 1893Genre Novel, FictionThemes Identity: Race, Society: Class, Natural World: Nurture v. NatureTags Humor, Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Satire, Race / Racism, American Literature

Publication year 1940Genre Poem, FictionThemes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Politics & GovernmentTags Satire, Lyric Poem, Politics / Government, WWII / World War II, Education, Education

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Publication year 1516Genre Novel, FictionThemes Society: Politics & Government, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Justice & InjusticeTags Satire, Philosophy, Politics / Government

Originally published in 1516, Utopia is a short work of political and social satire. It was written by Sir Thomas More, an English attorney and the Lord High Chancellor in the court of King Henry VIII. Famously, More was executed in 1535 for refusing to publicly support Henry’s break from the Catholic Church.Utopia describes an ideal island nation from which the novel receives its name. More combines various elements from philosophical dialogues (such as Plato’s... Read Utopia Summary


Publication year 1963Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Identity: Disability, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Objects, Relationships: Fathers, Society: Colonialism, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & LiesTags American Literature, Historical Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Satire, Addiction / Substance Abuse, History: European, History: U.S., Military / War, Crime / Legal, Post Modernism, Post-War Era

Publication year 1847Genre Novel, FictionThemes Society: Class, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: ForgivenessTags Satire, Victorian Period, Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, British Literature, Play: Comedy / Satire, History: World, Romance, Victorian Literature / Period

Vanity Fair is a serialized novel by William Makepeace Thackeray, published from 1847-1848. The novel was subtitled Pen and Pencil Sketches of English Society, then changed to A Novel without a Hero in 1848. The novel’s characters generally lack positive qualities and are obsessed with social climbing and the acquisition of wealth. Vanity Fair has been adapted for film, television, and theatre. This guide uses the 2001 Penguin Classics edition. Content Warning: The source material... Read Vanity Fair Summary


Publication year 1930Genre Novel, FictionThemes Society: Class, Society: Economics, Society: WarTags Satire, Classic Fiction, Humor, British Literature, Historical Fiction, History: World

Publication year 1968Genre Short Story, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: The Future, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: EqualityTags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Satire, Love / Sexuality, Post Modernism

“Welcome to the Monkey House” is a short story written by Kurt Vonnegut that was originally published in Playboy Magazine in 1968. It was republished in a short story collection entitled Welcome to the Monkey House that same year. Set in a not-too-distant dystopian future, Vonnegut uses science fiction to darkly satirize the moral restrictions on birth control in 1968. The characters of Nancy McLuhan, a suicide hostess responsible for administering lethal injections, and Billy... Read Welcome to the Monkey House Summary


Publication year 1941Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Art, Society: ClassTags Classic Fiction, Satire, Philosophy, American Literature, Great Depression, Arts / Culture, Modern Classic Fiction, Philosophy, Self Help

Publication year 1985Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: GuiltTags Satire, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, History: U.S., American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Classic Fiction

White Noise is a 1985 novel by American author Don DeLillo. A significant entry in the canon of postmodern literature, White Noise tells the story of a small-town college professor whose suburban routine is shattered when a train crash results in a massive chemical spill. As the characters struggle to accept their own mortality, the book explores a range of contemporary issues including consumerism, mass media, and conspiracy theories. In 2005 Time Magazine included White... Read White Noise Summary


Publication year 1973Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Masculinity, Society: ColonialismTags Heinemann African Writers, Satire, Realistic Fiction, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Class, History: African , Politics / Government, Love / Sexuality, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, Humor, African American Literature, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction

Xala: A Novel was written by the Senegalese writer and filmmaker Ousmane Sembène. The satirical work was originally published in France in 1974 and released in the United States in 1976. In 1975, it was adapted into a film directed by Sembène. The postcolonial novel deals with the aftermath of Senegal’s formal independence from France on August 20, 1960—two years after the country had become a republic. Senegal celebrates its Independence Day on April 4... Read Xala Summary