James Baldwin said, "It is certain, in any case, that ignorance, allied with power, is the most ferocious enemy justice can have." In this collection, we've compiled texts that explore the idea of what justice is — and how it can thrive.
Publication year 1925
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, Harlem Renaissance, Race / Racism
Publication year 2012
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Relationships: Fathers, Society: Colonialism, Society: Immigration, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Immigration / Refugee
Publication year 2003
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Self Discovery, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction
Inheritance is the final book in American author Christopher Paolini’s tetralogy, The Inheritance Cycle, which was published between 2002 and 2011. Inheritance is set in the fictional realm of Alagaësia, a typical epic fantasy setting populated with humans, Elves, Dwarves, and Dragons. The young protagonist, Eragon, finally reaches the climactic conclusion of his journey as a Dragon Rider. After traveling across the land, gathering allies, and learning how to wield magic with his Dragon, Saphira... Read Inheritance Summary
Publication year 1955
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Play: Drama, Historical Fiction, Science / Nature, Religion / Spirituality, Education, Education, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Classic Fiction
Inherit the Wind is a 1955 play by American playwrights Jerome Lawrence (1915-2004) and Robert E. Lee (1918-1994). It is based on the 1925 Scopes trial, where schoolteacher John T. Scopes was put on trial for teaching the theory of evolution at a time when doing so was illegal. Although Inherit the Wind draws from the events of the Scopes trial, it deviates significantly from the details of the case, as Lawrence and Lee were... Read Inherit the Wind Summary
Publication year 2015
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Immigration / Refugee, Korean Literature, History: World, Biography, Politics / Government
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Realistic Fiction, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Race / Racism, Arts / Culture, Diversity, History: U.S., Asian Literature, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, Humor
Publication year 1919
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Allegory / Fable / Parable, Philosophy, German Literature, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, History: World, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
“In the Penal Colony” is a short story by Franz Kafka that was written in the German language in 1914. It is an allegorical fantasy set in an unnamed, deserted colony. The story explores themes like the dynamics of Power and Control, the tension between Tradition and Conformity Versus Innovation and Progress, and the consequences of a Lack of Sense of Self and Belonging. The machine is a metaphor for the judicial system, which can... Read In the Penal Colony Summary
Publication year 1971
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness
Tags Science / Nature, Animals, Anthropology, Anthropology, Classic Fiction, Biography
Published in 1971, In the Shadow of Man is the third and most famous book by British primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall. The work details Goodall’s groundbreaking study of chimpanzees in Tanzania’s Gombe Stream National Park and her unlikely journey from being a secretary in the UK to heading a major chimpanzee study in East Africa and becoming one of the world’s foremost primatology experts. Functioning as both a memoir and a scientific exploration of chimp... Read In the Shadow of Man Summary
Publication year 2017
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Life/Time: The Future, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Immigration, Identity: Race, Identity: Language, Natural World: Place, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Hope
Tags Lyric Poem, Diversity, Social Justice, History: U.S., Black Lives Matter, Immigration / Refugee, American Literature
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1974
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: War
Tags WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Crime / Legal, Military / War, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Biography
Publication year 1948
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Race / Racism, Southern Gothic, Mystery / Crime Fiction, American Literature, Southern Literature, Southern Gothic, History: World, Classic Fiction
Intruder in the Dust is a 1948 novel by William Faulkner that examines racism in the American South in the mid-20th century through the tale of a Black man wrongly accused of killing a white man. The novel was adapted into a well-received film in 1949.This guide is based on the 2015 Vintage edition.Content Warning: The source text and this guide discuss racism, enslavement, and death by suicide. In addition, the source text uses the... Read Intruder In The Dust Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Race, Society: Class, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Race / Racism, Social Justice, Poverty, Sociology, History: World, Politics / Government, Biography
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Masculinity, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Self Discovery
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 2001
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Social Justice, Poverty, Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Arts / Culture
Publication year 1950
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Classic Fiction, Fantasy
I, Robot, a science fiction novel by Isaac Asimov, is a set of stories about the first robotic machines and the problems and pitfalls of living with and working alongside them. The book is the first in a series of several novels about robots; it is famous for its Three Laws of Robotics that govern machine behavior, and for its device, the positronic brain, which contains a robot’s conscious intelligence.Asimov (1920-1992) is one of the... Read I, Robot Summary
Publication year 1998
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Indigenous, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure, Historical Fiction, Romance, LGBTQ
Publication year 2019
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Race, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Biography, Humor, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, History: African , Social Justice