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 1775
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags History: U.S., Politics / Government, American Revolution, Military / War, History: World, Inspirational, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
Patrick Henry, widely considered a Founding Father of the United States, delivered his speech “Give me Liberty, or Give me Death” to the Second Virginia Convention in 1775. The goal of the convention was to decide how to handle Britain’s military threat. Henry believed in fighting for independence—the speech’s immediate goal was to convince Virginia to raise a militia—while others wanted to compromise with Britain. Although no manuscript of Henry’s speech exists, accounts from convention... Read Give Me Liberty, or Give Me Death Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Reference/Text Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: Colonialism, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Education, Education, History: U.S., History: World
Publication year 2010
Genre Reference/Text Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Relationships: Teams, Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Identity: Language
Tags Self Help, Psychology, Education, Education, Leadership/Organization/Management, Business / Economics, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure, Fantasy, Children's Literature, Historical Fiction
Publication year 1971
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Depression / Suicide, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Psychology, Psychology, Mental Illness, Classic Fiction
Initially advertised as an anonymous, true story of a teenage girl, Go Ask Alice (1971) by Beatrice Sparks is an epistolary novel, or a fictional work structured as a diary. The diary entries chronicle two years of a teen girl’s experience with social acceptance, family relationships, and drugs—primarily marijuana, LSD, and amphetamines. Although Beatrice Sparks initially claimed to be the diary’s editor, considerable evidence suggests that she’s the sole author of the fictional work. Nevertheless... Read Go Ask Alice Summary
Publication year 1872
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Future, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Race / Racism, Lyric Poem
Publication year 1872
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger
Tags Russian Literature, Classic Fiction, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality
“God Sees the Truth, but Waits” is a short story by Leo Tolstoy originally published in 1872. The story, a parable about forgiveness that explores religious and spiritual themes, tells of a man sent to prison in Siberia for a murder he did not commit. The story has been adapted for various media, including films and radio programs. This guide refers to the 1990 Norton Critical Edition.Set in Tolstoy’s contemporary Russia, the story is narrated... Read God Sees the Truth, but Waits Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Historical Fiction
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Technology, Psychology, Crime / Legal, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance
Publication year 2005
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Colonialism, Society: Globalization, Society: Immigration, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Publication year 1898
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Education, Society: Nation
Tags Classic Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Class, Finance / Money / Wealth, Education, History: World, Social Justice, Russian Literature, Education, Philosophy, Philosophy
“Gooseberries,” by Russian author Anton Chekhov, is a short story that uses symbolism, subtlety, irony, and keen observation of human behavior to explore themes of the quest for happiness, the meaning of life, social expectations, privilege, and social equality. Written in mid-1898, the story is the second in what was later referred to as The Little Trilogy, together with “The Man in the Case” and “About Love.” All three stories explore the definitions of happiness... Read Gooseberries Summary
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Historical Fiction, Politics / Government, Race / Racism, History: World, Classic Fiction
Go Set a Watchman is the second novel of Pulitzer Prize winner Harper Lee. While this novel was initially touted as a sequel to her critically acclaimed 1960 debut novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, it is now regarded as an early draft of that book, featuring many of the same characters and, occasionally, the same scenes. When first published in 2015, the book set a record for the highest adult novel one-day sales at Barnes... Read Go Set A Watchman Summary
Publication year 1990
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Business / Economics, Politics / Government, Sociology, Philosophy
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Children's Literature, Animals
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Disability, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Romance, Military / War, Contemporary Literature, Drama / Tragedy
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Flora/plants, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Fantasy, Children's Literature
Publication year 2004
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Animals, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction
Publication year 2003
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags History: European, History: World, Military / War, Politics / Government, Incarceration, Russian Literature
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Fantasy, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction