In this Collection, we've gathered together a selection of fictional and real-life narratives that share the theme of Challenging Authority. These selections feature protagonists and real-world figures who stand up to both powerful individuals and oppressive systems in an array of cultural and historical settings.
Publication year 1983
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Identity: Mental Health, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Education, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Education, Education, Anthropology, Anthropology, Gender / Feminism, Social Science, Business / Economics, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy
Publication year 1962
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Fate, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Classic Fiction
The Man in the High Castle is an alternate history novel by American science fiction author Philip K. Dick. Released in 1962, the novel imagines a different world in which Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan defeated the United States of American and the Allied forces in World War II. The highly-praised novel was adapted for a television series. This guide uses an eBook version of the 2017 Open Court edition of The Man in the... Read The Man In The High Castle Summary
Publication year 1850
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, French Literature, History: World
Among the most widely read and translated of all French authors, Alexandre Dumas lived and worked in the 19th century. A playwright, journalist, and travel writer, Dumas is likely best known for his historical fiction, much of which was initially published in serialized form. Along with The Count of Monte Cristo, his most enduring works are the three books that make up his D’Artagnan Romances: The Three Musketeers, Twenty Years After, and The Vicomte de... Read The Man In The Iron Mask Summary
Publication year 1940
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, American Literature, Education, Education, African American Literature, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction
“The Man Who Was Almost a Man” is a short story by African American author Richard Wright, first published in 1940 by Harper’s Bazaar magazine and again in the posthumous 1961 short story collection Eight Men. The story engages with issues of racial discrimination, oppression, and African American identity in a naturalistic writing style. It follows the struggles of Dave Saunders, a young African American man who works at a plantation in the rural South... Read The Man Who Was Almost a Man Summary
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature
Publication year 2015
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: War, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Incarceration, Politics / Government, War On Terrorism / Iraq War, Military / War, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: U.S., Race / Racism, Social Justice
Publication year 2008
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Action / Adventure, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction
Published by Scholastic in 2008, Rick Riordan’s The Maze of Bones is the first novel in an interactive middle grade mystery-adventure series called The 39 Clues that follows the hidden exploits and conflicts of the Cahills, the most influential family in history. Riordan is a former teacher and prolific author best known for publishing the Percy Jackson series. The 39 Clues franchise proved to be another success, with books from the series landing on the... Read The Maze of Bones Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Historical Fiction, Health / Medicine
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Teams, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, 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: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy
Publication year 1997
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Sports, Realistic Fiction, Humor
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Globalization, Society: Immigration, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, 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: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags History: World, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Historical Fiction, British Literature, Elizabethan Era, History: European, History: World
Publication year 1668
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Class
Tags Play: Comedy / Satire, Classic Fiction, French Literature
The Miser, by Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (better known by his stage name, Molière) was written in 1668 and was first performed at the theatre of the Palais-Royal in Paris on September 9th, 1668. The five-act play, which takes much of its inspiration from Plautus’ Latin comedy Aulularia (or The Pot of Gold), is a comedy centered on a penny-pinching old miser, Harpagon, who schemes to make more money by arranging marriages for himself and his two... Read The Miser Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, British Literature, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Military / War, History: World
Publication year 1868
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Victorian Period, Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, British Literature, History: World, Victorian Literature / Period
The Moonstone is a Victorian mystery novel by the English writer Wilkie Collins. It was originally published in serial installments between January and August 1868. The Moonstone is sometimes considered one of the first detective novels in English, with its suspenseful and dramatic plot building on the success Collins had achieved with an earlier mystery novel, The Woman in White (1860). Throughout The Moonstone, Collins explores the themes of Public Reputation Versus Inner Nature, The... Read The Moonstone Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Animals, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Globalization, Society: Politics & Government, 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: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Science / Nature, Animals
Publication year 1377
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Community
Tags History: World, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, History: Middle Eastern, Middle Eastern Literature, Sociology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 1794
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Classic Fiction, Gothic Literature, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Romance, Historical Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2023
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Teams, Society: Economics, Society: Globalization, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Military / War, Science / Nature, Biography, History: European, History: World, Crime / Legal, Technology, WWI / World War I
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Siblings
Tags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction