To Have Or To Be? Summary of Key Points
Erich Fromm’s ‘To Have Or To Be?’ explores two modes of existence, the having mode, which concentrates on material possessions, and the being mode, which focuses on authentic personal growth.
Existentialism
The Metamorphosis Summary of Key Points
Franz Kafka’s ‘The Metamorphosis’ presents the story of Gregor Samsa, a traveling salesman who awakens one morning to find himself transformed into a giant insect.
The Will to Power Summary of Key Points
The Will to Power is a posthumously published collection of notes and fragments by Friedrich Nietzsche. It explores notions of power, life, and nihilism.
The Stranger Summary of Key Points
Albert Camus’ ‘The Stranger’ is a novel about an emotionally detached French Algerian man, Meursault, whose indifferent attitude towards life and the events surrounding him leads to a murder and a subsequent trial.
The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock Summary of Key Points
A dramatic monologue by T.S. Eliot, this poem follows the thoughts of its middle-aged protagonist, J. Alfred Prufrock, as he contemplates his life and its unfulfilled desires.
Pilgrim at Tinker Creek Summary of Key Points
Annie Dillard’s ‘Pilgrim at Tinker Creek’ is a poetic and philosophical narrative that explores the natural world. It blends detailed observations of a creek in Virginia with reflections on life and existence.
Fear and Trembling Summary of Key Points
Fear and Trembling explores the biblical story of Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Isaac. Kierkegaard examines the nature of faith, ethics, and the dilemma of the ‘teleological suspension of the ethical’.
A Farewell to Arms Summary of Key Points
A tale of love and war, A Farewell to Arms follows American ambulance driver Frederic Henry in WWI Italy, his love affair with nurse Catherine Barkley, and the impact of war on their lives.
Thus Spoke Zarathustra Summary of Key Points
Friedrich Nietzsche’s ‘Thus Spoke Zarathustra’ is a philosophical novel that follows the fictional travels and speeches of Zarathustra, a prophet-like figure. It explores themes of individualism, the will to power, and the ‘Übermensch’.