Higgins, Colin: 1941-1988

Harold and Maude, 1971 - Thematic Parallels: Meaning in Life

Higgins, Colin: Harold and Maude, 1971
The main topic of this novel centers on finding meaning in life, challenging societal norms, and accepting mortality without fear.
The following books are thematically similar. They lend themselves well to being read in groups, compared with one another, or used to teach a similar topic over an extended period with a class:
- Auster, Paul: The Music of Chance, 1990, ~210pp
  This is a novel that deals with absurdity, fate, and freedom; a quirky, existential perspective akin to "Harold and Maude’s" tone.
  - Both works hinge on a transformative relationship between two mismatched individuals whose encounter redirects each other’s lives. The protagonists inhabit margins of society, highlighting tensions between individual freedom and societal expectations. In general, both works are about two outsiders colliding by chance, changing each other’s lives, and confronting the limits of freedom in an absurd world
- Jaku, Eddie: The Happiest Man on Earth, 2020, ~140pp
  This novel embraces life in the face of suffering; celebrates survival, resilience, and finding joy in adversity.
  - Both works emphasize life-affirmation after trauma, even if the trauma’s scale and nature differ drastically. They suggest lightness can coexist with deep pain.
- Lessing, Doris: The Golden Notebook, 1962, ~750pp
  This is a novel dealing with psychological depth and personal freedom, aligned with the counter-cultural and introspective nature of “Harold and Maude.”
  - Both works use their form as a statement: rejecting “normal” narrative shapes in favor of something that feels truer to inner life and lived experience. In both cases, the relationship is unconventional, emotionally intense, and ultimately pushes the protagonist toward a personal breakthrough.
- Salinger, J.D.: The Catcher in the Rye, 1951, ~220pp
  This is a novel about adolescent alienation and loss of innocence..
  - In both cases, death becomes a lens through which the protagonist processes life’s meaning (or lack thereof). Both critiques are rooted in the idea that society values the wrong things.
List of general discussion questions on Meaning in Life (pdf)
List of essay prompts on Meaning in Life (pdf)