Kidd, Sue Monk: *1948

The Invention of Wings, 2014 - Thematic Parallels: Social Justice

Kidd, Sue Monk: The Invention of Wings, 2014
The novel combines historical fiction with a strong focus on social justice, gender, and race, showing how personal and political liberation are deeply connected.
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:
- Hosseini, Khaled: A Thousand Splendid Suns, 2007, ~370pp
  Set in Afghanistan, this novel portrays the intertwined lives of two women under the Taliban regime, focusing on their struggles and solidarity.
  - Both novels explore women’s oppression, resilience, friendship, and the quest for freedom, framed within turbulent historical contexts and told through dual perspectives that enrich the emotional and social complexity of the stories.
- Steinbeck, John: The Pearl, 1947, ~90pp
  A poor pearl diver's discovery of a valuable pearl leads to tragic consequences, illustrating the corrupting influence of wealth and societal structures.
  - Both novels show how societal structures and oppression shape individuals’ lives, often driving tragic or difficult choices. They examine how external symbols of wealth or power can corrupt, distort human relationships, and create moral dilemmas, and balance hope and tragedy, emphasizing the cost of social injustice and human ambition.
- Thomas, Angie: The Hate U Give, 2017, ~440pp
  This novel addresses systemic racism and the challenges of navigating different social environments.
  - While "The Hate U Give" deals with contemporary issues and "The Invention of Wings" addresses historical ones, both novels share themes of racial injustice, the struggle for self-identity, empowerment, activism, and the importance of family and community. They provide different lenses on similar societal problems and highlight the enduring fight against oppression.
- Walker, Alice: Meridian, 1976, ~200pp
  This novel explores the life of Meridian Hill, a woman deeply involved in the Civil Rights Movement, grappling with personal and political challenges.
  - Both novels are historically grounded, and centered on women who confront intersecting oppressions of race, gender, and class, highlighting how personal and political struggles intertwine. They use their protagonists’ journeys to explore the cost of activism and the pursuit of freedom—both literal and personal.
List of general discussion questions on Social Justice (pdf)
List of essay prompts on Social Justice (pdf)