Miller, Arthur: 1915-2005

The Misfits, 1957 - Thematic Parallels: Illusion

Miller, Arthur: The Misfits, 1957
The topic of the short story is about modern misfits searching for connection and meaning in a world where old myths of freedom and independence are collapsing.
The following books are thematically simliar. 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:
- Boyle, T.C.: The Tortilla Curtain, 1995, ~350pp
  This novel deals with societal divisions and illusions of safety or social order.
  - Both works share a focus on marginalization, social critique, alienation, and moral questioning, using contrasting characters and settings to explore inequality and human vulnerability.
- Hansberry, Lorraine: A Raisin in the Sun, 1959, ~150pp
  This is a play that deeply explores human dreams, disillusionment, and identity.
  - While "A Raisin in the Sun" focuses on racial and economic struggle within a family context and "The Misfits" portrays adult disillusionment and existential malaise in a Western setting, they share key similarities: the tension between dreams and reality, the search for identity, critique of society, and the human desire for connection amidst despair.
- Morrison, Toni: The Bluest Eye, 1970, ~170pp
  This novel explores identity, self-perception, and societal illusions.
  - Both works share a focus on marginalized individuals, societal critique, isolation, psychological depth, and symbolic storytelling. Both are ultimately tragedies about people constrained by forces—internal and external—beyond their control.
- Wyndham, John: The Day of the Triffids, 1951, ~270pp
  This is a novel about societal collapse and individual survival, touching on illusion versus reality in a changed world.
  - While "The Day of the Triffids" dramatizes literal survival and "The Misfits" dramatizes emotional survival, they share a preoccupation with vulnerability, human connection, moral choice, and societal critique.
List of general discussion questions on Illusion (pdf)
List of essay prompts on Illusion (pdf)