What does the white whale symbolize in Moby-Dick? What is stream-of-consciousness writing? And what do Lolita and A Clockwork Orange have in common? Find out in this book, which explores key movements, themes, and styles of writing through more than 250 works of literature. Written in plain English, The Literature Book cuts through the literary jargon and is packed with witty illustrations and clear graphics, making it the perfect primer to world literature, from ancient epics such as the Iliad and Mahabharata to contemporary works by Salman Rushdie and Margaret Atwood.