In the expressionistic The Hairy Ape (1922), O'Neill explores naturalistic themes in his depiction of the disillusionment of a seaman.

Stephen Crane's short story, "The Open Boat," (1898) depicts the struggles of four shipwrecked seamen to reach shore.

Long Day's Journey Into Night, first performed in 1956, is O'Neill's finest study of domestic interaction and offers insight into O'Neill's own tragic relationship with his family.

Stephen Crane's novel Maggie: A Girl of the Streets (1896) presents a harrowing account of the effects of poverty and prostitution.

Kate Chopin's The Awakening (1899) chronicles the tragic life of a young woman who rebels against puritanical social doctrines.