Literature is a collection of works of fiction and non-fiction, depicting various themes and tones, allowing the reader to feel and react in a certain way. Literature is a form of written art that depicts various words and meanings. Literary works entertain the reader by presenting various intellectual, ethical and social issues. A reader's beliefs are challenged when individuals are confronted with feelings related to various "thoughts, pasts, futures, and ultimate values ​​of the stories" (Jewell 1). Absurd stories illustrate manipulation by presenting the reader with a distorted perception of reality; conversely, realistic stories strive to present the reader with a legitimate representation of realistic elements by proving that people are indeed products of their environments. Manipulation and domination are two common themes relevant in many real-life circumstances. In absurdist forms of literature, manipulation is represented by the domination of one character with increased power over another. Likewise, according to the British Journal of Developmental Psychology, bullying has been documented as a form of manipulation in modern society. Bullying is the “systematic abuse of power” over others. Bullying can be likened to the absurd theme of domination since “domination is often associated with social skills and the manipulation of beliefs” (Sutton 444). Additionally, the Applied Cognitive Psychological Journal describes how manipulative power can affect memory compliance. A recent study monitored the effects of past events and the different media through which people receive relevant information about those events. In one case, a co-witness gave information about a past event......in the middle of the newspaper......through media influence. New York, NY, USA: Oxford University Press, 2009. PsycINFO. Internet. March 29, 2012. Jewell, Richard. “Literature: the art of language.” tc.umn.edu. University of Minnesota, September 7, 2011. Web. March 29, 2012. Saunders, George. Pastoral: Stories. New York: Riverhead, 2000. Print. Skagerberg, EM and Wright, DB (2008), Manipulative power can affect memory compliance. Appl. Cognition. Psychol., 22: 207-216. DOI: 10.1002/acp.1353. Snell, Joel C. and Mitchell Marsh. “Review of “The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature”.” Psychology and Education: An Interdisciplinary Journal 42.3-4 (2005): 52-53. PsycINFO. Internet. March 29, 2012. Sutton, J., Smith, PK and Swettenham, J. (1999), Social cognition and bullying: social inadequacy or skilled manipulation? British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 17: 435-450. DOI: 10.1348/026151099165384.