Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on Jordan B. Peterson's 12 Rules for Life. Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides.
12 Rules for Life: Introduction
12 Rules for Life: Plot Summary
12 Rules for Life: Detailed Summary & Analysis
12 Rules for Life: Themes
12 Rules for Life: Quotes
12 Rules for Life: Characters
12 Rules for Life: Terms
12 Rules for Life: Symbols
12 Rules for Life: Theme Wheel
Brief Biography of Jordan B. Peterson
Historical Context of 12 Rules for Life
Other Books Related to 12 Rules for Life
- Full Title: 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos
- When Written: 2012–2018
- Where Written: Toronto, Canada
- When Published: 2018
- Literary Period: Contemporary
- Genre: Nonfiction, Philosophy, Psychology, Self-Help
- Point of View: First Person
Extra Credit for 12 Rules for Life
Art as a Warning. For decades, Peterson has collected Soviet-era art and displayed it in his home. He views his collection as a reminder of the connection between art and propaganda, and how even idealism can turn into totalitarian oppression.
Art as a Teacher. When comic book artist Ethan Van Sciver developed the concept for the illustrations in 12 Rules for Life, he drew on Peterson’s interest in art history and came up with the idea of Peterson walking his two kids through “the coolest art museum in the world” and teaching them about the artworks’ meanings. Most of the book’s chapters open with a drawing of a young Mikhaila and Julian Peterson encountering a famous painting or sculpture.