The Lower Depths, a play from 1902 by Maxim Gorky, explores the lives of a group of marginalized individuals who seek refuge in illusions to escape life's hardships.

Waiting for Godot, a 1952 play by Samuel Beckett, centers on two vagabonds who hopelessly await the arrival of the enigmatic Godot, hoping he will bring meaning and direction to their existence.

Living My Life is the autobiography of the renowned anarchist Emma Goldman, published in 1934. Goldman may have inspired the character of Parritt's mother, Rosa. Her life story offers valuable context for the dialogues between Larry and Parritt about the Movement.

The Lost Weekend, a novel written by Charles Jackson in 1944, tells the tale of an alcoholic struggling to resist his addiction, only to find himself powerless against it. The 1946 film adaptation, released the same year as the debut of The Iceman Cometh, introduces an optimistic conclusion that deviates from the novel's somber tone.

Long Day's Journey into Night, a play by Eugene O'Neill first staged in 1956, is an autobiographical domestic tragedy that delves into themes of addiction and dysfunctional family dynamics. It is widely regarded as a window into O'Neill's own life experiences.