The Lower Depths, a 1902 play by Maxim Gorky, is also concerned with the lives of a group of outcasts and their desire to use illusion to shield themselves from the pain of life.

Waiting for Godot, a play by Samuel Beckett written in 1952, focuses on two tramps who wait vainly for the arrival of the mysterious figure Godot to give meaning and purpose to their lives.

Living My Life is the 1934 autobiography of famed anarchist Emma Goldman, who may have served as a model for Parritt's mother Rosa. Goldman's story provides useful context for Larry and Parritt's discussions regarding the Movement.

The Lost Weekend is a 1944 novel by Charles Jackson. It is the story of an alcoholic who attempts to resist drinking but finds he is helpless before his addiction. The film version, which was produced in 1946, the year of the first production of The Iceman Cometh, adds an optimistic ending not warranted by Jackson's dark novel.

Long Day's Journey into Night, an O'Neill play produced in 1956, is an autobiographical domestic tragedy dealing with addiction and dysfunctional relationships. The play is widely considered to offer insight into O'Neill's personal life.