5 classics to read in your lifetime
"We read to know that we are not alone," said noted British writer C.S. Lewis. This is what books do. They open up an unknown world we sometimes start relating to. English literature is filled with books that talk about society, people, and basically cover such nooks and crannies that people otherwise might ignore. Here are five such classics you should not miss.
Moby-Dick
Written by Herman Melville, Moby-Dick is an 1851 novel that explores deep and complex themes about morality and the nature of existence. Ishmael, a sailor on the wailing ship named Pequod, is the narrator of the story. Ishmael tells us about the ship's captain Ahab who is looking to take revenge on a great white sperm whale who once bit off his leg.
To Kill a Mockingbird
To Kill a Mockingbird is a classic 1960 novel by Harper Lee. The novel had won the Pulitzer Prize and deals with important themes of prejudice, and racism. The story is narrated by an eight-year-old Scout Finch where his father Atticus, an attorney decides to defend a black man who was unjustly accused of sexually molesting a white woman.
Animal Farm
The 1945 novel Animal Farm is a timeless classic by George Orwell. It is a political satire and refers to Joseph Stalin's tyranny and the Russian Revolution of 1917. The story is about an animal group that rebels against their farmer and creates a new system. However, the pigs turn cruel in the end like humans and establish a tyranny system.
Jane Eyre
Jane Eyre is a classic coming-of-age novel by Charlotte Bronte that depicts a women's realistic quest for happiness, freedom, and equality as she discovers her inner self. The novel follows the story of a simple girl named Jane who fights through her own life struggles. Despite facing abuse and various complications in her love life, she stands strong and maintains her dignity.
The Catcher in the Rye
The Catcher in the Rye is an absolute classic about teenagers and deals with strong themes of anger, and isolation. The story is about a 17-year-old Holden Caulfield and his dramatic teenage struggle after he gets expelled from school. While the book aimed to normalize teenagers making mistakes, it attracted a lot of ire from parents for its content and the language.
