Classics Worth the Read

Novels I am thankful to have read in school

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Lately, I have been nostalgic for my high school English classes (shout out to my amazing teachers) and so decided to round up the stories I was forced to read that have stuck with me for both their message and composition. This is my opinion on the best of classic literature — including “new” classics — and is an incredibly small sample of books and short stories, so if your favorite is not listed, trust that it is still worthy of being read! Let me know your thoughts and opinions in the comments, and if I am totally off base or totally on to something.

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The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald

Beautiful exploration of class and dissection of the American Dream told with lush prose and colorful symbolism.

1984 - George Orwell

Groundbreaking commentary on surveillance states, freedom, greed, and the dangers in policing thought.

The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger

An examination of a failed child and his inner desires to preserve childhood innocence for those yet to come. Many feel this is a “nothing” novel — nothing happens, nothing is said, etc. But to me, this is a faithful look at how teenagers deal with and conceptualize the reality of growing up.

The Outsiders - S.E. Hinton

Another novel focusing on the lost American teenager, as well as confines of traditional masculinity and friendship.

The Giver - Lois Lowry

A seminal dystopian novel that also challenges thought control and revisionist history.

Flowers for Algernon - Daniel Keyes

A heartbreaking exploration of how conceptualize intelligence and human worth. The way the book is written to show Charlie’s changing mental state is as crushing as it is genius.

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