There are some books that just have to be read over and over again. The story is always changing, the setting seems to reflect your neighborhood and you find yourself influenced by the characters while making daily decisions, “Hmm…which dress would Elizabeth Bennett wear?”
How is a book defined as a classic? Is there a hierarchy of literary fanatics hidden somewhere in an immaculate library making these decisions? Well to put it simply, the answer is no. Time is the most important factor that determines whether a book is classic or will be in the future. If over a period of years a certain book keeps re-appearing in libraries, school classrooms and in the hands of book worms then it is most definitely a classic. Jane Eyre is a classic, The Twilight Saga is not. You can never be too obvious.
Over the years, I have read and accumulated many classics thanks to AP Literature classes in high school. I guess my teacher was right all along, reading all these books would help me some time in the future. There is so much knowledge one can attain from reading literature from another era, from another perspective and realizing how things have changed over time. One of the few reasons as to why classics will always reign the shelves.
So here it goes, the top 10 classic books listed from my personal library. These books have been re-read, analyzed thoroughly and acknowledged everywhere. This is why these books should be read before you die.
- Wuthering Heights- Emily Bronte
- The Awakening- Kate Chopin
- Crime and Punishment- Fyodor Dostoevsky
- Brave New World- Aldous Huxley
- The Great Gatsby- F. Scott Fitzgerald
- Jane Eyre- Charlotte Bronte
- The Stranger- Albert Camus
- The Bell Jar- Sylvia Plath
- Pride and Prejudice- Jane Austen
- Anthem- Ayn Rand
This list is no particular order because they all hold significance in their own right.
The first on the list and one of my favorites is the romantic novel Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. This novel is centered on the tumultuous relationship between a poor servant boy, Heathcliff, and his owner’s beautiful daughter Catherine, set in the haunting moors of Scotland. Issues of class inferiority are acknowledged and the power of undying love that remains inextinguishable even in death. This book was published in 1847 and reflects the subject matter that was relevant at that time such as responsibilities of men and women. Emily Bronte was one of the first women who was acknowledged as a writer in the era in which the word of man was always considered superior.
The second on the list is The Awakening by Kate Chopin which was published in 1899, about 5 decades after Wuthering Heights. The most common misconception about this novel is that it was banned, but it never was. However, it was heavily censored at the time due to its illicit subject matter which dealt with a woman’s sexual revolution at a time when women did not express such things so overtly. This novel is often said to be a legacy of Kate Chopin since the writer never decided to write again.
The third on the list is Crime and Punishment written by the Russian writer Fyodor Dostoevsky which was published in 1866. This novel is not easy to read and comprehend but the way it is written is pure genius. The plot is based on a disturbed young Russian man named Raskolnikov who commits a murder and endures debilitating psychological instability following the incident. The reader truly steps into the mind of the killer and feels his raging emotions. The only downside is the myriad of Russian names of the characters that are extremely difficult to remember and pronounce, so some confusion ensues.
The fourth on the list is Brave New World by Aldous Huxley which was published in 1932. This novel is based in the future, specifically speaking 2540 AD in the City of London. Issues such as power of authority and the rights of man are heavily acknowledged throughout the novel. It focuses on one man’s fight for survival in a world where technology has begun to reign supreme, even in matters such as reproduction and sleep. This novel will keep you at the edge of your seat right until the end as the line between what should be controlled and what should not become blurred.
The fifth on the list is The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald which was published in 1925. This famous novel is based on a young man named Nick who moved from the Midwest to Long Island, New York and becomes deeply fascinated with his neighbor’s lavish lifestyle. This novel is set in the “roaring twenties” period in which people indulge in the luxuries of the booming economy. As Nick becomes more involved in the lives of the rich and famous, his own purpose in life becomes more diminished.
The next on the list is Charlotte Bronte’s gothic drama Jane Eyre which was published in 1847. This novel is based on the heroine Jane Eyre and her struggles against adversity as she maintains a job as a governess for a haughty and cold rich man. As time passes, Jane begins to shed her innocence and falls in love with her distant boss while unraveling secrets that are sealed in the cold walls of the mansions. Readers will admire the quiet strength Jane possesses and follow her struggle to the end.
The seventh on the list is the existentialist masterpiece The Stranger by Albert Camus which was published in 1942. The novel is ripe with existentialist themes as the protagonist drags through life with a languid attitude and disregard for sentimentality. Nothing significant occurs in the first few chapters of the novel but towards the end a change of events signals a predicament in the life of the protagonist. This novel is quite atypical but in its uniqueness can be found a truly remarkable story of a young man who does know his purpose in life thus remaining a staple in classrooms everywhere.
The eighth on the list is the haunting story of The Bell Jar by the tragic poet Sylvia Plath. This novel was published in 1963 and is a story about a young woman who struggles with the city life of New York and cannot seem to find her place in society. Sylvia Plath herself suffered from mental illness as a young woman and a lot of her poems and novels, including this one, were based on such struggles. Unfortunately she ended her life at the age of 30 years succumbing to the mental illness she suffered for so many years.
The ninth on the list is the true romantic classic Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. This novel was published in 1813 and ever since Jane Austen has left a tremendous legacy of novels that are adored by so many readers. This novel is based on the famed character of Elizabeth Bennett and the struggles she faces to marry in a time when women became burdens on their families if they did not marry by a certain age. Her romantic affair with Mr. Darcy is the most beloved and has been ever since the novel was first published.
Last on the list is the dystopian novella Anthem by Ayn Rand and was published in 1938. This novella is based in the future in which society is controlled by a hierarchy and men and women are separated. It delves into the struggle of a young man who defies the rules of society and runs away from the barriers of authority. This novella questions the rights of man and deals with issues of authority. Aldous Huxley and Ayn Rand should get together and discuss their very similar novels.
So there you have it, the top 10 classics that must be read before you die. These books have all been around for some time and if our generation continues to admire them they will remain classics for many more years to come.
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