Top 5 Classic Books Everyone Should Read

Classics are something that will never go out of style as it showcases themes deeply rooted in human history. Literature is no exception. Today we are going to discuss five classic books that everyone should read. So what’s on the list?

Lord of the Flies

A brilliant novel by British writer William Golding. First published in 1954, Lord of the Flies themes are still relevant to readers today. Here you can find the tension between group membership and being individual, betrayal and loyalty, moral and immoral aspects of human life. The plot of Lord of the Fliesrevolves around a group of boys who were on the remote uninhabited island and their very human attempt to function as a group and rule themselves. This novel is often at the top of the list of the world’s best written texts and its questioning of what democracy is when no one is watching it has made it the subject of many free essays, literary reviews and political publications.

Catcher in the rye

JD Salinger’s article, originally published as a series and in 1951 as a novel, still captures the hearts and minds of readers today. It is a story that describes a long road of self-identification that every student can relate to. Holden Caulfield, 16, is looking for his way out of the California institution. He remembers his life on the east coast, his school and his first encounters with “street life” as he meets the prostitutes, the homeless, as well as those who live in the residences of the center. -city.

“Catcher in the Rye” is a great account of postwar American society that is so fragmented and divided. The novel has often been banned in schools because it uncovers issues of class, innocence, sexuality and depression.

Macbeth

Shakespeare’s Macbeth is a classic tragedy without which literary education is impossible to imagine. ‘The tragedy of Macbeth‘, as the full title suggests, dates back to 1606 and tells the story of a general who received a prophecy that he would become king. Obsessed with the concept of power and the desire to fulfill prophecy, he becomes paranoid about the throne and crown and commits various crimes, including murder. The five-act play also tackles the topics of tyranny, influence, witchcraft, and superstitions that have their place in politics, and many essayists use the text for reference when writing on political themes and dictators.

Kill a mockingbird

If you don’t know anything about racism, here is the novel that will show all its atrocities. Written by Harper Lee in 1960 and set in 1930s Alabama, the story chronicles the thoughts and observations of Jean Louise ‘Scout’ Finch after his father was appointed to defend the black man accused of raping a white woman.

Lee used a lot of references from his childhood (like the one his father defended for two men accused of murder), although this is not an autobiographical novel. The story explores themes of mob mentality, segregation, discrimination, and the social consequences of slavery in America, particularly with regard to justice.

Gatsby the magnificent

This novel is indeed one of the best representations of the society of the jazz age in literature. Written by F. Scott Fitzgerald in 1925, the novel addresses the issues of class conflict, flamboyance, the self-made man, the American dream, greed, love, jealousy and lust. ‘obsession.

The story revolves around Jay Gatsby, a self-made millionaire, who stops at nothing to regain the attention of his former lover Daisy Buchanan. Intrigue, jealousy, the Prohibition Age, and high class lavishness are masterfully portrayed by the author, who is considered one of the best American writers of all time.

The classical texts mentioned not only describe universal sentiments and familiar social orders, but are also used by modern writers as a reference as a metatext. Be careful, after reading them you might spot similar themes and plots in postmodern literature, but you’ll know where it started.