Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov is one of the most disturbing and symbolic books I have read. I am hesitant to rate this book so high considering how it deals with so many serious topics, and how it might not be suitable for many people. Lolita deals with the adventure of a French literacy professor who moves to New England in 1947 and goes by the pseudonym Humbert Humbert.
The Great Gatsby written by F. Scott Fitzgerald tells the story of a man from Minnesota who moves to New York City and gets tangled up in Long Island High Society through his cousin Daisy and her husband Tom. Nick looks up to his neighbor, a grand mysterious man who is somehow in love with Daisy, and the possibility of her reciprocating these feelings is high, especially when struggling with Tom's own infidelity.
The Scarlet Letter is a story that follows Hester Prynne, a woman living in 17th century Puritan society, who has been accused of adultery and must wear a letter “A” to atone for her sin. She struggles to raise her baby without the father there to help her, as he will not confess to his sin. Hester continues to hide the identity of the baby’s father from her husband and the rest of the town until the baby grows up and it’s ultimately revealed.
Frankenstein is a book following the life of the scientist Victor Frankenstein. He creates a monster with a horrifying appearance and a conscience which he immediately abandons upon its awakening. He continues to be haunted by his creation, and the story follows the many encounters Frankenstein and his monster have. Frankenstein ultimately has to grapple with the morality behind creating life as he continues to face the consequences of doing so.
Set against the backdrop of the Great Depression and small-town Alabama Scout Finch gives us a glimpse into growing up during the 1930s. Scout lives with her dad and brother and their housekeeper Calpurnia. Scout’s dad is a lawyer who is representing an African American man who is being wrongly charged for rape. Scout also experiences fear in her neighbor because her family lives next to the supposed town crazy Boo Radley.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a Classic Novel written in 1960. It is set in Maycomb, Alabama during the early 1930s and features the main characters Jean Louise “Scout” Finch and her older brother Jeremy “Jem” Finch, children of Atticus Finch, a lawyer.
Tradition, honor, discipline, and excellence are the four pillars that Welton Academy lives and dies by. Well, most of the people at Welton Academy at least. The dead poets society is formed when the school begins its new year, and with this come new students and a magnificent new teacher. This eccentric new teacher, Mr. Keating teaches the boys how to be their own person, not just a student. Keating teaches like no other, telling the boys to rip out the pages of their textbooks and go outside and play football.
Summary: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick is a dystopian science fiction novel set in a post-apocalyptic future where Earth is devastated by nuclear war, and most of the population has emigrated to other planets. The story follows Rick Deckard, a bounty hunter tasked with "retiring" rogue androids that have escaped to Earth. The novel explores themes of empathy, identity, and the blurred line between humans and artificial beings.
Summary: Beloved tells the story of Sethe, an escaped slave, living with her daughter, Denver. The novel starts with the runaway of Sethe’s two sons, Howard and Buglar, and the death of her mother-in-law, Baby Suggs. These events open the theme of the story and introduce the malevolent baby ghost who haunts 124. As more characters show, the novel begins to entwine past and present, revealing flashbacks of Sethe’s past in slavery. With the appearance of Paul D, the main conflict begins to unfold.
Summary: My Side of the Mountain is a coming-of-age story featuring Sam Gribley, who leaves his family’s crowded New York City apartment for his great-grandfather Gribley’s land. The bulk of the story takes place within the Catskill Mountains of New York, where Sam learns to survive off the land and make new friends– both animal and human. He grapples with internal and external conflicts, fighting not only the force of nature but also the struggle between wanting isolation and the companionship of others.
