Many students might find it puzzling that they have to read classic books from decades to centuries ago while in high school. It’s essential to read the works of Shakespeare, George Orwell, and many other great writers as these literature pieces offer timeless lessons that apply to today’s world. You’ll get to learn about the functioning of society and the human condition while developing your critical reasoning and creativity. This article provides you with four classic books read in high school that are educational, intriguing, and offer timeless lessons.

Romeo and Juliet

Many literature enthusiasts consider this book as the mother of all romantic novels. This Shakespeare’s masterpiece centers on two star-crossed lovers born to warring families, with romance, tragedy, fate and many others being critical concepts in this book. You can learn about other themes, issues, and more from free Romeo and Juliet essay samples online. Despite being a tragic story, this book still teaches the importance of love and how it transcends hate. Often you find teachers having their students prepare essays on many of the book’s concepts.

The book is one of Shakespeare’s acclaimed plays and has numerous adaptations in various forms of media. It enjoyed a stellar reputation among critics even during its Author’s lifetime, one of the few literary pieces to achieve such a feat. Most timeless classics books tend to become famous or enjoy such a stand decades after hitting the shelves.

A Raisin in the Sun

One of the best classic high school books that hold a place in today’s society is A Raisin in the Sun. In this literature piece, Lorraine Hansberry introduces us to an African American family looking to rise above the constraints of segregation and disenfranchisement in 1950’s America. The country currently experiences such a problem, with many students facing prejudice from society owing to their ethnicity, religious backgrounds, gender, or race.

This domestic drama gets its title from Langston Hughes’s poem “Harlem”. Both literature pieces reflect on deferred dreams, while in the book, A Raisin in the Sun, the main characters struggle to find the best approach to make them a reality. The book is a page-turner, portraying ideas such as the importance of family, the need to fight against racism, and the value of dreams.

1984

George Orwell’s 1984 is set in a dystopian future where the government controls the masses using fear and lies. Winston Smith is the main character in this classic novel and struggles to navigate a society stripped of free will, love, and any form of individuality. He faces this challenge while trying to keep his developing human nature at bay. 1984 houses many symbolisms, such as the Big Brother character, who’s never seen but watches and monitors every citizen’s activities.

It’s common to find tutors have college students write an argumentative or persuasive essay on its elements and concepts, owing to the different perspectives the classic book offers. Many of today’s media contain references to the themes of 1984, with Big Brother often being the go-to element.

A Rose for Emily

Death is often a crucial element in many timeless classics books, and in A Rose for Emily, it’s no different. This short story comes from the brilliant writing mind of American author William Faulkner. We get to follow the life of Emily Grierson from a third-person perspective, though not in chronological order. Her father prevents her from getting married, and despite his passing, she remains a spinster staying isolated from society until her death. There’s the possibility she’s a murder in the story, and students would find it exciting writing a persuasive or argumentative paper their stance.

There are numerous themes in this book, death, obsession, control, secrecy, unwillingness to change, and more. When writing essays on A Rose for Emily, most students often turn to free online essay samples for guidance. Such write-ups can help provide them with a template for their outline, identify the story’s themes, symbolisms, and more.

Final Thoughts

There are many classic books read in high school that offer timeless lessons to students. Titles such as Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, William Faulkner’s A Rose for Emily, and more feature in this category of literature. They contain elements, issues, and concepts parallel to today’s world despite being from a distant age. Consider picking up any or all of the four classic titles as they’re inspirational, make for an exciting read, and can develop your critical thinking skills.