If you are a reader and have never read classics, then trust me, you are missing out on a whole another world. But there are so many great classics out there with such elevated vocabulary and perplexing sentence structures, that it can certainly be a daunting task of deciding where to start from. Worry not; I am here to help you out. Here are 6 Classics that I have read, and I think are great first steps into the overwhelming world of classics. They are written by some of the greatest authors in English Literature, have relatively easy language, and all of them played a big role in shaping Literature to what it is now. So, let’s dive in.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

All of us have heard about it and many of us have seen the movie starring Keira Knightley but not many of us have actually read it which is a shame (except the 2 million people on Goodreads). If you loved the movie even a little bit, then you will definitely love the book. This book is a perfect representation of the middle-class English society of 18th and 19th century but the representation of women as capable of taking their own decisions is ground-breaking in an age when their fates were completely designed by the men around them.

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Many people are unsure about reading it because of the hype and I was one of them about 3 years ago. I had to read it for college and I completely fell in love with Jane Austen’s writing. This novel is perfect for summer reading, so grab your copy and get ready to fall in love with Elizabeth Bennett and Mr Darcy.

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

From an external point of view, this novel may seem an adventurous, funny story for children. But, it is so much more than that. The subtext of the novel tells a completely different story than what is explicit; which is about the subjugation of blacks at the hands of whites in 19th century America. This realistic picture about slavery and the conditions of blacks will make you cringe but there are also so many moments of laughter and fun. Mark Twain does an excellent job in treating a serious social problem and presenting it in front of the readers in the most frivolous manner. Unfortunately though, many misunderstood Mark Twain’s depiction of reality and it was banned mainly because of the use of N-word.

1984 by George Orwell

This modern age novel might be one of the very few classics which predicted the future quite accurately. George Orwell might be a seer in the way he writes about 24-hour surveillance on common people by the government which is what the government does through the internet in the present times. The description on Goodreads sums up the reason of allure of the book – “Among the seminal texts of the 20th century, Nineteen Eighty-Four is a rare work that grows more haunting as its futuristic purgatory becomes more real.”

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This dystopian novel will take you on a ride that not much books are capable of. It is dark, chilling, and will haunt you for days after finishing but it will be all worth it because it will force you to think about things that you never bothered about before.

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

There cannot be a list of best books ever without this book being included. This Pulitzer Prize-winning novel is a must-read for everyone. It beautifully portrays the grim reality of racism prevalent in the United States in the 1900s. This is a book which will definitely move you and it will stay with you for the rest of your life. The character like Atticus is a representation of courage and he inspires so many people to stand for what you think is right. The court scene at the end is one of the best court scenes ever. This book is a timeless classic and people will never stop reading. Those who read it once want to read it again and again. Thus, there is not a better book to start your journey into the realm of classics apart from this book.

Lord of the Flies by William Golding

A dystopian novel depicting the darkest sides of human nature, Lord of the Flies is certainly one of the darkest novels ever. But you will love it because the way Golding tries to portray humans is actually not based on a fantasy. It represents the anarchist society and how humans would act without any authority and laws. It is actually the subtler version of The Walking Dead (minus the zombie apocalypse but the “imaginary beast” kind of represents the zombies).

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It describes how civilization is just a façade and all humans are savages on the inside. This is the reason that this book fascinated me so much because it showed the dark sides of our society without any filter. This is a horrifying read but it will definitely make you interested in the world of classics.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Do you think that classics are slow-burning, monotonous reads with plots portraying just the obvious reality? Think again. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley is one of the best gothic and supernatural books and it served as an inspiration for so many contemporary books and movies. It is a thrilling read and you would not be able to keep it down until you have read the last page. It is scary as hell and you would not feel like at all that you are reading a classic at all because we see so many horror movies based on this book. Apart from being scary, it makes you sympathize with the monster and make you look at things from his perspective which was so refreshing. If you are looking something to read during Halloween, then you should look no further.