It’s a common feeling amongst high schoolers to look at the books taught in English class and think, this is so boring. I thought the same when I was in high school. There were times when I wondered: What is the point of reading these books?
But now that I’m an adult, I’ve revisited many books from my high school English class. With a new pair of eyes and a mature frontal lobe, I gave them another shot. And I was surprised at how much I actually enjoyed the books!
Hated the books from English class? Why don’t you give them another try!
Here are five books you might have read in high school, but this time you won’t have to write an essay on them. Who knows? You might end up liking them more than you think!
1. 1984 by George Orwell
I first read this book when I was a high school sophomore and absolutely hated it. It was confusing and depressing, and I was tired of analyzing each chapter during reading responses. I remember finishing the book with a scowl, swearing to never read it again.
And then I was assigned to read the book in college. On the second time around, I couldn’t believe how much I enjoyed it. It felt like an entirely different book, one that I was invested in. Orwell’s social commentary is as relevant now as it was when he wrote the book, and it shows.
Set in a dystopian society where the government controls everything, even what you say and think, one man rebels to find the true meaning of life. You never know which way the book is going to go, even when you’re nearing the end. Trust me when I say it’s way better than we thought in high school.
Why give it another chance?
1984 gave me hope that we can avoid Orwell’s dystopian future. Everything laid out in the book is a warning for a future we could fall into but don’t have to. As an adult, Orwell’s book made me reflect on the future I want to live in. Sorry Big Brother, but you’re not a part it.
2. Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Imagine yourself trapped on an island with dozens of obnoxious children, and see how quickly you resort to madness. Me, personally? I wouldn’t last a day.
As a high schooler, I didn’t totally hate this book, but I still didn’t really get the appeal. After my recent reread of the novel, I totally get it. Tribalism, savagery, and the inescapable desire for violence are all found in the book, and it’s absolutely wild.
A group of English schoolboys crash land on a deserted island and have to learn to survive until they’re rescued. There are power struggles, mysterious monsters, and psychological torment that will make you glad you’re not in their shoes!
Why give it another chance?
Anyone who is a fan of Lost, The Hunger Games, and Yellow Jackets should perk up and reread this book. Survival stories are big right now. Audiences love seeing how people react to catastrophes, and Lord of the Flies is no exception. Crack the book open one more time, and you’ll be surprised at how quickly things go south.
3. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Great Gatsby is a classic high school English book. It’s the first thing that comes to mind when I think back to English class, but not everyone likes it on the first read. I know I didn’t. I didn’t understand why we had to analyze the color yellow or eyes on a giant billboard.
As an adult, I love the book far more than I did as a teenager. There are a lot of students who claim it’s uninteresting, but I disagree. It takes place in Roaring Twenties New York with exuberant parties, unrequited love, and murder. What’s more interesting than that?
Why give it another chance?
Even though my English class analyzed the book, I appreciated the nuance more on my own as an adult. There was something about voluntarily deciding to read it that made me pay attention to the plot and actually connect with the story. Sometimes choosing for ourselves gives us the space to really comprehend what we’re taking in. For me, The Great Gatsby was way more enjoyable when I chose it.
4. Kindred by Octavia Butler
Could you imagine traveling back in time to the most dangerous era you could be alive in? The concept of a Black woman time-traveling to the Antebellum South is so horrifying, and Octavia Butler doesn’t hold back. Butler’s book is more than just shocking; it’s downright terrifying at times.
I have read Kindred twice during my time as a student, once in high school and a second time in college. Both times have left me stunned and amazed at the gripping tale Octavia Butler tells. Just when you think it can’t get any worse, it does.
Why give it another chance?
If the plot alone doesn’t stir your curiosity, I don’t know what will. When I reread Kindred as an adult with more knowledge of the time period, it was such a different experience than it was in high school. When you’re older, you come at books with different perspectives, and this book is ripe with opportunities to grow what you might not have known.
There is also an excellent TV show on Hulu! If you’re more of a visual learner, I recommend checking the show out! Here is a link to learn more about it: Kindred on Hulu
5. Maus by Art Spiegelman
You may remember Maus for its iconic cover and heavy subject matter, all told via the medium of a graphic novel. The author recounts interviewing his dad, a Jewish Holocaust survivor, about his experiences in the war, expressed through animals instead of humans. His gripping personal insight into the time period is relayed in a moving, engaging way.
Maus is hands down one of the best books I’ve ever read. As a graphic novel, it tells the story in the only way it could have been told. The series only contains two books, but they pack so much in that it leaves you truly speechless. The moment I finished the first, I sped through the second, just to find out what would happen next. I will admit I cried…a lot.
Why give it another chance?
This is a deeply moving and painful story from a terrible time in history. There is a humanness to the novel, even though all the characters are animals. I personally needed to be more knowledgeable for the book to resonate, and I think people who didn’t understand it in high school should revisit it. Sometimes you have to be older and wiser to appreciate an important story like this.
To sum it all up…
Even if you got flashbacks to English class, I promise that all of these books are worth a reread. Without the endless reading assignments and homework, you can focus on the stories themselves. After all, there’s a reason they’re taught in high school!
