Gulliver's Travels follows Lemuel Gulliver, a ship's surgeon who embarks on four extraordinary voyages that serve as biting satire of 18th-century society.

• Lilliput: Gulliver encounters a race of tiny people, whose petty rivalries and absurd politics mock the trivial disputes and corruption of European governments.

• Brobdingnag: In a land of giants, Gulliver is diminished and judged harshly by the morally upright King, who condemns the violence and greed of European customs.

• Laputa and neighboring lands: Gulliver meets scholars obsessed with impractical theories, a satire of intellectual arrogance and the misuse of science detached from real life.

• Houyhnhnms: Gulliver discovers rational, noble horses who live by reason, contrasted with brutish, filthy Yahoos resembling humans. Disgusted with humanity, Gulliver longs to remain with the Houyhnhnms but is forced to return home, disillusioned.

Through these adventures, Swift critiques politics, religion, science, and human pride, exposing corruption, hypocrisy, and folly. The novel works both as fantastical travel writing and as profound satire, making readers laugh while also confronting uncomfortable truths about human nature.

The Grapes of Wrath tells the story of the Joad family, tenant farmers from Oklahoma displaced during the Dust Bowl and Great Depression. Forced off their land by drought and bank foreclosures, they set out for California in search of work and dignity. Along the journey, they endure deaths, poverty, and disillusionment, only to discover that California offers exploitation and misery rather than opportunity.

Through the Joads' intimate story, Steinbeck reveals the larger plight of thousands of migrant families. Characters like Ma Joad symbolize resilience and the strength to hold the family together, while Tom Joad evolves from a recently released convict into a man inspired by Jim Casy's vision of collective justice, vowing to fight for the oppressed.

Anna Karenina is a sweeping Russian novel that explores love, family, and society through two intertwined storylines.

The central plot follows Anna Karenina, a married woman who falls passionately in love with the officer Count Vronsky. Their affair challenges the rigid moral codes of Russian high society. While Anna abandons her husband and son to be with Vronsky, society condemns her, isolating her further. As her relationship deteriorates and jealousy consumes her, Anna becomes increasingly unstable, ultimately taking her own life beneath a train—a tragic end that underscores the destructive consequences of desire cut off from community and acceptance.

The Chronicles of Narnia is a seven-book fantasy series that blends adventure, myth, and Christian allegory to tell the story of a magical land ruled and protected by the great lion Aslan. The series follows ordinary children from our world who discover Narnia and become part of its struggles against evil.

The most famous entry, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, introduces the Pevensie siblings—Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy—who help free Narnia from the tyranny of the White Witch. Across the series, readers encounter kings and queens, talking animals, noble warriors, and profound battles of good versus evil. Notable tales include Prince Caspian's restoration of a rightful heir, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader's quest of self-discovery and redemption, and The Silver Chair's test of perseverance. The Magician's Nephew explores the origins of Narnia, while The Last Battle depicts its apocalyptic end and the promise of renewal.

Thematically, the series explores courage, loyalty, sacrifice, temptation, faith, and redemption. Aslan represents a Christ-like savior figure, while flawed characters such as Edmund and Eustace illustrate the power of forgiveness and transformation. Through these adventures, Lewis conveys that even the smallest acts of faith and bravery can change the world.

The Narnia books remain timeless because they entertain with magical adventures while offering deeper moral and spiritual lessons that resonate with both children and adults.

The Lord of the Rings is an epic fantasy that follows Frodo Baggins, a humble hobbit, who inherits the One Ring—an artifact of immense evil power created by the Dark Lord Sauron. Tasked with destroying it in the fires of Mount Doom, Frodo joins the Fellowship of the Ring, a group of diverse allies united by the mission.

The Fellowship faces treacherous landscapes, monstrous enemies, and internal temptations. Eventually, the group splits—Aragorn leads men into war against Sauron's armies, while Frodo and his loyal friend Sam journey into Mordor, guided by the deceitful Gollum. In a final twist, Frodo succumbs to the Ring's pull, but Gollum's obsession leads to its destruction.

With Sauron defeated, Middle-earth is freed, but Frodo's personal wounds leave him unable to resume a peaceful life. He departs with Gandalf and the elves to the West. The story explores themes of power's corruption, the quiet heroism of endurance, unity among differences, and the bittersweet nature of victory.

The Picture of Dorian Gray tells the story of a handsome young man, Dorian Gray, who wishes to remain forever youthful while a portrait of him ages instead. Influenced by the hedonistic and cynical Lord Henry Wotton, Dorian embraces a life of indulgence and moral corruption. As he commits increasingly cruel and selfish acts—including rejecting a woman who later dies and eventually murdering the artist who painted his portrait—Dorian's outward appearance remains perfect, while his hidden portrait becomes twisted and grotesque, reflecting the degradation of his soul.

Consumed by guilt and fear, Dorian eventually attempts to destroy the painting, hoping to free himself from the weight of his sins. Instead, he is found dead, aged and disfigured, while the portrait is restored to its original beauty.

Wilde's novel explores themes of vanity, influence, morality, art, and duality, offering a powerful critique of superficial beauty and the consequences of living without accountability.

The Canterbury Tales is a classic collection of stories written by Geoffrey Chaucer in the late 14th century. It follows a group of pilgrims traveling to the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket in Canterbury. To pass the time on the journey, each pilgrim agrees to tell stories, resulting in a vibrant mix of tales ranging from noble romances to bawdy comedies and moral fables.

The tales are framed by vivid character portraits—like the noble Knight, the outspoken Wife of Bath, the corrupt Pardoner, and the drunken Miller—each reflecting the diversity and complexity of medieval society. Through their stories, Chaucer explores themes of class, morality, religion, gender roles, and human nature.

Though unfinished, the work is praised for its lively storytelling, satirical edge, and pioneering use of Middle English. The Canterbury Tales remains a cornerstone of English literature and a rich window into the culture and values of medieval England.

Wuthering Heights is a dark and emotionally intense novel by Emily Brontë, published in 1847. It tells the story of the tragic and obsessive love between Heathcliff, a brooding orphan, and Catherine Earnshaw, his childhood companion. Though deeply bonded, Catherine chooses to marry the wealthy Edgar Linton for social status, breaking Heathcliff's heart.

In response, Heathcliff seeks revenge, manipulating and ruining the lives of those around him—including Catherine's family, Edgar, and his own son. Catherine dies young, and Heathcliff becomes consumed by grief and vengeance.

The second generation—Cathy Linton, Hareton Earnshaw, and Linton Heathcliff—inherits this legacy of bitterness. But unlike their parents, Cathy and Hareton find love and healing, offering hope and redemption in the novel's final chapters. Heathcliff, haunted by the past, dies and is buried beside Catherine.

The novel explores themes of passion, revenge, social class, nature versus civilization, and the cyclical impact of trauma. Though controversial at its time, Wuthering Heights is now hailed as a groundbreaking classic for its raw emotion and moral complexity.

Jane Eyre follows the life of Jane, an orphaned girl who grows up facing cruelty, hardship, and isolation. Raised by an unloving aunt and sent to a harsh boarding school, Jane develops strength, intelligence, and a firm sense of morality. As an adult, she becomes a governess at Thornfield Hall, where she falls in love with her employer, Mr. Rochester.

Their romance is tested when Jane discovers that Rochester is already secretly married. Choosing self-respect over passion, Jane leaves him. After enduring hardship and eventually gaining an inheritance, she returns to find Rochester disabled and humbled. They reunite on equal footing, and the novel ends with a marriage rooted in mutual love and respect.

More than a love story, Jane Eyre is a powerful exploration of independence, morality, feminism, and the struggle for personal dignity. Jane insists on living life on her own terms, making the novel a timeless testament to the strength of the human spirit.

Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is a classic novel by Mary Shelley, first published in 1818. It tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who becomes obsessed with uncovering the secret of life. Driven by ambition, he creates a living being from dead body parts—only to be horrified by the creature he brings to life.