1.) 1984– George Orwell
If you haven’t already read this book, you need to hop onto the dystopian bandwagon. I read this at 16-years-old, and let me tell you, it messed me up quite a bit. The story follows a rather ordinary protagonist and his experience in a world with no freedom and a changing record of history. The government is run by the character Big Brother, who represents not only tyranny, capitalism, and nationalism, but also the ability to manipulate a large population through idealistic figures. Though extremely controversial and political, this book is a fantastic read that questions our society, our government, our purpose in life, and everything else that keeps you up at night with worry – good luck.
2.) The Humans – Matt Haig
Written in perspective of an alien taking over a human lifeform on Earth, Haig uses defamiliarization to examine the oddities in our Western society that are now so ordinary to us that we don’t question them anymore. From criticizing our rather boring architecture to examining the purpose of clothing to questioning lust and adultery, the first-person naïve alien narrator gives us a very different opinion than what we’re used to. This book is the heart-warming story of an alien on a quest to find purpose and love, meanwhile disobeying his very strict, emotionless orders of his home planet.
3.) The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn – Mark Twain
Though the book was obviously a lot more controversial at the time it was published (1884), the themes of this book are still extremely relevant (unfortunately). With trends like #oscarssowhite going around, there’s no denying that there is not only a lack of representation but also a misrepresentation of people of colour in media. Twain uses this historical prejudice and sheds light on the ways black people have been represented in books and society. He gives a voice to Jim, a slave venturing to be free, which was never heard of at the time of the American Civil War – and even decades after. He takes away Jim’s voice at the end, a huge literary controversy, but a sad societal fact. Through a white narrator (of course), readers can examine the changing opinions of not only Jim, but of racial injustice. As the issues of this book are still issues today, we can examine the changes in a historical context, not just in one book. As well, we can look at how, even though Twain tries his best to give a voice to the black population, he is still a white male and cannot speak for them, and how the voice needs to be given back to those who need to be speaking.
4.) The Awakening – Kate Chopin
With the rise of the third wave of feminism, it’s important to look back and see where we’ve improved and where we still need to improve. This book, controversial at its time for its female author and obvious sexual themes, examines the double standards surrounding a woman’s obligations to her husband and kids while also venturing into what few authors would write about – a woman’s sexual urges. Though hardly erotic by our modern standards, this book uncovers what a woman has to sacrifice for true love and what price she has to pay for curiosity. Juxtaposing the main male character, Robert, the protagonist, Edna, is ridiculed and socially exiled for her change of attitude. Written by a woman, this book is a very true account of the overlooked struggles of a woman trying to find love and pleasure in a very strict society. Though written in the 19th century, these themes still hold true today as women are slut-shamed and guided into certain career fields.