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Thank You to my High School English Teacher
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items I had the same English teacher for all four years of high school. In all four years, she pushed us to read about ten to twelve books a year. These are the books that resonated with me the most; some which I’ve reread outside of high school.
This list...
A haunting memoir of survival and loss during the Holocaust, told through Wiesel’s own teenage perspective. It’s devastating and necessary—showing how humanity can endure even in the darkest places.
Night by Elie Wiesel
A chilling vision of a world ruled by surveillance, censorship, and absolute control. It’s a warning about power, truth, and freedom that still feels eerily relevant today.
1984 by George Orwell
A story about censorship, conformity, and the importance of books in preserving individuality. It makes you think about how fragile ideas are—and how vital they remain.
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
A portrait of fragile illusions, harsh realities, and human longing. Blanche’s descent is tragic and unforgettable.
A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams
A tender and bittersweet play about memory, family, and fragile dreams. Through Tom’s recollections, we see how hopes—like Laura’s delicate glass animals—can shimmer beautifully yet break so easily.
The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams
A timeless love story about passion, youth, and how love can be both beautiful and destructive.
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
A groundbreaking play about marriage, independence, and self-discovery. Nora’s final choice still resonates as one of the boldest acts of self-liberation in literature.
A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen
A tale of wealth, longing, and illusion in the Jazz Age. Gatsby’s dream feels dazzling and tragic all at once—a reminder of how fragile the American Dream can be.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
A powerful story of survival, resilience, and injustice during the Dust Bowl migration. The Joad family’s journey west is both heartbreaking and inspiring—a portrait of human endurance in the face of crushing hardship.
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
A chilling look at what happens when civilization fades and human nature takes over. A group of boys stranded on an island reveal just how thin the line is between order and chaos.
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
A moving family drama about dreams, identity, and dignity in the face of racism and hardship. It’s both deeply personal and powerfully universal.
A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
A dystopian story of a world without pain, choice, or true emotion—where safety comes at the cost of freedom. Jonas’s discovery of memory and feeling shows both the beauty and the burden of being fully human.
The Giver by Lois Lowry
A haunting tale of ambition, creation, and responsibility. Victor Frankenstein’s monster is both terrifying and tragic, forcing us to question what it really means to be human. Really brings to question the debate between nature and nurture.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
A witty comedy where Oscar Wilde pokes fun at social rules while reminding us how ridiculous — and delightful — human pretenses can be.
The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
A dark journey into colonial Africa — and into human greed and moral corruption. Marlow’s voyage shows how thin the line is between civilization and brutality. A truly haunting but much needed read.
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
A tragedy of jealousy, love, and betrayal. Othello’s downfall, manipulated by Iago, is both heartbreaking, chilling, and intense.
Othello by William Shakespeare
Told through the eyes of Ponyboy Curtis, it captures the struggles, friendships, and choices that define what it means to grow up and find your place — even when the odds are stacked against you.
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton