Today we are going to talk about some great successes of the English literature that sometimes can be object of several studies among teachers and students in the university. Knowing these classics can bring a lot of knowledge and diversity to the learning process; besides, they are also really fun and interesting to read.

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To begin, there is George Orwell’s best seller “1984”, in which he brings a scenario in the year of 1984, when a big and totalitarian government takes over almost the entire world.

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The web site Guia do Estudante says: “ the text was born destined for controversy. It was translated in 65 countries, turned into series, movies, inspired comics, manga and even an opera.  But – ah!, it was taking a while – gained renewed spotlight in 1999, when the Dutch production company Endemol named their reality show (a format that reached TV in the 1970s) Big Brother, the most sinister character, or rather, entity in the book.”

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The story will make you think about how careful we need to be with those in power: it talks about mass control and manipulation of the population, and how they survive being watched 24/7.

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So all I can say is: don’t shy away to dive yourself in this great literature!

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Among the main highlights of American literature, we suggest  Herman Melville, with the book that received the title of “Moby Dick”. The novel, published in 1851, is considered by many people to be one of the greatest works of American literature. The story is about a sailor who travels along the east coast of the United States. Check out a synopsis of the book:

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Moby Dick is about Ishmael's adventure aboard the ship Pequod, commanded by Captain Ahab. After the journey begins, it doesn't take long for Ismael to understand what the expedition's real objective is: the captain seeks revenge on a ferocious white sperm whale that had amputated his leg. Melville uses highly stylized language, full of symbolism and metaphors in order to explore a wide range of complex themes. Through the main characters' journey, the concepts of class and social status, good and evil, the existence of God, are examined in this work, as the main characters speculate about their own beliefs and their place in the universe.

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Another great classic of American literature is the work of F. Scott Fitzgerald, “The Great Gatsby”, first published in 1925. The novel takes place in New York and Long Island, in the summer of 1922; it tells  the chaos of the first world war and criticizes the “American dream”. Look the synopsis:

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"Voted as one of the greatest English-language novels of all time, the book is an account of a love story, with quixotic touches. Gatsby and Daisy met five years ago, when she was just a beautiful girl from Lousville, and despite the great passion, while Gatsby was on a trip across the seas, Daisy marries the wealthy Tom Buchanan, although he is brutish and insensitive. After the war, Gatsby blindly dedicates himself to get tich, in order to win Daisy back. Millionaire, he buys a mansion next door to his love on Long Island. He throws big parties and waits, certain that she will show up. Still in love, Daisy goes looking for him, and a great tragedy is announced."