Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë, is about Jane, a plain and simple woman who struggles against oppression. Jane must overcome her cruel aunt Reed, the harsh conditions at Lowood school, and losing her love, Rochester, to Bertha. Jane also fights against class hierarchy and the patriarchal domination of women. Will Jane and Rochester get together? […]

Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston, is a Southern love story about Janie Crawford. Janie is a beautiful, independent, fair-skinned black woman living in the American South. Despite her harrowing experiences, she refuses to be bitter, fearful, or sorrowful.   Their Eyes Were Watching God Quotes With Page Numbers  “Ships at a

The Road, by Cormac McCarthy, occurs after an unknown apocalyptic event. A man and his young son travel toward the coast while avoiding the road where the “bad guys” will murder, rape, or eat you. They survive encounters with the “bad guys” but run out of food. The man feels abandoned by God and the

Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson, is about a ninth-grader named Melinda Sordino who is raped at a party during the summer. Melinda called 911 but could not tell what had happened when the police arrived. Because some students got arrested at the party, she lost her friends. Melinda finds sanctuary in an abandoned janitor’s closet.

A Long Way Gone, by Ishmael Beah, is about a young boy named Ishmael. Ishmael’s village in Sierra Leone is attacked when he’s 12 years old. He’s forced to fight in the civil war, becomes addicted to drugs, and is told lies to commit horrific deeds. UNICEF eventually rescues Ishmael and begins his long recovery

Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea is about an old fisherman named Santiago who lives on the Cuban coast. Santiago hasn’t caught a fish for 84 days. His apprentice, Manolin, continues to help him despite his parents telling him to work for another fisherman. On the 85th day, Santiago goes a little farther