A genre of literature that tells a story and is not based on real events or people.
Moby-Dick is a novel by Herman Melville published in 1851. The novel tells the story of Captain Ahab, a sailor who is obsessed with hunting a whale named Moby-Dick. The whale is a giant albino sperm whale with a white, scarred body, and Ahab is determined to kill it to avenge the loss of his leg, which was bitten off by the whale in a previous encounter.
The novel begins with the narrator, Ishmael, describing his decision to go to sea and become a sailor. He signs on as a crew member of the Pequod, a whaling ship captained by Ahab. The ship sets sail, and Ishmael quickly learns that Ahab is a harsh and cruel captain who is obsessed with hunting Moby-Dick.
As the ship journeys across the ocean, Ishmael befriends a harpooneer named Queequeg, who is a native of the South Pacific island of Tonga. The two men become close friends, and Ishmael is introduced to Queequeg's religion, which worships the sea god, Tango.
As the ship continues its voyage, Ahab becomes increasingly obsessed with hunting Moby-Dick. He becomes increasingly erratic and tyrannical, and the crew begins to fear for their lives. Eventually, the ship encounters Moby-Dick, and a massive battle ensues. In the end, the whale destroys the ship and kills most of the crew, including Ahab.
Ishmael is the only survivor, and he is able to make his way back to land. In the epilogue, he reflects on the events of the voyage and the tragic fate of Ahab and the crew. He concludes that the pursuit of Moby-Dick was an act of hubris and folly, and that the sea is a powerful and mysterious force that should be respected and feared.
Pride and Prejudice is a novel written by Jane Austen in the early 19th century. The novel follows the lives of the five Bennett sisters, who live in a rural village in England with their parents. The Bennett sisters are all of marriageable age, and the novel follows their romantic exploits and the societal pressures that they face.
At the beginning of the novel, the Bennett sisters are introduced to the wealthy and eligible Mr. Bingley, who has recently moved into the neighborhood. Mr. Bingley is immediately taken with the beautiful and vivacious Elizabeth Bennett, but she is put off by his friend, Mr. Darcy, who is handsome but arrogant and aloof. Despite their initial misgivings, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy eventually develop feelings for each other, but their pride and prejudice stand in the way of their relationship.
Meanwhile, the other Bennett sisters are also trying to find suitable husbands. The eldest sister, Jane, is pursued by Mr. Bingley, but their romance is complicated by the machinations of Mr. Bingley's sister and Darcy. The second sister, Elizabeth, must navigate the difficult waters of courtship and deal with her own feelings for Darcy. The third sister, Mary, is studious and plain, and struggles to find a husband. The fourth sister, Catherine (also known as Kitty), is shallow and easily swayed by the opinions of others. The youngest sister, Lydia, is flighty and impetuous, and causes a scandal that threatens to ruin the family's reputation.
As the novel progresses, the Bennett sisters must navigate the complexities of love and marriage in a society that values wealth and social standing above all else. Through their experiences, the novel explores themes of pride, prejudice, and the societal expectations placed on women. Ultimately, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy are able to overcome their pride and prejudice and confess their love for each other, and the other Bennett sisters also find happiness in their own marriages.
Frankenstein is a novel by Mary Shelley that tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a grotesque but sentient creature in an unorthodox scientific experiment. The novel tells the story of the creature's creation, its interactions with Victor and the world, and the eventual consequences of its existence.
The novel begins with a series of letters from a sailor named Robert Walton to his sister in England. In these letters, Walton describes his journey to the North Pole, during which he comes across Victor Frankenstein. Victor, who is near death, agrees to tell Walton his story.
Victor begins by describing his early life, growing up in Geneva, Switzerland with his loving family. He becomes fascinated by the idea of creating life and begins to study the sciences, eventually discovering the secret of creating life. Using his knowledge, he creates a creature out of body parts he has collected from cemeteries and other sources.
When the creature comes to life, Victor is horrified by its grotesque appearance and abandons it. The creature, who is left alone and without guidance, is forced to fend for itself and learns about the world through its own experiences. It eventually comes across a family living in a remote cabin and begins to learn about human emotions and relationships through observation.
The creature confronts Victor, demanding that he create a mate for it so that it is no longer alone in the world. Victor agrees, but then destroys the female creature out of fear that the two creatures will multiply and cause destruction. The creature, enraged, vows revenge on Victor and his loved ones.
The creature carries out its threat and begins to kill Victor's loved ones, one by one. Victor, consumed by grief and guilt, spends the rest of his life chasing the creature in an attempt to destroy it, but he is never able to catch up to it. The novel ends with Victor's death, and the creature's departure to an unknown fate.
Jane Eyre is a novel by Charlotte Brontë, first published in 1847. The story follows the life of the titular character, Jane, from her difficult childhood to her eventual happiness as an adult.
Born into a poor family, Jane is sent to live with her aunt and cousins, the Reeds, who treat her cruelly. She is eventually sent away to a charity school, Lowood Institution, where she endures harsh conditions and mistreatment. However, she also makes friends and receives an education there, which sets her on the path to becoming a governess.
At the age of 18, Jane takes a job as a governess for a young girl named Adèle at Thornfield Hall, the home of Edward Fairfax Rochester. Despite the differences in their social status, Jane and Rochester begin to develop feelings for each other. However, their relationship is complicated by Rochester's dark past and the discovery that he is already married to a woman named Bertha Mason.
Eventually, Jane learns the truth about Rochester's marriage and leaves Thornfield. She is taken in by St. John Rivers, a minister, who proposes to her and offers her the chance to go to India as a missionary. However, Jane ultimately rejects his offer and returns to Thornfield, where she finds that Rochester has been blinded and maimed in a fire set by Bertha.
Despite his injuries, Jane and Rochester are finally able to marry and live happily together. The novel ends with the birth of their son and the suggestion that they will live a long and happy life together.
Wuthering Heights is a novel by Emily Brontë published in 1847. The novel tells the story of the tumultuous relationship between Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff, and how their actions and desires continue to haunt those around them long after they are gone.
The story begins with Mr. Lockwood, a tenant at Thrushcross Grange, visiting his landlord, Mr. Heathcliff, at his estate, Wuthering Heights. While there, Mr. Lockwood becomes curious about the complex and fraught relationships between the residents of Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange.
Through a series of flashbacks and narrations, the reader learns that Heathcliff was brought to Wuthering Heights as a child by Mr. Earnshaw, Catherine's father. Catherine and Heathcliff quickly become inseparable, but their bond is complicated by the fact that Heathcliff is of a lower social class. As they grow older, Catherine becomes more interested in worldly possessions and social status, and she ends up marrying Edgar Linton, a wealthy gentleman from Thrushcross Grange.
Heathcliff, devastated by Catherine's rejection, leaves Wuthering Heights and makes a fortune in the outside world. When he returns, he seeks revenge on those who have wronged him, including Catherine and Edgar. The novel follows the twists and turns of Heathcliff's plans, and the ways in which the characters' actions continue to haunt each other even after their deaths.
Throughout the novel, the themes of love, revenge, and social class are explored, as well as the complex and destructive nature of relationships. Wuthering Heights is a powerful and enduring novel that continues to captivate readers with its intense and passionate storytelling.
The Catcher in the Rye is a novel by J. D. Salinger that was published in 1951. The novel is narrated by a young man named Holden Caulfield, who has recently been expelled from his prep school. As he wanders around New York City, Holden grapples with the complexity of the adult world and struggles to find his place in it.
Holden is critical of the hypocrisy and phoniness that he perceives in the people around him, and he is particularly disgusted by the adult world's emphasis on superficial appearances and material success. He longs for innocence and authenticity, and he finds it in the company of children, who he believes are pure and uncorrupted by the adult world.
Holden's alienation from the adult world is compounded by his grief over the death of his younger brother Allie, who was a source of comfort and support for him. As he wanders around the city, Holden has a series of encounters with various characters, including his former teacher Mr. Antolini, a prostitute named Sunny, and a classmate named Ackley.
Through these interactions, Holden grapples with his own disillusionment and loneliness, and he ultimately comes to realize that he must find a way to move forward and accept the complexities of the world around him. The novel ends with Holden being admitted to a mental hospital, where he begins the process of confronting his own psychological issues and growing as an individual.
The Great Gatsby is a novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald published in 1925. The story is set in the summer of 1922 in the fictional town of West Egg on Long Island and follows the life of the wealthy Jay Gatsby, who is known for his lavish parties and mysterious past. Gatsby's life is intertwined with that of the narrator of the story, Nick Carraway, who is a young man from the Midwest who has come to the East Coast to make his fortune in the bond business.
As the story unfolds, we learn that Gatsby is in love with Nick's cousin, Daisy Buchanan, who is married to Tom Buchanan, a wealthy and arrogant man. Gatsby and Daisy have a tumultuous relationship and Gatsby's obsession with Daisy ultimately leads to his downfall.
The Great Gatsby is a commentary on the corruption and excess of the Roaring Twenties, a time of great prosperity in the United States but also a time of moral decay. The novel explores themes of love, greed, and the destruction of the American Dream. In the end, Gatsby's life is tragically cut short and his dream of being with Daisy is shattered.
The Picture of Dorian Gray is a novel by Oscar Wilde that was first published in 1890. The story centers around Dorian Gray, a young man who becomes enthralled with the idea of eternal youth and beauty. After making a deal with the devil to keep his youth and beauty forever, Dorian's portrait begins to age and wither, while he remains young and handsome. As Dorian becomes increasingly hedonistic and selfish, his portrait becomes more and more grotesque, reflecting the corruption of his soul. Eventually, Dorian's crimes catch up with him, and he is forced to confront the consequences of his actions. The novel is a commentary on the shallowness of beauty and the corrupting influence of vanity.
Dracula is a novel by Bram Stoker, first published in 1897. The novel tells the story of Count Dracula, a vampire who travels from Transylvania to England in search of new blood.
The novel begins with Jonathan Harker, a young lawyer, traveling to Transylvania to meet with Count Dracula in order to help him purchase a property in England. Harker soon realizes that he is a prisoner in Dracula's castle and that the Count is a vampire. He manages to escape and returns to England, where he is placed in a mental asylum.
Meanwhile, in England, a group of people led by Dr. Van Helsing come together to try to figure out what is happening to Lucy Westenra, Harker's fiancée. Lucy has been suffering from strange symptoms, such as falling into a deep sleep and losing a significant amount of blood. They eventually realize that she has been turned into a vampire by Dracula.
The group, which includes Harker, Van Helsing, and Lucy's fiancé Arthur Holmwood, sets out to track down and destroy Dracula. They follow him to England, where they discover that he has been living in a hidden room in an old building in London. They manage to kill him and save Lucy, but not before Harker's wife Mina is also turned into a vampire.
In the end, the group manages to save Mina and destroy Dracula, but not before several members of the group are killed by the vampire and his minions. The novel ends with the survivors reflecting on their experiences and the horror of what they have been through.
The War of the Worlds is a science fiction novel written by H. G. Wells in 1898. The novel tells the story of an invasion of Earth by Martians, who are seeking to escape the dying planet Mars. The Martians are technologically advanced, and their weapons and tactics are far superior to those of humanity. The novel follows the perspective of an unnamed narrator, who witnesses the invasion and its aftermath.
At the beginning of the novel, the narrator is living in the English countryside when he witnesses strange objects falling from the sky. He soon learns that these are Martian spacecraft, and that the Martians have begun to attack and destroy the human cities. The narrator is forced to flee for his life, along with many other people.
As the Martians continue their invasion, the narrator witnesses the chaos and destruction that they cause. The Martians are ruthless and show no mercy to the humans, who are unable to stop them. The narrator eventually takes refuge in an abandoned house, where he is joined by a group of other survivors.
The Martians continue their invasion, but they eventually begin to succumb to the Earth's bacteria and viruses, which they have no immunity to. The narrator and the other survivors are able to leave their hiding place and start to rebuild society.
In the end, the narrator reflects on the lessons that humanity has learned from the Martian invasion. He believes that humanity must come together in order to avoid future disasters, and that the experience has made them stronger and more united.