Madison's Virtual Bookshelf

 

These 5 books are pictured and described in chronological order of when I read them, as each one created a step in the staircase leading to who I am today. From fantasy to humor to stories of racism, these texts led to the accumulation of my respect for literature and my understanding of the world. Each book led to a more heightened perspective.

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

This was the first difficult read I tackled. My dad prompted me to start the Narnia series when I was in third grade, and the rest of my elementary school reading experience centered around Narnia. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is the most famous book in the series, and captured my interest in literature. The wardrobe acts as a portal to an alternate world in which things are seen in a different light, and the opportunity of discovering new things in Narnia is endless. A reason we read is to escape our own world and discover another. These are themes we have seen in our course through magical realism, and have translated into my life since I read the novel a decade ago.

Flush

Transitioning into middle school, I saw my dad reading Double Whammy by Carl Hiaasen. He told me I would like the author because he's funny and writes about Florida, so I borrowed Flush from a friend. I've read many of Hiaasen's books since Flush, but that was my first experience with one of my favorite authors. A couple kids take it upon themselves to expose a ship for dumping their waste in the water illegally by "flushing" dye in their drains to prove where the waste was coming from. This book explores deception, greed, and the bringing to justice of these moral infringements. Through humor and mystery, all of Hiaasen's books are fun reads, and enjoyment is a big reason why we read literature. 

The Old Man and the Sea

This is another book that my dad told me to read one summer in high school. We had visited the Hemingway house in the Keys on vacation and he brought up The Old Man and the Sea. The theme of this book that resonated with me is perseverance and the respect for mother nature. An old man fights a fish alone in the open ocean, and the battle between the two is out of respect for their equal but opposing efforts. It's a short book, but it thematically very deep and led to introspection on my part as the reader. Perseverance is a huge theme of the literature in this class, as pushing through obstacles strengthens a character as they go through struggles in life. Hemingway, as an author, writes to convey moral messages, and as the reader we read his literature to take away life lessons.

The Poisonwood Bible

I read this book for my AP Literature class my senior year, and it became my favorite book I had read to date. Racism, prejudice, and privilege are all examined when a southern Baptist family from Georgia moves to the Congo. The moral symbols and the development of each character were so striking to me, I remember the whole 546-page book vividly. There were thematic parallels between this book and Beloved, where white supremacy and brutality is challenged. Barbara Kingsolver writes to highlight racial injustice, which is one of my favorite things to read about. Reading stories of the horrors of colonialism and slavery is important. Bringing light to an issue raises awareness and puts things into perspective that we as a society need to grow and learn from our blemishes in history. Although it can be difficult and sad to read, this leads to healing and understanding of other perspectives.

Beloved

As soon as I read the short summary of this book, I was excited because it seemed similar to The Poisonwood Bible. Like Barbara Kingsolver, Toni Morrison speaks to injustices that morally challenge the audience. Morrison also writes literature as a healing process for her, as writing is an outlet for her to grow and enjoy life. Not only does Beloved have thematic weight, but Morrison had internal motives to be a writer. The importance of Beloved to the audience and to the author make it a source of reflection for me, that literature can serve many purposes in enriching our lives, including healing and consideration for others.
 

These 5 books affect who I am today. The diverse combination of thematic elements create a holistic moral base that I carry with me through life. Literature affects how we grow up and see the world, and reading more books only adds to your mental capacity.