I love reading books, and I can name numerous books that made a difference of some kind in my life. The three books that had the most influence on me would have to be the following:
1. Othello, by William Shakespeare
When I first read Othello, I was in high school. I immediately fell in love with the Shakespearean tragedy, intrigued by its characters and, of course, Shakespeare’s artistic use of the English language. In high school, I enjoyed the story of the Moor Othello, and his rapid fall from greatness due to his jealous nature, because it reminded me of the fact that all humans have flaws. After having re-read Shakespeare’s work in college, however, I found that there is so much more to Othello than I had previously realized. I discovered themes and symbols I hadn’t acknowledged before and found that these discoveries helped enrich my experience as a reader. Thus, Othello had an influence on me, not only because it is a fantastic story with a great message, but because the work and its complexity allowed me to take to heart that literature is often best understood after multiple readings.
2. The Metamorphosis (in German: Die Verwandlung), by Franz Kafka
The Metamorphosis ranks among the most unique books I ever read. On the very first page, the absurdity of a man having turned into a human-sized insect overnight grabbed my attention. In Kafka’s novella, Gregor Samsa unwillingly transforms into a bug to embody his hard-working, yet under-appreciated nature. As a human, Gregor worked to support his family. When he turns into a bug and is unable to work, his family treats him like vermin. Gregor is left to die in solitude, and after Gregor’s death his family is relieved. I found the story fascinating because, although Gregor’s situation is undeniably obscure and one-of-a-kind, I was able to see similarities between Gregor’s ultimate fate and the fates of people who are (not literally) dehumanizing and killing themselves, working to earn money for others who take advantage of them. Reading Kafka’s work reinforced a fact I already knew about fictive literature: It can shed light on real-life issues, even if plot lines don’t reflect reality.
3. The Harry Potter series, by J.K. Rowling
The Harry Potter books have had a great impact on my life. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (the first of the seven books in the series) was one of the first full-length English books I read. I read it in the third or fourth grade. I liked it so much, I begged my mom to buy all the Harry Potter books available, the day I finished reading it. I loved how reading the books allowed me to dive into a world full of fantasy and excitement. I discovered that I could read each and every one of the books over and over again, and still be entertained! While I also liked watching the Harry Potter movies when they came out, I found they didn’t satisfy me in the same way reading the books did. I believe that, in a sense, the Harry Potter series enabled me to recognize and acknowledge my passion for reading.
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