By Linh, Grade 10
Although there are some extremely long, thousand page books that are known as “classics”, or a book accepted as exemplary or particularly noteworthy, I personally can’t commit that much time to one book. According to SwiftRead, it takes approximately 33 to 50 hours to read one thousand pages, and that just seems entirely unenjoyable to me - I’d be bored by hour 20, annoyed by hour 30, and asleep by hour 40. Some of my favorite books are short and sweet with engaging plotlines, and some of the classics so many rave about ended up being my least favorite reads because of their long, winding paragraphs of complex sentences and unnecessary description. Here are three classics that happen to be 200 pages or less, amounting a 3 to 5 hour read, that are incredible regardless of their length; to me, this proves that more writing isn’t necessarily better writing.
- Animal Farm, George Orwell
George Orwell’s Animal Farm takes place in the rather ordinary setting of a farm. All of the animals, having been abused by the farmer Mr. Jones, rebel with the leadership of one pig called Old Major. Afterwards, they write a commandment detailing seven laws meant to eliminate inequality and suffering, and they relish in their newfound freedom and utopian government. However, throughout the novel, the pigs increase their control little by little, revising the commandments to their advantage, and eventually becoming just as oppressive as the humans were. In my opinion, the ending was the most chilling part and definitely made it a memorable book for me.
Although the writing and the events of the book are easy to follow and the book is less than 200 pages, the themes are actually quite complex. Animal Farm is actually a powerful allegory and satire, referring to the Russian Revolution and warning against a totalitarian rule, which George Orwell was in strong opposition to. The humans, or the pre revolutionary elites of society, are overthrown by the animals, or the working class consisting of laboring men and women.
I found it fascinating that each of the named animals represent actual historical figures. For example, after Old Major dies, Snowball and Napoleon are caught in a power struggle that Napoleon eventually wins, leading to Snowball’s exile. Similarly, after Lenin died, Stalin and Trotsky fought for sole leadership of the USSR, with Stalin emerging victorious over Trotsky. Trotsky, who remained in opposition to Stalin until his death in Mexico (arranged by Stalin), was exiled to Alma-Ata in 1929. Additionally, the pigs’ manipulative methods of gaining power as well as the gradual corruption of the commandments supposedly representing the rest of the animals symbolizes Soviet Leadership from figures like Stalin and Lenin. Animal Farm is definitely a worthwhile investment for your time - there is much going on beneath the surface, yet Orwell does not mince words in getting to his message.
2. The Old Man and The Sea, Earnest Hemingway
Similar to Animal Farm, The Old Man and the Sea has much hidden meaning, nuance, symbolism, and a bittersweet ending despite its short length.
Santiago, an aging Cuban fisherman, has had 84 consecutive days of bad luck, where he’s been unable to catch even a single fish. Despite this, Santiago sets out once again on the 85th day, driven by his determination and love for the sea. Fortunately, he manages to hook a massive marlin, but a grueling struggle ensues, with Santiago enduring pain, exhaustion, and the constant threat of the fish’s strength. This battle is incredibly powerful and symbolic, showcasing the resilience of the human spirit and the raw beauty of nature. Although the marlin is described as a noble, strong, and magnificent creature, the sharks, who tear and strip large chunks of flesh off the fish, transform it into a bare skeleton by the time Santiago returns; in the end, this struggle and the entire trip is pointless. However, Hemingway reveals that there is a certain kind of dignity even in failure, exploring themes of perseverance, the unchangeable reality of life and death (which takes everyone in the end, even the marlin), and human struggle.
While I truly appreciated the symbolism and how the simple writing conveys meaning effectively, I found the interpretable ending and the fruitless struggle frustrating - there is a lack of a universal, positive, or direct message. However, I still think that The Old Man in the Sea is worth reading at least one time, especially considering that it's not too much of a commitment and that it's an important classic to understand.
3. Night, Elie Wiesel
Elie Wiesel’s Night is a memoir that recounts his experience as a Jewish teenager during the Holocaust. He writes about how he is deported from his home in Sighet to the largest and most infamous concentration camp, Auschwitz, and later Buchenwald. Wiesel endures unimaginable suffering - upon entering the camp, he and the others smell burning flesh and see the fires of chimney smoke. He witnesses the death of his family members and can do nothing, for he is fighting for his own life as well. One of the major themes touched upon was dehumanization, or where the Nazis systematically stripped prisoners of their identities and dignity. For example, Wiesel recalls the hanging of a young boy, the pipel, whose slow and painful death horrifies the onlookers, further breaking their spirits.
Although Night is less than 150 pages, it is still a deeply impactful work, and is one of the most widely discussed and read novels about the Holocaust today. Wiesel’s writing is full of figurative language and metaphors that emphasize the horrors he experienced, and I felt like every sentence was written with an intended purpose. The haunting line, “Never shall I forget the little faces of the children, whose bodies I saw turned into wreaths of smoke beneath a silent blue sky” truly struck me because of its emotion and what he is describing (Chapter 3).
Add a comment to: Classics You’ll Actually Finish (200 pages and Under)