High school was the time when they made us read a ton of books that probably made no sense to us at all—well, back then. But moving on to college, and eventually, the real world, we soon realized what these literary works were trying to tell us, and eventually, gave these choice novels a much-needed re-reading.

Here are 8 we remember:

Animal Farm

The story isn’t just about animals on a riot. Beyond high school, we realized how much we can relate to these farm animals. Be it in the government or our workplace, we learned how positions of power can lead to abuse of authority and lead to corrpution. At the same time, the story reminds us that we can use our freedom to fight against it.

The Little Prince

It’s funny how a seemingly children’s story may in fact not make sense at all to little kids. The Little Prince is truly a reminder for us to be child-like, be open-minded, and not fall trap to the worldly things we’ve been conditioned to grow up with. It taught us to “see with our hearts” and recognize our own stars or the personal treasures we hold dear.

The Great Gatsby

While the Gatsby died fighting his passions, the story inspired us to keep pursuing our own, nonetheless. Most of all, it cautions us of the personal hindrances that come with it. Careless assuming, mismanaged emotions, and dishonest means of accumulating wealth will soon get the better of us.

The Giver

The story teaches us of the natural progression of life. It is impossible to have peace without conflict, happiness without pain, and love without suffering. Take the good with the bad, they say, and no truer is the saying than in this book. Our memories can hurt us, but it can give us light, too.

To Kill A Mockingbird

The story is timeless and surely resonates with society today. Maybe we were too young to understand in high school, but enter the real world and we at once witness prejudice and discrimination. We are reminded by this story to stand up for what we think is right, be civil no matter how rudely we are treated, and to be accepting of each other’s different perspectives.

The Catcher in the Rye

The book teaches us life’s contradictions. We are forced to engage in niceties, say things we don’t really mean, and do things out of civility. It’s “phoney”, as they say, but it keeps the peace in harmonious relationships, and, well, isn’t it all part of growing up?

The Pearl

The Pearl tackles one of humanity’s biggest enemies: greed. Greed can destroy us, tear families apart, and make us disregard the values we once upheld. We realize in this narrative how great the temptation of wealth can be, so much that it can turn us blind and lead to our downfall.

Dante’s Inferno

Dante’s Inferno is another required reading that discusses our human tendencies. While the book may be quite difficult to read, it amazed us nonetheless how the progression of one spiraling down to a life of sin was portrayed. In each circle of hell, the sinners are introduced and described, most of which we recognized in others or perhaps ourselves.

What was your required reading? Tell us below!