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Teen SRC 2022 – Animal Farm by George Orwell

Animal Farm is one of the only classics I have enjoyed reading because of its satire and witty reflection on our history. The fable accurately depicted how corrupted our society has become and the mindset the public has about our government. I would recommend this novel to more mature teens because you need some historical and background knowledge before you will find this interesting.

I was first motivated to read this because my peers in school were forced to read it for English class. However, I set aside personal time to read it because I was actually interested in its plot. Although I haven’t studied the Russian Revolution, which the book is supposed to be a parallel to, I still noticed the hints and clues that George Orwell included that really made the story relatable. For example, the “Seven Commandments” are the laws that govern their farm, but the pigs in power kept breaking the rules and manipulating the other animals to believe they were righteous. I laughed at their infamous quote: “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” because this resembles politicians SO MUCH in their sly ways with words to cover the truth and fake the justification. This ironic statement is just so ridiculous.

Anyways, I’m glad to have finally read a classic that wasn’t boring and tedious throughout the story (I used to hate classics for that). Overall, I would give it 7.5/10, and I hope other people will enjoy Animal Farm too.

Teen SRC 2021 – Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky is a striking and sharp analysis/retrospective of one man’s remorse and mental conflict regarding the murder of his pawnbroker. Even though it might seem to only concern itself with the crime committed by the protagonist, the novel seeks to make insightful and arguable opinions regarding the very concept of moral superiority among the human psyche.

   Rodion Raskolnikov is a cynical yet intelligent former student who holds a strong belief that those who are “exceptional” within society are not held to the same moral constraints as the rest of the populous, in which people with Napoleonic personalities are given a moral right to be above the law, as they are intersected in more utilitarian goals relating to the idea of “necessary evil” to bring about a higher level of peace and stability. To test his radical theory, Raskolnikov murders his unscrupulous pawnbroker, Alyona Ivanovna, and by lack of foresight, Lizaveta Ivanovna, the pawnbroker’s submissive sister. The rest of the novel is dedicated to gradually expand Raskolnikov’s internal struggle to comprehend the weight of his actions, which leads him on a path of redemption as the police slowly come to realize the truth behind the murders as Raskolnikov’s guilty conscience causes him to undergo a fundamental shift in his beliefs and nihilistic worldview.

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Teen SRC 2020 – Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Fahrenheit 451: A Novel: Bradbury, Ray: 8580001038919: Books ...

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury uses the genre of science fiction as a paragon for the author’s message, in which an unbridled oppressive government will damage its society by hindering the creativity and freedom of their people. The dystopian sub genre that outlines a futuristic technocratic and totalitarian society that demands order and harmony at the expense of individual rights is a meticulous representation of the novel. 

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Teen SRC 2020 – The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells

The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells demonstrates the power to transform the human body using advances in scientific achievement. The novel itself is an enthralling and entertaining tale of terror and suspense, and it is a significant Faustian allegory of the dangerous capabilities of unregulated and unbridled scientific endeavours many decide to embark on. The Invisible Man is able to endure as one of the most notable stories in science fiction, in which Griffin, a brilliant and progidouous scientist uncovers the secret to achieving invisibility, but his grandiose ambitions and the power he unleashes causes him to spiral into intrigue, madness, and murder.

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Teen SRC 2020 – 1984 by George Orwell

Nineteen Eighty Four: Amazon.ca: Orwell, George: Books

1984 by George Orwell illustrates a dystopian society and political prophecy in which Big Brother is always listening in, and high-tech devices eavesdrop in people’s homes.  1984 takes place in a world of endless war, where fear and hate are used as weapons against foreigners. It is a world that has the government insisting that reality is not “something objective, external, existing in its own right” — but rather, “whatever the Party holds to be truth is truth.”

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Teen SRC 2018 – Animal Farm By George Orwell

Animal Farm

Animal Farm By George Orwell

Animal Farm is a sad but true story. The characters are animals that are meant to portray key characters during the Russian Revolution. The overall message of the book is that an uprising is useless since everything would either be in the same or worse condition as before. This book was a page turner that really made me think about each page. George Orwell is such a brilliant writer. I really enjoyed reading this book and would happily read it again.