Alongside curious teachers and peers, students have the valuable opportunity to read an assortment of literature, including novels and plays, in English class.

Among students’ favorite books is The Great Gatsby by Scott Fitzgerald, read during junior year.

Junior Aviva Guttman said, “I really like The Great Gatsby. The imagery was alluring and enticing, the characters had depth and were confusing in a good way, and there were a lot of interesting themes. I also really liked the movie!” Guttman did note that, unfortunately, Fitzgerald leaves a lot unanswered, and his language is hard to understand at times.

“I liked the motifs in the book, and I liked how the book was portrayed within the movie,” said junior Charlotte Levine. However, she similarly remarked that the novel’s one flaw was that Fitzgerald was unclear and overly vague.  

Junior Gabe Mizrahi commended Fitzgerald’s writing style, saying, “The Great Gatsby was captivating. The language was amazing, and the analogies were interesting.” 

Other crowd-favorite novels include Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, with students complimenting its innovative and engaging plot.

Sophomore Zack Levy said, “It was a wonderful book, and it was a great learning experience with my peers. We also did a super fun project in the unit!”

Junior Tanys Mayman also had high praise for Frankenstein, saying, “I was really engaged while I was reading Frankenstein. I did not feel like we were only reading the book for school but rather because we enjoyed the plot.” Mayman added that, at times, Shelley felt repetitive and hard to understand, but she acknowledged that this was likely beneficial in improving her English analysis skills.

Other notable mentions include J. D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye, with students appreciating its relatability. 

“Catcher in the Rye is definitely my favorite English book because it was really relatable as its main character, Holden, is a teenage boy, similar to us,” said sophomore Georgia Bregman.

Another noteworthy novel is Art Spigelman’s Maus, with students complimenting its original perspective and unique narrative angle. 

Freshman Sophie Klarfield said, “Maus was my favorite book because it allowed me to see a different perspective than usual as it was from the point of view of mice. It was also very interesting to learn about the Holocaust.”  

Heschel’s English department evidently offers engaging and impactful literature that challenges students’ perspectives!