James Joyce is one of the most important. 'A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man' and 'Ulysses' are his masterpieces. In 'Ulysses', he revolutionized the way novels were written with its complex narrative and exploration of Dublin life. D. H. Lawrence is also influential. His 'Lady Chatterley's Lover' was controversial but explored themes of class, sex, and nature. T. S. Eliot, though mainly a poet, his work influenced the modernist movement in novels too.
Ernest Hemingway is a very influential author. His work 'The Old Man and the Sea' is a classic. It shows his simple yet powerful writing style. Another is Virginia Woolf. Her 'Mrs. Dalloway' is known for its stream - of - consciousness technique. Then there's Franz Kafka, whose 'The Metamorphosis' is a strange and thought - provoking work that explores themes of alienation.
Gabriel García Márquez is an influential 20th - century novelist. His 'One Hundred Years of Solitude' is a magical realist work that has influenced generations of writers. It combines elements of the real and the magical in a unique way. Toni Morrison is another important figure. Her works like 'Beloved' deal with the African - American experience, exploring themes of slavery, memory, and identity.
Virginia Woolf is highly influential. Her stream - of - consciousness writing style in works like 'To the Lighthouse' revolutionized the way novels were written. Another is D. H. Lawrence. His novels, such as 'Sons and Lovers', explored human relationships and sexuality in a very bold way for the time.
The 18th - century novel was a new and exciting form. It often had elements of realism. For example, Daniel Defoe's 'Robinson Crusoe' was one of the early and important novels. It showed the adventures of a man stranded on an island, with detailed descriptions of his survival efforts, which was a characteristic of the emerging realism in 18th - century novels.
Jules Verne, although he started in the 19th century, his works continued to influence 20th century science fiction. His ideas about adventure in technological settings were carried forward. Stanislaw Lem from Poland was also influential. His works, like 'Solaris', explored complex philosophical ideas in a science - fiction setting. And Robert A. Heinlein was a major figure, with his books covering a wide range of science - fiction themes from space travel to social engineering.
Arthur C. Clarke has some works related to century ship concepts. His ideas often involve advanced technology and the exploration of the unknown in space travel. His works have inspired many other science fiction writers in this sub - genre.
The 10 most influential novels of the 20th century include: 1 The Great Gatsby (United States) Scott Itzgerald's story of the luxurious life and social class division of the upper class in the 1920s was regarded as a classic of modern literature. War and Peace was written by Tolstoy, Russia. It tells the story of war and peace during the Russian Revolution in the early 19th century and is considered one of the masterpieces in the history of world literature. 3 The Story of The Stone was a classic work of Chinese classical literature that told the stories of Jia Baoyu, Lin Daiyu, and others in the Qing Dynasty. One Hundred Years of Solitude was a novel by Colombia Garcia Márquez, which told the story of a family of seven generations and was regarded as a classic of modern literature. Jane Eyre was a novel written by Bronte, England. It told The story of Jane Eyre, a British woman. It was regarded as a classic work of 19th century English literature. The Catcher in The Rye was a novel by D. Salinger of the United States. It told the story of a teenager, Holden Caulfield, and was regarded as a classic work of modern literature. 1984 (Nineteen Eighty-our) was a dystopian novel by Orwell of the United Kingdom. It told the story of a dictatorial country and was regarded as a classic of modern literature. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is a magical novel series by K Rowling in the United Kingdom. It tells the story of Harry Potter and is regarded as a classic of modern literature. 9 The Catcher in the Rye
The key features often include experimental narrative structures. For example, James Joyce in 'Ulysses' used stream - of - consciousness, which was very innovative at that time. Also, many 20th - century novels explored complex themes like the disillusionment after World War I. Another feature is the diversification of voices. Writers from different backgrounds and cultures contributed, like African - American writers bringing their unique perspectives.
James Joyce was very influential. His short - story collection 'Dubliners' is a masterpiece, painting a vivid picture of Irish life. Franz Kafka is also key. His strange and thought - provoking short stories, like 'The Metamorphosis', had a huge impact on modern literature. And Virginia Woolf, with her unique stream - of - consciousness style in short stories, was highly influential.
George Orwell had a huge impact. His works like '1984' warned about totalitarianism and are still relevant today. Virginia Woolf was also influential. Her unique stream - of - consciousness writing in works like 'To the Lighthouse' influenced modernist literature. And T. S. Eliot, his poetry and his influence on modernist writing, especially in 'The Waste Land', was significant.
'The Exorcist' by William Peter Blatty is highly influential. It's about a young girl possessed by a demon and the attempts to exorcise it. It was very controversial when it came out. 'Jaws' by Peter Benchley also counts as a horror novel. The idea of a great white shark lurking in the waters and hunting humans was truly terrifying. And 'The Silence of the Lambs' by Thomas Harris. It features the infamous Hannibal Lecter and his psychological games.
A very important 20th - century history novel is 'To Kill a Mockingbird'. It's set in the American South during the 1930s. This novel tackles issues of racial inequality and injustice, and shows how a small - town community deals with these complex problems. It also gives a good picture of the social fabric of the South at that time.