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.
E. M. Forster is a significant author. His novels like 'Howards End' and 'A Passage to India' dealt with issues of class, culture, and colonialism. Evelyn Waugh is also worth mentioning. His satirical works, such as 'Brideshead Revisited', provided a sharp look at the upper - class British society and its follies.
J. R. R. Tolkien is also important, though his works are often associated with fantasy. 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy, which was written in the 20th century, has had a global impact not only on literature but also on popular culture. George Orwell is another key figure. His '1984' and 'Animal Farm' are powerful critiques of totalitarianism and political systems.
Some notable 19th century Brit lit novels include 'Dracula' by Bram Stoker. It introduced the iconic vampire figure. 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' by Oscar Wilde is also a remarkable one. It deals with themes of beauty, youth, and morality. Additionally, 'Vanity Fair' by William Makepeace Thackeray is a satirical look at the society of the time, with its complex characters and their social climbing.
The theme of identity is very prominent. In 20th - century Brit Lit novels, characters are constantly searching for who they are. In James Joyce's 'Ulysses', the protagonist Leopold Bloom is on a journey of self - discovery throughout the day in Dublin. Also, the sense of disillusionment is a theme. After the grandeur of the Victorian era, the 20th century brought a lot of disenchantment, which is shown in works such as T. S. Eliot's 'The Waste Land' that was influenced by the mood of the time.
19th century Brit lit novels had a huge impact. Their complex characters, like those in Dickens' works, became a model. The exploration of social issues in novels such as 'Oliver Twist' made modern literature more aware of society's problems. Also, the detailed descriptions of settings, as in Austen's novels, influenced how modern writers create their fictional worlds.
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
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.
'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.
'A Contract with God' by Will Eisner is a very important 20th - century graphic novel. It was one of the first graphic novels to be recognized as such, rather than just a long - form comic. Eisner's use of sequential art to tell complex human stories was groundbreaking.
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.
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.