Books that Made Me Cry
October 13th, 2011Being an avid reader as well as an English major, I have had my fair share of books that made me cry. I have had my own broken hearted moments and moments of extreme emotion during reading. I’ll get the most well known books out of the way first by telling you all that yes, I read the entire Harry Potter series and yes, I cried when Dumbledore died, where Sirus died and at several other points throughout the books. With this series, being as long and in depth as it is, it is hard to not become attached to key characters and feel an attachment to all of the characters in one way or another. The death of a literary character is a struggle not only for the surrounding characters but also for the reader who has traveled the path alongside them.
Books that made me cry: Harry Potter and Twilight series
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I also read the first book of the twilight series and was put through Bella’s torture on her supposedly unreturned love as well as Jacob’s heartbreaking crush on Bella. There, now that I admitted my weaknesses, here are some more books that made me weep, which some of you may not have heard of. I recommend any book in this article.
During my college career, I have read hundreds of books, some boring and nearly bringing me to tears wishing it would end. Don’t tell my professors. Some were wonderful and enlightening and brought a different view of the world that I had previously had. Books where you experience a change in outlook or understanding are my favorite kind, especially if you are set in your ways and opinions. ‘The Land Without Shadows’ by Abdourahman Waberi gives the reader a glimpse into the lives and poverty of a variety of people. This is a collection of short stories that are interconnected by their topical coverage. There are several stories about problems within families including drug addiction and unemployment. The drug addiction is accepted in that portion of the world with a drug which is chewed called Khat. Which gives a relaxed, hallucinatory effect to those who chew its leaves. The struggles of the characters throughout the novel are sometimes hard to read, hard to understand and difficult to deal with. But this is also the way of the real world, beyond the first world problems of coffee and street drugs or car payments. Reality is that people are starving, children are alone and men have lost control of their lives to drugs.
I have an interest in history, especially World War II and the Holocaust. I have read several books on survivors and personal stories and they are all heart wrenching. One of the more ‘novel-esque’ books that made cry is ‘Night’ by Elie Wiesel. It is such a personal account of the holocaust and the main character witnesses the death of his family and nearly loses hope in surviving in the camps and making it back to a normal life. His pain, as he struggles through the death camps, is tortured and humiliated by nazi guards and finally his re-adaptation to life outside of the barbed wire fences is overwhelming. Nearly all books about the holocaust can make me cry from the sheer inhumanity of the treatment of so many millions of people and the death that spread throughout the world. The most painful thought is that so many don’t know what happened to their families, and they went home to discover they were the only ones left.
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One of my favorite novels ‘The Hours’ by Richard Cunningham, shows a brief period before the death of a friend and author. It is reflective and connected to the novel ‘Mrs. Dalloway’ by Virginia Woolf (which is also a wonderful novel, though not as highly respected and enjoyed as it should be). The homosexual relationships throughout the novel play on the underlying crush in ‘Mrs. Dalloway’ and have taken it to the next level where nearly all the characters in this novel are homosexual. There are difficult topics included in the novel such as death, illnesses such as AIDS and HIV, and the struggle of having perfection for one simple day. The saddest part of the novel is where Richard wastes away and loses his mind as he sinks deeper into his illness and the depression that comes with the knowing the end is near. This book is often read in accompaniment with ‘Mrs. Dalloway’ and they are occasionally taught in high schools but widely taught in college English Comp. classes.
One of the books that made me cry – The Green Mile
To end on a more recognizable level and with a book that has been adapted to film, I will also admit that ‘The Green Mile’ by Stephen King was included on the list of books that made me cry. The simplicity and goodness of John Coffey and his spirituality/supernatural abilities to heal and bring back life into those who are injured or already near death is touching. The selflessness in his actions, to bring pain and discomfort to himself in order to help strangers, is inspiring. Near the end, when he is put to death in the electric chair and is afraid of the dark is absolutely heart breaking. It is so sad that things like this do indeed happen in the world, where the wrong person is sentenced to death or faces extreme punishment for a crime they did not commit.
As a writer myself, I know that bringing your reader to tears is the ultimate sign of a job well done. Knowing that you inspired such a connection, so much emotion and feeling inside of your reader to move them to tears shows the amount of skill a writer has. Though Stephen King is known for his horror stories, it shows he is a well rounded author that he was able to create such a tender character and situation. Whether the stories are real or fictional, the ability to pull the audience in, keep them interested and touch their hearts is a skill that will never fade away. From the oral tradition to the written, it has been a part of human culture and history to become enchanted by stories.
These are just few of the books that made me cry. How about you? Feel free to share the books that brought you to tears. I will definitely read it and who knows? I may add it to the list of books that made me cry.
