Hey folks, so I decided to do something fun, I asked ChatGPT to give me summaries of the classics, but in Gen-Z style. It did not disappoint, or rather it ate and left no crumbs.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
I mean what did you expect of course the first one is Pride and Prejudice.
Pride and Prejudice: The Gen-Z Recap You Didn’t Know You Needed
Alright, besties, buckle up because we’re diving into Pride and Prejudice — but, like, through a 2024 lens.
So, here’s the vibe: Elizabeth Bennet, our queen of wit and sarcasm, is living her small-town life with four sisters, a hilariously extra mom (who’s way too obsessed with getting them married), and a dad who’s totally over the drama. Enter Mr. Bingley, the OG golden retriever boyfriend, who rents out the bougiest house in town. He’s instantly simping for Jane, Lizzie’s older sis, who’s giving “soft girl” energy.
But oh no, who crashes the party? Mr. Darcy. Imagine a walking red flag dressed in Regency drip, radiating major “I’m not like other guys” vibes. At first, he’s serving resting rich boy face and is so not about small talk. Naturally, Lizzie’s like, “Nah, this dude’s sus.”
Plot twist: Darcy’s actually catching feelings for Lizzie, but instead of sliding into her DMs, he serves her the worst proposal ever: “Hey, I love you even though you’re broke and your family’s embarrassing.” Lizzie roasts him so hard he basically rage-quits the conversation.
Meanwhile, we’ve got side quests:
Mr. Collins, the cringe cousin who proposes to Lizzie like she’s a college admissions essay. She swipes left, but her BFF Charlotte’s like, “Girl, I’ll take one for the team.”
Wickham, the walking TikTok thirst trap, tries to slide into Lizzie’s life with his sob story. Spoiler: He’s all cap and a total villain.
Lydia, the messy younger sister, elopes with Wickham and causes a family-level PR disaster.
Darcy, being the ultimate redemption arc king, secretly fixes everything because, guess what? He’s not actually a red flag — he’s a green one with bad communication skills. Lizzie finds out and is suddenly like, “Wait… do I have a crush?”
Fast forward to the finale: Darcy gives Lizzie the look (you know the one), confesses his love again, and this time, it’s 100% swoon-worthy. They end up together, proving that enemies-to-lovers is THE superior trope.
And that’s it — Pride and Prejudice, but make it ✨ Gen-Z ✨.
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
Jane Eyre: The Gen-Z Breakdown of This Gothic Classic
Alright, fam, let’s dive into Jane Eyre, the OG “sad girl with main character energy” novel. Imagine this: you’re an orphan with no chill relatives, growing up in a house where everyone hates you (a literal villain origin story). Jane’s like, “I’m not about this toxic vibe,” pops off on her mean aunt, and gets shipped to a boarding school that’s basically a Victorian Hunger Games.
She survives, grows up, and is ready to ✨ slay ✨ as a governess at Thornfield Hall — aka, Gothic Mansion Central. Her boss, Mr. Rochester, rolls up, giving big “dark academia, emotionally unavailable” energy. He’s weird, moody, and drops cryptic comments like he’s on a reality dating show. Naturally, Jane’s into it.
But Thornfield’s not just vibes and brooding stares. There’s creepy stuff happening:
Random screams at night? Check.
Mysterious fires? Double check.
Jane: “Low-key haunted, but I can fix him.”
Rochester finally decides to wife her up, but wait — on their wedding day, plot twist! He’s already married to Bertha, who’s literally living in his attic. (No, for real, she’s up there.) Jane’s like, “WTF, sir? This is giving 🚩,” and dips out faster than a bad Hinge date.
After wandering the moors (read: having a mental breakdown in nature), Jane gets adopted by some random hot cousins. One of them, St. John (not pronounced like it looks), proposes to her with zero romance. He’s basically like, “Be my missionary wife for the vibes.” Jane hits him with the most polite “girl, bye” ever.
Then, she hears Rochester’s voice in her head (yes, this is now psychic territory) and realizes she’s still into him. She heads back to Thornfield, only to find out the mansion literally burned down. Bertha started the fire (iconic but tragic), and Rochester is now blind and brooding in a cottage.
Cue the reunion: Jane’s like, “I’m here, you’re here, let’s do this.” They get married, and she lives happily ever after, proving that the key to romance is surviving a lot of emotional damage first.
And there you have it — Jane Eyre, but make it ✨ mysterious, messy, and totally Gen-Z ✨.
Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery
This one is a personal favourite, both the book and the ‘AI made Gen-Z summary’.
Anne of Green Gables: Gen-Z’s Cottagecore Queen
Alright, squad, gather ’round for the tea on Anne of Green Gables, the ultimate cozy vibes classic. Meet Anne Shirley — an 11-year-old chaotic queen with fire-red hair and a whole imagination for days. She gets adopted by Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert, two siblings who wanted a boy but ended up with a chatterbox with main-character syndrome. At first, Marilla’s like, “What even is this?” but Matthew’s already her #1 fan.
Anne pulls up to Green Gables, instantly serving messy yet loveable drama:
Accidentally dyes her hair green? Iconic.
Names a pond “The Lake of Shining Waters”? Aesthetic.
Drops all the vocabulary flexes in every convo? Relatable.
But it’s not all sunshine and puffed sleeves (though Anne is obsessed with those). She’s got some major beef with Gilbert Blythe, a smart, cheeky boy who calls her “Carrots” (big mistake, buddy). Anne’s like, “Gil, I’m entering my villain era,” and spends years ignoring him while secretly being just a little obsessed. Enemies-to-lovers, anyone?
Anne also assembles the ultimate girl gang, led by her BFF Diana Barry. Together, they serve peak friendship goals with epic tea parties, aesthetic daydreams, and some accidental drunk shenanigans (Anne thought it was raspberry cordial, okay?).
But Anne’s not just about the vibes — she’s got ambition. She grinds hard at school, aces her exams, and even forgives Gilbert when he gives up a scholarship to help her stay close to Green Gables. (Low-key romantic, but Anne’s still playing the long game.)
By the end, Anne’s transformed from a chaotic orphan into a low-key icon who’s ready to take on the world with her big dreams, big words, and big heart. It’s the ultimate glow-up, but with lots of pastoral vibes, wildflower crowns, and wholesome life lessons along the way.
So there you have it — Anne of Green Gables, but make it ✨ cottagecore meets coming-of-age chaos ✨.
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
I remember reading this up in a single day in school or was it two? It doesn’t matter one of my friends had lent it to me, and it was all I was doing any chance I got, I mean I wasn’t very receptive to interaction that day or two. Ignoring the world like anything.
David Copperfield: A Gen-Z Breakdown
Okay, besties, meet David Copperfield—our boy who starts out with major tragic main character energy. He’s born in Victorian England, where life is basically a reality show full of drama, villains, and low-key glow-ups.
David’s mom marries the ultimate toxic stepdad, Mr. Murdstone, who’s like, “Respect? Never heard of it.” Poor David gets sent off to a depressing boarding school, but hey, character development, right? After his mom passes (big oof), David’s shipped off to work in a sketchy factory. Life = struggle bus.
But don’t worry, our king isn’t staying down for long. David bounces back, meeting some iconic characters along the way:
Aunt Betsey: The real MVP, who swoops in to save David and raises him right. She’s the definition of tough love and good vibes.
Uriah Heep: Slimeball extraordinaire. This guy is so fake, he’s practically a walking red flag.
Mr. Micawber: The chaotic but lovable optimist with “something will turn up” energy.
Dora: David’s first crush and wife. She’s sweet but kind of a ✨disaster✨.
David starts leveling up—he becomes a writer, glows up professionally, and learns to dodge fake friends and heartbreak. When tragedy hits (RIP Dora), he realizes what real love and maturity look like, eventually marrying Agnes, the OG bestie with wife material energy.
Moral of the story? Life’s a rollercoaster, but with grit, great friends, and a little luck, you can find your happy ending. Plus, don’t let toxic people like Uriah Heep live rent-free in your head. Keep glowing and growing!
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
What? you thought this one wouldn’t be here, did you?
Alright, squad, meet the March sisters—Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy—four queens holding it down in 1860s Massachusetts while their dad’s off doing Civil War things. They’re broke but thriving (mostly), living their best cottagecore lives and serving family goals even when drama pops off.
Jo: The original “not like other girls” icon. She’s obsessed with writing, hates the whole wife life thing, and is out here chasing her dreams in a man’s world. Total feminist trailblazer.
Meg: Lowkey wants the soft life. She’s giving us “rich girl in a poor girl’s body” vibes but is still sweet and supportive. Ends up marrying her bae, John, and becomes that girl with the aesthetic domestic life.
Beth: Literal angel energy. She’s shy, pure, and basically the emotional glue of the family. Protect her at all costs (but, spoiler: life is so unfair).
Amy: The problematic fave. She’s got big main character energy with her art ambitions and bougie aspirations, but she also burned Jo’s manuscript, so… we’re conflicted.
The plot? Chaos but make it cozy. The sisters are grinding to make ends meet, navigating love, heartbreak, and sisterly squabbles. Laurie, their rich boy bestie (and Jo’s simp), proposes to Jo, but she’s like, “Hard pass, bro.” So naturally, he rebounds with Amy, and somehow it works? Meanwhile, Beth’s tragic arc has everyone sobbing. Jo eventually finds love with Professor Bhaer (a literal nerd), proving you can be independent and cuffed.
Moral of the story? Life isn’t perfect, but family, growth, and following your passions make it beautiful. Also, Jo March is the OG girlboss. Period.
Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
Black Beauty: A Gen-Z Breakdown
Alright, y’all, let’s talk about Black Beauty, the ultimate animal rights manifesto disguised as a horse’s life story. This isn’t just your average “cute horsey” tale—this is a full-on justice for equines movement.
Meet Black Beauty, our sleek, elegant, and totally relatable narrator (yes, the horse is the main character). He starts life vibing in a gorgeous meadow with no drama. But then, as life tends to do, things take a turn, and he’s passed from owner to owner like a hot potato, experiencing the best and worst humanity has to offer.
Farmer Grey: First owner, total chill vibes. Treats Beauty like royalty, setting the bar way too high for everyone else.
John Manly: The OG horse whisperer. He works for Squire Gordon, who’s also cool. They all treat Beauty and his BFF Ginger (the hot-headed mare) with mad respect.
Trash Owners™: The villain era kicks in here. These humans are all about tight reins, overworking horses, and just being the worst. Ginger’s backstory hits different—she’s got trauma and isn’t afraid to call it out.
Jerry Barker: The comeback king. Jerry’s a cab driver who actually cares about his horses, proving not all humans suck.
Through it all, Beauty gives us unfiltered commentary on the struggles of being a horse in a world full of clueless and cruel humans. From bad fashion trends (looking at you, bearing reins) to overwork culture, this book spills the tea on how animals deserve better.
Moral of the story? Animals have feelings, too, and deserve kindness and respect. Black Beauty said, “Do better, humanity,” and honestly? We should.
This was it. It is kind of scary how much the style reflects us Gen-Z, AI is brilliant, yeah, scary but brilliant. If you all like this, I’ll make another post or posts like this.
I suppose that is all.
Yours,
A Fellow Bookworm
P.S–> The images are taken from ChatGPT, Pixabay and Pexels.
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