6 Timeless Classics from Ramayana to Les Misérables Where Good Triumphs

1. Les Misérables

“Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise.”

Les Misérables by Victor Hugo is more than a story of good versus evil—and here’s why.

Jean Valjean gets imprisoned for 19 years for stealing bread to feed his sister’s starving child. He becomes a hardened streetwise criminal upon his release. Everything changes when he meets the saintly Bishop Myriel, who forgives him for a theft and urges him to live honestly.

This act sparks Valjean’s journey of redemption—not as a neat, black-and-white moral tale, but as a struggle to do good in a world riddled with cruelty and inequality. A story like this doesn’t just speak of good over evil—it leaves room for reflection on what it means to choose good.

2. To Kill a Mockingbird

“Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win.”

On the surface, To Kill a Mockingbird is a coming-of-age story, following Scout and Jem as they navigate childhood in a world steeped in prejudice and injustice. Their father, Atticus Finch, is tasked with defending Tom Robinson, a Black man falsely accused of raping a white woman. The trial exposes the ugliness of systemic racism and societal bias, yet the story isn’t just about cruelty—it’s about the courage of those who stand for what’s right.

From Atticus’s unwavering moral compass to the enigmatic neighbour Boo Radley, who ultimately intervenes to protect the children, goodness threads through the narrative in subtle, sometimes unexpected ways.

Buy here: To Kill a Mockingbird

3. A Christmas Carol

“It is a fair, even-handed, noble adjustment of things, that while there is infection in disease and sorrow, there is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humour.”

If you’ve been following our blogs, you know we can’t get enough of Dickens’ timeless classic, A Christmas Carol. It never fails to warm our hearts. Perfect for the festive season, it’s sweet, wholesome, and full of powerful lessons.

At its heart is Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly, selfish man who treats everyone around him poorly. Yet through a series of supernatural visits, he is confronted with the consequences of his actions—both for others and himself. A Christmas Carol reminds us that even the coldest heart can choose goodness, leaving behind a trail of kindness and hope for all of us in this cruel world.

4. Ramayana

“Dharma (righteousness) is more important than any divine boon.”

Ramayana isn’t just an ancient story or a religious text—it’s a saga of courage, loyalty, and the classic showdown of good versus evil, celebrated throughout India. The story centres on Lord Rama, a man guided by dharma, or doing what’s morally right, even when the road is tough. When his wife Sita is kidnapped by the demon king Ravana, he sets out on an epic journey to bring her back, facing challenges, battles, and tests of character along the way.

What sticks with us isn’t just the action, but the way goodness shines through—through patience, bravery, and sticking to what’s right. Ramayana reminds us that even when life throws the hardest challenges, integrity and courage eventually win the day.

5. Mahabharata

“He is a fool that practises truth without knowing the difference between truth and falsehood.”

Mahabharata is yet another classic Indian epic that shows that righteousness often comes with difficult decisions, sacrifices, and grey areas. At the centre are the five Pandava brothers and their hundred Kaurava cousins, locked in a dynastic struggle that leads to the Kurukshetra war, fought for dharma (righteousness). Out of this epic conflict comes another classic, the Bhagavad Gita, sharing Lord Krishna’s timeless teachings on duty, action, and the human spirit.

What makes the Mahabharata endure is its reminder that life isn’t always black and white. Courage, honesty, and compassion—often tested in the hardest ways—can guide the way through even the trickiest situations, leaving lessons that resonate across generations.

6. The Odyssey

“There will be killing till the score is paid.”

The Odyssey by Homer is one of the earliest tales where good stands its ground against overwhelming odds. Odysseus’s journey home after the Trojan War is riddled with trials—angry gods, seductive sirens, treacherous seas, and ruthless enemies.

Each test is more than just physical; it’s a battle of will, courage, and cleverness against forces that seem far greater than him. What makes the story timeless is the way virtue and resilience triumph over temptation and destruction.

Also read: Why Homer’s The Odyssey Remains a Timeless Classic (And What Nolan’s Film Might Bring)

The Eternal Lesson of Classics

What ties all these classics together is simple: goodness has a way of shining through, even if the road there isn’t easy. The characters we meet face trials, temptations, and heartbreaks, but in the end, resilience, courage, and compassion leave their mark.

If you’re picking up one of these classics, let it remind you of the quiet power of staying true, even when life feels messy or uncertain. Good doesn’t always roar; sometimes it whispers, waits, and works its way back. And that’s what makes these stories worth returning to—generation after generation.

Hope you enjoyed this list of timeless tales. Maybe one of them finds a spot on your reading stack soon—until then, happy reading and see you next time!

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