Literature that changes the world

[chalas]

Hi, Im in year nine and am doing a project on literature. For my project I would like to take a look at what literature people think have changed the world. If people post here there may be things like the Bible etc. but that isnt really what I am looking for. At the moment I am looking at Oliver Twist, that is thought to be a piece of literature that changed the world because it changed the way people looked at things. As a result new laws were made and enforced to help protect young children from the poor working conditions. That is the sort of thing I am looking for. I will greatly appreciate it if people can tell me their thoughts about world changing literature etc.
Thankyou

[Lokasenna]

I'm not sure Oliver Twist was really that influential - it was part of a movement that eventually resulted in a change in British law, but it hardly changed the world.

Well, here are some texts that I would suggest changed the world in some way:

Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales - this single work essentially established English as the dominant language of England, and thus through the course of human history as the main international language of the world. Without Chaucer, we'd all be speaking French.

Mary Wollstonecraft's A Vindication of the Rights of Women - essentially the text that established feminism as a social and philosophical movement.

Marx's Das Kapital - lead to the foundation of international socialism, which shaped 20th century politics. On a similar note, you could have Chairman Mao's Little Red Book.

Darwin's On the Origin of Species - again, a book that has had a profound impact on international thinking since its publication.

The Gutenberg Bible - I know you cautioned against the Bible, but this particular edition is important because it was the first major printed book that ushered in the era of the movable-type printing press.

I hope those are some helpful suggestions - I'm sure other people will have more!

[Razeus]

The Jungle by Upton Sinclair.