In Reading classes, teachers often encounter cases whereby learners of English may understand the meaning of words, analyse sentences grammatically, and translate passages perfectly, but fail to grasp the overall meaning of the text. What appear to be lacking here, are the skills to understand the respective cultural and historical backgrounds and contexts of their target language text(s). English novels in the classroom are undoubtedly an effective tool for this purpose. Through reading novels, learners not only gain insights into the characters’ lives, interactions, and ways of thinking, but also a deeper understanding of the societies and cultures in which the characters lived. This chapter will take nineteenth century novels, such as Sherlock Holmes and Around the World in Eighty Days, and through the lens of textual analysis, examine how novels can help L2 learners of English deepen their understanding of British culture, history and social life, and thereby, effectively contribute to improving their English proficiency.