5915 samples of this type
The play Trifles depicts a profound disagreement between two types of attitude and performance. The play’s research exposes a significant contrast between female and male actions, based on a different perception of the environment. As Holstein claims in her paper, “the difference in initial perception ultimately leads to the creation...
The borderland is a special subjectivity and self-awareness of the one who cannot cross the border but lives inside its rift. In her poem “To Live in the Borderlands,” Mexican-American frontier philosopher, poet, writer, and Chicana theorist Gloria Anzaldua describes the experience of people inhabiting the space between several different...
In “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin, the house of the protagonist, Mrs. Mallard, has a symbolic meaning. It is connected to the main character’s circumstances and the condition of mind, representing her state of being bound, lacking personal freedom. However, she does not realize it until the...
Introduction Lorraine Hansberry’s play A Raisin in the Sun, published in 1957 and first performed in 1959, is one of the most notable works of the author. While many of the literary works that describe the lives of African Americans provide a single person’s perspective on the societal issues and...
Introduction The following study reviews in brief three literary works; their authors, the historical and other influences that inspired their composition, the main primary literary devices that were used in their writing, and the major themes that were addressed in these works. The three literary works are then compared and...
Anton Chekhov is considered to be one of the most notable and acknowledged Russian playwrights among the world. His unique approach to writing plays is shown in their structure, themes, and language. Chekhov is primarily known for his significant dramatic masterpieces, including “Three Sisters” and “Uncle Vanya”, but it is...
The concept of the hero’s journey has been a driving concept throughout Western literature for centuries. It is plainly evident in some of our earliest and most cherished stories, such as the legend of King Arthur in his earlier years, and can even be traced through Beowulf, the earliest piece...
Introduction Aldous Leonard Huxley was born in the year 1824 and died in the year 1963 at the age of 69 years. He was born in England but spent several years in United States in his latter life from 1937 till his death. He was a humanist and in later...
Introduction Lewis Carroll, the author of the book Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, managed to illustrate the fantasy world being full of anthropomorphic creatures through the depiction of morality themes; the tale is considered to be a gradual way to self-recognition and values perception. It is necessary to underline the fact...
Introduction: the wit and sensitivity of “ee cummings” The popularity of Edward Cummings (known as “ee cummings”) and his creative heritage has never been fully consistent with his critical reputation. Some of his readers view him as a genius, whereas the others believe the syntactic complexity of his poems is...
Poetry is a language of feelings. People write poems to express their feelings, emotions, to share their attitude to people, nature lovers, and other items. Poetry is very abstract, symbolical in most cases. Poets try to express what they want with the help of different stylistic devices and means of...
We live in time when the legacy of racism in America is now being assumed a thing of the past, with more and more people adopting interracial tolerance as the integral component of their existential mode. In its turn, this prompts many contemporary social scientists to suggest that, as of...
Introduction The life of Booker T. Washington can very well serve as the proof to the idea that it is namely the strength of one’s determination and his or her industriousness, which define such individual’s chances to attain social prominence, even in society hampered by racial prejudices. Therefore, Washington’s autobiographical...
Introduction There can be little doubt as to the fact that Sophocles’ “Antigone” and Shakespeare’s “Othello” are highly emotional dramaturgic pieces: in both tragedies, the motifs of love, treachery, misunderstanding, honor and one’s call of duty, actually define the semantic subtleties of a plot. Both plays represent the very best...
Among the cornerstone issues of human existence is the aspect of relations between man and Death. In the circle of life Death is the ultimate destination and the greatest mystery to solve; unknown and enigmatic, Death both draws people’s attention and scares them, since it takes away the most precious...
Over the past years, the novel “The Joy Luck Club” by Amy Tan has been attracting attention of scholars and researchers interested in cultural studies. A number of scholarly works have been dedicated to the analysis of this novel; the researchers explored such aspects of the novel as mother-and-daughter relations,...
In the poem by Anne Sexton When Man Enters Woman the theme of femininity is vividly described throughout its reciprocal attitude toward a male beginning. In this respect, the author implies too intimate a theme into an art form. A woman is intended by “Logos” to be a way for...
“The Bowl” by Terry Tempest Williams produced a deep impression on me. Such pieces of writing cannot remain without the reader’s attention since through its lines you can see that the writer put a part of his soul into his work. The style of writing the writer uses and his...
Introduction Bravery – Beowulf is the most famous poem among the works of the Old English literature. It is the epic creation telling the readers about the strongest and the bravest of the English warriors of all times. The plot of the poem is concentrated around the life and the...
Introduction The book “Life of Pi” by Canadian writer Yann Martel, winner of the 2002 Booker Prize narrates delightfully, the story of Piscine Patel, who shortens his name to Pi. An elderly man in Pondicherry, India, tells the author that he has a story that can make him believe in...
At first glance, Faulkner’s artistic world appears to be emphatically masculine. It is filled with sullen, stern male characters doing rough and hard work, but at the same time, there is a certain place for female characters in his prose. “Barn Burning,” Faulkner’s short story of a mendicant American family...
Introduction “Antony and Cleopatra” is one of Shakespeare’s most dramatic plays; however, it has not been staged nearly as many as plays such as Hamlet or Macbeth because it is such a hard play to produce due to its enormous variety of content. However, the mere strength of the characters...
Introducion An epic is a long, narrative poem written in a noble, dignified style and telling of exploits perfumed by great heroes. It differs from other narrative poems in that it has greater dignity and sweep and presents more lifelike characters, Beowulf, the national epic of the Anglo-Saxons, relates how...
Introduction The work that will be discussed throughout the paper is Sweat by Zora Neale Hurston. This short story was published in 1926 and, despite nearly nine decades from its first appearance, covers relevant and acute topics. The tale reveals the hardships of post-war marriage through the prism of sexist...
Introduction Poetry is one of the best ways of expressing one’s feelings and emotions, as well as understanding those of others. From ancient times, poets wrote about love and hatred, friendship and rivalry, life and death, and many other topics. Unlike prose, poetry does not relish the opportunity to use...
Introduction/Thesis Ever since Jean Rhys’s novel Wide Sargasso Sea has been published for the first time in 1966, it had instantly gained fame as a prequel to Charlotte Bronte’s Victorian novel Jane Eyre – a classical work of British literature. This does not represent much of a surprise. Given the...
Introduction Children’s literature can be defined as that form of literature that is designed for readers and listeners of about twelve years or below. Barry (2009) is of the view that children’s literature can be viewed from four perspectives. The first perspective defines children’s literature as that form of literature...
Introduction Ghosts were written in eighteen eighty-one as a scathing commentary on nineteenth-century fatalities. The two plays were sensational and often regarded as being indecent. Ghost and a Doll’s House criticized contemporary Norwegian society. A Doll’s House is an earlier play than Ghosts written in 1879 during the European revolution...
The book by the title The Plum in the Golden Vase is also known as Jin Ping Mei (JPM). It was originally written in Chinese but it has been translated into a number of languages for the purpose of readers to enjoy the plot and interesting characters. The Plum in...
Eliezer’s faith in God was something beyond question. He spent time in devotion to God. He frequently prayed to Him and at times he even cried. This was to show how deep his reverence to his creator was. It was made even more evident when Moshe questioned his faith and...
Introduction The short story, Scar, is about An-Mei Hsu who is the main character. Her mother had deserted the family and married a rich merchant as a concubine and the fourth wife. When her father died, her brother and she were forced to live with their relatives. The grandmother, Popo,...
“The picture of Dorian Gray”, it turns out, is not about a picture at all. It is about a book. It is about the transmission of that book into the mind of the protagonist and the destruction that ensues. The picture of Dorian Gray is about the spiritual risks of...
1. Consider Cornelia’s efforts on behalf of her dying mother. Does her mother fully appreciate her daughter? From your experiences and observations, would you say the mother’s response is unusual? Cornelia is taking very good care of her mother’s needs. She is always there to take care of anything the...
Seamus Heaney (1939-2003) is one of the prominent figures in the modern Irish poetry. Awarded with the Nobel Prize in 1995, the poet was the author of multiple collections of verse, literary essays, and translations. Seamus Heaney is an outstanding creative individual; his uniqueness is reflected through his poetic language,...
There is no use denying the fact that people are different and they all have their tastes and styles of behavior. This fact makes our life more interesting as one can never know what awaits him/her and how a person will react to certain actions. The story The Slipover Sweater...
Introduction In his captivating must-read chef-d’oeuvre ‘The Necklace’, Guy de Maupassant presents the story of Mathilde Loisel who happens to be a woman from a humble background who ends up doomed into a life of poverty by her dreams of wealth. Mathilde Loisel is the central character in the story...
The mastery of a writer can make the readers sympathize for the characters’ destinies and their overcoming many difficulties in life according to the writer’s intentions but in spite of the traditional opinions and prevalent public’s visions. Blanche DuBois is the main character of Tennessee Williams’ play A Streetcar Named...
Symbolizing animals is an old practice that persists in modern literature. However, making the symbols too obvious is not considered professional. For example, attributing archetypal feline qualities to a woman or parallelizing cats and witchcraft is considered cheap (Hannah 4). Thus, we can configure that labeling a dog with the...
“The Road Not Taken” is a mostly reflective poem written by Robert Frost. This poem is primarily about the choices one makes in life. Once someone makes a choice, it is usually for better or for worse, according to this poem. The poem utilizes symbolism as a reflective tool. For...
William Blake’s poems called “The Tyger” and “The Lamb” belong to the collection of the poet’s works called “The Songs of Innocence and Experience.” This collection is divided into two parts. The first part, called “The Songs of Innocence” was published in 1789, this part contains various poems, one of...
Paraphrase the poem The poem entitled “Heritage” was written by Countee Cullen. The poet contemplates his origins and his present state. Cullen concludes that though he is civilized, he will still remember about his roots, and he will never forget the beauty and greatness of Africa, his motherland. Interestingly, it...
Each family has its skeleton in the cupboard. Thus, Alving’s cupboard would have been better never to open. We meet this family on the pages of the Ghost, a famous play written by a prominent Norwegian playwriter, Henrik Ibsen. This author is known for his desire to make the world...
Introduction George Orwell’s essay “Shooting an Elephant” is a masterpiece of English literature, which has been analyzed and discussed by scholars and critics worldwide. The piece is a reflection on the author’s experiences in Burma as an imperial police officer, during which he had to kill an elephant to keep...
Introduction What is worse than being oppressed? The victims of the oppression are oppressing it. The story by Zora Neale Hurston, called ‘Sweat,’ focuses on Delia Jones, a hardworking washwoman, and her abusive husband, Sykes. The background for the story is that it is set against the backdrop of the...
Introduction In Kate Chopin’s Désirée’s Baby,” Désirée and Armand Aubigny undergo significant transformations as they struggle with issues of identity, love, and race. The story initially showedDésirée as a quiet lady who loved a happy marriage to Armand. However, the revelation of her child’s mixed racial heritage drastically changes her...
Introduction Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art is an insightful source for comprehending the essence and complexity of comic books alongside art. The author is an expert in the unique field of comics, and his particular work was published in the United States in 1994. While all sections of...
A short fiction story by Nadine Gordimer questions the authority of a white man in Africa. An African landowner and head of a regional party, Marais Van der Vyver, has killed his Black worker. Even though it might appear unacceptable in today’s culture, it is consistent with the image of...
Introduction At a time when everyone is striving for self-improvement and personal growth, Ottessa Moshfegh shows the other side of this process. Her story, Bettering Myself, is not a failure’s path to success but the inner development of a character with varying degrees of success. Moshfegh challenges readers to question...
Environmental Themes in From Understory The poem “From “Understory” by Craig Santos Perez raises the theme of the environment, in which special importance is given to the effect that human activity has on society and nature. The author asks the question, “How will open air pest drift affect our unborn...
Introduction Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper” challenges stereotypical perceptions of women’s mental health and societal roles and raises questions about freedom of expression. The piece of short fiction has been analyzed from different perspectives, with Conrad Shumaker digging deep into the story’s complexity in his article “Too Terribly Good...
I intend to focus on the master-slave relationship in the history of drama and colonialism in The Tempest. The reason for selecting this area is that it is extensive and explanatory because, unlike other genres, it was written to be understood and appreciated without the opportunity to re-read it. My...
The central idea of Faulkner’s “Barn Burning”, which is vividly formulated, is a dilemma between loyalty to a blood relative and commitment to justice. Sarti, a little boy, realizes that his father’s actions and behavior are inappropriate, but Sarti’s love for him heavily influences the assessment. However, in this paragraph,...
The satire of “A Modest Proposal” stems significantly from the vast disparity between the speaker’s calm and reasonable voice and the evident obnoxiousness of his proposal. The poor’s young infants are raised as livestock, butchered, and given to the wealthy, who devoured them as a delightful treat. Swift uses irony...
Monsters are legendary creatures characterized by grotesqueness, supernatural powers, and the desire to bring harm and suffering to people. The main difference between monsters and other mythological creatures lies in the sociological aspect that characterizes them. Monsters are essentially transgressive, that is, they violate traditional ideas and social norms. Monsters...
Serpico, written by Peter Maas, may be regarded as a classic story of the confrontation between people who violate all ethical norms of their profession and one person who cannot keep silent. Frank “Paco” Serpico was a police officer in the New York Police Department. He became the first policeman...
Introduction King Lear is a play written by William Shakespeare and originally published in 1606. It is the story of the old king of Britain who needed to give up his power to his daughters. Having no experience identifying people’s true beliefs, he is deceived by the hypocritical praise of...
Introduction In literature, conflict is an artistic technique that entails a struggle between two antagonistic characters. Dramatic conflict is a driving force that produces the story’s content and determines flow direction. Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use” demonstrates how dramatic conflict aids in developing the plot of the story. In a narrative...
Introduction Phillis Wheatley was the first female African-American writer who was published. When transported from West Africa to America, she was sold into slavery. Later the family that purchased Wheatley assisted her; the woman learned to read and write and mastered several languages. Wheatley’s poems frequently investigate her Christian values,...
Introduction: The American Dream Concept The term American dream refers to the chances available to citizens of the United States and those who come here to live. The American dream is identified as the freedom of speech, entrepreneurship, personality, and the capacity to work hard to accomplish personal objectives and...
Introduction In Sonnet 116, William Shakespeare attempts to define love, in his eyes appearing, as an unwavering union between two people. Similarly, in his other sonnets, the poet addresses the question of love with utmost romanticism and passion. Shakespeare uses metaphors and other literary devices to convey his ideas to...
Introduction Returning to the completed writing and considering its primary characteristics is necessary for creating a comprehensive understanding of the work. My chosen novel, The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, is an intriguing piece that regards the subjects of surreality, human alienation, and betrayal within the story of Gregor Samsa. The...
Considering the core themes of A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen, the following research question has been formulated: “What were the norms and expectations pertaining to gender in nineteenth-century Norway?” The question is essential to explore as the play is set to expose the limited roles of women during the...
Introduction Despite being written at the beginning of the 20th century, the play “Trifles” still presents an important source and obligatory to read for people interested in feminism. It was created by an American playwright and journalist, Susan Glaspell, in 1916, and the author conducted pioneer research on the topic...
Folk tales are an integral part of the culture of any nation. These stories were passed down from generation to generation and were constantly interpreted depending on the time period. It is essential to understand that each folk tale carried a special message, which was instructive in conception. In other...
It might be argued that myths like King Arthur play an important cultural and historical role in their belief. Legends like King Arthur frequently have their beginnings in genuine historical personalities and events, reflecting the values, beliefs, and aspirations of the civilizations in which they developed. For example, the story...
Introduction As psychologists understand it, resilience is the ability to bounce back from adversity. The concept is especially pertinent in war and other catastrophes that cause significant harm to individuals and groups. The concept of resilience has always been wide-ranging in its scope, from its core philosophy from social psychology...
The attachment to illusion and their inability to embrace reality is reiterated in every character in “Glass Menagerie.” Among the three leading ones, the propensity toward wishful thinking and the inability to meet reality is particularly distinctively emphasized in Amanda. Remarkably, her version of an illusion is substantially different form...
The literature is a powerful tool for provoking the thought process by various means. One of those mediums is a political analog, seen in Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible. By focusing on the events that happened in the late 17th century in the United States, during the Salem Witch Trials,...
In Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s The Yellow Wallpaper, patriarchy plays an essential role in the deterioration of the narrator’s physical and mental state. The author used sy7mbolism, irony, and the unreliable narrator technique to give readers an incredible insight into the protagonist’s state of mind and relive the life of the...
Introduction In modern civilizations, the rising fear of solitude among women is undermining social order. There is a need for assistance, especially among women with domestic obligations. This essay investigates the relationship between insanity and neglect as described in Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s The Yellow Wallpaper. The primary objective is to...
Introduction Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic. He went down in history as the founder of the genre of psychological prose and the form of classic detective stories. It is no secret that many of Poe’s works have contributed to the development of...
Puritan faith was defined by several key characteristics that made it unique among other Christian denominations. In particular, the Puritans shared an exceptionally powerful religious fervor, believing that one should strictly adhere to the Bible and live as close to the model of Jesus Christ as possible (Mark). As a...
There is a saying that differences between men’s and women’s perceptions make them appear as beings from different planets. The differences may not seem evident in everyday activities and interactions. The theater allows viewers to observe the distinct worlds of men and women. Trifles is a one-act play written by...
Introduction Ernest Hemingway was a master of short, expressive prose. Moreover, he considered his “best prose” to be the story of a man who never gives up – “Old Man and the Sea.” The harmony of man and nature can be considered one of the main ideas in this work....
Introduction The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement was published in 1984 by Eliyahu Goldratt, with the latest edition being released in 2004. Goldratt uses the story to explain the interrelated management concepts essential in strategic planning and operation management. Alex Rogo is the protagonist in the story, as it...
Introduction The topic of discrimination on various grounds, including racial ones, is not new. People who differ in skin color and culture often become outcasts in society. The very existence of a divergent person gives rise to a societal conflict. Shakespeare’s Othello deals with such a confrontation, showing the viewer...
Introduction Hamlet is a tragedy play written by Williams Shakespeare; it is set in Denmark during unsettle times. It was revealed to the young prince that his father has been murdered by his uncle King Claudius, so Prince Hamlet seeks revenge by acting insane. Hamlet’s comments about madness, his elaborate...
The essay starts with the parable about parachuting cats to Borneo in order to trace the idea that it is more essential to focus on solutions rather than problems. In the story, the spread of malaria was a major threat to the country’s residents back in the 1950s. The researchers...
The assigned literary device is called epistolary, and the Literary Devices website defines it as follows “Epistolary is a literary genre pertaining to letters” (LiteraryDevices Editors, 2014). So, the use of the literary device contains a wide range of works from journals and newspapers, meaning the genre can be observed...
In “From He to She in First Grade,” Frankel tells the story of a child’s gender transition. The book is written from the perspective of the child, who is in first grade and has recently decided to start living as a girl. The book chronicles the protagonist’s experiences during the...
The Epic of Gilgamesh ponders on the matters of friendship, identity, courage, and pride. Its main character, Gilgamesh, wants to build a legacy for himself at the start of the epic: he wants to perform extraordinary acts so that he can be renowned. This desire pushes him, eventually leading to...
The Beekeeper of Aleppo is the moving story of the journey of two spouses who experienced the war and were forced to flee Syria. This book illuminates the lives of civilians who had a formed life and a safe environment, coming face to face with war, death, and grief. The...
Désirée’s Baby, a short story written by Kate Chopin, depicts a woman’s life with unknown origins in Louisiana. The dramatic story includes her Southern husband, who exiles her from home because of her African – American origins. Chopin utilizes various symbols to raise themes of racism, hypocrisy, love, and woman’s...
Antigone’s opponent Creon is a notoriously very arrogant dictator who demands absolute loyalty from his subjects. He displays his conceit from the outset of the performance via both his words and deeds. He claims the inhabitants of Thebes as his own and uses fear to compel them to submit completely....
Many literary works assess various aspects of life, and Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll‘s House explores important social matters. Ibsen was born on the southeast coast of Norway, and his childhood was not particularly easy (Gundersen). His parents were relatively affluent and had five children, with Henrik being the oldest son...
This study explores how binary oppositions in the personality of Jo March, depicted in Louisa May Alcott’s novel Little Women, deconstruct the character’s writing adventure. This research uses deconstructive criticism to examine Josephine’s material conditions, other characters’ responses to the girl’s writing, and her attitude towards other characters’ stereotypical gender...
The Cask of Amontillado is a story that combines horror and humor. The author does that in order to make the story not so horrific for the reader, as the comic effect Poe creates throughout the story alleviates the terror of Fortunato’s death. The humor typical of The Cask of...
A&P is a comic short story written by John Updike in 1961. The story tells about a cashier guy in a store who was shocked by the appearance of three young female customers who came to the store in swimsuits. After the manager, as the main hero thought, disgraced girls...
The Middle East is regarded as the cradle of civilization, whereas Africa is the cradle of humankind. Approximately 60,000 years ago, Homo sapiens started leaving northeast Africa, crossing the Middle East and populating Eurasia (Hawley para. 1). The African region has a long and eventful history, one of the most...
The interaction of partners in a relationship is connected with the construction of specific power dynamics. Recently, gender roles have shifted, and a somewhat unusual dynamic may be built between two people based on a woman’s dominance or mutual assistance and approximately equal roles. However, such a variety of force...
Introduction An intensely tumultuous beat runs through the poem Daddy by Sylvia Plath. She composes a poem about her father, Otto Plath, as an experience, including an unsolved complicated relationship. Plath regarded her father so highly that she alluded to him as an idol and a Nazi while comparing his...
Introduction Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale is a novel illustrating a dystopian system in which fertile women become the maids of couples who cannot conceive. The United States (Gilead) has become a military, patriarchal, autocratic country where all males and females serve a purpose. Males, depending on their status, can...
Introduction Inspired by the effects of the World War I on soldiers, Ernest Hemingway, published a short story titled Soldier’s Home, based on the life a soldier named Krebs, who struggles to cope with life after coming back from war. The book was first published in 1925 by the Contact...
The debates about abortion do not seem to be edging closer to a conclusion as new issues emerge every day. According to Scarfone, 2019 witnessed a new spate of anti-abortion measures that were enacted across the United States (1). The new area of the division was whether abortion should be...
As a person and as a poet, R. Burns was influenced by two national cultures, Scottish and English. The lyrics of R. Burns were close to folk not only in sound, but in content. He was imbued with a mood of sincere sympathy for working people and mocking contempt for...
Anne Bradstreet and Mary Rowlandson are American Puritan writers of the 17th century who focused their works on the individual, real-life aspects which were influenced by their spiritual development of personality and religious involvement. This period in literature was primarily associated with the religious influence on writers’ lives by focusing...
Introduction Based on the poem The Song of Roland and its significance and relevance, French literature from the eleventh to thirteenth century is a crucial concept and topic for literature studies. The work is based on old French epics of the “chanson de geste” type and was composed in the...
Rodman Philbrick’s work Freak the Mighty is an interesting example of a novel for young adults. According to the plot, two very different guys meet in the book. Max is a silent, shy, and clumsy giant. Kevin is small, quick-witted, and terminally ill. They reacted differently to what was happening...
A Rose for Emily – William Faulkner’s Storytelling by Emily Grierson. The yellow wallpaper is a short story by Charlotte Perkins Gilman about the young woman Jane. Both stories illustrate girls who became recluses in one way or another. If Emily did not let anyone into her house after her...
Introduction The Trifle and the Poof are written by Susan Glaspell and Lynn Nottage, respectively. The Trifle was written in 1916, while the Poof was done in 1970. In both plays, the authors depict a culture where women are abused by husbands who later die due to domestic constraints. In...
The Lottery, first published in 1948, remains to be one of the most read stories in American literature. The story revolves around a small village in New England where all the members hold a lottery annually and the person picked is murdered. Shirley Jackson’s main aim of writing the tale...
Gilgamesh is one of the most interesting epic stories in the modern-day, even though it was composed 28 centuries ago. The epic illustrates the success of a king, Gilgamesh, who built high walls for its empire and laid out its orchards and fields. He was regarded as a wise person,...
Julia Alvarez is a distinguished Dominican-American writer and poet whose work mainly focuses on the Latinx immigration experience and bicultural identity (“Julia Alvarez Biography”). Her writing often focuses on the inherent paradoxes and contradictions of human existence, indicating that “nothing is impossible in this world”. Woman’s Work is one of...
Introduction Many people have heard the powerful words ‘do not go gentle into that good night,’ but few realize where they came from and the powerful emotion behind them. The poem “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night” by Dylan Thomas is one of the recognizable pieces of English...
It has become common today to view the most notable literary works in the light of their reflection of the specific era. Paradise Lost, the epic poem written by 17th-century English poet John Milton in 1667, represents the political and historical events of this period. Still, it can be argued...
The narrative of Homer’s Odyssey is mostly formulated with Odysseus’ travels and triumphs over obstacles, but also makes room for the relationship between Odysseus and his wife, Penelope. The conflicts and limitations both counterparts of the marriage face are integral to the story and their own character. Odysseus spends twenty...
In chapter 8 of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis, Mr. Beaver talks about the experiences of Tumnus. He explains that Tumnus was arrested by Secret police under the White Witch’s spell (Lewis, 1950). Children, to whom Mr. Beaver was talking were scared and wanted to...
Introduction Postcolonial theory claims that the members of decolonized cultures develop a specific postcolonial identity, shaped by the unequal power dynamics of their colonial past. This identity is based on the collective trauma and exists in response to the oppression the identity holders had experienced in the darker parts of...
Introduction The Goblin Market is a poem published in the 18th century by Christina Rossetti. The poem unfolds the story of two sisters, Laura and Lizzie, who enter the Goblin market when men are selling their fruits in the streets. The fruits represent sexual activities advertised by the merchants in...
The subject of feminism is among one of the subtle and underlying themes of Frankenstein. Mary Shelley, the author of the story, primarily emphasizes the issues of male oppression and patriarchy through the use of subordinate women imagery. In addition, the fear of femininity and the power of womanhood can...
Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton is one of the iconic novels of the science fiction genre and is considered Crichton’s magnum opus. The book is generous in providing detailed depictions of various dinosaur species and explaining how the park came to life in the modern world. Some of the descriptions...
William Shakespeare’s Hamlet is deservedly regarded as one of the most essential tragedies in human history. The play is remarkable because it stays relevant and timeless, as evidenced by the fact that it has been staged in theaters all over the globe for more than 400 years. Shakespeare, however, was...
The narrative Hills like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway commences in a valley in Spain. The story is about a protagonist, the American, and the antagonist is the girlfriend, Jinn. The narrative revolves around the American man’s suggestion to the girlfriend to have an operation that she later agrees with...
Knowing, preserving, and passing on one’s cultural heritage are significant components of one’s cultural identity. In her story “Everyday Use,” Alice Walker addresses the problem of African Americans’ heritage, namely, what they considered to be their heritage and how they treated it back in the 1960s. In David Cowart’s article,...
Summary The short story is set somewhere between Madrid and Barcelona, in the valley of the Ebro (Hemingway, “Hills,” 115). It follows the dialogue of a man and woman at the local bar with a view of the valley’s hills (Hemingway, “Hills,” 115). The pair are quarreling about the issue...
The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz is a satirical novel written by Canadian writer Mordecai Richler, which describes Duddy Kravitz’s life. The main character, a Jew from Montreal, Quebec, tries his best to become rich, not paying attention to all the sacrifices made for this purpose. The author of the novel...
Introduction Macbeth is a play, one of the most famous tragedies by William Shakespeare, presented for the first time in 1606. It is based on the true story of the Scottish king Macbeth and reveals an excessive lust for power. In the story, General Macbeth hears the prophecy of three...
Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is an 18th-century novel of manners set in rural England and portraying the relationships between the four daughters of the Bennet family and their neighbors. While accurately and vividly depicting the manners and social norms of that time, the novel also provides sharp observations on...
In the short story “Salvation,” Langston Hughes talks about the concept of faith through a child’s lens who loses his belief in Jesus due to the compulsion of surrounding people. Young Hughes did not get up to be saved as others did, but he remained in his seat to see...
An accomplished painter and poet, William Blake, is an influential figure of the Romantic age, which was characterized by people’s reactions to the changes occurring in Europe. His two prominently famous publications, The Marriage of Heaven and Hell and Songs of Innocence and Experience, are among the artistic endeavors espousing...
Broken Chains is a story written by Gary Soto, the main character of which is the boy Alfonso, who did not have a sense of belonging to a group he is in. In turn, the short story Fish Creeks, written by Amy Tan, tells a young Chinese girl’s drama based...
Drama is one of the most vital forms of art and may be considered as the heart of literature. It developed simultaneously in Ancient Greece, China, Japan, and other countries, and since then a significant number of theatres, tragedies, comedies, and dramas were created (“A brief history of tragedy,” n.d.)....
Introduction Various paths of presenting leading ideas can be implemented in literary writings. Understanding the themes discussed by the author and underlining the primary examples behind them is an exceptionally prominent topic of discussion. Chinua Achebe’s Dead Men’s Path offers a negative example of an authoritative figure’s disregard towards the...
“The woman was made of a rib out of the side of Adam; not made out of his head to rule over him, nor out of his feet to be trampled upon by him, but out of his side to be equal with him ” (Matthew Henry’s Commentary: Verses 21–25)....
1958 in Truman Capote’s work was marked by the publication of the novel Breakfast at Tiffany’s, in which he described the world of Holiday (Holly) Golightly and her friend – the writer whose name is unknown. It is full of various symbols represented in literary devices. In 1961, the novel...
Introduction In literary works, many elements strengthen the position chosen by an author, improve storytelling, and provoke critical thinking among readers. According to Mays, “the language of poetry is often visual and pictorial,” which makes poems dependent on specific words and their creative meanings (834). Metaphors, allusions, flashbacks, similes, and...
Introduction Greek history is frequently discussed in many literary works, and Homer’s Iliad is probably the most famous and successful story about the Trojan War and its participants. In this epic poem, heroic motifs are determined by harsh social obligations and definite cultural beliefs, underlining the role of gods and...
Introduction Most talented authors have their own style, which is reflected in the topics, structure, and word choices of the writer. Stephen Jay Gould also has a “voice” in literature, which allows readers to recognize his work from the first lines and attracts most of them. This paper will explore...
How would you sum up what Andre Dubus III is saying in this memoir? Try to express in the sentence or two the significance to him of the events he relates. Dubus focuses on two transformative experiences that affected his childhood. When his father leaves the Marines to become a...
Several people in the tragedy are guilty of Mercutio and Tybalt’s deaths, including Romeo and these two men themselves. Tybalt is the first to blame since he was an instigator of the fight. If he had correctly understood the reason for Romeo’s presence at the party, he would not have...
Introduction Love, passion, and romance have always been an inherent part of human history, influencing individual lives and the stories of entire populations. The exploration of various sides of romantic relationships, therefore, lies at the core of the humanities’ research – it helps one understand how people acted towards each...
Introduction David Livingstone: Africa’s Trailblazer is a book written by Janet and Geoff Benge and published in 1999. It describes the remarkable and life-changing journey of David Livingstone across Africa’s uncharted regions to spread the gospel message to local inhabitants. This book belongs to the genre of Christian fiction that...
Introduction Dickens and Wilde were both writers gifted in portraying human conditions in an individualistic and unique way focused on correcting residents in the Victorian period. By 19th century, these literature artists had become famous in articulating Britain’s societal aspects. The 19th century remains a memorable time for Britain, in...
The novel “A man from the People” was written by Chinua Achebe, and it describes the society of post-colonial Africa. The story tells about men who were chosen by the people to represent them, their interest, and their lives. The corruption of current authorities makes a school teacher stand up...
Behold the Dreamers is the novel by novice author Imbolo Mbue. The story revolves around Jonga and Edwards families that are both affected by the 2008 economic crisis. Jende and Neni Jonga are immigrants from Cameroon who desperately try to get American citizenship and stay in the country. Employed by...
Introduction Millions of people all over the world consider books to be a form of entertainment and use them as a gateway from their busy daily routine. Nevertheless, most of the writers aim at raising essential topics in their novels and stories and encourage individuals to think and gain more...
Introduction The 14th-16th centuries period received the name Renaissance in European history. As a cultural phenomenon, the Renaissance marked a slow transition from medieval era to modernity. During that time period, a significant part of European states experienced severe changes in their social structures, as well as the rise of...
Introduction What We Talk About When We Talk About Love is a concluding story in a self-titled collection of short stories written by Raymond Carver. It sets to explores various notions humans have about love. The title itself suggests that there are different perceptions people can have about this concept,...
Quinceanera is a poem by Judith Ortiz Cofer, published in 1991. The poem vividly represents the Hispanic tradition of celebrating a teenage girl’s coming of age. This transition is a rather troublesome and confusing experience, as the narrator balances between the polar opposite emotions. The author applies several literary elements,...
Every person, as a member of society, faces daily choices either confirmed by the culture or against it. The history of humankind is built upon social systems where each person’s individual decisions affect those around them. “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” unravels the paradoxical social interaction, personal and...
Modern gothic literature involves the use of terrifying, horrifying, and uncertain death events. A gothic story requires a frightening setting and unusual characters. 1408, a story by King, is a reflection of modern gothic literature. It is composed of elements of terror, horror, death and suspense. Great parts of the...
Dear Cornelius, I hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirit. Alas, I cannot say so about myself at the moment. I cannot possibly explain what heartbreaking and unfortunate news awaited thy loyal friend Hamlet upon his returning home. You are my kindred spirit and the only...
Love has always been an eternal resource of inspiration for poets. Sentimental and flattering, love helps to reveal the most hidden feeling and emotions. Therefore, the narrators use vivid poetic elements to describe this flourishing phenomenon. This paper seeks to explore how love is addressed in the poems “The Passionate...
I have never read anything more touching than Thank You, M’am by Langston Hughes. There are just two main characters in this story: an old woman Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones, and a young boy, Roger, who appeared to be a pickpocket. The last tried to still Mrs. Luella’s purse...
A metaphor of journey has been an important tool for many writers to explore characters, themes, and story of a work of fiction. Mark Twain’s “Tom Sawyer” is a vivid example of the journey structure as a way to explore society with all of its flaws. Etgar Keret uses a...
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a Middle-English alliterative romance that outlines the adventures of Sir Gawain. He and other characters are being guided by the code of chivalry which shapes the values described in the poem. All of the most important human virtues are depicted in the poem,...
The Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a poem written in the 16th century and has an English origin. It is about a knight serving during King Arthur’s regime; he accepts to fight a mysterious green warrior known as the Green Knight. The fight is scheduled for New Year’s...
Introduction A poem is a piece of literature that is written to pass certain messages to people or express various emotions such as love, hate, or even anger (Glennis, 98). It is because of these reasons that poetry requires skillful selection of words and sentence structures so as to make...
Introduction The novel called The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende gained an immediate attention for the reading audience at the international level. Its popularity is predetermined by the multidimensional representation of political, historical, and cultural context where the author manages to perpetuate the part of Chilean history of...
Literary works have been instrumental the world over in initiating wide ranging changes in human affairs. Alan Paton’s Cry the Beloved Country is one such striking work of fiction that had sought to bring about positive social change in South Africa and has been assiduously studied and debated by scholars...
