Mark Twain as a Master of Irony and Satire

Introduction The adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a controversial 19th-century humorous novel. Twain is “the leading humorist whom the United States has produced in any century” (Dudden, 1987, p. 38). Twain uses a variety of techniques to create a humorous atmosphere, which nevertheless hides a violent social satire. As with...

“A Clean, Well-Lighted Place” by Ernest Hemingway: A Literary Analysis

Hemingway’s work – as well as his personality – causes a lot of controversial opinions. To someone, it is attractive and intriguing, while for other people, it is completely alien. Still, there is no point in arguing that Hemingway is an iconic writer, one of those who shaped the literary...

“Woman’s Work” Poem by Julia Alvarez

Alvarez addresses the domesticated lives of women and the conflict over their duties in a household. Traditionally, women were expected to stay at home and perform homemaking roles such as house cleaning and taking care of their families. From the poem, Alvarez refuses to accept this norm because women should...

Explication of “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night” by Dylan Thomas

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...

The Poem “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”

The poem under analysis is “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” and focuses on the necessity of humility and hope. The mariner is a messenger for the wedding guest concerning the message to deliver to the couple. Although the wedding guest shows patience with the mariner’s persistent essence in the...

Male Characters in “A Doll’s House” by Henrik Ibsen

The Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen created the play A Doll’s House in 1879. The play’s central theme is the position of women in society; contemporaries perceived the drama as a feminism manifesto. However, the problems of A Doll’s House are not limited to the women’s issue: it is about the...

Mark Twain’s Satire in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

In his work, Mark Twain extensively used satire, which is defined as the intentional humorous exaggeration and irony, mostly aimed at exposing people’s stupidity and failings. In the books, stories, and essays, Twain sought to shed light on the stupidity and hypocrisy of people around him, specifically to ridicule the...

Response to “Thank You, M’am” by Langston Hughes

Introduction The short story “Thank You, M’am” written by the American author Langston Hughes is a perfect instance of a human being’s particular traits’ manifestations. The young boy was caught trying to steal a purse from a woman, but instead of being punished, he was shown kindness intended to change...

The Problem of Heritage in Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use”

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,...

Romeo and Juliet Play by William Shakespeare

The playbook titled Romeo and Juliet is my favourite, and William Shakespeare is the author of this romantic narrative which later ended tragically. The story is so exciting and after reading it, I was interested in watching its movie on the big theatre screen. This essay will first evaluate the...

Laura: Illusion and Reality in the Play “The Glass Menagerie”

Tennessee Williams’ play The Glass Menagerie portrays a world of illusion to the reader as an escape from the difficulties of reality. Amanda, Laura, and Tom suffer from alienation and the inability to find their place in society, which forces them to focus on their own inner world. Despite being...

Analysis of “The Handmaid’s Tale”

The Handmaid’s Tale is a novel in a dystopian style written by Canadian author Margaret Atwood and was published in 1985. The set is based on the near-future state called Gilead, which has dethroned the United States government. The new state is strongly patriarchal, where the main character, a woman...

Feminism and Femininity in “Death by Landscape” by Atwood

Introduction The rebellion of women against the roles, characteristics, and behaviors imposed on them and expected from them by society is quite successful and popular in the modern world. Although it began centuries ago, at those times, few women saw a need for it. Most females saw specific sustainability in...

Who Is the Monster, or Who Are the Monsters, in Frankenstein by Mary Shelley?

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is a good representation of human evils in literature. The main question concerned is who should be considered a monster: creative insane scientists or people around us. It is difficult to emphasize black and white characters because the situation differs from the classical villain-hero scenario. Each character...

Ambiguity of Goodness in O’Connor’s “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”

In the chef-d’oeuvre story, “A Good Man is Hard to Find”, O’Connor presents an ambiguous definition of goodness. The characters in the story including the Grandmother and the Misfit live by different moral codes, with each insisting that he or she is good. The Misfit murders and entire family, but...

The Tale of The Ox and the Donkey in Modern Society

Writers have used tales to convey a particular message to the audience. Tales are stories where one is creative, and they can either be factual or fictional. For instance, One Thousand and One Nights was compiled in Arabic during the Islamic Golden Age and focuses on what people experience in...

The Evolution of Tragedy: From Greek to American

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.)....

The Short Story “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love” by Raymond Carver

Love is probably the most discussed and misunderstood concept of human relationships. From early childhood, people learn that it is an essential component of life. Yet, very few really understand the complexity of love. Sometimes, people are ready to accept and forgive some extremely inappropriate behavior because of the belief...

Analysis of “The Lifted Veil” by George Eliot

The Lifted Veil is a novella by George Eliot. At the center of the story is Latimer, who is a dying man with an assumed ability to see the future. However, the text allows different interpretations, which imply that he is not a reliable narrator. Understanding how Eliot portrays the...

Delia’s Tenacity in the Short Story “Sweat” by Hurston

“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)....

Macbeth, Macduff, and Banquo in Shakespeare’s Play

The play Macbeth depicts the similarities and differences between the characters Macbeth, Banquo, and Macduff as they play different roles in the tragedy. Both Macbeth and Banquo receive a prophecy about kingship, and this prediction directs the events in the play. On the other hand, Macduff is King Daniel’s trusted...

“Young Goodman Brown” by Nathaniel Hawthorne Analysis

Young Goodman Brown is among the best-known stories by Nathaniel Hawthorne, in large part because of its in-depth exploration of religion. It tells the story of a young man who leaves his wife, Faith, for a night and meets with the devil, is then convinced by him to attend a...

Social Views of Death in “The Jilting of Granny Weatherall”

Introduction Attitudes to life and death vary depending on time, culture, and society. History knows many transformations in how people saw old age, illness, and dying. These perspectives find their reflections in a culture’s products. Therefore, analyzing the literature of a certain historical period of a particular country allows a...

“The Divine Narcissus” by Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz

Introduction The Divine Narcissus employs religious symbolism to highlight important Christian ideals and teachings. The play is considered to be one of Sor Juana’s masterpieces because it employs allegorical narratives to explain complex theological ideas. The play uses American themes to explain the Spanish conquest of Mexico, and describes critical...

Books vs. Movies: Comparison of Features

We all have a friend who yells during a movie that this moment was shown differently in the book. At the same time, another friend says that he or she is bored with reading and would rather wait for the movie adaptation. Both of these friends can be right, since...

The Role of Christianity in Slavery: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Human rights are a multifaceted concept that requires subjective respect and documentation of relationships. In other words, the individual has that set of possibilities and freedoms that are generally accepted. Nonetheless, the times of slavery are a notorious period in social existence in which injustice and cruelty were models for...

The Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio. Work Analysis

The text under consideration is The Decameron, written by Giovanni Boccaccio in the middle of the fourteenth century when Europe was affected by one of the most devastating epidemics of the Middle Ages. The exact number of the deceased has not been estimated so far, but some researchers note that...

The Glass Menagerie: The Roles of Amanda and Society

Autobiographic works do not only help understand the author’s writing better but also do it credibly and convincingly. The Glass Menagerie is a memory play by Tennessee Williams, in which he recollects life challenges his family had to face. This paper aims to prove that the social environment, rather than...

Myths Featuring Conflicts Among Members of a Gods Family

Introduction There are many themes discussed in Ancient Greek and other myths – love, hatred, true wisdom, loyalty, and the creation of the world. One of the most critical topics in most of the stories about deities is depicting a family conflict that may arise from jealousy, betrayal, competition for...

An Analysis of Hamlet by Shakespeare

Shakespeare’s Hamlet is one of the most important plays in the history of literature, and its main character’s behavior deserves thorough studying. Throughout the book, his state of mind changes and evolves, and it is key to understanding his actions and interactions with other characters. It is essential to analyze...

Assessing Baldwin’s “A Talk to Teachers”

Baldwin’s “A Talk to Teachers” explores the reality of growing up and being brought up as an African American in the United States of the 1950s. Yet even though race features prominently in the text, the essay is about more than just racial matters. At the core of “A Talk...

“My Father Was a Writer” by Dubus

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...

“Midterm Break” by Seamus Heaney: Aging, Death and Dying

Introduction Death is notably one of the universal fears that translates to almost every culture, time, and age. All people eventually face death in their lifetime: either their own or their loved ones. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that dying is a widely researched topic in many literary works....

The Kite Runner’ by Khaled Hosseini: Relationships That Change

The Kite Runner is a novel written by Khaled Hosseini in 2003 about the fall of the Afghanistan monarchy because of the Soviet Union’s intervention. Amir, a Pashtun boy who moved to the United States, is the protagonist of the book. This story reveals such themes as family affairs, friendship,...

“American Born Chinese”: Theme of religion

Introduction Religion is a contemporary issue influencing civilization, morals, laws, and cultural societies globally. The American Born Chinese written by Gene Luen Yang’s narrates the experiences of immigrants in America using three different tales. This book conveys three major morals, which are resisting the urge to be assimilated, not denying...

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Jane Austen authored the title Pride and Prejudice in 1797 for ten months. However, the novel was published in 1813. To help in her writing, Jane Austen used personal experiences of the happenings during that era as the story describes the middle-class life in England. Jane Austen hails from a...

Immortality Through Fame in the Epic of Gilgamesh

The Epic of Gilgamesh is a depositary of themes that continue to fascinate readers and make literary critics argue about their expediency. The main hero’s desire for immortality is grounded both in the fear of decay and the man’s arrogance. Anticipating the failure of his struggles to find the secret...

Francis Scott Fitzgerald’s Jazz Age Perception in “The Great Gatsby”

Introduction Great works of literature remain in history for a variety of reasons. Some of them represent a particular era masterfully, leaving the reader with strong, vivid impressions. This objective is attained through accurate use of specific symbols, strengthening the work’s relation to a particular epoch, and contributing to its...

Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451”. The Light and the Dark

Introduction Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 was published in 1953, however, the reader can encounter relevant themes and conflicts existing in modern society. The novel accurately describes the twenty-first century as a world of technological advancement, social media, and the power it holds over people. Dictionaries define an anti-intellectual as a...

Book Report: “Rich Dad Poor Dad”

Introduction The book “Rich Dad Poor Dad” was written by Robert Kiyosaki. The novel aims at enlightening people on how to achieve monetary success through rewarding business activities. It draws insights from the lives of two fathers who have disparate personalities and perspectives of money. The author compares the principles,...

Odyssey. Influence on World Literature

The Odyssey is a world literature masterpiece, one of the two epic poems written by Homer. It was composed around the 8th century BC, and its plot focuses on Odysseus’s journey home after the Troy’s fall. This essay aims at analyzing several peculiarities of The Odyssey that show its significance...

The Analysis of Paul from “Paul’s Case” by Willa Cather

Introduction Paul is a 16-year old boy who was brought up by his father and whose mother died soon after he was born. The narrative does not contain any flashbacks which might express the lack of the protagonist’s ties with the past. Paul’s appearance plays an essential role in the...

Connie and Arnold in “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol Oates

The fascination with death, darkness, and moral corruption seems intrinsic to the human experience. Macabre areas of life attract substantial attention, especially in works of fiction – Joyce Carol Oates’s “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” belong to this category. The explanations for the phenomenon could be found...

Heroism in The Things They Carried

The war in Vietnam…How much pain this short word combination incorporates. This war can be listed among the strangest and the most unsuccessful military campaigns ever held by the United Sates. The new commanding strategies limiting commanders out of their power and authority to control the process on a local...

Leslie Knope from Parks and Recreation Analysis

The stories of popular fictional characters are often filled with adventures and challenges intended to entertain the audience. At the same time, their authors mimic real life, exploring internal and external conflicts people face. Thus, such characters are suitable candidates for practicing psychoanalysis – especially if a person displayed has...

The Impact of Greek Philosophers on Current Life

Many scientists agree that Ancient Greece is the cradle of European civilization. Its philosophers, scientists, and poets greatly contributed to the development of Greek culture. Modern philosophical thought would be impossible without the works of Aristotle, Plato, and numerous philosophical schools. Dramatic art would have been different if, at one...

The Namesake: Comparison of Ashima and Gogol

The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri is a novel that demonstrates all the difficulties of adapting a person to a new cultural environment, as well as the search for his or her identity. The older generation has its problems because they need to accustom to the differences of the new culture...

“Mother Tongue” of A.Tan Analysis Review

Amy Tan is an American writer of Asian origin who is passionate about languages. She had to grow up in a difficult situation, being the daughter of a Chinese immigrant. Her circumstances were also complicated due to the communication issues that her mother had to endure. For this reason, she...

Minor History and B. Kruger’s “I Shop Therefore I Am”

Minor History Defined by Branden Joseph Branden W. Joseph introduces the concept of minor history in the first chapter of his book Beyond the Dream Syndicate: Tony Conrad and the Arts After Cage (Joseph, 2011). He uses this concept to place Conrad’s art in a theoretical perspective grasping his endeavors...

“Behold the Dreamers” by Imbolo Mbue

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...

“The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas” by Ursula K. Le Guin

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...

“A Worn Path” by Eudora Welty: Point of View

A Worn Path is a short story laden with meaning and symbolism wrote by Eudora Welty. The narrative is about an old African American woman, Phoenix Johnson, walking a familiar path in the rural areas of Natchez, Mississippi, seeking to get medicine for her ailing grandson. The story is written...

The Story “The Jilting of Granny Weatherall” by Katherine Anne Porter

“The Jilting of Granny Weatherall” is a story about an octogenarian lady named Granny Weatherall. The woman suffers from a fatal disease and the whole narrative describes the process of her dying. The author of the story, Katherine Anne Porter, covers the topics of the strength of women, the dichotomy...

‘The Friar’ in Canterbury Tales

Introduction The Friar, one of Chaucer’s portraits of what he perceived as a corrupt clergy, can simply be described as a fraud. At a glance The Friar is a religious and pious figure. But a close scrutiny reveals a character different from what he presents to the naked eye. Infact,...

Symbols & Themes in The Necklace by Maupussant

Introduction The narrative opens with an exposition of the protagonist. The author describes the persona’s background as being one of discontentment characterized by envy for a better life. (Maupassant 4). However, the persona is only able to dream of her objects of envy as her life provides limitations. The opening...

“The Myth of Latin Women” by Judith Ortiz

Introduction In the myth of the Latin woman; Judith Ortiz explained how she grew up under stern observation, since virtue and humility were equated to family honor by culture. From her story it can be seen that as a teenager, she was required to conduct herself as a good ‘senorita’....

Shakespeare’s “Othello”: Iago’s Honesty

Introduction In Shakespeare’s play Othello, the character Iago is the most well-known and multifaceted. To the characters in the play, he is a trustworthy and honest person who everyone in the community is willing to confide in. The audience on the other hand can note that he is the evilest,...

Hemingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants” Review

Hills like white elephants, is a sort story written by Ernest Hemingway. It is an important piece of Ernest’s work from his second collection of short stories Men without women. Hills like white elephants could be tagged as one of the best writings by Earnest’s. What makes Ernest’s Hills like...

Creation Myth of the Iroquois Analysis

Every culture on Earth has developed some form of creation myth to explain how they came to be and how they were placed in their environment. This myth typically explains how the land they stand on was formed, how the creatures and plants on this land were made and how...

Plato, Aristotle and Preferable Response to Literature

The wisdom of the past can be a perfect source to resort to when one needs advice on the present situation. Ancient Greek civilization has been a recognized treasury of knowledge and philosophic ideas that are topical even nowadays, many centuries later. The names of prominent Greek philosophers, Socrates, Plato,...

“The Hero With a Thousand Faces” by Joseph Campbell

A hero strikes one as an individual whose personal attributes elicit admiration both before and after their death. Mythology presents a hero as one with great strength and courage, one who is widely celebrated for bold exploits. Making such a unique character entails a process as Joseph has explained in...

Lysistrata: The First Feminist

Almost every joke contains a hint of truth. For this reason, comedy can be the perfect medium to effect social reform. Clearly, Aristophanes understood this concept quite well when he penned his farcical-humored play Lysistrata. Lysistrata focuses on the story of a young woman of the same name who attempted...

Judith Guest’s “Ordinary People” Reflections

Conrad vision of life after death On primary reading of the story, I find Conrad feeling pain and guilt for his brother’s death. He is incapable to overcome this barrier as already experiencing the breath of death; the boy could look at the world in a usual way. Now, Conrad...

“Up from Slavery” by Booker T. Washington Analysis

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...

Nora as a Feminist Representation (from “A Doll’s House” by Ibsen)

The central character in A Doll’s House, written by Ibsen, is Nora. She lives with her husband and her three children. She happened to take a loan with the forged signature of her father, which was kept very secret from her husband. With this forgery as the central plot, Ibsen...

Theme of Marriage in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

“Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen is the most famous novel and it may be considered as a classic of English literature. The novel, like the most part of Jane Austen’s novels, discloses the theme of marriage. Thus, the first sentence of the novel reveals its whole idea: “It is...

Willy Loman: Character Analysis

In the play “Death of the Salesman”, Author Miller creates a vivid character of an old who has wasted his life searching for the American dream. The tragedy of Loman show the case with the American dreamer and loser who fails to find its place in this life. The main...

Nick Carraway in “The Great Gatsby” by Scott Fitzgerald

In contrast to other characters in The Great Gatsby, Nick goes through a number of changes from the beginning to the end of the novel. The entire novel depicts flashbacks made by Nick in revealing a detailed account of the mysteries surrounding Gatsby. Nick is the character who puts together...

Analysis “Road Not Taken” by Robert Lee Frost

Robert Lee Frost was a Pulitzer award-winning poet who was highly regarded for his realistic depictions of rural life and his use of American colloquial speech (Encyclopedia Britanica). His works typically involve settings of rural New England life from the start of the twentieth century. His works contain complex social...

Stereotypes in Ortiz Cofer’s Essay

Discussion When you encounter the term “stereotype” you will remember an individual, or group of individuals being labeled in a prejudiced way either on the basis of race, ethnicity, or gender. When human beings are exposed to too many stereotypes, they make them eventually internalize and believe and conceive them...

The Soul Never Dies: John Donne’s “Death, Be Not Proud”

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...

“The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin Review

This short story is called “The story of an hour” because it describes with clear detail the occurrences of an hour in its protagonist’s life. Louise Mallard is the protagonist of this story. Her sister Josephine and her husband’s friend Richards got eh news of her husband’s death in a...

The Work of William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare is believed to have been born on 23rd April 1564 in Stratford near London. Though little is known about the life of this great actor and renowned writer, his parents John Shakespeare and Mary Arden are assumed to have taken him to a grammar school where he read...

“Son of the Revolution” Memoir by Liang Heng

Introduction The Chinese Cultural Revolution of the 1950s, when the Communist Party of China came into force to build the socialist country based on fear, absence of freedom of speech, and the need to strictly follow all the guidelines of the Party is one of the brightest examples of usurping...

“The Spanish Tragedy” Play by Thomas Kyd

The theme of revenge frozen the blood of every person. But only writers in their literary works can present all experiences of the soul of this human vice. A famous English dramatist Thomas Kyd wrote his well-known psychological masterpiece The Spanish Tragedy. By this work of literature, he tried to...

“The Metamorphosis” by Kafka

In all societies and all epochs, judging individuals by their appearance was a prevalent tendency, which normally allowed creating a first impression about the person, their possible nature, lifestyle, and behavior. However, there is a negative side to such practice, which consists of prejudices against those, who look different in...

Analysis of “Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin

“Story of an Hour” was written by Kate Chopin in the late 18th century, and is much different as compared to other short stories. It is a dramatic example of a woman who suddenly finds herself blessed with the long-desired freedom that she internally sought from a repressive marriage. The...

Analysis of an Extract from Beloved

It is very hard for any reader of Toni Morrison to escape her ‘black magic’. The reason is that this great Afro American writer speaks through history and ages in a language that is dipped in the dual hues of pain and poetry both. The two hundred years of horrid...

“Death in Venice” Novella by Thomas Mann

Introduction In the early novels of Thomas Mann, the readers can often follow the rethinking of Friedrich Nietzsche’s postulates. The influence of philosophical attitudes can be traced concerning the art of dance in the novel Death in Venice, written in 1911. In this story, Thomas Mann addresses his favorite topic...

Father-Son Relationships in Barn Burning by William Faulkner

‘‘Barn Burning’’ by William Faulkner provides a comprehensive look at a typical family relationship as it existed in the XIXth-century America and was affected by history, traditions, and society. The story depicts both emotional and ethical aspects of a young boy’s struggle to behave appropriately with his father. As the...

Sir Gawain Character Analysis

As portrayed in the first two parts of Sir Gawain and The Green Knight, Sir Gawain, a legendary member of Arthur’s knight, is a paragon of virtue and modesty. He describes himself as the least of the knights both in mental and physical prowess, and at the first glance appears...

Ibsen’s A Doll’s House: Reflection Paper

I was excited to hear from you the other day. It sounds like everyone in your part of the world is doing well. The kids sound so busy with their many activities, I don’t know how you keep up with it all. If I read between the lines correctly, it...

Benjamin Franklin vs. Jay Gatsby: Character Comparison

The Great Gatsby deal with contradictions present in a romantic figure, certain troubling discrepancies between appearance and reality which that figure reveals under critical scrutiny. The main character can be compared with Ben Franklin as he possesses the same qualities and virtues. Similar to Ben Franklin, Gatsby value knowledge and...

Mustafa Sa’eed from Season of Migration to the North Compared to Shakespeare’s Caliban & Othello

Introduction Season of Migration to the North is an award-winning novel that explores many socio-cultural themes. Throughout it, the author Tayeb Salih makes direct comparisons and references to other popular cultural works and symbols. The character Mustafa Sa’eed is directly compared to Caliban from William Shakespeare’s renowned play The Tempest,...

Heroism of Beowulf and Sir Gawain Comparison

The ancient world is often characterized as a world of evil pagan belief systems, full of multiple gods and evil supernatural adversaries. A large part of this characterization may even come from Christian perception of the Old Code as stories of demi-gods, the products of licentious gods and mortal mistresses,...

Know Thyself: Sophocles’ “Oedipus the King”

The famous saying “Know Thyself,” which is written on the temple at Delphi, is one of the main messages of the Sophocles’ play “Oedipus the King.” Taking into account the historical context, it is easy to explain the problem that appeared at the end of the fifth century. “Know Thyself”...

The Inability of Escaping Fate. Postcolonialism in “Steins Gate”

For many years, time travel did not fit into the framework of serious science. Nevertheless, this topic has become a kind of side occupation for theoretical physicists. Reflections on such travels lead to rather amusing, but also very thoughtful conclusions. For example, if free movement in time, at least in...

Heritage in Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use”

Introduction Literary plots in which national identity and commitment to traditions are described are fascinating works that make it possible to immerse oneself in other cultures and their features. Alice Walker’s story Everyday Use is an example of such a genre, and despite its humor and irony, the essence of...

“Snail” by Langston Hughes as an Inspiration Source

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...

Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” Analysis

The end of the Victorian era may be viewed as a period when the movement for female equality gathered momentum. Before that, women enjoyed much fewer rights than men and occupied a lower, subordinate position in society. However, throughout the 19th century, many females aimed to oppose the established situation,...

Gabriel García Márquez’s Stories Analysis

Dialogue with the mirror With a slow but firm sense of style, this work little as it is exposes an awakening of a man in front of a mirror. As he shaves, a recollection of a shop he frequently passes that house a range of commodities. He bears a frenzied...

Transformation in Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis”

The theme of transformation is one of the most prominent ones in The Metamorphosis. Franz Kafka implemented various literary devices to illustrate how the central characters changed throughout the novella. Yet, the key aspect the author tried to convey is that Gregor’s physical metamorphosis led to everyone’s psychological transformation, including...

Odysseus and Maximus: Heroes Comparison

Introduction In this paper, I compare two prominent heroes in contemporary literature – Odysseus and Maximus. Based on the portrayal of the latter from the movie Gladiator and the representation of Odysseus in a book with the same title, I argue that both characters had more similarities than differences. In...

Anne Bradstreet’s Contemplations

In literary scholarship, Anne Bradstreet’s poetry is usually discussed from two perspectives: the Puritan views in her poems and the feminist views, as it is represented in the author’s works. Thus, the uniqueness of scholars’ discussions is in their suggestions that Bradstreet can be viewed as both a Puritan and...

“Doubt” a Play by John Patrick Shanley

Introduction John Patrick Shanley’s “Doubt” covers many controversial topics: child abuse, race, and homosexuality. “Doubt” leaves the readers without a clear resolution of Father Flynn’s guilt, but one thing is clear – inequality leaves both Sister Aloysius and Father Flynn in a desperate situation. Barriers to Gender Inequality “Doubt” presents...

Layers in “Riders to the Sea” by John Synge

Introduction “Riders to the Sea” was written by John Millington Synge as an attempt to create a play based on his experiences of life on Aran Islands. It became a success and led to the creation of further plays based on that region. This paper will examine this play from...

Behavior Under Pressure: Insights from Hughes and Orwell

People often behave in a certain way not because they want to or think that they should behave in this way because it is the right thing but because they experience the pressure of people around them. The nature of this pressure is curious: it is not that people who...

Gender Roles in “Wide Sargasso Sea” by Jean Rhys

Introduction Jean Rhys’ novel, Wide Sargasso Sea, places importance on colonialism coupled with its effects on the social dynamics in society, hence enabling the reader understand the social environment around the Caribbean during the period before the enactment of the Emancipation Act of 1833. This paper presents some of the...

“The Martian Chronicles” by Ray Bradbury

Americans, in the twentieth century, saw wonderful scientific discoveries like the atomic bomb, the space age, and political moves that came as a result of a sense of superiority for America. It elevated America to a nation that was ahead in civilization and development. All these phenomena had a great...

Negritude: Aime Cesaire and Leopold Sedar Senghor Works Comparison

The issues of racial diversity and equality have been some of the most frequently discussed subjects for many centuries. The racial diversity used to be referred to as the racial “difference” meaning that the individuals of different racial backgrounds were treated based on rules and laws supporting the fact that...

Biography in “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien

Introduction The Things They Carried is a classical work of art written by Tim O’Brien. The piece of work is classified as a novel and an anthology of interconnected short stories (Scott 1). Although the critics have challenged the book several times for its vulgarity and confusing structure, it should...

Key Farce Elements in Theater: Analyzing Their Role in Playwriting

Farce is an inevitable element of theater and plays. Having a personal point of view about which elements of farce the theatric performances are to follow, Eric Bentley has created several aspects which are believed to be the part of farce. The Importance of Being Earnest, A Trivial Comedy for...

The Glass Menagerie and Portrait of a Girl in Glass

The Glass Menagerie was the first successful play written by Tennessee Williams in 1945. It brought the author great fame and success and alleviated him to the ranks of America’s most esteemed and regarded playwrights. This play introduced the genre of a “memory play” to the theater, characterized by the...

Essay on Soldier’s Home: Analysis of the Characters

If you need to write a Soldier’s Home analysis or theme essay, this sample is for you. Here, you will find Soldier’s Home summary and see the story explained. Introduction For those who have done through the nightmare of the war, life can never be the same again. Sadly, it...

Character Portrayal: “The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant

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 Novel “The Inheritance of Loss” by Kiran Desai

The book “The Inheritance of Loss” by Kiran Desai talks about an important world issue of class division and the differences between the social layers. The Soviet times are analyzed as the period when there was a race for satellite and space control between nations, which created even more division...

Literature Analysis of Hamlet’s Soliloquies

Check out our Hamlet’s soliloquies analysis sample! Get more ideas and insights about the famous “To Be or Not To Be” quote for your Hamlet soliloquy essay. Hamlet Soliloquy Essay Introduction In his many conversations, Hamlet reminds the people around him and especially his mother that she does not know...

Manley Pointer in Good Country People by Flannery O’Connor

“Good country people” is a short story by Flannery O’Connor, a prominent American writer. It is imperative to mention that it can be regarded as one of the most interesting works by the author, and is considered a masterpiece by some. It has a broad range of interesting characters, but...

Toni Morrison’s Novel “Beloved”: Slavery Theme

This essay sample explores the major theme in Beloved: slavery and its dehumanizing effects. Read it if you are curious about the theme of slavery in Beloved its connection to the theme of motherhood. Slavery in Beloved: Introduction Slavery is one of the major distressing issues in society bearing in...

“Wuthering Heights” by Emily Bronte Literature Analysis

The first six chapters of the novel by Emily Bronte called “Withering Heights” are designed to present the reader with the set of characters dwelling in a mention called Wuthering Heights. The people living in Wuthering heights are very unusual and the relationships between them are non-typical. For an unfamiliar...

Why Joyce Oates’ Dedicated Her Story to Bob Dylan?

The story, Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been, was written by Joyce Carol Oates in the mid-60s and was dedicated to the famous musician Bob Dylan. She once explained that the idea of writing this story came to her mind when she read a story about a man...

“Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe Literature Analysis

In the novel “Things fall apart” by Chinua Achebe, the clash between Christianity and traditional animism religion held by the people of Umuofia is highlighted. Upon the arrival of the white missionaries, who later set the way for colonization, the Igbo people practiced their traditional culture which was seen as...

The Novel “Ceremony” by Leslie Marmon Silko

Introduction As seen in the novel Ceremony, Leslie Marmon Silko narrates a story about Tayo who is the focal character in the novel. He needs to adjust to his environment after coming home from WWII. Tayo experiences disturbances since he lived as a war prisoner in Japan; thus, affecting him...

“Parable of the Sower” by Octavia Butler

Introduction Octavia Butler has authored several novels based on science fiction. One of them is the ‘Parable of the Sower.’ The book was written in 1993. The main character in this text is Lauren Olamina. According to Butler (23), the female character possesses hyper empathy skills. To this end, she...

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen: Analysis of Marriage and Women’s Roles

Introduction In “Pride and Prejudice,” Jane Austen offers a nuanced portrayal of marriage and the social position of women in late 18th-century England. Through her vivid narrative and multi-layered characters, Austen investigates the intricacies of marriage not merely as a romantic union but as an economic and social imperative, especially...

Comparative Portrayals of Hell and Satan in Dante’s Inferno and Milton’s Paradise Lost

Introduction The idea of an underworld and its guardian, Satan, has intrigued and terrified people for ages. Two notable pieces of literature that have extensively explored this topic are Dante Alighieri’s Inferno and John Milton’s Paradise Lost. These epic poems offer detailed, complex portrayals of the biblical underworld and its...

Addiction, Stigma, and Black Identity in “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin

Introduction Substance addiction has always been a heavy subject to explore within the context of any art form. There is a consensus that any drug is greatly harmful to one’s mental and physical health; however, there are deeper reasons why a person may resort to using substances. In the short...

The Symbolic Meaning of Ithaca in Homer and Cavafy’s Poetic Reinterpretation

Introduction Ancient Greek poets, including Homer, frequently explored themes of genuine patriotism and unity with their homeland, exemplifying the spiritual anguish experienced by their contemporaries through the heroic characters of epic poetry. Homer’s poem “The Odyssey” is no exception: in this work, the author describes the return journey of the...

Regional Identity and Symbolism in Salman Rushdie’s “In the South” Short Story

The Significance of the Title “In the South” by Salman Rushdie is a short story about two older men, Senior and Junior, sharing their life stories. It describes the lives of two elderly Indian men who are similar yet distinct from one another. Rushdie examines the issues of identity, family,...

Grotesque and Satirical Elements in One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez

Introduction In humor, grotesques describe something horrifying, ugly, and distorted. It often refers to art or images intended to be shocking or disturbing in nature. On the contrary, satire is humor that uses irony or sarcasm to ridicule someone or something. It usually targets political leaders, celebrities, or other public...

Shakespeare Authorship Debate: Historical, Literary, and Linguistic Perspectives

Introduction William Shakespeare is primarily recognized as one of the most renowned personalities in English literature, with his plays and sonnets widely regarded as among the finest works of literature ever written in the English language. However, scholars and fans have long debated who wrote Shakespeare’s plays. The authorship controversy...

Imperialism and Power in Waiting for the Barbarians and African Postcolonial Thought

Introduction The book Waiting for the Barbarians by J.M. Coetzee paints a vivid picture of imperialism and the use of colonial troops to rule over oppressed peoples. The book examines how imperialism affects both the oppressor and the oppressed and raises significant issues regarding the ethics and morality of such...

Yeats’s “Meru” Analysis: Spirituality, Mortality, and Cyclical Life

Introduction W. B. Yeats was a renowned Irish poet, and “Meru” was among his best poems. This literary piece was published in 1938 and focused on Hindu mythology, which interested Yeats significantly. The author created this short work to comment on a few essential topics, including time, transcendence, and the...

Gothic Genre in Edgar Allan Poe’s Short Stories Featuring Mystery and Supernatural Horror

Introduction A Gothic novel is a work that evokes the reader’s pleasant feeling of horror, a romantic black novel in prose that incorporates elements of supernatural horror, mysterious adventure, fiction, mysticism, family curses, and ghosts. In the terminology of linguists and art historians, the Gothic style refers to one of...

Complexity of Love in Raymond Carver’s What We Talk About When We Talk About Love

Exploring the Complexity of Love in Carver’s Work The intricate and frequently enigmatic nature of love is explored in Raymond Carver’s collection of short stories, “What We Speak About When We Talk About Love.” The short story of the same name is a moving and insightful examination of the complexity...

Mortality in Poetry: Thomas’, Dickinson’s, and Donne’s Perspectives on Death

Introduction In the vast panorama of human experience, poetry is often an intimate chronicle of the most profound emotions. Among these, the theme of mortality—a universal and profoundly personal subject—has been explored by poets across ages and cultures. For this essay, I will examine and juxtapose how three distinct poets...

Ambiguity and Hidden Ideologies in Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery

Introduction Among the most renowned short stories in the nation is Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery. The narrative follows the residents of an unnamed village on the morning of June 27th as they participate in the annual lottery. The story’s beginning implies a somewhat positive feeling of anticipating an affair that...

Violence and Retribution in Seamus Heaney’s “Punishment” Poem

Introduction The poem “Punishment” by Seamus Heaney explores the layered human reaction to violence and the interconnectivity of past and present wrongs. The poem spins a story that links prehistoric Ireland’s bog corpses with the Troubles’ crimes. Heaney examines the conflict between social judgment and an appreciation of the deeply...

Native Identity and Cultural Conflict in Leslie Marmon Silko’s Yellow Woman

Introduction Literary works are an effective tool for revealing unique topics that the authors want to pay attention to. Of particular interest for the study are the relationships between different peoples and what aspects they are caused by. Hence, in the short story Yellow Woman by Leslie Marmon Silko, the...

The Complex Father-Son Relationship in “Those Winter Sundays” by Robert Hayden

Introduction The work under consideration, “Those Winter Sundays” by Robert Hayden, is a highly acclaimed and poignant short poem about the relationship with his father. The author conveys the depth and complexity of his perception and shares it with the reader through symbolism, imagery, and enjambment from a narrative point...

Taylor and Turtle’s Bond in The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver

Introduction Every person needs to grow up with a sense of belonging to a family or community, a perspective deeply supported by the nurture theory of human development. In The Bean Trees, the author explores the importance of family and emotional support systems for those who are facing hardships. A...

Rebellion and Growth in Gary Soto’s “Behind Grandma’s House”

Author Gary Soto’s poetry “Behind Grandma’s House” is a poem of rebellion told through the perspective of a youngster who is greedy for attention, lacks respect, and, paradoxically, receives a lesson from his grandma as a result of his behavior. The poetry is all about ordinary occurrences, frequently mirroring his...

Themes of Racism and Identity in Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye

Introduction Literature conveys various aspects of human life with unwavering precision, allowing us to delve into the world of characters and their personal experiences. One such work is Tony Morrison’s novel The Bluest Eye, which explores the complex theme of racism, belonging, and self-esteem among African Americans in 20th-century American...

Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson: A Story of Freedom and Struggle

Book Summary Chains is a novel by Laurie Halse Anderson, first published in 2008. It is a fictional story following the life and struggles of Isabel and her little sister, Ruth, during the events of the American Revolutionary War (Anderson 7). Isabel seeks to help the rebels against the loyalists...

Analyzing Racial Expectations in University Settings in ZZ Packer’s “Drinking Coffee Elsewhere”

Introduction Universities are often seen as bastions of meritocracy and social mobility, where students from diverse backgrounds come together to pursue academic excellence and achieve upward social mobility. ZZ Packer’s short story “Drinking Coffee Elsewhere” provides a powerful critique of race expectations in university settings. The report examines the experiences...

The Use of Humor in “The Importance of Being Earnest” by Wilde

Oscar Wilde has employed humor in writing The Importance of Being Earnest play. The play comically ridicules cultural norms regarding truthfulness, love, and marriage in the Victorian Era. One of the humor elements that Wilde uses throughout the text is puns. The play’s title consists of the word “earnest,” which...

Edgar Allan Poe’s ‘The Tell-Tale Heart’: A Study of Madness

The genre of horror short stories popularized by Edgar Allan Poe is aimed at triggering readers’ judgment about truth and imagination. In his works, the writer often referred to the theme of insanity, central to the short story under the title “The tell-tale heart,” originally published in 1843. The narrator...

Ulysses in Dante’s The Divine Comedy

In Canto 26 of Dante’s Inferno, Dante and Virgil continue their descent into the 8th circle of Hell – the one that hosts all sinners who deceived those who did not trust them. Here, in the 8th bolgia, where to sit counselors of fraud, they meet the famous Greek hero...

Identity and Cultural Heritage in “Everyday Use”

Introduction Everyday Use is a short story written by African-American writer Alice Walker and published in 1973. Mrs. Johnson, an African-American woman and the main character of the story, lives in the suburbs of an unknown town in the Deep South and is a mother of two adult daughters. Johnson’s...

“Bad Indians: A Tribal Memoir” by Deborah Miranda

Bad Indians A Tribal Memoir is a book by a modern American writer named Deborah Miranda. The life of native citizens of Californian lands was difficult during the period of Spanish Missions. Mission Indians, as they are called nowadays, faced much cruelty and injustice, and Miranda, whose ancestors were Indians,...

The Novel “July’s People” by Nadine Gordimer

Nadine Gordimer’s much-acclaimed novel, July’s people of 1981, talks about the colonialism period in South Africa. The book was produced in 1981, thirteen years after the official dismissal of the apartheid regime. The book focuses on describing the apartheid regime as well as the future. It provides a revolutionary view...

“How I Met My Husband” Short Story by Alice Munro

Alice Ann Munro is a short story writer from Canada born in 1931 in Ontario, Canada. She attended the University of Western Ontario studying English and journalism before abandoning her studies after two years. Munro won the Man Booker International Prize in 2009, while in 2013, she won the Nobel...

Gulliver’s Travels by Swift: A Literary Analysis

Swift was a figure of the Enlightenment Era, covering almost the entire first half of the eighteenth century. That time has entered the history of humanity as a time of progress and reform, the time of the dawn of human self-consciousness. Many Enlightenment thinkers defended the ideas of freedom and...

Human Nature in “The Love Letter” by Jack Finney

Introduction The tale of Jack Finney’s The Love Letter was written in 1959 and became an excellent basis for a touching film that will not leave anyone indifferent. The book describes the love story of a young man Johnny and an adult woman Helen. This short romance means that Johnny...