“Skin: Ineradicable Stain Project” by Shelley Jackson

Introduction According to Harris, the gothic genre involves mysteries, horrific scenes, death, and other features that generate fear among the readers (par 1). The style establishes uncertainties in the settings and plots of stories. In most of the gothic genres, death is inevitable. In fact, most of the characters face...

“The Giver” by Lois Lowry

Lois Lowry is the author of the story “The Giver”. She is an American writer who has written almost forty children stories. Lowry lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Lois Lowry’s place of birth is Hawaii. She was a calm and introverted child who liked reading. During childhood, she had to live...

“Wuthering Heights” by Emily Bronte

Ian Watt argues in his critical text The Rise of the Novel that the novel was the first literary work to use personalized authentic names for its characters. Watt insists that traditional writers used names that implied some behavior or qualities, and, therefore, were not authentic. According to him, such...

Steppenwolf by Hermann Hesse

Steppenwolf by Hermann Hesse is a psychological novel as it contains a lot of Freudian and Jungian undercurrents in its theme. One finds the hero Harry Haller trying to cope up with the many sides of his personality. In fact, Haller suffers from a dual personality. Throughout the novel, the...

Satire of Exclusion and Genocide

Introduction The author of A Modest Proposal and Gulliver’s Travels was Jonathan Swift, who wrote these books when England was losing its power and influence in the world. Swift wanted to show his readers that England could regain its status without becoming too dependent on other countries (Oakleaf 65). He...

“Cinderella” vs. “Vasilisa the Beautiful” Folk Tales

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...

The Glass Menagerie by T. Williams: An Analysis

The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, set in 1937, explores the ideas of escapism, unfulfilled dreams, and responsibility in a family struggling financially. The author’s intention behind writing the play was to demonstrate the difficulties of accepting reality through symbolic interactions between the characters and their internal struggles. The play’s...

Fascinating Whirlpool of Themes in “Goblin Market” by Christina Rossetti

Introduction Even in a children’s book, the reader can identify deeply philosophical topics for oneself, so Christina Rossetti’s poem Goblin Market (1862) under the guise of a fairy tale contains deep ideas. The first theme seems more superficial since the reader can notice it even with a shallow reading. The...

The Great Gatsby: Illusions in Human Existence

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is often analyzed from the point of view of opposing dreams and reality, the spiritual and material world, and the inconsistency of the genre diversity of the novel. The Great Gatsby is usually viewed as a characteristic novel for its era, the main...

“The Natural Bridge/Rogue River Canyon” Poem by Paul Halupa

Introduction The Natural Bridge/Rogue River Canyon poem by Paul Halupa is an excellent example of metaphor-filled modernist work. The negative tone, jagged narrative, and unconventional tact parallel the profoundly personal experiences or reflections the author has put into the lines. However, the essence of the work has not been turned...

Exploring Idealized Love in Marie de France’s Poems

Introduction Marie de France was a poet from the Early Middle Ages best known for her lays, or narrative poems written in Old French. These lays address a wide range of subjects, from courtly love to morality to societal conventions. The novels frequently feature romanticized types of love, in which...

Stephen Crane’s “The Open Boat” Story Evaluation

The Open Boat is an 1897 novel based on four men in a life-threatening situation. Crane tells the story about four men, a captain, the oiler, the correspondent, and a cook, who survive after the ship they traveled on sank. Using a single lifeboat, the four men face nature’s harshness...

Naturalism in the Open Boat by Stephen Crane

Introduction The story of the Open Boat is about four men trying to survive against various natural occurrences. The four men include the correspondent, the oiler, the cook, and the oiler. After surviving a shipwreck, the men sails on a lifeboat, day and night, while waiting to be rescued. Nature,...

Fences, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and “Young Goodman Brown”: Analysis

Fences (2016) and A Midsummer Night’s Dream are intriguing narratives that shed light on interpersonal conflicts that prevent individuals from achieving life satisfaction. The main characters in both plays strive to satisfy their desires, but several factors, including their hopes and dreams, prevent them from succeeding. Nevertheless, the authors send...

“Where My Characters Come From” by Haruki Murakami

Introduction Murakami, in his article “Where My Characters Come From,” gives an overview of how he chooses the characters in his novel and what motivates the choices of characters (2). Murakami’s purpose is to explain how he develops his characters over time in his writing career and how the characters’...

Melville’s Bartleby vs. Kafka’s The Hunger Artist

Introduction The two literary works by Melville and Kafka contain several important similarities that have to be considered when making any conclusions regarding the contents of the two stories. First of all, it can be noted how Frantz Kafka and Herman Melville utilize a similar language for their respective stories...

The Novel “A Thousand Splendid Suns” by Khaled Hosseini

Introduction The issue of women’s rights has always been an acute topic since while women in developed countries have the privilege of education and a career, having a sense of security and protection, many women in developing countries are restricted in their freedom. The novel A Thousand Splendid Suns was...

Strong Moral Principles in “The Black Cat” by Edgar Allan Poe

Introduction Edgar Allan Poe is an American poet, novelist, critic, creator of the horror novel genre, and “the moral anarchist.” It is essential to note that his work and creativity are associated mainly with the opposition of repulsive, crude reality and the romantic ideal of beauty, ethics, and spiritual, moralizing...

Difference Between Bookworm and Thinking Man

Introduction Emerson critiques and distinguishes between two categories of knowledge seekers as a writer. In particular, Thinking Man is against a bookworm, which is, in my opinion, a good stance. According to Emerson, the difficulty is that the holiness innate in creation, the activity of thinking, is immediately transferred to...

“Oedipus Rex” by Sophocles vs. “Fences” by Wilson

Introduction It is important to note that the key themes of betrayal and trust, family and relationships, as well as pride and prejudice, emerge in many works of literature. The given analysis will focus on “Oedipus Rex” and “Fences,” which do not seem to be linked in any way. However,...

The Writing Technique of “Vision” in Elizabeth Bishop’s Poetry

Elizabeth Bishop’s poetry remains rather controversial to many modern literary critics. Many consider her an outstanding poet that is attentive to detail, while others believe that the author’s lack of much literary production makes it difficult to analyze her poetry. It is also criticized that Bishop had no personal experience...

Grandmother in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by O’Connor

Introduction In A Good Man Is Hard to Find, Flannery O’Connor explores such themes as family, prejudice, and finding grace, showing that human compassion could have transformative power. The juxtaposition between the two main stereotypical characters, the Misfit and the grandmother, is used to transfer the key message that in...

Tradition as Theme of “The Lottery” by Jackson

Introduction Tradition is a good thing until it becomes dangerous for people who follow it. This idea becomes the central theme of the short story “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson. To show this idea, the author describes the life of a small village and its inhabitants. At first glance, they...

Coming of Age: Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber by Hemingway

Coming of age has been quite a common topic in literature. Surprisingly, it does not always happen to a person during adolescence. For some individuals, maturity comes in their later adult years after a certain event, whether it is marriage or parenthood. However, in the wake of such situations, others...

Humanism in Jean-Paul Sartre’s Nausea

Jean-Paul Sartre dismisses the understanding of humanism that fails to acknowledge the importance of individual choice. Based on the rejected philosophy of humanism, people may take others’ credit for their personal accomplishments since they share humanity, thus, making others’ achievements their own. He critics the previous understanding of the concept...

Conformity in the Consumerism Culture in “America” by Tony Hoagland

Introduction The poem “America” by Tony Hoagland is an example of a verse that represents the topics of conformity and rebellion. The author emphasizes the connections between economic issues and conformity, showing that people do not see their natural desires and inclinations because they are busy consuming products. In the...

The Plays “Oedipus Tyrannus” by Sophocles and “Hamlet” by Shakespeare

Characters enhance the storyline of a story in literature in a crucial way. People do this through their deeds, behaviors, connections, and other facets of personality. Furthermore, within the framework of a plot, their mannerisms characterize who they are. In “Oedipus Tyrannus” by Sophocles, the events of Oedipus the King...

The Role of Colors in the Superman Comics

Comics rely heavily on such a visual element as color. This is due to the fact that this aspect helps to fulfill many different tasks that the author faces when creating a work. So, the color helps to convey the characters’ mood and the narrative’s general atmosphere. Thus, this response...

“Imagine a World” by Amory Lovins

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 Main Theme of “The Epic of Gilgamesh”

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...

Gloria Anzaldua’s Poem “To Live in the Borderlands Means You”

Introduction Gloria Anzaldua’s poem, “To Live in the Borderlands Means You,” explores identities, culture, and self-worth in the modern age and is intricate and profound. The borderland refers to the distinctive phenomenology and sense of identity of the individual who cannot traverse the borders yet resides within its chasm (Ortega...

Fiction Elements in Chopin’s The Story of an Hour

In 1984, Kate Chopin published a short story titled “The Story of an Hour”. The name of the narrative alludes to the period of time during which Louise Mallard, the protagonist of the story, first finds that her husband, Brently, has passed away. Later on in this story, Brently discovers...

Textual Analysis of “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien Review

The Things They Carried is a literary work authored by Tim O’Brien. The book is set at a time when the American soldiers were engrossed in war in the Vietnam. Therefore, the literature focuses on the life of American society within the army. A critical analysis of the literature shows...

Moral Judgment: The Handmaid’s Tale by Atwood

Introduction I agree that we must be cautious when passing moral judgment when. Reading the novel, The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood is accurate in terms of Offred, the Commander, the Commander’s wife and the Angel, when examining the decisions and actions they take. However, universal laws of human morality...

“A Model of Christian Charity” by John Winthrop

John Winthrop lived from 1588 to 1649; as he was born into a wealthy family of land-owning merchants he received a good education. His father took a position at Cambridge University when John was young. As a result, John Winthrop was exposed to complex ideas from a very young age....

The Twelve Labors of Hercules in Mythology

Mythology is a big part of the culture of many nations and countries. It contains much wisdom and knowledge about the past, even though it is hundred percent fictional. Ancient Greek and Roman mythologies share many similarities but are not entirely the same. However, they both tell the story of...

“The Epic of Gilgamesh”: Archetypal Elements

Introduction The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of the most important literature pieces that partly created the foundation for the art existing currently. Moreover, multiple archetypal elements can be derived from the poem, both regarding the rivalry and friendship between Gilgamesh and Enkidu and the epic as a whole. In...

Sophocles’ Oedipus the King Analysis

Introduction Greek poets set the groundwork for dramatic literature. Scholars and critics alike believe Sophocles’ tragedy Oedipus the King to be the pinnacle of his achievements as a writer in ancient Greece. A crucial and divisive issue in Sophocles’ day is explored in the play: The Gods’ will versus man’s...

Analysis of Symbols in “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson

Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” is an impressive short novel that narrates the story of an intriguing but cruel tradition in a small village in the United States. The villagers annually conduct a lottery on 27 June, and shockingly, the “winner” gets brutally killed with stones by other residents. “The Lottery”...

“The Cask of Amontillado” Analysis

“The Cask of Amontillado” is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe. It narrates the tale of Montresor, a man who takes revenge on his friend, Fortunato, by luring him into a wine-tasting excursion and then trapping him in a wine barrel to die. The story is often seen as...

Updike’s A&P vs. Achebe’s Dead Man’s Path Comparison

The author’s tools for creating a full-fledged atmosphere are diverse and consist of the selection of words and rhetorical style. The authors try to include as many emotions as possible in the narrative so that readers can identify with the characters, agree with them and empathize with them. Examples of...

“The Mysterious Stranger” Novel by Mark Twain

“The Mysterious Stranger” by Mark Twain is a novel revolving around humanity and its greatest sins. Introducing Satan as one of the main characters, the author reveals the lack of morals as one of the main shortcomings affecting everyone. Through his words, Twain describes the sins and problems the majority...

Fantasy and Reality in “A Streetcar Named Desire” by Williams

Many people in society find it simpler to construct a make-believe universe where they may escape the harsh facts of reality. The play’s imagination stands in contrast to the characters’ real-life experiences. Moreover, the film’s vision of the events in the lives of Blanche and the other protagonists serves as...

The “Julius Caesar” Play by William Shakespeare

While segmentation between public and private identities helps preserve the character desired to be portrayed, the complexity of a divergent behavior trail renders it difficult to identify one’s intentions on the subject. This grim is attained through manipulating one’s character to match the qualities an observer anticipates. The dynamics of...

The Story “The Good Earth” by Pearl S. Buck

Pearl S. Buck’s story The Good Earth raised several significant problems in China. Exploitation, a desire for riches, family troubles, and contempt for elder Chinese culture are among the conflicts that the protagonists confront throughout the novel (Gupta 90). Wang Lung faces several challenges as he attempts to escape poverty....

Social Class in the Greed Poem by Philip Schultz

Philip Schultz is one of the renowned poets who used his work to portray various issues that affect the stability of a given nation. In the poem Greed, he portrays how different individuals make decisions that contribute to the instability of the nation (Poetry Foundation, “Philip Schultz”). The poet refers...

Tradition in “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson

Introduction At first glance, it may seem that rituals and traditions are related only to some special events in a person’s life, but it is necessary to look at this topic a little more broadly. It is essential to look at rituals, traditions, norms, and customs as specific sequences of...

Analysis of The Odyssey and Its Impact

Homer’s Odyssey gives readers a heroic narrative about a protagonist on his quest to home from war. The protagonist Odysseus is far from flawless, and the reader explores his personality while he faces various opponents and his stupidity. The epic delves into themes of fate, revenge, humanity, and ferocious powers....

Edgar Allan Poe’s The Cask of Amontillado

Annotated Bibliography Elhefnawy, Nader. “Edgar Allan Poe’s The Cask of Amontillado.” The Explicator, vol.7, no. 2, 2018, 103-105.  Nader Elhefnavi explores the Cask of Amontillado, emphasizing the importance of understanding Montresor’s motives. The retelling of the murderer’s events does not reveal what he felt or thought (Elhefnawy 103). This type...

Analysis of Gods in the Epic of Gilgamesh

The gods and their relation and hierarchy with humans present one of the main themes in The Epic of Gilgamesh. This essay will focus on the gods in the story and explore their nature and motives. In the story, gods are described with a close resemblance to humans, and their...

Evil Humanity in “Night” Book by Elie Wiesel

Introduction “Night” is the first book in a trilogy written in 1960 by the prominent author Elie Wiesel, awarded the Nobel Prize in 1986. This work is based on Wiesel’s Holocaust experience, which he and his father, who died from the beating, got during the Second World War in 1944-1945....

Tobias Wolff’s Memoir “This Boy’s Life”

This Boy’s Life is a story of a young guy growing up struggling with his problems and fears, misunderstanding, and condemnation of others. Notably, Tobias Wolff stays focused on his desire to reinvent himself, to have a different kind of life compared to the one he is living, and to...

John Donne and His Literary Works

Introduction There are many great writers whose literary works still fascinate people and are studied by students and researchers. One such person is John Donne – an Anglican cleric and English writer of the late sixteenth – early seventeenth century. Researchers note that his art “is distinguished by its emotional...

Class and Racial Ideologies in “Bastard Out of Carolina” by Allison

Introduction In Bastard Out of Carolina, the author renders and challenges major stereotypes on identity through the harrowing account of the narrator, Bone. She builds a portrait of a brave, traumatized girl considered illegitimate by the State and who endures repeated abuse without recourse. Mythological positions about poverty, sexuality, and...

Wordsworth’s “I Wandered Lonely…” vs. Arnold’s “Dover Beach”

In I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud, Wordsworth describes a persona traipsing and discovering daffodils by a lake only to reminisce over and derive great pleasure and comfort from the experience when loneliness, boredom, and restlessness later strike. Conversely, Arnold’s Dover Beach dissects the reality of a new world detached...

Analysis of T. S Elliot’s “The Waste Land” Versus Langston Hughes’ Poetry

Introduction Literature serves as a mirror of society, capturing events in a fictionalized form; the purpose of literature is to inform, educate, and connect people. It enables individuals to express their emotions and thoughts; this catharsis improves individuals. Reading literature allows people to connect personally and discover meaning in life....

“Joy” by Smith and “Peculiar Benefits” by Gay: Comparative Analysis

Certainly, for a better understanding of any information, one should not only describe or analyze but also compare. Thus, two essays were selected for the current analysis, which would be analyzed and compared in the context of its genre, choice of authors, and conventions. Primarily, one should note that the...

Analysis of “To Live in the Borderlands” Poem

Being a part of the global community, with its incredible diversity and complicated history of relationships between different groups, is quite challenging, especially for those belonging to minority groups. In her poem “To Live in the Borderlands,” Gloria Anzaldua purports the emotional weight of the struggle that she carries as...

Letters in “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen

Introduction Pride and Prejudice is a romantic comedy novel by Jane Austen during the Regency era in England. It is a romantic story that follows the character development of Elizabeth Bennet, who is the dynamic character of the narration. She learns about the aftermaths of hasty judgments and notes the...

Human Life in “The Open Boat” by Stephen Crane

“The Open Boat” is a story written by Stephen Crane about a crew on a boat that is sailing through a storm towards a lighthouse. The men courageously try to overcome the waves that at any moment can overturn their boat. Evidently, if that happens, all of them will die...

“The Butcher’s Tale” by Helmut Walser Smith

The Butcher’s Tale: Murder and Anti-Semitism in a German Town by Helmut Walser Smith is a 2002 book set in a Prussian town in the early 1900s. The novel begins with Smith outlining the details and history of a grisly murder that occurred in Konitz. While the town is now...

A Flow of Ambition in Shakespeare’s Macbeth

Macbeth is called one of Shakespeare’s most “Greek” plays, and it represents a man who destroys his life through a row of sinful and unfair choices. However, there are several discrepancies between a traditional Greek play and Shakespeare’s Macbeth. For example, the majority of Greek plays are based on the...

Feminist Ideas in the Works of Angela Carter

Throughout history, fairy tales have served a variety of purposes; however, the earliest examples represent the common beliefs and values of specific groups. After becoming a literary genre, fairy tales started to include various social classes, leading to changing ideologies. The Bloody Chamber, the collection of re-written stories by Angela...

The Motif of Baggage in “The Things They Carried”

Introduction Most literary works are created by their authors not only to entertain the readers but also to serve high purposes and provide people with unique ideas. Certainly, this objective may be achieved by certain plot and plot twists that directly convey the writer’s thoughts. However, sometimes the author does...

Different Views on Multicultural Identity: Aurora Levins Morales and Gloria Anzaldua

The idea of identity and culture has always been topical in the literature. Numerous authors have been cogitating about their culture and place in a particular country or community. For America, this issue acquired critical importance because of the history of the state and its multicultural nature. The diversity of...

The Box Man by Kobo Abe: A Short-Form Analysis

Passage “The seaside smell of rain is quite like a dog’s breath. The place is not all that suitable as a rain shelter, for the drizzle is directionless as if expelled from an atomizer. The bridge girders are too high. This entire location is unsuitable. Everything—being at a place like...

“A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor: Literary Analysis

Introduction A Good Man Is Hard to Find was first published in 1953 after Flannery O’Connor’s permanent migration to Andalusia, her mother’s dairy farm, and displayed several characteristics typical of the author’s style. Constrained, in many ways, by her sickness, the author had to take advantage of various resources available...

“The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” by Mark Haddon

Christopher, the protagonist in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon, is subtly shown as autistic by Haddon through his actions in the text. The author guides the reader to assume the protagonist has a form of cognitive issue evidenced by his obsession with inconsequential...

Analysis of “The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst

James Hurst’s novel, The Scarlet Ibis, is a piece rich in parallels and literary devices that evokes emotions of empathy and regret from the very beginning. Its central theme is the guilt and shame of the protagonist over the death of his younger brother. Above all, the author emphasizes these...

“A Clockwork Orange”: Alex’s Character Evolution

In the novel “A Clockwork Orange” by Anthony Burgess, the narration is conducted on behalf of a difficult teenager Alex. He and his friends rob, rape, and arrange brutal reprisals. At the same time, he describes all the actions in an ordinary tone, as if nothing is happening. During one...

“A Rose for Emily” and “The Yellow Wallpaper”: Similarities and Differences

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...

Brothers in Chaim Potok’s Novel “In the Beginning”

Introduction Chaim (Herman Harold) Potok was an American novelist and essayist born into a Hasidic family. He studied at an Orthodox Jewish school but showed an early craving for creativity. At the age of ten, he tried to draw, but his father and teachers dissuaded him from this hobby. A...

An Analysis of ”Robinson Crusoe” and ”Pride and Prejudice”

For the most part, Daniel Deoe’s Robinson Crusoe tells a story of a man who lives on an island where the class of a person does not matter. Nevertheless, the concept of the middle class still plays a significant role in the book and its narrative. Robinson’s father is a...

Plot and Topics of “Girl” by Jamaica Kincaid

The author presents a series of advice that the mother gives to the daughter in the Antiguan community. The mother notices that her daughter has reached adolescence and realizes she is the only person to guide her daughter to live a non-promiscuous and respectful life. She imparts general knowledge to...

Comparing “To Winter” by Claude McKay and “After the Winter Rain” by Ina Coolbrith

“To Winter” and “After the Winter Rain” are both related to the same topic of the winter period. However, they display this season from different aspects: Claude McKay expresses his desire for winter to stay and Ina Coolbrith explains how spring comes after winter. In addition, the poems are visibly...

“The Bell Jar” by Sylvia Plath: Plot and Thesis

Introduction In The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath authors a story about herself. The life of Esther Greenwood, who aspires to be a poet, is depicted in The Bell Jar as she tries to realize her ambitions via education, using Ladies’ Day magazine as a starting point. She chose a month-long...

Suicide and Homicide in Sophocles’ “Antigone” and “Electra”

Introduction Sophocles, who is usually considered one of the best minds of his time, was an influential person in Athens and was elected to important government posts. He was also famous in the literature field, having written 123 works, of which only seven have survived, including the tragedy Antigone. Sophocles...

Is There a Moral in “Rapunzel”

The inevitability of the life cycle and procreation has been the subject of several interpretations of “Rapunzel’s” moral. Other versions of the narrative emphasize the conflict between the young and the old. Rapunzel is imprisoned in a tower in the midst of the forest by the old witch at one...

Characters in “Pawn Shop” by Alexie

Character development is vital in literature as it helps readers to understand their various aspects. One of the characters used by Alexie in Pawn Shop is Jackson. He is homeless, which limits his chances of being an active member of society. Jackson said, “one day you have a home and...

Mark Twain’s Place in American Literature

Introduction According to Ernest Hemingway, all modern American literature sprung from Mark Twain’s iconic work, called the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Although Mark Twain died over 100 years ago, he remains one of the centerpieces of American literature (Long and LeMaster 8). His novels – The Adventures of Tom Sawyer...

Analysis of “Woman’s Work” by Julia Alvarez

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...

The Interview “I’m a Runner: Haruki Murakami”

I listened to Haruki Murakami’s interview “I’m a Runner: Haruki Murakami.” The writer explains how exercise has changed his social and physical lifestyle (Lee, 2005). In the second interview, Murakami talks about his writing process, general life, and characters that appear in his writing. Murakami reveals that he loves cats...

Mother-Son Conflict in Toole’s “A Confederacy of Dunces”

Introduction John Kennedy Toole’s novel A Confederacy of Dunces unveils diverse issues people encounter in their lives. These problems include but are not confined to relationships with others, ways to fit in the community, and attempts to realize oneself and satisfy one’s needs. At that, family issues, or rather the...

Discussion of “Aeneid” Story by Virgil

Introduction Virgil’s “Aeneid” is the story of the Trojans who had to flee their hometown after the Greeks destroyed it. This story explains both the details of the Trojan war, the Aeneas’s journey to Carthage, their arrival to Sicily, and Aeneid’s destiny as the founder of Rome. This paper will...

An Ideal Hero in the “Beowulf” Old English Poem

A hero is believed to be an individual of great strength, courage, and fortitude, or one of the central protagonists in a literary or cultural work, including a movie or video game. Facing overwhelming adversities, the leader uses creative abilities, valor, or power in order to overcome them. Hero and...

“Would You Kill the Fat Man?” Book by Edmonds

Introduction The purpose of the review of ‘Would you kill the fat man?’ written by David Edmonds is to discover what choices people have made, what influenced them, and how it can be evaluated philosophically. The book suggests that the unbraked train will soon destroy five people tied to the...

Critique of Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass was a notable abolitionist and social reformer who escaped from slavery and depicted his experience in his memoir Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. He strongly believed in equality and shared his ideas in a direct and intimate fashion through his own story. Throughout...

Discussion of Persephone and Odysseus

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...

And Tango Makes Three: A Book Banned in Vain?

And Tango Makes Three is a real-life story that was shaped into the literary form by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell. The book tells the readers the story of two penguins from the Central Park Zoo, who hatched an egg together and practically gave birth to another penguin named Tango....

C. S. Lewis: “Course He Isn’t Safe. But He’s Good”

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...

“The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe Analysis

The Tell-Tale Heart is one of Edgar Allan Poe’s scary stories. The story is told on behalf of an unnamed narrator who killed an older man with whom he lived under the same roof. The narrator insists on his sanity, explaining the crime by saying that the old man had...

Literary Criticism of Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily”

Introduction During his lifetime and after his death, William Faulkner was widely discussed both by the public and scholars. The latter’s contributions to the reception of this author were primarily connected to the discussion of the characters in his novels and stories, and, in the case of “A Rose for...

“Creon in Antigone”: Analysis

The tragedy is named after the main character. Polyneices, brother of Antigone, the daughter of King Oedipus, betrayed his relatives Thebes, took part in the Campaign of the Seven against them, and died in the struggle with his brother Eteocles, the defender of the homeland. King Creon forbade the traitor...

Lynn Nottage’s “Sweat” Play Production

‘Sweat’ is a magnificent attempt to express the feelings of unionized workers in a Pennsylvania steel town in 2010, whose wages are slowly being cut by the company, falling for the savings promised by NAFTA. It was exciting how the brutal bosses and their inhuman system of capitalist competition forced...

Justice in Dante’s Poem “Inferno”

Even though justice is a very straightforward idea, its execution in many cultures remains a challenge. Dante Alighieri depicts a man’s journey through Hell in his famous epic poem, Inferno, a microcosm of society. A book depicts Hell as a place where many humans- historical, mythological, or contemporary-are incarcerated for...

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...

Objectification of Moga in Tanizaki’s Novella “Naomi”

At the beginning of the 20th century, there was a toxic enchantment with the West in Japan, which transmitted an extremely negative imprint on women who got influenced by it. Junichiro Tanizaki investigated Japan’s fascination with the West for many years and documented his observations in numerous writings. The central...

The Bastard’s Best Qualities for Effective Leadership

“King John” is among the most interesting plays by Shakespeare. In the book, the struggle for inheritance and power controls the plot. After the death of King Richard, the Lionheart, Arthur, and John enter a conflict on who rightfully deserves to inherit the throne. At the same time, the Bastard,...

Poverty and Capitalism in Trash by Dorothy Allison

Through the book titled Trash, author Dorothy Allison features the struggles of a violent survivor from a poverty-stricken family. Although Dorothy’s story is not a biography, it certainly portrays the life of a working-class lesbian through a reinvented and condensed experience. The girl is depicted as addicted to violence but...

“Master’s Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master’s House” by Audre Lorde

The master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house is Audre Lorde’s provocative admonishment, and it is a warning that Black and other academics of color should heed. Lorde uses dismantling the master’s house as a metaphor for intersectional systems and structures of oppression that produced and perpetuated health inequality...

Anne Bradstreet and Phillis Wheatley: The Change of Status Quo in Literature

Anne Bradstreet, born in 1612 in England, was married to Simon Bradstreet and graduated from the University of Cambridge at 16. A couple of years later, after moving to America and having eight children, she became one of the first poets in the American colonies. Phillis Wheatley Peters was a...

“The Red and the Black” by Stendhal

Synopsis The Red and the Black is a novel by Stendhal, and it is also called The chronicle of the XIX century. The book reveals the tragic story of Julien Sorel, “in whose soul there is a struggle between natural nobility and dangerous ghosts of ambition” (Stendahl, 1967). The plot...

“Le Morte d’Arthur” Book by Thomas Malory

Le Morte d’Arthur retells the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. The medieval setting of the literary piece is traced through the use of outdated language that describes the atmosphere, social relations, and the environment of the medieval times. However, the themes of love, friendship,...

Tragedy: Special Features of the Genre

From ancient times, people composed stories to entertain themselves and to teach others certain lessons. Over time, genres appeared to which each story could be assigned, which significantly facilitated the process of creation of new art since writers now had certain templates to build upon. Tragedy has always been recognized...

Presentation of “The Worst Hard Time” by Timothy Egan

Introduction The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan offers a discussion of the events of the American Dust Bowl. In particular, the author describes how the natural features of the American West, combined with inappropriate agricultural practices, including over-farming, caused the disaster. The narration unfolds by tracing the life events...

The Dignity of Ushers by Al Maginnes Analysis

The poem “The Dignity of Ushers” by Al Maginnes discusses the effects of modernity on the eponymous profession. In this context, the term means people who stand at a church’s doors and open them for people who attend sermons. They also direct visitors to seats to minimize confusion and ensure...

Nathanial Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman Brown”

It is Nathanial Hawthorne’s Young Goodman Brown that still makes students’ minds and imaginations work hard after reading the short story. The plot is marvelous as per both theological and moral issues. Undeniable, the short story is one that makes one rethink the ideas and values of own life due...

Conformity in Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery”

Introduction The works of Shirley Jackson are well-known in literary society. Even though the issues addressed by the author appear to be diverse, special attention is drawn to the subject of conformity. In “The Lottery,” the writer delivers her unique understanding of the dangers of excessive conservatism. In this essay,...

“My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke

In “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke, the waltz is used as a metaphor for describing the relationship between a father and his son. The readers are introduced to a visual flashback from the speaker’s childhood as to a night his father came back home intoxicated and proceeded to dance...

Female Agency in 19th and 20th Century Literature

Introduction The problem of female agency and the constraints that patriarchy has placed on it became particularly prominent in the West in the late 19th-early 20th century. Due to the pressure of sociocultural, as well as socioeconomic and sociopolitical changes, the opportunity for women to add potency, urgency, and convincingness...

Virtue and Family Responsibility in “The Ramayana”

The Ramayana is one of the major works in world literature displaying the beliefs of people who lived in Ancient India. The epic depicts the adventures of Rama, who was one of the best people of his time and the best king of his people. As any other epic hero,...

The Chapter “A Pair of Tickets” by Amy Tan

“A Pair of Tickets” is the final chapter of Amy Tan’s book The Joy Luck Club in which the author shows readers the importance of self-identification and reunion. This chapter is a reflection of the personal experience of Amy Tan, who, like Jing-Mei Woo, an immigrant girl who traveled to...

“Beat! Beat! Drum!” Discussion

After listening to Walt Whitman’s Beat! Beat! Drum! performed by the speaker I received a dubious impression. The free verse used in the poem reminds a quickness of movement that reflects the poet’s enthusiasm, fervor, and passion. There are three stanzas, all of which repeat the same line “Beat! beat!...

The Future Shock and Its Idea on Accelerating the Speed of Progress

Alvin Toffler is an American philosopher and futurologist, one of the authors of the popular concept of post-industrial civilization, author of many books and articles. He holds honorary doctorates in literature and natural sciences. In the late 1960s, Toffler was commissioned by IBM to research the social consequences of the...

“Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit” as Work of Modern Myth

The novel by Jeannette is a masterpiece. “Oranges are not the only fruit” in a book that sees the author shift from first-person narration to third-person narration. The shift uses a technique common to the ones that fables apply while telling children stories. In this essay, the similarities between Jeannette’s...

Maya Angelou’s “Still I Rise: A Renaissance Anthem”

The spirit of renaissance stirs through many literary works from the last quarter of the 20th century, rejuvenating African American’s will to defy an oppressive system. One such invigorating creation is Maya Angelou’s Still I Rise. This paper analyses how Angelou’s poem criticizes racism and marginalized conditions that have perpetually...

Love in “Romeo and Juliet” Play by William Shakespeare

“Romeo and Juliet” was written by William Shakespeare about two young people deeply in love. It is set in Italy during the 16th century, and it has been one of the most debated narratives. Love is an archetype that is evident across the piece. The story relates to my chosen...

“A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor

O’Connor says that people should never expect anything good from someone because a good person is not easy to find from the very title of his story. In the work, the author raises the topic of the confrontation between good and evil and how absurd it can sometimes seem when...

“Child of the Americas” by Morales

Child of the Americas is a poem focused on one’s multicultural ethnic background, where the main character’s identity became multifaceted and complex. The author is well-aware of the general heritage she possesses, and she is not inclined to dismiss any aspect of her history. The poet fully understands that her...

The Gift of the Magi Short Story by O. Henry

All O. Henry’s works are imbued with attention to imperceptible “little” people, whose troubles and joys are vividly portrayed in his stories. The author aims to draw attention to the genuine human values. As a result, the most seemingly deplorable finals of his short stories begin to be perceived as...

Montesquieu’s Persian Letters as Orientalist Texts

Introduction “The Persian Letters” are detailed accounts of the European experiences of two young Persians named Rica and Usbek. The intellectual tourists explore French manners and morality while their people rebel against the tyrannical authorities that have been subjected to years of misery. The seraglio, as defined in the text,...

Insignificance of the Doloneia in Homer’s “The Iliad”

The Iliad is a classic work of literature, which has withstood the test of time and become one of the essential art pieces in human history. In ancient times, scholars have already started to question whether including Book 10, often referred to as the Doloneia, was the right choice. Modern...

Strength in One’s Convictions in Shakespeare’s “Othello”

Introduction Strong convictions pave the way for great actions. In his play Othello, Shakespeare explores the extent to which characters display strength of conviction when confronted with societal expectations from them by developing ideas around constructs such as objectification of women, prejudiced pride, and warped masculinity. The struggles of the...

Review of “The Veldt” Story by Ray Bradbury

Like most of Ray Bradbury’s works, the story The Veldt is written in the fantasy genre. The plot develops in the most ordinary family of Hadleys: mother, father, and two children. They live in a modern smart house called “The Happylife Home” that does all the work for them (Bradbury...

The Novels by Ignacio Aldecoa Analysis

A novel in Spain is an ancient and truly democratic literary genre, rooted in folklore. Therefore, it absorbs folk wisdom, cheerful mischief, and practical judgment. The novelistic tradition is still alive in Spain; evidence of this is the collections published annually and individual stories in newspapers and magazines. There are...

Symbolism of the Cage in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” by Truman Capote

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...

“Neuromancer” and “Snow Crash” Comparison

Introduction It is hard to disagree that most people like specific genres of books and usually read only them. One of the reasons for that is that texts share certain elements, which make them rather similar but still different. Precisely repetitive narrative elements, including plot, theme, characters, and setting, allow...

“Everyday Use” by Alice Walker: Précis and Critique

“Everyday Use” is a short story authored by Alice Walker and published in the year 1973. The story in the book is narrated by an African American woman known as Mama. Mama and her two daughters Maggie and Dee live in the Deep South. The story brings out the existing...

What You Pawn I Will Redeem: Annotated Bibliography

The What You Pawn I Will Redeem presents the message of cultural identity through the setting, symbolism, and historical context of the story. Skwiot, E., & Clugston, W. (2019). Journey into literature (3rd ed.). Web. First, the essential reference for this literary analysis is the primary source. What You Pawn...

The Play “The Merchant of Venice” by W. Shakespeare

Introduction The play The Merchant of Venice by Shakespeare contains distinct elements of comedy although it depicts issues of grave importance in the society today. For this reason, some scholars consider it a tragedy while others regard it as a tragic-comedy. However, the comic aspects present in the play are...

Travel Motive in Homer’s “The Odyssey”

Introduction The Odyssey is considered one of the first adventure novels in the history of humankind and a kind of encyclopedia of geographical representations of the ancient Greeks. Odysseus, in folk memory, is represented as a famous and even archetypal traveler. However, often readers forget that the legendary king of...

Inequality in “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara

Socio-economic inequality is the unfair distribution of resources and opportunities to the different groups and races in a country. In the contemporary world of capitalism, this problem is widespread in almost any society. Capitalists have secured the means of production while workers provide the labor force. Corporates and business owners...

“Oresteia” Trilogy by Aeschylus

The current essay is an analysis of Oresteia based on the book “Aeschylus Oresteia” by Peter Meineck. In this paper, first of all, a brief overview of the trilogy will be presented. Then, the following topics will be addressed and analyzed: the issue of justice and Oresteia’s argument about it;...

Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” & “The Yellow Wall-Paper” by Perkins-Gillman

Introduction The short horror stories “A Rose for Emily” and “The Yellow Wall-Paper” have similar and different features, which are manifested through the authors’ use of the elements of gothic literature. “A Rose for Emily” is a short story by William Faulkner that was first published in 1930. The story...

“The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership”: Book Review

The book review on “The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow them and people will follow you” is a subject to criticism based on many view points. First, the title of the book stands to be questioned itself; it shows some sense of rigidity and also some form of forced...

The Play “Othello” by William Shakespeare

Introduction It is worth noting that the play “Othello,” written by William Shakespeare, is a rather complicated story that can be explored at different levels. In particular, it talks about the loss of trust, love, and the meaning of life. At the same time, the play shows a conflict between...

Unconscious Irony in “Oedipus the King,” by Sophocles

Tragic heroes often embrace unconscious irony, leading to their downfall. In any literary work, it becomes fascinating when some of the characters are self-denial after engaging in different heinous actions unknowingly and later face the consequences after realizing the truth. Denotatively, unconscious irony is when various characters within the play...

Love, Life, Death, and God Concepts in Poetry

Introduction The themes of love, life, death, and belief are commonly discussed in poetry, and people are free to expand their own opinions and judgments. One of the main reasons for poets and poetesses to choose these concepts is their emotional complexity. These issues can be easily coupled with each...

Phoenix and Cycle of Struggle

Student Name___________________________ Professor Name__________________________ Course________________________________ Date__________________________________ Mythical and majestic phoenix dies under its own power and emerges from its own collapse, which makes its immortality cyclical. Phoenix’s main quest is to ease the pain and suffering of her beloved one. It is important to note the fact that her name...

Life and Dead in Poetry

Introduction The two main manifestations of human existence or two of its forms are life and death. These issues bother people during centuries because they are too complicated to understand them entirely. That is why the most intent contemplators of the world, poets, cannot ignore these categories. Reflecting life in...

Analysis of “Barn Burning” by William Faulkner

The plot of “Barn Burning” by William Faulkner involves Colonel Sartoris Snopes or Sarty, a little boy from a poor family, whose father decides to burn barns of the people he works for. The setting of the story is early spring in rural America in the end of the 19th...

The Analysis of “Race” by Karen Gershon

Every poem is unique in the way it portrays emotions and experiences that have already been reported in the literature. For instance, it may employ different tropes to create a lasting impression. The narrator’s personality, their perspective, is another important tool that allows conveying the message of the poet. This...

Inspiration by Robert Frost’s Poetry

Introduction Inspiration is a normal process in art creation, moreover, one can argue that all art pieces were created as a result of the artist being inspired by other works or by the world around them. The inspiration for the poem “Autumn” was a poem by Robert Frost titled “Nothing...

“The Best Laid Plans” by Terry Fallis

The novel The Best Laid Plans is a satirical book about the Canadian political system written by Terry Fallis in 2008. It has won the Stephen Leacock Award for humor and is well-known all around the world. What is precisely lovely about this novel is its language and perfect choice...