The Bell Jar: Critical Analysis

Nowadays, many literary critics tend to discuss the semantic meaning of Sylvia Plath’s novel “The Bell Jar” from strictly environmentalist perspective – that is, they refer to Esther Greenwood’s mental inadequateness as the result of novel’s protagonist being exposed to America’s “male chauvinistic” socio-political realities in time when women’s ability...

Lydia in Pride and Prejudice: Character Analysis

The novel “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen is considered to be a masterpiece of classical literature that has gone a long way due to the vivid presentation of the conflicts and interaction of the characters of the protagonists, Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy. These characters have been the subjects...

Interpretation of Legend in W. S. Merwin’s “Odysseus”

In human life the idea if home occupies one of the leading positions in the hierarchy of traditional values. The famous proverb “There is no place like home” reflects the uniqueness and importance of the place to human heart. The emotional value of home becomes especially apparent in situations when...

Emily Dickinson’s Poetry of Privation

The collected poems of Emily Dickinson include joyful ones and despairing ones. Some two hundred of them are regarded as poems of despair, some of them about literary recognition, others about her inability to engage with formal religion but most are about the absence of love in her life. As...

“The Management of Grief” by Bharati Mukherjee

Introduction In her short story The Management of Grief, Bharati Mukherjee describes the feelings of a person, who has lost her family. The author shows how the main character Shaila Bhave tries to overcome this tragedy. Apart from that, she compares her reaction to that of other people, who have...

“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...

Relationships and Dialogues. “The Awakening” by Kate Chopin

Edna Pontellier, the heroine of “The Awakening” by Kate Chopin, lives in the United States during the 1800s. During those days, men dominated U.S. society while women were considered inferior to them. The Feminism movement that demanded women should be treated equally as men, having the same political, economic, and...

Blood in Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” Novel

Introduction The Victorian age is at once identified generally as a time of nostalgic perfection and rigid oppression. It is the age of change and social advances as well as the age of the strict social structure and a severe regard for the customs of the past. During the later...

The Killers: Short Story Genre of Earnest Hemingway

The literary style of Earnest Hemingway, Nobel laureate in 1954, is direct, terse, and often monotonous, yet suited to elemental subject matters. His fiction and short stories usually focus on people living essential, dangerous lives, controlling the pain and difficulty of their existence, with stoic courage. Hemingway’s characters plainly embody...

“Age of Turbulence” by Alan Greenspan

Introduction Alan Greenspan’s Age of Turbulence is a personal memoir combined with the description of his role as Federal Reserve Chairman for the last 18 years. In this book, he traces his evolution from the life of an academic to the post of the Federal Reserve chairman. In this book,...

Wislawa Szymborska’s Literary Works Analysis

Introduction Wislawa Szymborska is considered to be an outstanding Polish poet and essayist. Her works stand out from all others by their prominent character and individuality. The author’s style is unique and expressive; she always tries to differentiate her poems from others by disclosure of major philosophical and ethical themes....

“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...

“The Tell-Tale Heart” by E. A. Poe Characters Review

In the short story, “The Tell-Tale Heart,” Poe creates a unique image of the main character, a nameless narrator, who commits a crime and kills an old ma. Although this narrator claims to be totally sane, he admits that there never existed a real motive for murder. In “The Tell-Tale...

Is Mr. Lockwood a Reliable Narrator in Wuthering Heights?

Reading classic literature provides plenty of benefits to the reader such as a better understanding of other people’s feelings and thoughts and the consequences of their actions. Often, the perception of those benefits directly depends on the narrator of a book. Emily Bronte’s novel Wuthering Heights narrated by two characters,...

Nora in A Doll’s House: Character Analysis

The literary heritage of Henrik Ibsen counts lots of dramatic works, which appear to be very popular and bringing up the problems of today. Actually, the matters, brought up within his works are eternal. So, the books are really worth reading and analyzing. In Ibsen’s dramatic writings the several storylines...

Sophocles’ Antigone: Critical Analysis

Introduction The play Antigone is one of the best Greek dramatic works depicting life style of society and human relations between people. Antigone of Sophocles can be characterized as an astonishing achievement of world literature in which people are crushed by the entanglements of law whichever way they turn. Antigone...

Settings in “Richard III” Play by Shakespeare

Introduction Literature is a priceless heritage of humanity that provides people with an opportunity to understand people’s nature, their motifs, ideas, fears, and beliefs. Being an effective way to convey messages, novels, stories, or poems contributed to the increased attention to the events in history that were significant for the...

The Canterbury Tales Costumes as Symbols

Clothing in a literary work can serve as a detail that communicates certain information about the hero. Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales are replete with detailed depictions of various characters’ wardrobes. At the same time, Chaucer’s numerous descriptions of clothing are equipped with varying artistic functions, serving special expressive purposes. 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...

‘A Rose for Emily’ by Faulkner: Narration & Psychological Depth

Introduction Widely considered to be one of the most significant American writers of the 20th century, Faulkner concentrates on themes that are universal. His novels, The Sound and the Fury, Absalom! Absalom! are experiments with shifts in time and narrative. A Rose for Emily is the strange story of love,...

American Reality vs. American Dream: Death of a Salesman Theme Analysis

Introduction Arthur Miller dramatizes not only the longings and disappointments of a little man in America and the inhuman attitude of the business world towards a man not useful to the organization, but he focuses readers’ attention on the gap between the American dream and the American reality. One of...

The Great Gatsby’s Wealth and Its Hollow Pursuit of Daisy

In The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby has set his sights on winning back the only girl he ever felt he loved. Because Daisy is already married to Tom when Gatsby returns from the war and because she has always been a child of privilege, Gatsby reasons that the best way...

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...

Giac Duyen in “The Tale of Kieu” by Nguyen Du: Character Analysis

Introduction The Tale of Kieu is a Vietnamese epic poem written by Nguyen Du in the early 19th century. The work has become a crucial part of Vietnamese literature, with many people believing that it holds great significance to the development of Vietnamese arts and poetry. The story is focused...

The Role of Money in “The Forged Coupon” by Leo Tolstoy

Introduction When one hears the name of Leo Tolstoy, the first thing that comes to mind is his great novels War and Peace or Anna Karenina. However, this famous Russian writer created more than 150 works, including short stories, autobiographical novels, and novellas. The Forged Coupon is one of the...

Food in Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest”

Introduction When it comes to discussing the discursive significance of Oscar Wilde’s 1895 comedy The Importance of Being Earnest, critics commonly refer to the fact that, despite having been written at the end of the 19th century, the concerned dramaturgic masterpiece continues to enjoy popularity with contemporary audiences. The reason...

Women’s Position in Kate Chopin’s Short Stories

Introduction Kate Chopin is an outstanding American author of novels and short stories. She is currently recognized as one of the first feminist writers of the 19th century as in her works, she focuses on women and their controversial position in marriage, and social oppression. For this essay, two works...

“The Killers” the Story by Ernest Hemingway

Introduction Hemingway’s short story “The Killers” deals with the common for the writer themes of courage, death, disillusionment, and masculinity. The semi-autobiographical narrator of the author, Nick Adams, intends to show his heroism but is disillusioned by the outcome of it. Throughout the story’s development, it becomes clear that Nick...

Critical Analysis of Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use“

Introduction The given writing illuminates the subject of family traditions and cultural roots and how these two sets of values do not necessarily match. Mama is not well-educated on the culture of Africa, whereas Dee is convinced that her family does not follow true African traditions. However, it is important...

Literary Devices in Suzan-Lori Parks’ Plays

Introduction Suzan-Lori Parks is an African American playwright of the 20th century who transformed American theatre with her mythic plays. She has won the acclaim of dramatists, critics, and the public around the globe as a provocative and influential author. At the same time, her innovative approach to language and...

Symbol in “The Lottery” Story by Shirley Jackson

Introduction The idea of society is conditioned to violence is established immediately in Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery.” To represent the concepts of violence and murder, stones are used and mentioned numerous times throughout the story. By using stones as the symbol of violence in “The Lottery,” Shirley Jackson represents the...

Bravery in “The Things They Carried” by T. O’Brien

Introduction It is worth noting that the book The Things They Carried is a series of stories about the life of American servicemen that was written in an ironic tone. The work created by Tim O’Brien reveals the physical and mental traumas experienced by soldiers during the war (Liu 57)....

“Night”: A Reflection on Elie’s Relationship with His Father

In “Night,” which is a semi-memoir dedicated to Elie Wiesel’s harrowing experiences in concentration camps, the topic of a father-son relationship and its development is very important. Elie, along with other Jewish people of his town, falls victim to the German occupation of Hungary. In 1944, Elie and his family...

Gender Equality in Jackson’s “The Lottery”

The issue of gender and relationships between men and women has always been an area for multiple debates and the collision of opposing views. Therefore, being one of the most topical issues for discussion, it has been widely discussed in the literature, and “Lottery” is one of the strongest examples...

“The Age of Innocence” the Novel by Edith Wharton

Introduction The novel The Age of Innocence written by Edith Wharton presents a critical or even satirical description of the social norms and values adopted in the upper-class society of New York at the end of the nineteenth century. In particular, the author focuses on such a concept as innocence,...

Epic Heroes in Literature: Gilgamesh, Achilles, Beowulf

Introduction Epic heroes are considered to be one of the most important figures in history and literature, who represent the best human qualities and traits, illustrate proper morals and values, and teach the reader what it means to be a fair, honorable, and respectable person. As a rule, epic heroes...

A Good Man Is Hard to Find: Literary Analysis

Brief introduction of the short story “A good man is hard to find” is a story that talks about a family that is killed by a social criminal named Misfit. The main characters are the Misfit and the unnamed grandmother. It depicts human beings as untrustworthy creatures; it is consistently...

“Crescent” and “Arabian Jazz” by Diana Abu-Jaber

Introduction The Arab American writers have always employed several literary components and literary devices that reflect the true history and traditional values of Arabs living in America. The literary works of Diana Abu-Jaber in her two novels, Crescent and Arabian Jazz are some of the most important Arab American novels,...

Justice and Morality in Coetzee’s “Waiting for the Barbarians”

Where are the borders between the truth and lies, between justice and injustice? Should the world be considered being civil and civilized, if it is based on the principles of law? What is the connection between law and justice, between civilization and the barbarian world? J. M. Coetzee has discussed...

Literary Devices in “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by O’Connor

Flannery O’Connor’s short story A Good Man is Hard to Find has always attracted the attention of various critics since this literary work can give rise to various interpretations. Moreover, it is possible to identify various themes that the author explores, for example, one can mention religion or social change....

Sarah DeLappe’s Play “The Wolves”

There are different ways of getting acquainted with writers’ works, such as reading a book, watching a film, or attending a theatrical performance. Out of these three, the latter seems to have the greatest impact on the audience. A play is different from a book in that it presents characters...

Machiavelli’s The Prince and Its Modern Importance

Introduction Machiavelli’s “The Prince” is a powerful masterpiece that presents the best leadership concepts. This political treatise was written by Niccolo Machiavelli. According to many scholars, “The Prince” was the first political text to examine the issue of leadership ethics (Machiavelli 27). The book presents meaningful arguments that are applicable...

Loneliness in The Diary of Anne Frank

Summary The novel is based on real-life events that happened during World War 2. The main character of the novel, which was a Jew, narrates how the Jews survived during the holocaust. The diary of Anne Frank is an account of a young girl’s experience. The diary narrates the ordeal...

Second Person Narrative in The Fall: A Unique Perspective

The point of view an author chooses to use when writing is often an integral choice to make in describing a story (Hawke 1). The most common points of view used by writers are first person, second person, and third person. Although they affect different aspects of writing, they are...

“The Waste Land” a Poem by Thomas Stearns Eliot

Introduction T. S. Eliot is one of the most significant modernist poets, particularly due to his use of vivid imagery in the exploration of social issues about the British community of the time. The Waste Land, written in 1922, is a long poem that has captured the attention of many...

“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...

Elie Wiesel’s ‘Night’: Father-Son Dynamics in Concentration Camps

In his book ‘Night’, author Eli Wiesel depicts several dynamics that affect the relationship between Elie and his father. The two characters are confined in a concentration camp during the Second World War after leaving their home in Siget. Like the other Jews in concentration camps, Eliezer (Elie) and his...

Irony in Everything That Rises Must Converge and A Rose for Emily

Irony in Everything That Rises Must Converge is one of the most prominent literary devices. Another example is irony in A Rose for Emily, which is connected to its theme. Read this sample to learn more about the use of irony in these short stories. Introduction Irony is a common...

Kate Chopin and Her “The Awakening” Story

Introduction American literature is the written or factual work prepared in United States and some of its former colonies. It consists of thousands of short stories and classic novels and covers all other kinds of subjects and genres (D’Arcy 6). One outstanding fact that remains is the struggle to forge...

Historical Memory in the “Barefoot Gen” Manga

Artistic expressions are part of every society’s collective memories and subsequent history. The main role of historical memory is to make a society remember what it has forgotten. Furthermore, historical memory upholds the concept that forgetting is part of remembering. This is why memories might change over time in the...

“Jonathan Livingston Seagull” by Richard Bach

I perfectly realize the unique mission our newspaper accomplishes, the role it plays in the formation of peoples mentality, and the impact it has on their minds. For this reason, I am sure that only worthy artworks could be published by it. Thus, considering the unique goal and a specific...

“The Scar” Story by Amy Tan

Introduction The short story, Scar, is about An-Mei Hsu who is the main character. Her mother had deserted the family and married a rich merchant as a concubine and the fourth wife. When her father died, her brother and she were forced to live with their relatives. The grandmother, Popo,...

Barn Burning: Loyalty vs. Justice in Faulkner’s Short Story

This paper is aimed at discussing the topic of the short story Barn Burning written by William Faulkner. In particular, this literary work describes the conflict between a boy’s devotion to his family and his keen sense of justice. This issue can also be described as the necessity to choose...

“Technics and Civilization” by Lewis Mumford

Tombstone Title of the book: Technics and Civilization. Author: Lewis Mumford. Publisher, date of publication: Routledge & Keagan Paul Ltd., 1934. How the book was obtained: The book was obtained using an internet search. It was found in the form of a PDF. Author’s Background Lewis Mumford was a world-renowned...

“Brown Girl Dreaming” a Novel by Jacqueline Woodson

Discussion Process and Questions “Brown Girl Dreaming,” the novel by Jacqueline Woodson, presents her life through a series of poems. During the discussion, the classmates revealed various themes and tensions that helped to understand the feelings and messages of the main character Jacqueline. Three themes the discussion was focused on...

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...

“Disgrace” a Book by John Maxwell Coetzee

Introduction John Maxwell (J. M.) Coetzee is a well-known novelist who received numerous awards and recognition for his outstanding works. He is also a linguist and translator who contributed to the field of literature. Today the author represents two countries as he moved from South Africa to Australia at the...

Theme in Henry James’s “Daisy Miller”

“Daisy Miller” is one of the most remarkable novellas written by Henry James in 1878. In his novella, James focuses on the opposition in visions typical for the Americans and Europeans living in the 1870s. From this point, “Daisy Miller” addresses the question of the morality based on certain social...

Susan Glaspell’s ‘Trifles’ – Gender Oppression and Justice

Trifles is an early example of a feminist drama, written by Susan Glaspell in 1916. The drama revolves around the murder of John Wright, a farmer described by his peers as an honest and hard-working man. The man was found in his house, strangled with a string. His wife, Mrs....

A Clean Well Lighted Place Analysis: Summary, Characters, & Themes

Read this A Clean, Well Lighted Place character analysis to learn all about the old waiter, the visitor, and other characters. This A Clean, Well-Lighted Place theme essay also provides the story’s summary, looks into its topics, elaborates on “A Clean Well Lighted Place” meaning, and explores the significance of...

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...

“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” by William Shakespeare

The play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Shakespeare is characterized by comedy, farce and humor that are present throughout the play. It is mainly based on love, magic, mistaken identity and the sudden reversal of relationships. Act I begins with a scene where Duke Theseus is conversing with his bride....

Literary Analysis: The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien

The Things They Carried Analysis: Essay Introduction O’Brien, in the short story “The Things They Carried”, captures the predicaments of soldiers during the Vietnam War. Each soldier carries a literal and symbolic object that links the past to the present. The symbols serve to distract the solders from the realities...

Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson Literary Styles Comparison

Introduction One of the differences between Whitman and Dickinson was the thematic elements that were utilized by the poets. For instance, Whitman’s use of slang and “common” language in his poetry greatly contrasted with Dickinson’s overly formal language, however, this difference in the type of words utilized actually embodied a...

“Orange is the New Black” – Netflix Series’ and Book Comparison

Introduction The book, Orange Is the New Black, and the Netflix series talk about a character who goes to prison for fifteen months. The police arrest her for mistakes she did in the past. There are some differences between the book and the series in terms of characterization, themes, and...

“Night” by Elie Wiesel and His Faith in God

Night is a story by Elie Wiesel in which the writer accounts for the horrible experience he had with his father during the time of the Holocaust. Throughout the novel, Wiesel reproduces the details of his staying in the Nazi German concentration camp during the Second World War. The protagonist...

Richard Wright’ and Langston Hughes Literature Comparison

Richard Wright and Langston Hughes are the writers that were very concerned about the racial issues in the society of the United States of America. Both of the authors use their talents to address the problem of racial differences and the outcomes they cause. Hughes and Wright emphasize the equality...

Elie Wiesel’s “Night”: A Profound Exploration of Faith and Suffering

Children normally are the centerpiece of society. They are treated with love and lots of affection as they are the originators of joy in the families. At this tender age, a child is meant to learn the ways of society which in most cases constitute the norms and virtues of...

“Night” by Elie Wiesel Literature Analysis

Introduction Night is a captivating piece of literal work that is the brainchild of Elie Wiesel, which gives a personal account of his experiences in the Nazi concentration camps at Buchenwald and Auschwitz, at the sunset of the Second World War, and the apex of the holocaust in 1945. He...

Literature: The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden

The name of the author of the story is George Selden. He is an American writer; he was born in Connecticut. George Selden is an author of several books about Chester Cricket and his friends. The main characters of the story are Chester Cricket, Mario Bellini, Tucker Mouse, Harry Cat,...

“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...

Sexual-Orientation Oppression in “Now That I Am Forever with Child” and “Condition XXI”

Living in the ‘white’ American society, African Americans experience the consequences of prejudice and discriminating actions not only because of their race but also because of a range of associated factors. Thus, the issues of race discrimination towards African Americans are closely connected with gender and sexual orientation issues. In...

“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...

Homeric Worldview’ Main Features – Greek Mythology

The Homeric worldview resembles the orthodox Greek perspective (Cunningham & Reich 39). The Homeric conception of the world characterized a flat and rounded disk of land enclosed by an endless ocean stream. Based on the above representation, it was believed that the earth’s plateau was amid Oceanus. The sun, the...

The Book “We Need New Names” by NoViolet Bulawayo

The book We Need New Names tells the story of Darling, a young African girl and her mischievous gang of friends. Darling is the protagonist. Bulawayo tells of the girl’s life in violent and unstable Zimbabwe as well as her experiences as an immigrant in America. However, the ending of...

Franz Kafka’s Novel “The Trial”

Some time ago I reread one of the most famous novels of the 20th century, Franz Kafka’s The Trial (Kafka, 1925). Unlike my first experience of reading it, this occasion of reading, along with some other information I run across soon after, has driven me to many conclusions about the...

Aimee de Jongh’s Days of Sand: Rhetoric, Historical Context, and Dust Bowl Representation

Introduction Aimee de Jongh’s graphic novel Days of Sand immerses readers in the complexities of the Dust Bowl era during the Great Depression, utilizing a fusion of visual storytelling and emotive prose to captivate audiences. It uses the graphic novel format to create a multi-sensory experience through a dynamic fusion...

Bilbo Baggins’ Heroic Journey and Transformation in Tolkien’s The Hobbit

Introduction It is hard to disagree that literature written for teenagers and adults often offers many important lessons and allows readers to understand the values they want to nurture and follow. The Hobbit, or There and Back Again, is a 1937 novel by J. R. R. Tolkien, and this marvelous...

Marcus Aurelius’ The Meditations: Stoic Philosophy on Governance and Virtuous Living

Introduction The Meditations is a philosophical book comprised of Emperor Marcus Aurelius’ journaling on the essence of using Stoic philosophy in governing the country. The book is structured into twelve chapters, each devoted to analyzing different stages and aspects of his life. The book’s overall purpose is to articulate the...

Anne Sexton’s “Her Kind”: Gender, Alienation, and Rebellion

Introduction Gender is one of the most impactful and noticeable topics and aspects of Anne Sexton’s poem “Her Kind.” She was very concerned about the sense of alienation in a highly conformist and binding society, which was especially worrisome given the time period when the poem was published and the...

Psychological Duality and Death in Poe’s The Cask of Amontillado

Introduction Being a vivid example of a gothic short story, Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” portrays death from the perspective of the main character’s fascination with immolation for revenge. The short story shows two characters, a narrator named Montresor and a man named Fortunato, whom the main character...

William Wordsworth: A Romantic Poet’s Life, Legacy, and Love for Nature

Introduction William Wordsworth was an English poet who was born in Cockermouth, Cumberland, on April 7, 1770. He was one of the most remarkable Romantic lyricists whose works helped usher in a new era of poetry that emphasized the power of the individual imagination and the beauty of nature. His...

Psychological Depth and Isolation in Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein”

Introduction In the spring of 1818, the novel Frankenstein, which has the rare fortune of being the discoverer, the benchmark, and the starting point of a new literary genre, was published. In her novel, Mary Shelley competently combines chilling horror storytelling with social commentary to explore the human nature that...

Irony and Unreliable Narration in The Turn of the Screw by Henry James

Introduction Henry James’s novella “The Turn of the Screw” is a masterpiece of psychological complexity and layered narrative, making it a fertile ground for examining irony, particularly the discrepancy between appearance and reality. At its core, the central irony in “The Turn of the Screw” lies in the ambiguity of...

The Ephemeral Nature of Power in “Ozymandias” by Shelley and “My Last Duchess” by Browning

Introduction In exploring Percy Bysshe Shelley’s “Ozymandias” and Robert Browning’s “My Last Duchess,” the paper delves into the complex web of human pride, power dynamics, and the ephemeral nature of heritage. It offers profoundly moving insights into the complexities of ambition, revealing the inevitable progression of time that transforms even...

Magical Imagery in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Moonlight and Roses

Introduction William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of the most controversial plays in world literature and the author’s legacy. Different from his other pieces in the level of comedy or, rather, ridicule, A Midsummer Night’s Dream has kept audiences and critics alike wondering what occasion it might have...

Coraline vs. Eily in Gaiman’s Coraline and Conlon-McKenna’s Under the Hawthorn Tree

Introduction Neil Gaiman’s Coraline follows the titular character, an adventurous protagonist who explores a new world. The narrative employs similes to convey themes of finding good in adversity and questioning appearances (Gaiman, 2002). Similarly, Marita Conlon-McKenna’s Under the Hawthorn Tree narrates the story of three courageous siblings, Eily (12 years...

Racism and Social Commentary in Langston Hughes’ Poetry

Arafah, Burhanuddin, and Amir Pattu. “Racial Discrimination Experienced by Black People as Reflected in Langston Hughes’s Poems.” Journal of Language Teaching and Research, vol. 13, no. 2, 2022, pp. 350-356. In this research paper, the main topic under examination is the experience of racial discrimination. Particularly the experience of people...

War’s Impact on Innocence and Identity in “Empire of the Sun” by Ballard

Introduction Often described in terms of its political and historical consequences, war exerts a profound and personal impact on individuals, particularly those caught in its tumultuous wake. Beyond the visible scars and demolished landscapes, war insidiously alters the psychological and emotional fabric of those it touches. This transformation is acutely...

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 Theological and Cultural Variations of Flood Myths: Utnapishtim, Manu, Noah, and Nuh

Introduction Traditional myths represent, express, and explore the notion of the people about themselves in their essential qualities and specifics. As a result, the study of myth is crucial to understanding particular communities and human society. The legends of Utanapishtim, Manu, Noah, and Nuh’s Ark are examples of flood myths...

Themes of Power, Love, and Justice in Shakespeare’s King Lear

Introduction William Shakespeare’s King Lear is a tragic play that audiences have loved for centuries. The plot follows Lear, an aging king of Britain, as he attempts to divide his kingdom among his three daughters. Lear quickly learns that his love for his daughters is not reciprocated, and he is...

Propaganda in “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller

The Crucible by Arthur Miller examines the widespread fear and persecution experienced during the Salem Witch Trials in the late 17th century. Throughout the play, various propaganda techniques are employed to sway public opinion and defend the witch hunts. It is most realistic to remark that black, grey and white...

The Book “The Oedipus Cycle” by Sophocles

Oedipus cycle is a collection of three Theban plays written by Sophocles, which include Antigone, Oedipus at Colonus, and Oedipus the King (also known as Oedipus Rex). These plays illuminate Thebes’ fate during and after King Oedipus’s reign. The three plays talk about the mythological Oedipus, who married his mother...

The Historical Novel “Les Miserables” by Victor Hugo

Les Miserables is a historical novel that was written by French novelist Victor Hugo in 1862. The novel talks about a life of a person named Jean Valjean, who had been arrested for stealing a loaf of bread from his sister. When Valjean was taken to court, he was sentenced...

Narrative Style of Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and Mansfield-Park

Introduction Jane Austen is one of the most famous writers of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. The novels of this brilliant author have had an incredible impact on the development of culture, have been adapted many times, and have inspired generations of writers. Jane Austen has written such...

The Short Story “Red Dirt Don’t Wash” by Roger Mais

Roger Mais’ short story, Red Dirt Don’t Wash, has its setting in Jamaican society but follows the American style of narratives. The story is about a farmworker, Adrian, who is in love with a woman, Miranda. Adrian always stares at her as he admires her prowess in kitchen work and...

Lucille Clifton’s “Forgiving My Father” Poem Analysis

Lucille Clifton wrote the poem forgiving my father in which she talks about the negative experience of interacting with her father. Despite the fact that the family should consist of love and mutual respect of its members, there are situations in which strife occurs. Children can be witnesses or even...

The Play “King Lear” by William Shakespeare

Introduction King Lear is a play written by William Shakespeare and originally published in 1606. It is the story of the old king of Britain who needed to give up his power to his daughters. Having no experience identifying people’s true beliefs, he is deceived by the hypocritical praise of...

“Character Is What You Are in the Dark” Quote

Character is what you are in the dark. Dwight Lyman Moody Quotations from literary works can sometimes touch the soul more than a whole book or a story can do. Hence, some of them contain the author’s thoughts about a particular problem or convey a worldview. The quote under study...

Medieval Life Through “The Canterbury Tales” Characters by Chaucer

Introduction Life in the late Middle Ages had numerous characteristic aspects to it. By analyzing the characters of The Canterbury Tales by Chaucer, readers may sometimes identify common attitudes and experiences of that time. In The Canterbury Tales, three characters satirically embody corresponding medieval life aspects: religion’s perception through the...

“The Vanishing Half” by Brit Bennett

The Vanishing Half, written by Brit Bennett, is devoted to showing racial discrimination issues through different generations. One of the most illustrative connections with racial prejudices is depicted through the relationships between Stella and Loretta. The first character’s racial identity is questionable because her family is originally black. However, Stella...

Aeneas’ Characteristic in Aeneid by Virgil

The epic Aeneid is the most outstanding work of the Roman poet Virgil. The poem is based on mythical accounts of the legendary ancestors of the Romans, the Trojans, and their king Aeneas. The latter, according to legends, founded a kingdom on Latin soil, which became the foundation of the...

Odysseus: Global Character Analysis

Introduction The Odyssey remains as one of the most well-known and important epics of the ancient European world. Following the many heroics of the titular character, the audience is taken for an adventure filled with heroes, monsters, magic and mystery. Hardship is accompanied by triumph, all rooted in a degree...

The Book “The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini

The story of The Kite Runner begins in the pre-war Afghan city of Kabul in the 70s, where there were children who did not know what shelling and explosions were. A favorite pastime and, at the same time, a very serious matter for all the residents were kite competitions (Hosseini)....

A Rose for Emily: The Theme of Tradition

Many people at some stage of their lives and almost all nations at certain points in history encounter the dilemma related to their cultural traditions. On the one hand, it is widely agreed that the new challenges necessitate new solutions that should eventually substitute the older ‘ways’. On the other...

Antigone and Ismene in Sophocles’ Play

Today the play “Antigone” by Sophocles, written hundreds of years ago, is still widely discussed, not in the least due to the masterfully created characters of Antigone and Ismene. The readers see that the sisters love each other, and family means a lot to them from the very beginning. However,...

Analogy in “To a Daughter Leaving Home” by Linda Pastan

An analogy refers to a linguistic expression that compares one thing to another to make a comparison and clarify meaning. As a result, poets often employ analogies when they want to establish a resemblance between two factors. The following essay recounts how Linda Pastan uses analogies in her poem, “To...

The Lesson by Toni Cade Bambara: Analysis

The lesson by Toni Cade Bambara is a narrative about children who, with the help of their teacher, learn a lesson about the social problems of society. The reader can see that children live in a bubble, not comprehending the daily challenges they and their parents must endure. Nevertheless, even...

Analysis of Atonement by Ian McEwan

The novel Atonement by Ian McEwan is a romantic war tragedy metafiction that follows Cecilia and Robbie’s lives as the protagonist. They experience conflicts trying to fulfill their dream of eternal love and separate, shutting down all their achievements. McEwan intertwines irony and symbolism to explore the theme of love...

F. G. Lorca’s “Norm and Paradise of the Blacks”

Published under a poetry collection in 1940, Federico Garcia Lorca’s poem, Norm and Paradise of the Blacks, seems to take apart that era’s contemporary, techno-industrial civilization. This piece of poetry symbolizes the chaotic, hostile, materialistic, and dehumanized version of New York City. This depiction rightly reflects the poet’s experience of...

Hysteria in “The Feather Pillow” by Quiroga

Hysteria is an anomaly reaction on the exterior sources of irritation that is gradually developing and demonstrates openly only at the final stage of the disease. In this response, there will be considered a specific case was described in Horacio Quiroga’s story “The Feather Pillow,” where the main hero, Alicia,...

Symbolism in Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar

Introduction Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar is a novel about a young writer herself. It reflects multiple life events: her sufferings, mental breakdown, and the attempt to fix her with glue. The story narrates Esther Greenwood, the book’s protagonist, getting an opportunity to study at a prestigious university. Writers various...

Characters in “Journey to the West” by Wu Cheng’en

One of the main characters of the Journey to the West is the Monkey King, Sun Wukong. The book has become a famous novel in many countries and one of the most popular in China. The story plot tells about the Journey of Xuanzang, the monk, to India in order...

Act II of “The Seagull” Play by Anton Chekhov

There are a number of themes that are prominent throughout Anton Chekhov’s “The Seagull”, a majority of which can be seen in the second act of the play. In particular, an apt reader can identify a running idea of love, the self and its perception, as well as appreciation of...

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

Introduction The short and anthologized story A Good Man is Hard to Find by Flannery O’Connor refers to the Gothic Fiction genre. Ismail suggests that the story can be characterized as the best example of Southern Gothic Fiction. The text consists of grotesque and macabre events, eccentric characters and concentrates...

“Their Eyes Were Watching God”: Story Analysis

Introduction “Their Eyes Were Watching God” is a story by Zora Neale Hurston that captures the essence of society’s impact on relationships. Gender roles and identities define how individuals conceptualize love. Behavioral expectations and societal norms affect people’s worldviews and determine how they relate to each other. People’s perception of...

The Central Theme in “The Open Boat” by Crane

Introduction The Open Boat by Stephen Crane is an endurance tale about four people who have survived a disaster and are now working as a team to locate any piece of land they can discover while only traveling in a tiny boat on the ocean. Nature is on their tail,...

“I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou

Introduction Contemporary American literature is largely dominated by white male authors. These authors are limited in their empathy and imagination by their own experiences and inherent privilege that comes with being on the top of the social hierarchy. Therefore, they were unable to authentically portray the lives, thoughts, and experiences...

“Free Ham” by Bertino Marie-Helene

It is almost scary how people—in everything they do—are driven by hidden motivations inside them of which they are not even aware. The unconscious—the pivotal concept in psychoanalysis—is comprised of repressed feelings that shape people’s behaviors; specifically; dysfunctional behaviors. The story by Bettino titled “Free Ham” provides a lot of...

Harriet Jacobs’ ‘Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl’ Literary Analysis

In Harriet Jacobs’ autobiography titled Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, she talks about her life as a slave woman and elaborates on the inhumane treatments she faced in the 19th century. Using the pseudonym Linda Brent throughout her narrative, she discusses how slaves were nothing more than...

Okonkwo’s Decisions in Things Fall Apart by Achebe

This paper claims that Okonkwo acts consistently in deciding to kill his adopted son Ikemefun. The character of Okonkwo’s hero is more fully revealed in the second and third parts, which illustrate his influence on the people of Mbanta and Umuofia. Despite this, the decision to personally take the life...

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...

Olympic and Funeral Games in “The Iliad” by Homer

Homer’s Iliad is a full-scale artistic discovery made in the cradle of world culture — Ancient Greece. This is one of the first epic poems in the history of mankind. In the analyzed chapter, the topic of funerals and the Olympic Games in honor of the burial of an ancient...

Scavenger Hunt: Steinbeck’s Life and Literature

Steinbeck was a US writer and the 1962 Nobel Prize in Literature winner. Born in 1902 in Salinas, California, his family immigrated to the US in 1858 from Germany, England, and Ireland (Pratt). The author’s mother was a former teacher who encouraged his love of reading and writing, while his...

Supernatural in the “Oedipus Rex” Play by Sophocles

The Oedipus Rex by Sophocles is a classical Greek tragedy. The roots of tragedy can be traced all the way back to ancient Greek culture. In the traditional meaning, it is a play that deals with weighty topics, as opposed to the lighter fare of a comedy. All throughout the...

Hamlet’s BlackBerry: Building a Good Life in the Digital Age by William Powers

The book focuses on contemporary communication problems, considering the philosophical and historical context. The central problem of this work is the excessive use of communications by people in the modern world and the dynamics associated with this problem. Powers uses observations and statistics relevant to the modern world combined with...

Michel de Montaigne’s Wisdom in Essays

Michel de Montaigne was a French Renaissance writer who developed the essay as a literary form and wrote some of history’s most enduring and significant articles. Michel de Montaigne was an academic who devoted his entire career to criticizing intellectual hubris. In his major opus, the Essays, he reached out...

The “Harry Potter” Books by J. K. Rowling

Introduction While reading through the Harry Potter series by anyone, it quickly becomes clear that the series is more of a family friendly type of book. It gives of a child-like sense of adventure, giving magic and the excitement of a new world to whoever reads it. This does not...

Comparison of the Key Characters of the “Trifles” Play

Introduction In order for a play to be convincing and lively, it should not only consist of an exciting plot, but also incorporate believable and diverse characters. They serve as driving force for any scenario, helping readers and viewers to live out their story. Moreover, strong and well-written characters serve...

“The Dragon Can’t Dance” by Earl Lovelace

Introduction Earl Lovelace’s The Dragon Can’t Dance is a national allegory set in the days leading up to Trinidad and Tobago’s independence from Great Britain. The novel follows the residents of a small village as they prepare for their annual carnival celebration. The main characters represent different communities within the...

Thomas Mann’s Death in Venice: Aschenbach’s Psychological Struggle

Introduction Realism is a literary movement distinguished by its unique depiction of human nature by depicting specific people in a specific time and place, also known as a slice of life. This is accomplished using vernacular to create a convincing yet true depiction of a culture. Similarly, psychological realism employs...

About Acts I and II Othello: Analysis

In the tragedy, Iago is presented as an ambitious person, ready for any action for his own benefit. The ambitiousness of this character is expressed in the first verses of the tragedy: “I know my price, I am worth no worse a place. / But he, as loving his own...

“A Different Pond” by Thi Bui: Book Analysis

The book A Different Pond is written by Bao Phi, a renowned poet, and illustrated by Thi Bui, a graphic novelist. It is a lyrical, stirring story revolving around the story of a father and his son who are on a fishing trip in the wee morning hours. The story...

The “Crispin: The Cross of Lead” Novel by Avi

The book “Crispin: The Cross of Lead” by Avi tells the story of a young boy who has to flee his home after his mother’s death. In the beginning, the main character has a low social status, thinks little of himself, and does not have his own opinions. By the...

“The Fires of Jubilee” by Stephen B. Oates: Review

Introduction “The Fires of Jubilee” by Stephen B. Oates is an accurate, reliable source of Nat Turner’s biography regarding specific historical fragments – the Civil War and the Slave Rebellion. This text is one of the best examples of how this historian can be savvy on this topic. “The Fires...

The Kafkaesque Experience in “The Metamorphosis”

After Kafka published his novella “Metamorphosis”, it became a classical piece and continues to be relevant nowadays. “Kafkaesque” is applied as a term describing an experience in which the person does not have control over and loses the connection with the existing reality (Edwards, 1991). Frederick R. Karl highlights that...

Conflict in “The Stranger” Novel by Albert Camus

Conflicts between children and their parents are a rather common issue that may influence one’s life significantly. In some cases, those disagreements may affect them even after the parent figure dies. This specific case is shown in the novel The Stranger by Albert Camus, as readers follow the story of...

Racism in Toni Morrison’s “Recitatif”

Introduction Like Morrison’s other work, Recitatif focuses on the issue of prejudice and racial identity. However, in the short story, the races of the main characters are concealed. Although the author indicates that one of Roberta and Twyla is white and the other black, it is ambiguous which is which....

The Necklace’s Protagonist: Mathilde’s Struggle for Identity

Many works of literature explore life and raise diverse discussions. For instance, The Necklace encourages conversations on the importance of wealth. The story follows the experiences of M. and Mme. Loisel. One day, the couple receives an invitation to a fancy ball (de Maupassant 19). Mathilde, the wife, borrows a...

“Hamlet” Play and “The Mad Gardener’s Song”: Comparison

Introduction Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” and Lewis Carroll’s The Mad Gardener’s Song are two works that have had a significant literary impact. Although “Hamlet” is seen as a meaningful literary piece that focuses on problems of all time, the latter work is more controversial among readers. “Hamlet” and The Mad Gardener’s Song...

“From He to She in First Grade” by Frankel Review

In “From He to She in First Grade,” Frankel tells the story of a child’s gender transition. The book is written from the perspective of the child, who is in first grade and has recently decided to start living as a girl. The book chronicles the protagonist’s experiences during the...