“Beowulf” and “The Lord of the Rings” Literary Comparison

The Two Protagonists Can Help to Trace Changes Beowulf is one of the most influential works in the English literature. The book has inspired numerous authors. Tolkien was also inspired by the great epic. His famous book The Lord of the Rings can be regarded as a kind of the...

Literature Comparison of The Yellow Wallpaper and Everyday Use

There are a lot of things that people genuinely fear, but the most dreadful situation of all for any human being disregarding age, frame of mind and even gender is definitely the fear of loneliness – being a social animal, a man has cultivated the dominance of social standards and...

“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...

Brutus and Cassius in Dante’s Inferno: A Misjudgment of Cassius’ Intentions

Introduction According to Dante, treachery is the more severe sin, and the ninth circle of hell is the final place for betrayers, who are destined to roam the frozen wastelands for eternity. Brutus and Cassius – people disloyal to Julius Caesar – were among these unfortunate souls. However, the present...

Symbolism and Psychoanalysis in Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus

Introduction Psychoanalysis in literature helps learn how bestseller authors develop their ideas to improve mental health and solve behavioral problems. Carl Jung introduced a doctrine of collective unconscious, in which literary symbols and images are closely related to the human past (Niaz et al. 37). In Doctor Faustus, Christopher Marlowe...

Southern Culture and Family Drama in “Why I Live at the P.O.” by Eudora Welty

Introduction “Why I Live at the P.O.” is a classic short story by Eudora Welty that wonderfully captures the nuances of small-town southern life in the United States during the early 20th century. The story is narrated by Sister, who has moved to the local post office after a series...

The Wise Condor and the Impatient Rabbit: A Fable on Patience

Essentially, a fable is a concise story that usually involves animals, plants, or forces of nature, among others, as characters. Fables often carry moral lessons through the actions and interactions of these characters. I want to describe an example of a fable called “The Wise Condor and the Impatient Rabbit,”...

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...

Josephine Baker: A Revolutionary Biography for Young Adults

Introduction Josephine is a biography for young adults about Josephine Baker, an African-American actress and singer who came to renown in 1920s France. Josephine Baker is regarded as a notable African-American lady who demonstrated to the nation that she was a civil rights champion, a French spy during World War...

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...

The “Merchant of Venice” Play by Shakespeare

The play “Merchant of Venice” by William Shakespeare is a well-known play that often features in professional and amateur theatrical performances. The play is expansive, and reading through all of it often makes the overarching plot escape in the details. Summaries of the play are available for performers to understand...

Toni Morrison’s ‘Recitatif’: An Analytical Perspective

To establish their lifetime relationship and demonstrate how their lives have been entwined from a young age, the author opens the novel with Twyla and Roberta as little children. This aids in laying the groundwork for the later-story events. The narrative uses cultural examples to highlight the differences between the...

Comparing Orwell’s ‘1984’ and Huxley’s ‘Brave New World’

Introduction Two of the most influential novels in the world of dystopian literature, “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley and “1984” by George Orwell, are informative for the analysis of present-day society’s trends. They effectively reflect on the motivation of the governments in introducing policies contrasted by people’s ideas of...

Genre-Based Perspective of Poem Analysis

Introduction Genre is one of the decisive factors in literature since it predetermines the use of structural, content-related, character-based, and thematic decisions. In this regard, the genre of the sonnet implies the adherence to strict structural rules that allow for the logical development of the message delivered by the poets....

“How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents” by Alvarez

Introduction There are several ideas the readers can get from the text extract of How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents. One of the intriguing ideas in the text was how background and upbringing could make a person different from others. This difference can be seen through some of Yolanda’s...

Comparison of Baldwin’s “Sonny’s Blues” and Ellison’s “Battle Royal”

It seems reasonable to state that black oppression in “Sonny’s Blues” and “Battle Royal” is the primary theme. The latter will be a good option to focus on within the scope of comparing the mentioned stories. In these pieces of writing, despite the liberation of slavery, black people are still...

The Novel “Oryx and Crake” by Margaret Atwood

Margaret Atwood is a Canadian writer well-known for many of her speculative fiction novels. In 2003, she created Oryx and Crake, set in a near-future dystopian post-apocalyptic world. In her work, the author discusses many social and ethical issues of capitalism, corporate greed, and corruption, in which the novel’s setting...

Round Character in “Young Goodman Brown” by Hawthorne

According to Meyer, round characters often display the inconsistencies and internal conflicts found in most real people. The term is used in fiction to portray lifelike figures who exhibit multifaceted and complex personalities. They often possess dimension and depth and undergo personal development as the story progresses. Round characters have...

Women in “Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin

The story of an hour, written by Kate Chopin, narrates the story of Louise Mallard, a wife in a typical Victorian relationship who learns that her spouse has been murdered. The period in which the narration takes place unveils the miserable position of women in society, their roles, and the...

Robinson Crusoe by D. Defoe: A Novel Review

When Robinson was stranded on a deserted island, he attempted to organize his life in the area. The hero had high hope and willpower, and he really wanted to return home; therefore, he did not panic and believed in himself. At the same time, Robinson created a calendar in order...

Comparison of the “Death on the Nile” Novel and Film

The novel titled Death on the Nile was written by the world-famous writer Agatha Christie in 1937. Based on the book, the film Death on the Nile 2022 was directed by Kenneth Branagh and released worldwide in 2020. This novel is a detective novel, and therefore it is impossible to...

Fitzgerald’s ‘The Great Gatsby’ and the Illusion of the American Dream

Introduction: The American Dream Concept The term American dream refers to the chances available to citizens of the United States and those who come here to live. The American dream is identified as the freedom of speech, entrepreneurship, personality, and the capacity to work hard to accomplish personal objectives and...

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,...

Style of “Kubla Khan” Poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Poetry has always been used as a form of stylistically constructed literature to convey the message in an artistic yet firm manner. Kubla Khan is one of those poems that makes you apply all senses in analyzing the poem. Reading through it, I found that I could feel, smell, and...

Louis Simpson’s “The Battle” and Stephen Crane’s “War Is Kind” Poems

Introduction Wars have taken many lives of people and have inspired poets to write about the battlefields. Louis Simpson’s “The Battle” and Stephen Crane’s “War is Kind” describes how the war has affected people’s lives. “War is Kind” ironically describes the violent actions and indifference towards human resources. Likewise, “The...

Devices in “Drive Your Plow…” by Olga Tokarczuk

In the book Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk, using the main character Janina Duszejko, the author explores the theme of views, misunderstanding, and how they determine personal actions. The story is built as detective and mysterious, but it cannot be considered only from...

The Native American Women’s Reflections in Johnson’s Poem “Quill Worker”

The question relates to the representation of Native American women’s reflections as expressed in Johnson’s poem titled “Quill Worker.” The author pays tribute to the women of the Sioux tribe and the work they perform on a regular basis, including traditional textile embellishment techniques (Johnson 122). While engaging in meticulous...

Guilt & Personality in “The Reader” by Bernhard Schlink

Introduction Guilt is a feeling that consumes a person and leads to consequences: personal destruction, alienation, and suffering. The problem of guilt rarely gets attention because it is one of the most challenging emotions. Bernhard Schlink reveals guilt issues in his novel The Reader, including such themes as Nazism, relationships...

Antonio and Ultima in “Bless Me, Ultima” by Anaya

The story of Antonio, a six-year-old who has grown up in a rather complicated environment, is the same as that of the Giver by Lois Lowry. Antonio struggles with himself and his cultural identity until he meets Ultima, an individual who becomes his mentor. With the deaths of those around...

Themes in ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’ Short Story by Gilman

The essay focuses on a short story The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, during the analysis of which the main themes of the work and the author’s attitude to them are established. In the center of the story is the unnamed main character, on whose behalf the story is...

The Book “My Bondage and My Freedom” by Frederick Douglass: Quote Analysis

When examining and analyzing this week’s readings, I was impressed by the power of words spoken by the authors. Both Douglass and Hochschild presented strong insights into the meaning of the American dream and the proclaimed principles of liberty and justice to different populations. The context for the selected quote...

An Analysis of the Themes in Louise Erdrich’s Red Convertible

Louise Erdrich’s Red Convertible is a poignant tale of the Lamartine brothers’ blissful and innocent youth and its loss due to war and adulthood. Lyman is lucky with material wealth and success in his life and yet finds that it all proves useless in the face of his veteran brother...

“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...

Love Affairs in The English Patient by Ondaatje

The English Patient is based on the love story between the mysterious English patient who later turned out to be Hungarian Desert Adventurer László, and Clifton’s wife, Katharine Clifton in the years before the Second World War. Burnt badly after an amnesia-stricken aviation accident, Almásy is taken to a fortuitous...

Feminism in the Play “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell

Introduction Despite being written at the beginning of the 20th century, the play “Trifles” still presents an important source and obligatory to read for people interested in feminism. It was created by an American playwright and journalist, Susan Glaspell, in 1916, and the author conducted pioneer research on the topic...

Poseidon, Penelope and Scylla in “The Odyssey” by Homer

Homer’s The Odyssey is a classical epic story, which has existed for millennia while preserving its relevance. Its plot represents a combination of simplicity and sophistication, as the basis of it is a hero’s journey home. On his way from the Trojan War, Odysseus encounters numerous characters, each of whom...

Feminism in “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Gilman

How does this story reflect the challenges put forward by the first wave of feminists? The first wave of feminism refers to the women’s movement against the societal expectations on the role of women in the middle-class and upper-class women in the 18th century to the 20th century. It was...

“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...

The Crucible by Arthur Miller

Introduction The Crucible is a fictional play written by Arthur Miller that revolves around witches in Salem, Massachusetts. The events took place in 1692 and address the Salem Witch Trials at a time when New England residents lived in hysteria and paranoia in fear of the unknown. In the 1950s,...

“The Song of Solomon” by Toni Morrison

Introduction The Song of Solomon is a novel by Toni Morrison that tells the story of Macon “Milkman” Dead III, a young African-American man growing up in Michigan in the mid-20th century. The book follows Milkman’s journey as he discovers his family history, explores his own identity, and grapples with...

“The Hero’s Journey” Essay by Jessica Klein

Introduction Motherhood is the socio-psychological and biological state of a mother’s woman, arising under the influence of her physical and social relations with the child. This definition describes motherhood in scientific terms, whereas each woman can depict it differently, relying on their experience (Emecheta 3). From isolation to bustle, from...

Symbolism in “Young Goodman Brown” by Hawthorne

The use of symbols by Nathaniel Hawthorne in “Young Goodman Brown” highlights his disapproval of the Puritan religion and the hypocrisy of its adherents. This paper examines how Hawthorne uses symbolism in the narrative and how much he criticizes the Puritan church for its hypocrisy and perversion of faith. Hawthorne...

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...

Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales Analysis

Introduction The middle Ages was a period in European history where religious beliefs, jobs, and money separated individuals. During this time, a class system began to emerge. The middle class emerged, a social group between the working and upper class, including professionals, business employees, and their households. Chaucer’s The Canterbury...

Legend of King Arthur: Unsolved Mysteries of History

It might be argued that myths like King Arthur play an important cultural and historical role in their belief. Legends like King Arthur frequently have their beginnings in genuine historical personalities and events, reflecting the values, beliefs, and aspirations of the civilizations in which they developed. For example, the story...

Plato’s Sixth Book of Republic: Divided Line

Introduction Plato’s sixth book of Republic describes the philosophy of the Divided Line. His allegory divides the world into two unequal parts: visible and intelligible. These categories are divided further into two, thus creating a line of the world containing four sections. While the first realm consists of images and...

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...

Analysis and Ideas of “Tess of the D’Urbervilles” by Thomas Hardy

“Tess of the D’Urbervilles” can be seen as a straightforward love tale. However, the book covers many topics that Hardy and the society of that time could view as rather debatable. It includes the humanity of people in that society, the social morals, religion, and their conflicts. Hardy only shows...

Pride and Prejudice: Personal Integrity as the Driving Force

Introduction From the very beginning of Pride and Prejudice, written by Jane Austen, the readers understand that Elizabeth Bennet is a person with a high standard of integrity. Nevertheless, it seems more of a burden for her because life is majorly disappointing to Elizabeth when she sees other people’s behaviors....

The Use of Satire as Education by Pope and Swift

Introduction Satire is a literary technique that considers the use of any genre and combines sharp humor and critique of a subject to improve its meaning, making authors like Jonathan Swift and Alexander Pope use satire due to many societal problems. By deftly critiquing and making light of society’s concerns,...

“Red, White and Black” by Gary B. Nash

Introduction Gary B. Nash’s book Red, White and Black: The Peoples of Early America explores the complex and diverse peoples who inhabited the Americas before the American Revolution. Through a combination of primary source documents and narrative history, Nash sheds light on the various Native American societies, European empires, and...

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 Poem “The Iliad” by Homer: Hector’s Character

Introduction The poem depicts many different leadership images, however, some of them are more vivid than others. For example, one of these characters is Hector. This is an exciting and multifaceted character, and the author skilfully intertwines the different features of his personality into one individuality. Hector, along with the...

Gender in Sophocles’ Tragedy Antigone

Introduction Ancient Greek tragedies are marked by the poets’ use of moral, social, and political themes to unveil human character and relations. One such tragedy is Antigone, written by Sophocles; it features a strong female character in opposition to an oppressive, politically bound male. Since Antigone crosses the limits of...

The Heroic Quest in “Sundiata” and “The Popol Vuh”

Introduction A heroic quest is when the protagonist of a story travels to faraway lands to pursue vital life goals that will benefit them individually or a group of people. One of the literary works that share the theme of the heroic quest is Sundiata by Djibril Tamsir, originally published...

Frederick Douglass’s Narrative – Legacy of Resilience

Introduction The “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass” calls readers on a heart-wrenching journey through the life of Frederick Douglass. This memoir is about Douglass’s years in slavery and his resolution to escape freedom. It was published in 1845 and played a significant role in winning the minds and...

Madness of Ophelia in “Hamlet” by Shakespeare

Introduction In the tragedy “Hamlet,” a special character causes much admiration and compassion, yet is a very controversial figure. This is Ophelia, daughter of the royal adviser Polonius, who can be called the embodiment of femininity in the traditional sense because she is beautiful, sweet, and uncomplaining (Shakespeare). However, Ophelia...

Kabbalistic Poetry and the Divine

The Kabbalists have a different view of the language which addresses the paradox expressed by Gershom Sholem. His concerns include the impossibility and inability of the language to deliver something such as connection between the person and the God, or the Divine. The tradition of Kabbalist ports to write about...

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...

Comparison of Poems by Gwendolyn Brooks

Gwendolyn Brooks represents one of the most prominent African American poetic voices of the 20th century. Her works reflect the complexity of the sociocultural environment of the mid-20th-century American community, particularly, the Civil Rights movement and the associated struggles of African American people (Hayes, 2019). Although “We Real Cool,” Sadie...

Neglect and Psychosis in Gilman’s The Yellow Wallpaper

Introduction In modern civilizations, the rising fear of solitude among women is undermining social order. There is a need for assistance, especially among women with domestic obligations. This essay investigates the relationship between insanity and neglect as described in Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s The Yellow Wallpaper. The primary objective is to...

Perception of War in A Farewell to Arms by Hemingway

A Farewell to Arms, an Ernest Hemingway novel, has a distinctive anti-military rhetoric. While the war is not directly condemned, its atrocities are described vividly, showing that something wrong is happening. Its main character, Frederic Henry, is an American lieutenant serving in the Italian Army ambulance during World War I....

Mrs. Mallard in “Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin

Kate Chopin penned the short story “Story of an Hour” in 1891. The story’s protagonist is Mrs. Louise Mallard, diagnosed with heart illness after learning that her husband, Brently Mallard, perished in a train accident. Even though Mrs. Mallard finally dies from her sickness, her character growth throughout the narrative...

A Comparison of the Poem “Beowulf” With the Screenplay

Introduction The Old English poem “Beowulf” is a monument of late origin. Radical reinterpretations of the story include Robert Zemeckis’ feature film, Beowulf. This film does not claim complete plot similarity to the original narrative but is a new work based on the famous epic poem. The film and the...

Women in “Beowulf”, “Inferno”, and “The Nun’s Priest’s Tale”

Female characters who played a prominent and crucial part in events occur in the books of different times regardless of the real position of women in society. The authors gave them extraordinary powers, strength, and influence on others’ actions and decisions. For instance, Wealhtheow from Beowulf demonstrated how the Germanic...

Symbolic Retribution in Dante Alighieri’s Works

Concept of Symbolic Retribution The concept of symbolic retribution is largely inspired by the ancient Greek notion of “adikia” (injustice, untruth), which received its classical expression in Aristotle’s thesis: “injustice is not a part of vice, but perversity as a whole.” The idea that a person should be responsible for...

Symbolism in Dickinson’s Poem “Dew’Is the Freshet in the Grass”

Introduction The richness and imagery of Emily Dickinson’s poetry are revealed in numerous works that, despite being written in the 19th century, are still relevant. The variety of literary devices used by the poetess makes it possible to evaluate her talent and identify the characteristic features that distinguish her style...

Virgil’s Importance in Dante’s Inferno

The Divine Comedy is an epic narrative poem by a great Italian poet and scholar, Dante Alighieri. In the poem, Dante’s character has to travel through Hell (Inferno) and Purgatory (Purgatorio) before being brought into Heaven (Paradiso). During Dante’s exploration of hell, he is accompanied by Virgil, a mentor figure...

Patriarchy and Masculinity in Things Fall Apart by Achebe

Introduction The central theme of Things fall apart by Chinua Achebe is the clash between traditional African society and the innovations brought by British missionaries. However, this opposition is not the only one in the book since the whole story is built on contrasts that allow the reader to understand...

Analysis of Elizabeth Bishop’s “In the Waiting Room”

Pulitzer Prize awarded and one of the most important poets of the twentieth century – Elizabeth Bishop – is the author of “In the Waiting Room”. This poem was published in 1971 and starts with setting the time and place of the story. Little Elizabeth came to a dentist’s appointment...

Prospero’s Rulership in “The Tempest” by William Shakespeare

Shakespeare’s The Tempest is a strange, non-historical drama that focuses mainly on an act of injustice. By the unjust conduct, one analyzes Prospero’s brother’s takeover of the crown. Prospero’s efforts to restore justice via the rejuvenation of his power illustrate a dual predicament. In The Tempest, Prospero’s use of mystical...

“The Mask of the Red Death”: Story by Edgar Allan Poe

Introduction Man’s inescapable fear of death guides his daily choices and decisions from inception. The inevitability of life’s end is a constantly looming reality whose clock is unknown and fundamentally uncontrollable. This sentiment has percolated into works of art and, specifically, literary works of fiction in a bid to demystify...

The Series of “Harry Potter” by Joanne Rowling

Introduction The works of the British novelist Rowling collectively referred to as the Harry Potter series, are classified as fantasy. Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley are all enrolled at Hogwarts School in the novels. Major plot points revolve around Harry’s battle against the evil wizard Lord Voldemort, who...

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 Epic of Gilgamesh” vs. “The Book of Genesis”

Introduction Ancient literary texts are among the richest sources for research and history analysis. First of all, such works by themselves allow one to get an idea of the culture of a particular people. However, their research can also lead to broader conclusions by detecting intersections and similarities between completely...

Social Restrictions on Gender Roles in “A Doll’s House” by Ibsen

Many literary works assess various aspects of life, and Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll‘s House explores important social matters. Ibsen was born on the southeast coast of Norway, and his childhood was not particularly easy (Gundersen). His parents were relatively affluent and had five children, with Henrik being the oldest son...

Religion in “Beowulf”, “The Wife of Bath Tale”, and “The Nun’s Priest’s Tale”

Introduction From time memorial people worshiped deities considered to run the universe. Expectedly, religion has some social control function that discourages deviance, self-distractive behavior, and delinquency from establishing order (Hood et al. 413). However, some people may pretend that they observe the norm when in the presence of specific people...

“To Build a Fire” by Jack London: Analysis

Introduction Literary works provide different perspectives on various aspects of life. For instance, Jack London’s short story To Build a Fire illustrates an individual’s fateful relationship with nature by describing how the main personage perceives the surroundings of his journey. London’s story is unique due to the use of literary...

The Impact of Technology in “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin

One of the most well-known pieces of classical literature is Kate Chopin’s The Story of an Hour. One of the most evident historical observances that could be made about the story is the telegraph, which plays a great role in the plot as well (Chopin). It is possible to interpret...

Analyzing the Use of Water in Danticat, Roumain, and Marshall

The use of water in the three novels Roumain’s “Masters of the Dew,” Danticat’s “Krik? Krak!” and Paul’s “Praise Song for the Widow” has a symbolic meaning. The main innovation of the writers is the image symbol which replaces the traditional artistic image. The early forms of poetry and visual...

“Isaac’s Storm” by Eric Larson Review

The account by Erik Larson of the catastrophic hurricane that hit Galveston in September 1900 is a riveting investigation into what caused this storm to be so destructive. With between 6,000 and 12,000 fatalities, the Galveston hurricane is still regarded as the greatest natural disaster in American history. Despite his...

Rum’s A Woman Is No Man vs. Komba’s I Am Not My Skin

Introduction While discrimination occurs in Palestine against women due to their weak state in a patriarchal culture, it also happens in Tanzania to people with albinism in ordinary people’s culture. The story of the albinism nature of Yona makes him weak in a community with ordinary people, a similar weakness...

“Not Waving but Drowning”by Stevie Smith Review

“Not Waving but Drowning” was composed by British poet Stevie Smith in 1957. The poem consists of only three stanzas about a man who is drowning while the observers think he is merely waving hands and enjoys swimming. Even though the idea is clear on the surface, the text’s true...

Evil in Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Introduction An author’s main objective while composing a literary work is to communicate a specific message to his audience. Factors such as historical occurrences, political ideologies, and global economic status are among the factors that influence an author’s message. One such work written at a historical time described as the...

Aristotle’s Perspective on the Greek Tragedy

Brief Summary Sophocles wrote the tragic drama, Oedipus Rex, around 429 B.C. when it was first presented. It depicts the story of Oedipus, king of Thebes, who is said to have slain his father and married his mother by accident due to a prophecy made to Laius, the previous ruler...

The “Teach Us Your Name” Book by Huda Essa

The book “Teach Us Your Name” by Huda Essa is a story about diversity, and the author teaches children to pay attention to the cultural differences between themselves and their peers. This is achieved by outlining a lesson for children, where they ask other students to introduce themselves and discuss...

“A Doll’s House” by Henrik Ibsen

In 1879, Henrik Ibsen’s masterpiece “A Doll’s House” was published. It is about a central figure Norwegian family in the middle ages. Torvald Helmer works as a provider, whereas Nora Helmer babysits to raise the children and property. As the piece unfolds, it becomes clear that Nora’s marriage is seriously...

Phyllis Wheatley and Philip Freneau: Poems Comparison

In the poems “On being Brought from Africa to America” by Phyllis Wheatley and “On the Emigration to America and Peopling the Western country” by Philip Freneau, a few similitudes and differentiations are portrayed. First, taking a gander at the similarities, the two writers discuss a place known for trust,...

Symbolism in “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins

Introduction The Yellow Wallpaper is a short story by the American writer Charlotte Perkins Gilman that revolves around a young woman succumbing to a mental disorder after giving birth. The work is littered with numerous symbolic elements, but the most prevailing one is the yellow wallpaper in the protagonist’s sickroom....

Character Sketch of Dr. Jekyll

“Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” is a classic gothic novel depicting the complexities of life when people exhibit distinct personalities. The novel gives us a tour into an admired life of an England- based physician Dr. Jekyll. The protagonist Henry Jekyll is a composite that strengthens the theme of good...

“Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day?” Sonnet by Shakespeare

Introduction As a form of poetry, the sonnet is characterized by strict rules related to the external structure and the internal alignment of the ideas and themes developed according to structural changes. William Shakespeare was one of the poets who made sonnets popular and widely referred to in literature. The...

“West Brain, East Brain” by Sharon Begley

The essay demonstrates the literary argument based on “West Brain, East Brain” by Sharon Begley. Sharon Begley was recognized as one of her generation’s greatest science writers, capable of making even the most complicated scientific subjects both engaging and approachable (Seelye). The article “West Brain, East Brain” was published in...

Human Development Psychology

The Notebook is a romantic novel authored by Nicholas Sparks in 1996. The novel is told in two versions; first, when Noah reads the notebook to a woman by the name Allie. He reads to her how Allie and Noah fall in love young; they are separated for years but...

“With the Old Breed” Lessons for Modern Marine Corps

Introduction The memoir book With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa, written by Marine Eugene Sledge, reveals some details of the Pacific Theater during World War II. As part of the Marine Corps, the author survived heavy battles, suffered the loss of comrades, and made his conclusions about the...

Conformity in “The Vanishing Half” by Bennett, Brit

Stella passing for white in The Vanishing Half is an act of conformity. The term refers to behaving in accordance with some standard or authority. In the narrative, Stella acknowledges the power that the white population had in the novel which reflects the discussed concept (“Conformity”). She decides to escape...

“Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog” by Mark Twain

In the short story “Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog,” Mark Twain contrasts the two characters in terms of their beliefs and ideas by distinguishing their speaking styles in the first place. The narrator, who seems extremely bored with his friend’s request, expresses his thoughts eloquently when discussing the matter...

War in “What Were They Like?” by Levertov

An American writer Denise Levertov wrote the poem “What Were They Like” for her collection “The Sorrow Dance,” released in 1967. This work is a symbol of protest against the Vietnam War, in which the American army took part. The poet portrays the immediate future of the Vietnamese people, destroyed...

Ancient Sumerian Society in “Epic of Gilgamesh”

Introduction Folk art, especially of the epic genre, doubtlessly is among the most reliable sources of knowledge about the worldview that is peculiar to a certain culture. The works of such a kind normally embody the values of the storytellers, which makes them a bright illustration of the ways those...

Grendel and Medea Literary Characters’ Comparison

Grendel and Medea are different characters who appeared from the pen of different authors in different periods. However, they are united by one crucial detail — the monster’s nature. From this detail, a whole complex of similarities grows, such as hermit, rejection by others, savagery, and inability to accept oneself....

Beauty in “The Most Handsome Drowned Man…” by Marquez

In his short stories, Gabriel Garcia Marquez uses the treatment of strangers to highlight how many characters are treated solely based on their physical appearance, even if we never learn their natural characteristics. A charming man forms the short story The most handsome drowned man in the world, but we...

“Unleash the Power of Storytelling” by Biesenbach

In his book “Unleash the Power of Storytelling,” Rob Biesenbach presents the readers with the importance of good storytelling and its implications in the wider world. This practical guide, as the author himself refers to it, introduces the reader to the idea of storytelling as a tool for communication both...

Plot, Themes, and Characters of “Othello” by Shakespeare

Introduction Othello is a tragedy about heavy and terrible trials that the sublime and deep love of two beautiful people underwent. The noble Moor – Othello – who absorbed the culture of the Italian Renaissance, an experienced warrior, wounded by years and suffering, turns out to be powerless before the...

“Voices in the Park” Picture Book by Anthony Browne

Picture books use not only verbal but also visual means to build a story, including codes, structure, and narrative. William Moebius (1986) suggests looking at different codes in order to understand how text and pictures interact to create meaning. According to the researcher, positioning, perspective, framing, line, and colour can...

The Character of Yvain in “The Night of the Lion” by Chretien de Troyes

Introduction Chrétien de Troyes’ The Knight of Lion is an Arthurian tale about the heroic exploits of a gallant knight named Yvain. In several Arthurian stories, chivalry plays an important role in propelling the plot forward and providing context for the knights’ and the court’s organizational structures. Yvain’s actions and...

The Short Story “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe

People use symbols to represent various ideas through the same subjects or events. Symbolism is a common literary device that aims at creating an indelible impression on the reader (Severson). Its importance is the possibility to convey hidden meanings and provoke critical thinking and creativity. Edgar Allan Poe uses multiple...

Symbolism and Irony in Sweat by Zora Neale Hurston

Sweat is a short shorty written by Zora Neale Hurston. It centers around the marital conflict between a hardworking Christian washerwoman, Delia, and her abusive and unfaithful husband, Sykes (Hurston). After 15 years of marriage, Sykes is attempting to evict Delia out of their common household to move in his...

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....

Men as Breadwinners in Maupassant’s “The Necklace”

Gender roles in families have often been regarded as the most important aspect in ensuring harmonious relationships. It is the foundation that holds a family together in the same manner, pillars are imperative in preventing the building from collapsing. In the Parisian society at the end of the nineteenth century,...

The Connection of Good and Evil in Tricksters Characters

The paper is devoted to analyzing the two characters of the Scandinavian and Greek myths: Loki and Prometheus. The psychological approach contributing to assessing and comparing particular characters’ behavior is used for the analysis. The ancient myths are the essential resource of knowledge that can help examine the behavior and...

The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark: Analysis

William Shakespeare and his works occupy an honorary place in world literature. At the same time, the play The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, briefly referred to as Hamlet, is one of the most famous. The plot reveals complex themes of revenge, mortality, deception, madness, and other issues. The...

“Miss Brill” Short Story by Katherine Mansfield

Katherine Mansfield’s “Miss Brill” portrays humble attempts of a lonely English teacher to aggrandize herself and her surroundings and demonstrates the pitfalls of daydreaming. It reveals the inner workings of an ordinary person’s soul showing that everybody has their passions and dramas. The plot and narrative techniques chosen serve the...

Analysis of Three Poems Written by African Americans

Literary works created by African American writers during the era of angry social complaints against racial profiling share many similarities in terms of structure and themes. This interrelationship has resulted in literature characterized by expressive social insight, providing informative evaluations of American histories and identities. Moreover, the black American literature...

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...

Angelitos Negros by Andres Eloy Blanco Review

The United States is a country rich in cultural diversity and differences in ethnic communities, due to this fact, it has repeatedly faced racial, ethnic, confessional and social problems, which are still perceived very acutely in our time. Discrimination, racial segregation, racism, nationalism led to acute social conflicts, which in...

Puritanism in Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman Brown” and “The Birth Mark”

Incisive and filled with profound commentaries about the human nature, Hawthorne’s works often skewer some of the most rigid and inflexible beliefs and standards of the time. The writer dissects the concept of Puritanism unbiasedly, allowing the reader to see the ridiculous nature of it. Making his characters question the...

Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick Review

Rodman Philbrick’s work Freak the Mighty is an interesting example of a novel for young adults. According to the plot, two very different guys meet in the book. Max is a silent, shy, and clumsy giant. Kevin is small, quick-witted, and terminally ill. They reacted differently to what was happening...

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

My topic is the emotional trauma described in The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien. My main point is that the physical belongings of the soldiers depicted in the book represent their emotional states and priorities. I argue that the author depicts each item to reveal exact traumas American soldiers...

Literary and Psychological Prowess of Shakespeare’s “Othello”

Shakespeare’s literary and psychological prowess went undetected primarily since he was ahead of his time. Because of this, people in Elizabethan society had no idea that people might be afflicted with mental illnesses, let alone have them depicted in a play! Othello, Shakespeare’s play, was plagued by bizarre behavior issues....

Analysis of “Fahrenheit 451” by Bradbury

The relationship between Faber and Montag in the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury has a special role for this work. It should be noted that these relationships are mentoring in nature, because Faber is one of the mentors of Montag. Moreover, Faber exerts a certain influence on Montag, encouraging...

Cherie Dimaline’s “Marrow Thieves” Novel Analysis

From the Marrow Thieves, the narrator of the novel is a sixteen-year-old Métis lad. Francis is his given name; however, he is rarely addressed as such. By the age of eleven, Frenchie had lost his father, mother, and older brother, Mitch. Frenchie is profoundly affected by his parents’ absences. Even...

Book Review: “The Autobiography of Malcolm X”

Introduction The Autobiography of Malcolm X, written by Alex Haley, is the story of a young African American boy’s rise from racial oppression to political activism. The cover features three portraits of Malcolm X in various stages of speech and concentration. The traumatic childhood of one of America’s most influential...

The Theme of Faith in the Novel “Hey Nostradamus!”

Introduction The theme of faith is a rather unpopular central choice for Douglas Coupland’s literary works. The author is popular with practical themes of life, death, and love in his past writings, such as Generation X: Tales of an Accelerated Culture and City of Glass. In the current novel, Hey...

Sources Used by Wagner for the Opera “Parsifal”

Introduction “Parsifal” is the last of Richard Wagner’s operas, which is considered the most beautiful and, at the same time, the most enigmatic of his works. Its creation occurred during almost all of the composer’s conscious life. While working on Lohengrin in the late 1840s, learning the legend of Parsifal...

Romanticism in Mark Twain’s “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”

Mark Twain’s famous novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer illustrates the Romanticism tradition in depicting the characters. Even though the romantic literature was in a state of collapse at the time of the novel’s writing, Twain preserved the inherent image for this movement. The dreams and desires of the main...

Sappho’s and Egyptian Love Poems

Sappho’s Poems Sappho was a poet and a singer whose works were meant to be sung and accompanied by music. In one of her most famous poems, “Fragment 31,” Sappho uses imagery, such as “sweet speaking” and “lovely laughing,” to describe the narrator’s fascination with the woman observed from a...

A Poem “Howl” and a Song “It’s Alright Ma”: A Comparative Analysis

Allen Ginsberg’s “Howl” is the most famous and vital piece of the beat generation. Bob Dylan’s song It’s Alright Ma (I’m Only Bleeding) opened an entirely new genre of the song in the music industry. Comparing a literary work and a musical one, critics define them as dark masterpieces. The...

Structure of Langston Hughes’ Harlem Poem

“Harlem” was a poem work written by Langston Hughes in 1951, a time when jazz and blues music was emanating. He wrote the poem to explore the consciousness and lives of the black people in Harlem (Duki 162). The composition took another path of addressing the continuous experience of the...

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...

Experience from Baldwin’s “Blues for Mister Charlie”

Reading James Baldwin’s Blues for Mister Charlie has been an exhilarating experience for me. The play encapsulates various tribulations of the Black community in the genesis of the Civil Rights Movement. Specifically, Act II portrays the explicit bigotry of white townspeople against the increasing number of newcomer black families (Baldwin,...

Absurd of Predetermined Gender Roles in Literature

Introduction The role and place of women in society have long been addressed in literature, visual arts, and performance art. The theme of gender-based power distribution has been brought to the discussion by many writers and play authors. Some renowned examples of a successful portrayal of the flawed stereotypical perception...

”The Odyssey” by Homer: A Greek Poem Analysis

Introduction Although Odyssey is an Ancient Greek poem, it is interesting to read even nowadays, when people got used to twisted plots. There are several basic topics in the poem, several of which are still actual for a modern person. The first topic is free will, which is reflected through...

Power and Agency in the Works of Octavia Butler

Introduction Literature is a great device to explore a variety of themes, ideas, and theories, as it allows people to exercise the creative freedom of expression. Writing is a medium that allows individuals to channel their ideals, beliefs into words, inspire others, and relay messages they consider to be important....

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...

Postcolonial Theory in Literary Works

Postcolonial literary theory is a broadly related theory of the struggles and consequences of colonial rule in European countries. The theory implements literature techniques to describe effects of colonialism and the struggle for independence. Nonetheless, the concept of this theory does not solely imply struggle for freedom and life in...

Mary’s Character in “Rogue Farm” by Stross

Based on a bizarre yet surprisingly engaging premise of a distant future where farms could mutate into living and rather ominous beings. Charles Stross’s “Rogue Farm” allows using the unique narrative to make the characters particularly compelling. Though Maddie is not placed at the forefront of the narrative from the...

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...

Jo’s Testimony in Act III of Baldwin’s “Blues for Mister Charlie”

In act III of James Baldwin’s Blues for Mister Charlie, the court proceedings play a crucial role both in the plot’s development and the development of the characters. Two months after Richard’s death, Lyle is on trial, with the audience being presented with a picture of what happened. Jo’s perjured...

“The Revenge of Babylon”: Historical Fiction Story

Old Nadav smoothed his thickly gray beard with his fingers and turned to his grandson, who was pestering him with questions, putting aside the silver goblet on which he was engraving the pattern. Why are you bothering me, Osher? You prevent me from working. – He grumbled in a voice...

Oedipus the King: Analysis of Plot

In the play, Oedipus solves the Sphinx’s riddle to save Thebes from destruction. The Sphinx asked him a compound question, and Oedipus was the first man to conquer the Sphinx by answering it and saving the city from the plague; therefore, he got the title of the king. However, this...

Analysis of “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Gilman

“The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Gilman is not simply a story of a particular unfortunate female but a depiction of what can happen to anyone who lives in isolation and faces oppression. I share Moore’s view that the image of the woman is collective, for which reason she actually remains...

The Truth in Tim O’Brien’s “The Things They Carried”

Interpretation and understanding of truth is a very ambiguous thing. Everyone has their own unique opinion regarding what is true and what is false. The reason is that language is not a perfect instrument for communication. The language is limited because we can only hear the words. When people listen...

Ancient Mesopotamian Religion and Its Influence in ”The Epic of Gilgamesh”

Introduction All ethnic groups, especially in ancient times, had their heroes and iconized characters. In ancient Mesopotamia, such a hero was Gilgamesh- a warlike and wise king bent on immortality. The found tablets with the story of his life can be identified as the first memorial of literary skill. It...

Use of Logic in Susan Glaspell’s “Trifles”

Trifles, a work by Susan Glaspell, follows the structure of a common murder mystery but includes elements of social commentary and issues of great value. It can be summarized as a murder of a husband by a wife and the two connected yet individual investigations that follow. The story’s unique...

Reflection About Teaching Patriotism in Schools

Introduction As a concept, patriotism has been subjected to multiple interpretations, which range from quite neutral to outstandingly positive to downright negating its significance. The perception of patriotism, has become particularly complicated over the past decade due to the rise in political tensions among representatives of different countries, as well...

How Significant are the Symbols? in “Barn Burning” by William Faulkner

“Barn Burning” is a story that revolves majorly between a father and a son. Snopes tends to burn his landlord’s barns down, and the son had to testify in court. Having to choose between staying true to oneself and betraying the person one cares about is one of the hardest...