The Role of the Social Class in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin

Classism is evident in the classical novel Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin on all levels. Social division is an obstacle shaped by the times that creates symbolic meanings worth discussing today. One of them is the role of class in a romantic relationship between Elizabeth and Darcy. A middle-class...

Jealousy and Its Examples in Literature

Introduction Jealousy occurs when a person longs for something they do not possess, whether it is a relationship, talent, or a material object. People may choose to control the natural reactions regarding this feeling or exhibit them freely regardless of the consequences. Jealousy could occur toward other humans, dead or...

“When You Are Old” Poem by William Yeats

One of the most famous works of William Yeats is “When You Are Old,” which is the poem addressed to a woman Yeats loved. The poem can be summarized as a plea with strong arguments. The author urges the woman to think of the future as not to regret her...

The Gift of the Magi Short Story by O. Henry

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

“Seven Jewish Children” by Caryl Churchill

Introduction The play, which takes approximately ten minutes, was written by Caryl Churchill as a response to the tragic events that took place at Gaza in the recent past. The play, among other issues, shows the extent to which theater is capable of reacting to the global politics. The play...

Prejudice and Lost Innocence in Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein”

\Frankenstein’s monster is, perhaps, one of the most sympathetic characters in the pantheon of monsters that have become emblematic of the horror genre. Although modern readers are unlikely to find the novel quite as chilling as their predecessors did, “Frankenstein” raises quite several disturbing themes that still hold relevance for...

“Song of the Humming Bird” by Graciela Limon Review

This essay will review the book of Graciela Limon ‘Song of the Hummingbird’, which describes the story of the Aztecs’ fall told from the perspective of a Huitzitzilin, a Hummingbird. The main point of the book is in uncovering the similarities and differences of Christian and pagan culture. Moreover, it...

Cisneros’ “Mericans” and Okita’s “In Response to Executive Order 9066” Stories

The short stories “Mericans” by Sandra Cisneros and “In Response to Executive Order 9066: All Americans of Japanese Descent Must Report to Relocation Centers” by Dwight Okita develop a common theme of cultural differences. Specifically, the differences experienced between the American culture and the home cultures of the protagonists. The...

Deconstruction of Siegfried as a True Hero

German myths have always been different from the overall European mythology. Aside from the setting, probably the most remarkable distinction is the hero. A shining example is Siegfried, who is a controversial figure in the medieval German narrative. He definitely acts with valor, fights the dragon, and dies at the...

Symbol of the Cat in the Story “Black Cat” by Edgar Allan Poe

The works of Edgar Allan Poe are famous for their gothic style, the penchant for depression and melancholy, as well as sinister motives of imminent death and evil fate. So, in the “Black Cat,” the story of alcoholism, madness, and movement towards destruction unfolds. The cat is the main symbol...

Creation Myths of Ancient Greeks and Egyptians

Since time immemorial, humans have wondered about the origins of everything, including the Earth, natural forces, animals, and even themselves. Such curiosity about the unknown encouraged early humans to search for answers; however, since at that time, science was not yet as developed as today, people started to create myths....

The Novel “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley

In his Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine article, reviewing Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus (1818), Walter Scott introduces the idea, that the novel, dealing with the supernatural, as a possibility for personal reflection. Scott advocates questioning the morals and conventional train of thought by submitting a character of an ordinary man to...

James Joyce’s “Ulysses”: Literary Analysis

Introduction Ulysses is a novel by James Joyce, which was published in 1922. This work of classic 20th century Irish literature is known as the Bible of Modernism, and it became a unique phenomenon in the history of the English-language novel. The theme of the novel is one day from...

The Meaning of “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson

Shirley Jackson wrote “The Lottery” as a short story, and it was published on June 26, 1948, in The New Yorker. The first readers of the story were surprised by it because, in the past, works of the magazine were not identified as fiction or as events happening in real...

Analysis of Social Issues Raised in American Literature

Any literary work raises an issue related to a political or social problem in society. An examination of a narrative’s historical context, its literary features, and plot helps identify and understand such societal issues. The poem “Ballad of Birmingham” by Dudley Randall, the poem “The Star-Spangled Banner” by Francis Scott...

“The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson: A More Positive Ending

“The Lottery” is a famous short story by Shirley Jackson that embodies a great number of themes and encourages readers all over the world to take a critical look at traditions and related problems and think about the sanctity of life in different societies. Having read the ending, one suddenly...

Cultural Identity and Ethnicities’ Integrity Significance in Mora’s Poetry

Pat Mora’s poetry book Chants illustrates the essentiality of heritage conservation and the relationship between different cultures. She is a Mexican American writer who is well-known for her biculturalism style. She puts emphasizes the problem of adaptation of non-acceptance of immigrants of Latin origin in the US. The writer also...

Changes in the Relationship Between Eliezer and His Father in the Novel “Night”

Introduction of the novel The novel “Night” written by Eliezer Wiesel, based on his true experience of surviving the Holocaust, keeps making strong impressions on people of all generations. When Wiesel has just finished his work on the book, and tried to find a publisher for it, no one would...

“A Raisin in the Sun” Play by Lorraine Hansberry

In the play “A Raisin in the Sun,” several important themes are explored. George Murchison strives towards assimilationism as a way of addressing consistent racial discrimination, while Beneatha sees assimilation as a manifestation of George’s fear of his heritage. Moreover, George sees heritage as “raggedy-assed spirituals and some grass huts!”...

Sharikov as Generational Symbol in “The Heart of a Dog”

Polygraph Polygraphovich Sharikov is a demonstrably villainous antagonist in Mikhail Bulgakov’s novella The Heart of a Dog. After “a small experiment” on a stray dog, Sharik, conducted by a talented surgeon, Professor Preobrazhensky, and his assistant, Dr. Bormental, the dog is turned into a human (Bulgakov). From the former Sharik,...

The Story “Everything Is Far from Here” by Christina Henriquez

Separating the mother from her son is one of the most powerful techniques that Henriquez uses to demonstrate the horror of American immigration policy. The confusion and fear of the woman captured by guards are presented vividly and acutely, and the very topic of separation hurts the reader’s consciousness significantly....

Winterson’s “Written on the Body”: Feminist Text

Introduction A distinctive feature of Written on the Body would be an attempt to go beyond the main idea and significantly expand the range of problems and relationships. The work, thanks to the skillful pen of the author, is filled with subtle and vivid psychological portraits. It seems reasonable to...

Domestic Violence in “Othello” by W. Shakespeare

Introduction Arguably, William Shakespeare’s works are a critical way of thinking about the different contemporary subjects existing today. In Shakespeare’s tragedy Othello, various issues affecting society during the 16th century are discussed. Writers, historians, sociologists, linguists, and the public, in general, use Shakespeare’s works as a vital reference point and...

Literary Analysis of Ward’s “Sing, Unburied, Sing”

Jesmyn Ward: A Celebrated Author in American Literature Jesmyn Ward is considered an important author in American literature owing to her ability to showcase an intimate and in-depth understanding of language. Ward’s works explore American families and their diverse cultures. All of Ward’s novels are set in the small town...

“The Tragedy of Othello, The Moor of Venice” by Shakespeare

Shakespeare’s Othello is a play about secrets, plotting and revenge. It tells the tragic story of Othello, who is secretly married to Desdemona and how the people around them plot to end the relationship (Shakespeare 6). Rodrigo’s business with Iago involves the latter helping him to woo Desdemona. Roderigo is...

“The Tell-Tale Heart and the Yellow Wallpaper” by Perkins

Insanity in Gothic Literature Gothic authors submerge their readers into the dark and depressing atmosphere as they slowly lead the characters through the traps of their minds. In many cases, the heroes are experiencing some forms of insanity, imagining or seeing the scary phenomena while others do not. Description of...

Myths Featuring Conflicts Among Members of a Gods Family

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

“Maus: A Survivor’s Tale” by Art Spiegelman: Characters Analysis

Art Spiegelman made his book sound very human, and his characters are real and complicated. Vladek causes controversial feelings during the course of the story. First words about Anja’s personality in his narrative include that she was from a rich family (Spiegelman, 1987). One may assume that if not for...

The Novel “Skylark” by Dezso Kosztolanyi

“Skylark,” written by an outstanding Hungarian author Dezso Kosztolanyi, is a novel about the change of one senior couple’s life during the impermanent absence of their unattractive and unmarried daughter. At the same time, this work provides essential information about Hungary, especially its political environment, at the end of the...

Symbolism in The Lottery Story by Shirley Jackson

The Lottery was written by Shirley Jackson in 1948 and contains many notable themes. It has an exciting plot that, simultaneously, can cause a contradictable sense of averse for the events that take place. It might be rational to suggest that The Lottery is significant and relevant to discuss. The...

Henry’s Perspective on War Changing in Hemingway’s “A Farewell to Arms”

Harsh realities of war may make many people question their views, and literary characters are not an exception to this rule. Henry from Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms is initially eager to play his part in the war, but then is almost executed for no fault, and this lack of...

Maus: A Survivor’s Tale by Art Spiegelman

This paper will analyze the graphic strategies used by Art Spiegelman on page 13 of his graphic novel, Maus: A Survivor’s Tale. This page represents a part of the narration when a father tells his son about his past, so it includes both the current timeline of the story and...

The Connection between the Ancient and Current World Heroes

Rome and Greece are strongly identified with a culture, which credits heroes. The dynasties in ancient times would create their brave men and make them leaders who they believe in. The gallant notion has been passed on to generations through the word of mouth, to a point where it is...

Analysis of “Girl in Translation, Chapter 11 and 12” by Kwok

One of the most key characteristics of chapter eleven revolves around relationship dynamics between various characters. The first major event takes place when some boys, who surrounded Vivian as the center of their attention, show disrespect towards Park. At this moment, Kim observes such behavior and steps to defend him,...

Pursuit of Daisy Buchanan in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”

Reasons Why The Pursuit of Daisy Buchanan Was Justified “Great Gatsby” is a novel written by F.S. Fitzerald and published in 1925. The book follows the narrator as he enters the world of the American socialite after returning from war and meets the eponymous main character. Jay Gatsby gained his...

Inspiration by Jessica Knight’s Poetry

Introduction A poem by Jessica Knight titled “Secrets under trees” is a reflection on how secrets should not be revealed. The author uses a metaphor of a tree and its leaves as a way of showing how secrets should be left to rot (Knight, 2016). My original art piece, a...

Opposing Ideas in Play Antigone by Sophocles

Antigone by Sophocles describes the aftermath of a war in which two brothers, Polyneices and Eteocles, murder each other. The author centers the main conflict on individual conscience and the obligations to the state. The play depicts the clash between human and divine law in which Antigone and Creon deny...

Housewife’s Role in “Woman’s Work” by Julia Alvarez

Women are often required to be good wives, mothers, nurses, teachers, breadwinners, and housekeepers at the same time. All of them deserve gratitude and praise, but women’s work is often invisible. In her poem “Woman’s Work,” Julia Alvarez discusses the domestic role of women and their input in the family....

A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Literature has always been a tool used by authors to attract people’s attention to a particular aspect of their lives of problems topical for society. At the same time, some issues have always been topical for communities because of their universal character. These include love, relations, faith, morals, and values...

The World State and Dystopia in “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley

The issue of finding the right balance between personal freedoms and the need for social stability and development has been a pressing one for a long time. Its urgency has further been increased by the spread of terrorism, which resulted in certain measures intended to control and protect citizens and...

The Poem “Loose Woman” by Sandra Cisneros

“Loose Woman” poem by Sandra Cisneros is the last poem in the collection that presents her vision of herself and women in general. In this poem, it is possible to recognize a woman who speaks about how others perceive her, calling her a beast, bitch, and macha. The main character...

“The Life and Culture of the Gebusi” by Bruce Knauft

Introduction In his book, Bruce Knauft describes the life and culture of the Gebusi, a people living in Papua New Guinea. His anthropological research is deep and covers various aspects of the development of this unique culture. The evaluation of life, religion, social relations, spirituality, and other features of the...

Analysis of “We Are the Animals” by Justin Torres

Justin Torres debut novel We are the Animals is a rather excellent book, transforming the cruelness of upbringing and life events into an adventurous journey. Such a combination brought the novel popularity amongst contemporary readers, providing an escape from reality. The story is centered on three brothers whose childhood in...

A Child in Whiteness: The Snowy Day by Ezra J. Keats

The Snowy Day by Keats Ezra J. is one of the pioneer writings among stories for children that depicted an African American child as the main central character. The story was published during the Civil Rights Movement era by an author of Jewish heritage. Although it is a children’s book,...

Puritanism and Enlightenment Writers

During the Colonial age, American Literature was mainly influenced by religious, gender, and ethnic diversity. Puritanism was a belief-oriented religious movement that was led by a group of English Protestants between the 16th and 19th centuries (Scanlan 281). Puritan writers were guided by values and ideas such as courage, business,...

“Emotional Intelligence” by Daniel Goleman Book Review

Overview The main reason why intelligent tests were initially conducted was to determine the level of mental ability among students (Matthews, Zeidner & Robert, 2002). However, it is still debatable whether one’s intellectual ability is similar to the IQ ratings. However, it is evident that most people who are perceived...

The Lesson by Bambara: Summary of a Short Story

The injustice of life is widely spread across the world and throughout time. Poverty and disparity are the critical elements of societal distress, and numerous national and ideological attempts have been made in order to eliminate societal and financial inequalities. However, most of these attempts have failed to exempt people...

Byron, Keats, and Shelley: The Era of Romanticism

The poetry of the Romanticism era shares quite a few characteristics defined by the time in which it was produced, yet each author also left their own unique imprint on the poems created at the time. Three of the most prolific Romantic poets of the time, namely, Byron, Keats, and...

Walt Whitman’s Poetry: Transcendentalism Beliefs

Walt Whitman was the American poet who represented the transcendentalist movement in the nineteenth century. Transcendentalism’s general belief is that human senses are not enough to provide the profound truth as they are limited to physical knowledge of life. Rueben concludes transcendentalism as “the intuitive faculty, instead of the rational...

‘Sacagawea’ by Liselotte Erdrich

‘Sacagawea’ is an excellent biography book intended for children. Liselotte Erdrich is a Native American writer, so she shows a deep understanding of the life and values of a Native American woman, Sacagawea, who has become a part of history. This book is marvelously written and reads like a legend...

“Fat Girl” by Judith Moore

Fat girl is a non-fiction novel based on the abusive life of a young girl who is obese for as long as she can remember. She is mentally and physically abused by her mother and grandmother and her body size is one of the reasons why she faces constant and...

Symbolism and Social Issues in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter”

“The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne is an excellent piece of literature enabling to examine the way symbolism may be applied in order to reveal the most appealing ideas and address the most complicated issues of human life. This romantic work discusses a row of important problems existing within the...

Love Obstacles in Betty Keller’s Tea Party

Betty Keller’s essay Tea Party is one of her best works. It demonstrates the talent of the author as far as the reader may observe how many themes may be covered in such a short story (Betty Keller). This essay is like a hymn to the remote love between two...

Frankenstein vs. Paradise Lost

The stories about the Devil, Adam, and Frankenstein’s monster seem to have nothing in common at first glance. However, a more detailed consideration of each of them allows tracing certain similarities between them. People (or other beings) who have negative qualities always seem alike. They are united by their desire...

“Montana 1948” Book Review and Analysis

The book ‘Montana 1948’ reflects themes of; the importance of family, loyalty, guilt, law, and order, and justice. The book is told from a third-person perspective of David Hayden, who recaps the events of his childhood Bentock, Montana in the summer of 1948. The issue of identity and decision-making are...

Two Passages From ‘The Devil on the Cross’ by Ngugi

First passage In this passage Wariinga who is the main protagonist in this play talks about her material and emotional problems. In this case, it can be argued that Wariinga had been abandoned by her lover, which resulted in her emotional problems. From the passage, it can be argued that...

Tayama Katai’s the Quilt the Ancestor of “I-Novel”

Introduction At the end of the nineteenth century, Japanese literature experienced many striking moments. In particular, in the late 60th, it endured the most deplorable declines under the governance of Emperor Meiji. The famous authors were doomed to resort to writing books about formless and meaningless gossips. So far, having...

“A&P” by John Updike

A & P written by John Updike is a short story of a teenaged boy of 19 named Sammy who worked at a local grocery store called A&P. Sammy relates in first person the three young girls in swimsuits who entered the store. He appraises them sexually, until the manager...

Hero’s Journey in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

The concept of the hero’s journey has been a driving concept throughout Western literature for centuries. It is plainly evident in some of our earliest and most cherished stories, such as the legend of King Arthur in his earlier years, and can even be traced through Beowulf, the earliest piece...

“Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury: The Roots of Fear

Introduction The novel Fahrenheit 451 by Bradbury is a fiction story which unveils the untold and underlying lawlessness in anti-intellectual teenagers in America; who engage in various anti-social activities. In his novel, Bradbury brings the corrupt and evils society build on the fear of unknown as a result of inferiority...

“The House on Mango Street” Book by Sandra Cisneros

Introduction The House on Mango Street is a novel by Sandra Cisneros and tells the story of a young Latina girl, Esperanza Cordero who is brought up in a Chicago neighborhood full of Chicanos and Puerto Ricans. Residents in this neighborhood are so impoverished and full of social ills; everyone...

“The Red Convertible” by Louise Erdrich: Symbolism

As the title shows, “The Red Convertible” is the main fulcrum of the story and the entire plot is built around it. It is used as a symbol of happiness with its color ‘red’ denoting passion and life. At the beginning of the story, the car belongs to both Lyman...

Vernaculars in “The Weary Blues” by Langston Hughes

In the Norton Anthology of African American Literature, there is a long discussion of vernacular, The Vernacular Tradition, and how it impacts the meaning and our understanding of the meaning in African American literature, particularly the blues. The article begins with, “In African American literature, the vernacular refers to the...

The Theme of Success in “Winter Dreams”

Literary works of F. Scott Fitzgerald are very famous in the whole context of 20th-century American literature; the writer managed to win fame due to his artistic and gentle language, the ability to conform to the views, tastes, and attitudes of the beginning of the 20th century and his skillful...

“The Storm” by Kate Chopin

On 18th July 1898, Kate Chopin wrote a short story titled “The Storm” which played around the events happening in the life of a woman (Calixta) over a stormy afternoon. Calixta was a typical traditional housewife bundled with the task of taking care of the home while her husband (Bobinôt)...

Sacagawea: Biography and Book Critique

Introduction The stories about Indian people are always fascinating and mysterious. It does not matter whether they concern the way of life of Indian tribes or explore the life of a separate person, they do it in a way that the readers forget about everything that surrounds them and give...

Lysistrata: The First Feminist

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

Coelho’s Biographical Representations in “The Alchemist”

Introduction Paulo Coelho is one of the most famous novelists of the world of today (Coelho, 2009). This Brazilian author wins a lot of respect for his talent of making people think of the simplest issues they have never thought of before, even when those issues directly touch their lives...

Discussion of the Poem’s Context “Wulf and Eadwacer”

“Wulf and Eadwacer” is an Anglo-Saxon poem found in the 10th century Exeter Book and famous for its difficult interpretation. I believe this poem is essentially an expression of wife and mother’s grief. In the very beginning, it is made clear that by its context and emotional mood, “Wulf and...

Edward Estlin Cummings and His Poetry Review

Introduction Edward Estlin Cummings is amongst the most controversial figures of the 20th century American poetry. On the one hand, readers value him for sincerity and sensitivity in depicting the mystery of love as well as for idealized depiction of the beloved as well as for his sensual, almost three-dimensional...

Phoenix’s Speech in Book 9th of the Iliad

Homer is regarded in the Roman and Greek world as the father of rhetoric. This reputation of Homer is clearly evident from the 9th book of the Iliad, an embassy right from the leaders of the Greek towards Achilles, who is both sour and furious. The speeches framed by Homer...

The Lottery Short Story: Personal Response

Introduction Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” is a short story which reveals the dark side of human nature. It depicts the collective unconscious of the people of a village, of about three hundred people. The author brings them together to take part in an annual rite in the form of a...

The Role of Women in Pride and Prejudice

The Role of Women During the 19th century, one major priority of women was marriage. In most cases women married for attraction and social status. It was hardly for true love. At times cases of happiness within the marriage context was purely based on whether the female was beautiful and...

The Grandmother in A Good Man Is Hard to Find: Character Analysis

Mary Flannery O’Connor authored the short essay “A Good Man Is Hard To Find” in a style and manner that is not often seen in women writers. She chose to deal with the real-life issues of parent-child relationships and violent murders. Certainly not a genre that women authors are known...

Success in Death of a Salesman

The modern world is full of different points of view about failure and success. Different people think that success is a big family with ten children, the others consider success as a financial part of life, and some people think that it is a success when they have achieved something,...

The Role of Love and Women in Great Gatsby and the Sun Also Rises

Introduction Love is inextricably linked to women in both Fitzgerald’s “Great Gatsby” and Hemingway’s “The Sun Also Rises” so much so that a serious discussion of one cannot be complete without the other. Daisy Buchanan and Brett in both books respectively are the agents that symbolize love, or the absence...

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

Among the cornerstone issues of human existence is the aspect of relations between man and Death. In the circle of life Death is the ultimate destination and the greatest mystery to solve; unknown and enigmatic, Death both draws people’s attention and scares them, since it takes away the most precious...

“The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte P. Gilman

Charlotte Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper” depicts the inner struggle of a woman unbalanced by post-partum depression, a problem for which even today’s doctors have no treatment. Her husband and brother are both doctors who have her best interest at heart but whose recommended rest cure is based on the accepted...

Tragic Hero in Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare

Introduction Aristotle, a well known and generally recognized dramatic tragedies pioneer, highlighted his vision of the true tragic hero which can be analyzed through the work ‘Julius Caesar’ by William Shakespeare. The story is considered to be a masterpiece of the world literature disclosing the era of ambitious political leader...

“How America Was Discovered” Analysis

The work of Handsome Lake How America was discovered is a fiction that bears more ideological and precaution character for a reader. The story of a white preacher who once met the Creator telling him about a country where people would be cruel and corrupt because of money greed and...

“Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” Epic Poem Analysis

The epic poems can be regarded as “a beautiful fiction, producing a lovely, apotheosized version of the self with the capability of camouflaging one’s failings and the uncertainties of life” (Weiss 1). Thus works representing this genre of literature could be considered fairytales for children unless they were of great...

Heroine Analysis: Helen and Penelope in “The Iliad” and “The Odyssey”

Introduction The story of Helen and Penelope in both works by Homer displays different destinies of the two most eminent heroines in terms of their participation in the development of actions shown in both books. In this respect it is necessary to admit that The Odyssey and The Iliad touch...

“Maigret Goes to School” Novel by George Simenon

Introduction George Simenon is French born novelist. He is the deft handler of the detective fiction. He has been acclaimed as its literate writer as well. His name reverberates with the creation of Paris police detective inspector named Maigret. He has brought about dozens of the mysteries of this inspector...

“Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe

Things Fall Apart Things Fall Apart: A Novel is the book that can be called a real masterpiece of the African Literature with the appearance of which Chinua Achebe was concerned started writing his novels and glorifying the African culture and Africans. This book can be viewed as the response...

“Half Slave and Half Free: The Roots of Civil War” by Bruce Levine

Introduction The American Civil War, also known as the War Between the States started at 1861 and ended in 1865. It was a civil war in the United States of America when the Southern slave states declared about their desire to get separated from the United States and formed the...

“The Sun Also Rises” by Ernest Hemingway

The book ‘The Sun Also Rises was published in 1926 and was the first novel published by the renowned Novelist Ernest Hemmingway. The book is also known as Fiesta in some countries because this was the original title that Hemmingway chose for the novel. The Sun Also Rises expounds upon...

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...

Canterbury Tales: The Wife of Bath Analysis Essay

Introduction The Wife of Bath’s Tale is considered to be a disclosure of the female role in the society in the period of Late Middle Ages. The Wife of Bath starts in King Arthur’s days; this period was characterized by the great majority of elves and fairies. The story is...

“Ode to the West Wind” by Percy Bysshe Shelley.

The essay focus on the poem “Ode to the west wind”, by Percy Bysshe Shelley, who was born in 1792, educated at Eton and University College, Oxford. In 1811 he was expelled from Oxford for circulating a pamphlet, “The necessity of Atheism”. In same year he married the under-aged Harriet...

“Gulliver’s Travels” Novel by Jonathan Swift

Gulliver’s Travels is the novel that became extremely fashionable as soon as it was issued (John Gay said in a 1726 letter to Swift that “it is universally read, from the cabinet council to the nursery”), and it is probable that it has never been out of print since then....

Beowulf: The Classic Hero’s Qualities and Heroism

Introduction It is believed that Beowulf can be considered the oldest existing English epic poem, that was written somewhere around the 7th or the 8th century. Beowulf is about the grand Scandinavian hero known as Beowulf’s expedition to gratis Denmark by killing the monster, Grendel. Later on Beowulf is announced...

Beowulf, The National Epic of the Anglo-Saxons

Introducion An epic is a long, narrative poem written in a noble, dignified style and telling of exploits perfumed by great heroes. It differs from other narrative poems in that it has greater dignity and sweep and presents more lifelike characters, Beowulf, the national epic of the Anglo-Saxons, relates how...

Barker’s Regeneration & Plath’s The Bell Jar: Compare & Contrast Essay

Introduction Literature is usually regarded as a guide, which leads us throughout the realities of life, impacts our conclusions, and permeates our cultural consciousness. It is in the literature that we find our characters; we find the evidence of our pasts and an expectation for our potential. It is literature...

Morality and Hypocrisy in O’Connor’s ‘A Good Man Is Hard To Find’

Introduction The Story A Good Man Is Hard To Find is a tragic story of a family which was planning to go on vacation in Florida. The selfish Grandmother wants to go to Tennessee instead and uses the argument that the Misfit is on his way to Florida and he...

Death of a Salesman: the Theme of a Small Man in a Big City

Introduction To some extent, the unique social and spiritual image of the United States attracts the constant attention of many people, including researchers and writers. The latter, as a rule, tend to understand and convey the originality of the American society, its past, present, and possible future scenario in their...

Comparing Characters from Odyssey, Scarlett Letter, Troy, Hamlet

The topic of this essay is the comparison of different characters from the masterpieces of world literature and movie-making. The heroes from Homer’s “Odyssey”, Hawthorne’s “Scarlett Latter” and movie characters from Hollywood hits “Troy” and “Hamlet” present a real interest for anybody as they display vividly basic features of a...

Shifting Gender Norms in Isabel Allende’s The House of the Spirits

The questions of gender equality and the role of women in family and society are central for Isabel Allende’s novel The House of the Spirits that was first published in 1982. Although Allende describes the life of her characters without directly naming the Latin American country they live in, it...

In-depth Analysis of William Faulkner’s Short Story “Barn Burning”

William Faulkner’s “Barn Burning” (first published in June 1939 in Harper’s Magazine) is a short story that is notable for underlining the problem of class conflict as well as for reflecting on family dynamics and the role fathers play in the lives of their children. The story is told from...

“Buccaneers of the Caribbean: How Piracy Forged an Empire” by Jon Latimer

Introduction Buccaneers of the Caribbean: How Piracy Forged an Empire is an interesting historical book by Jon Latimer. The author chronicles historical events that occurred during the seventeenth century as buccaneers controlled the Caribbean. The buccaneers were confused with pirates, but they were privateers from France, England, and Holland, authorized...

Hubris vs. Nemesis in Literary Stories

Creating a story that stands the test of time is difficult not because of the necessity to build a compelling character or create a narrative that allows readers to remain engaged. Although the described items are also crucial components of a story, it is an action challenging the norm that...

Family Ties and Heritage in Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use”

It is a common practice in many nations to create things by hand and pass them from generation to generation. Whether these items are used daily or kept closed in a chest as the most precious possessions, they are meant to bear the history of several generations within them. However,...

Father-Son Dynamics in Homer’s “Odyssey”: A Deep Analysis

Introduction Being one of the most famous Ancient Greek plays, “Odyssey” has entered the realm of global culture, having left its mark on countless artworks and generations of readers. The poem addresses a large variety of themes, yet the father-son dynamics is one of the more subtle ideas integrated in...

Female Identity in Ortiz Cofer’s “Quinceanera”

Judith Ortiz Cofer Judith Ortiz Cofer (1952-2016), who wrote Quinceañera, was a Puerto Rican American author critically acclaimed for her poetry, short stories, essays, fiction, and autobiography. She was born in Hormigueros, Puerto Rico, in the family with a military father, J. M. Ortiz Lugo, who took his closest relatives,...

Travel as a Metaphor in Frost and Thomas’s Poems

Poets tend to explore various aspects of human life and draw people’s attention to the most relevant issues. Hence, many poems may contain similar themes, but the emphasis is likely to be unique for every work of art. In this paper, a common theme in two poems by Robert Frost...

Doggerel by a Senior Citizen by W. H. Auden

The piece of literature I selected for the analysis is Doggerel by a Senior Citizen by W. H. Auden. I believe that it is the poem reflecting the attitude (to people and the world as a whole) that is still relevant today and is shared by many. It was typical...

True Freedom Theme in American Short Stories

Despite the existing variety of stories and authors, all of them have several things in common. The presence of a theme is usually defined as a major idea of a work that can be stated directly and indirectly (Literary Devices, n.d.). In this discussion, three short stories, “The Cask of...

Irony in “The Ambitious Guest” by N. Hawthorne

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s use of irony as a literary device was not an afterthought. Writers use irony in the same way that a chef utilizes a certain type of ingredient to add flavor or character to the prepared dish. However, Hawthorne’s case, it is a mistake to perceive the use of...

“Kafka on the Shore” a Novel by Haruki Murakami

Kafka on the Shore Telling two entangled stories that seem irrelevant to each other but later on prove intertwined, the book is split into two parts. While the odd chapters lead the reader down the life path of a boy of fifteen named Kafka, the second one narrates the story...

Samuel Johnson’s “Rambler #5” and “Idler #31”

“Idler #31” Samuel Johnson revealed his ideas on idle people and the nature of idleness in his essay “Idler #31”. The author contemplates the essence of idleness. First, Johnson depicts an idler who buries him/herself in the complete darkness. One could understand Johnson’s words literally, but the author does not...

Literature as Society’s Mirror: Insights and Reflections

Introduction Literature is an artistic piece of work used to creatively pass information/ideas to people in society. Since the authors of these pieces of work are members of the society, the ideas/information found in the latter are usually a reflection of the day to day happenings in the society; literature...

Lessons Learned from “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka

Welcome to our essay sample on the lessons from The Metamorphosis! Here, you’ll find The Metamorphosis summary and analysis. Keep reading to get a better understanding of Kafka’s story. The Metamorphosis: Summary The major change in Gregor’s life was the transformation from the human life to that of an insect...

Lessons Learned from “Heart of Darkness” by Joseph Conrad

Marlow left for Africa specifically to Congo in the service of the Belgian company occupying Congo as its protectorate (Conrad 3). However, when Marlow was presented with the map showing the Belgian empire, he raised concerns with the effects of imperial presence in Africa. For instance, the Congolese viewed the...

“An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” by Bierce

In what ways are the condemned man’s perceptions of time and motion distorted as he is waiting to be hanged? Ambrose Bierce uses the stream of consciousness literary style to present some aspects of the story that take place in Peyton’s imagination. Peyton believes that everything has a slow and...

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....

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...

Sex without Love: by Sharon Olds

Literature has always served people to convey their feelings and emotions. It is a very powerful remedy which helps authors show their attitude towards some issue and make people think about it. That is why it is obvious that much attention in the literature is devoted to the issue of...

The Battle of the Sexes in the Miller’s Tale

Introduction The Miller’s Tale is a humorous story about an old rich carpenter, his wife and two clerks. The latter two keeps seducing the carpenter’s wife in order to get her to bed. Among the various themes in this story is cuckoldry. The term cuckoldry refers to a man whose...

Analyzing Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken”

Introduction While the textbook offers a wide range of captivating, deep poems, fully of effective and meaningful symbolism, few of them are as captivating and current as the poem “Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost, which is rightfully one of his more popular works (Frost). This is a narrative poem,...

Cultures in Kiran Desai’s The Inheritance of Loss

Introduction This paper is a review of the article, Kiran Desai’s The Inheritance of Loss: Elements of American Dream and Globalization by Andhra Chandramani and Bala Reddy, which bases its discussion on the book, The Inheritance of Loss, by Kiran Desai. The article is mainly an analysis of what the...

Hubris in Ancient Greek Tragedies

A tragedy is an act of human suffering. This act invokes feeling in viewers’ hearts which seem to enjoy the process of someone suffering. In view of culture, tragedy refers to a form of drama in a given tradition. The term drama in the context of tradition has been the...

Petrarchan Woman in Wyatt’s and Marvell’s Poems

Renaissance poetry has become influential in many ways. While not being followed directly, it has been incorporated in many areas of art and served as a source of inspiration to several generations of poets. A great example of this is Francesco Petrarch, whose poetry of the early Renaissance was both...

Symbolism of Masculinity in John Maxwell Coetzee’s “Disgrace”

The issue of social isolation and ostracism has been explored extensively in literature, yet it shines through especially vividly in Coetzee’s award-winning Disgrace (Poyner 1). Among the characteristics that make the message of the novel especially poignant, one must mention the fact that Coetzee manages to incorporate the political and...

Sexual Energy in The Changeling and The Revenger’s Tragedy

Introduction: Relevance of the Topic to Early Modern Literature Although most of the early modern English plays seem innocent to the present-day audience, in fact, exploration of sexuality, ranging from playful and comic to tragic and taboo, was one of the most popular topics among playwrights. Sexuality in the early...

“The Bean Eaters” by Gwendolyn Brooks

The subject of the Poem The poem The bean eaters deals with a seemingly simple subject, which is a scene of two old people having dinner and eating beans. However, a closer look at the narrative will show that it addresses an array of social issues, poverty being the main...

Little Red Riding Hood by Dahl and Perrault

Comparison of the Different Versions of LRRH Little Red Cap is a folk text initially written by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm. Today, it is also widely known as Little Red Riding Hood (LRRH). This fairy tale reveals a story about a young girl who goes through the woods to visit...

The Major Themes of the Play “Antigone” by Sophocles

One of the major themes of the famous play Antigone by Sophocles is the sense of justice. It is possible to note that the play focuses on such moral issue as true justice. Antigone is the agent of morality in the play as she tries to make the things right...

“Gulliver’s Travels” a Book by Jonathan Swift

Introduction The novel ‘Gulliver’s Travels’ was written in Europe in the early 16th century. It was published in 1726. The novel was written by Jonathan Swift. He was a writer of Anglo-Irish origin. Initially, the title of the book was ‘Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World in Four...

Character Analysis of the Protagonist in “The Glass Menagerie” by Williams

I believe that Tom is the protagonist of the play by Tennessee. The play revolves around the lives of three key characters. The three characters include Tom, Laura and Amanda. Tom encounters many challenges in his life and he tries everything possible to have a new kind of life. The...

Quotes from “Superman and Me” by Sherman Alexie

“Inside our house, each family member existed as a separate paragraph, but still had genetics and common experiences to link us.” When Sherman Alexie began to learn reading, he discovered the usage of paragraphs in writing. He understood that it was “a fence that held words…that worked together for a...

“The Martian Chronicles” by Ray Bradbury

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

“Barbie-Q” a Short Story by Sandra Cisneros

A short story is a very interesting genre because authors are supposed to convey their messages using the limited number of words – therefore, it can be supposed that good short stories have to be revised many times in order to exclude odd details that do not help the reader...

Setting in John Updike’s Short Story “A&P”

Updike’s “A&P” can be read fast but the understanding does not come unless one learns to read such texts deeply. On the first scanning, “A&P” seems to offer simple symbolism of freedom and bondage, class, and power through the characters, their looks, and actions. However, the setting itself is a...

“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...

Journey in “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” and “Alchemist”

Introduction Narrative fiction often seeks to attract and entertain readers with imaginative experiences of characters that go through a transformation; therefore, it often utilizes quest-like plots that allow readers to embark on journeys to achieve certain goals that will eventually lead to change. In The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho provides his...

A&P John Updike Analysis – Essay on the Short Story [New Sample]

This A&P short story analysis will provide you with a plot summary, reveal where the story takes place, and analyze the characters. If you need to write an A&P by John Updike theme essay or any other paper, this sample will inspire you. Introduction A&P by John Updike is a...

“Schoolsville” a Poem by Billy Collins

The Introduction: The Author’s Humorous Tone First of all, I would like to point out that the poem Schoolsville reminded me of my own school life. Of course, it is obvious, that the writer Billy Collins used expressive language devices to impress the readers. In other words, his speech is...

“Catch” by Robert Francis and “Easter Wings” by George Herbert

Two poems written by Robert Francis and George Herbert are separated by more than three centuries of the literature process. These aspects influenced the style of writing and the peculiarities of the poetic language. Nevertheless, it is still possible to determine the main differences and similarities in Francis’s “Catch” and...

“The Romance of the Forest” a Novel by Ann Radcliffe

Despite being set in a particular time and place, Radcliffe’s story actually transpires in a space of imagination and feeling; it is the moral and emotional state of her characters that form the focus of the author’s attention, with a Cinderella plot underpinning their journey of towards discovery and reward....

Literary Analysis of Elie Wiesel’s “Night”: Themes of Loss and Survival

Introduction Father-son relationships have never been easy, and Wiesel’s novel is the exact manifestation of the given fact. Although the novel touches upon several issues apart from the given one, and the family dilemmas are not the focus of the novel, it is quite peculiar to watch the evolution of...

Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert Literature Analysis

Introduction Madame Bovary is the novel written by the outstanding French author Gustave Flaubert. The novel is considered to be one of the masterpieces of the world literature and one of the most famous works of its author. The novel is interesting for its rich plot telling about the fortune...

The Future of Reading

Introduction It should be known that e-books and online blogs are definitely going to have an effect on the future of reading books and libraries. This is based on the popularity of e-books and online blogs that has been intensifying in recent years. E-books and online blogs will definitely have...

American Literature: Harlem by Langston Hughes

This poem illustrates the occurrence of a dream. It is not just the ordinary dream that occurs when one is sleeping but rather a practical dream or a life goal. This dream seems to be of much importance to the dreamer. The dreamer does not really tell us what exactly...

“El Señor Presidente” by Miguel Angel Asturias

Introduction El Señor Presidente (Mister President) is a landmark text in Latin American literature authored by Guatemalan diplomat and writer Miguel Angel Asturias (1899 – 1974) as it details the nature of political dictatorship and its impacts on the society. The award winning work, originally written in Spanish, tells the...

Conflict in A Rose for Emily Essay Example

The critical theory by Lois Tyson offers a literary analysis of the psychoanalytic theory whereby it seeks to explain individual character depicted in an individual who is lacking in terms of character and moral standing in his or her actions. The short story A Rose for Emily takes on a...