Harper Lee’s Life and Legacy in Her “To Kill a Mockingbird” Novel

Introduction Harper Lee was an American writer best known for her work “To Kill a Mockingbird.” In it, she considered the critical social issues of the time that were reflected in society and how unfair and prejudicial people could treat each other. The origins of writing the work were taken...

An Analysis of Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s The Yellow Wallpaper by Conrad Shumaker

Introduction Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper” challenges stereotypical perceptions of women’s mental health and societal roles and raises questions about freedom of expression. The piece of short fiction has been analyzed from different perspectives, with Conrad Shumaker digging deep into the story’s complexity in his article “Too Terribly Good...

“On the Run: Fugitive Life in an American City” by Alice Goffman

On the Run: Fugitive Life in an American City is a book by Alice Goffman that presents research on a Black neighborhood in Philadelphia. The book is based on stories told by locals, mostly a man named George Taylor, although it is a pseudonym, and the author’s personal experiences. Since...

“Tracks of the Wandering Mind”: Poem Analysis

Within Tracks of the Wandering Mind the author expresses the feeling of a deep longing for something unreachable and different from the surroundings. The protagonist is linking the things they would want to experience and the places they would want to see with trains, and they also mention railways. It...

“A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner: Character Analysis

A Rose for Emily is a short story written by William Faulkner, the American author famous for their contribution to the gothic genre in the twentieth century. Faulkner’s fiction pictures the realistic episodes reviving the darkest aspects of human personality and relationships between people. Indeed, the main character of A...

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...

A Positivist-Conservative Reaction by David Bushnell

The chapter The Regeneration and Its Aftermath: A Positivist-Conservative Reaction (1885-1904) of David Bushnell’s book was written in 1993 in the USA. Specifically, in this chapter, the author analyzes the events preceding the Thousand Days’ war in Colombia and the secession of Panama (Bushnell, 1993). The text opens with an...

Odysseus: Global Character Analysis

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

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...

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...

Adversity in “The Wars” by Timothy Findley

The claim that adversity is the most important factor in shaping character is addressed in The Wars at different levels. In particular, on the one hand, it relates to the shaping of the character of the protagonist, Robert Ross. On the other hand, it shapes the characters of readers who...

The “Kubota Garden” Poem by Patricia Clark

Modern American poets’ works are filled with poetic allegories and metaphors, but it may seem that their poems have not been thoroughly studied yet. The complexity of poetic images sets the problem of their interpretation, which requires deep analysis of poetry. Being an example of a modern and symbolic poem,...

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

Leadership is always a very difficult task, not suitable for every person, especially if leadership qualities need to be developed in a war. Tim O’Bryan describes in ‘The Things They Carried’ Jimmy Cross’ attempts to become a leader. The author demonstrates how important it is to have maturity, discipline and...

The Story “Recitatif” by Toni Morrison

In the story “Recitatif,” written by Toni Morrison, the audience has to make an assumption on the main characters’ race and class while having limited information for it. However, when one of the girls, Twyla, reflects on their differences, in the beginning, she mentions that it is typical for people...

Othello by William Shakespeare: A Sympathetic Character

Every work that was penned by William Shakespeare – one of the greatest writers of all time – is unique in its own way: they all have their own specific culture, atmosphere, and, of course, characters. For instance, Othello – a tragedy supposedly written in 1603 – is considered to...

Money and Wealth in Paul’s Case by Cather

“Paul’s Case” One of the main themes in “Paul’s Case” story is money and wealth. The author describes the protagonist as a representative of the middle class. However, the social and economic situation does not suit Paul, and he wants more. At the same time, Paul’s neighbors are townspeople, those...

Plot Map of “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Charlotte Perkins Gilman, who is the narrator of the story “The Yellow Wallpaper,” first published it in January 1892 in New England Magazine. At that time the role of women in American society was minimal both legally and socially. The main theme of the book is self-expression and identity; the...

Cultural Identity and Legacy in Junot Díaz’s ‘The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao’

Introduction Junot Diaz’s book “The brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao” revolves around the story of Oscar Wao, a young Dominican man, and his family after immigrating to New Jersey from San Domingo, Dominican Republic, during the dictatorial regime of Rafael Trujillo. Since its publication in 2007, the novel has...

The Pursuit of Freedom in “Mansfield Park” by Jane Austen

Jane Austen authored several novels in the course of her literary career but “Mansfield Park” is by far her most relevant work of literature. One critic observes that most of Austen’s books are characteristically “vulgar in tone, sterile in invention, imprisoned in the wretched conventions of English culture, and without...

The Role of Othello in Shakespeare’s Othello

In Othello, Shakespeare aims to bring out the complexity of human relationships through the interactions of the main characters in the play. The experiences and action of the characters resemble human behaviors in social interactions. For instance, Othello evokes different feelings in various characters; some of those feelings positive, while...

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,...

Analysis of “The Death of a Salesman” by A. Miller

The Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller is a play that sheds light on issues several individuals in America experience in their quest for the American Dream. The story’s protagonist, Willy Loman, is caught up in a web of self-denial, contradiction, and desperation. Like many individuals, he envisions living...

Is Shakespeare Still Relevant Today?

The human experience is complex and multi-faceted, encompassing many emotions, experiences, and qualities. Throughout history, writers and artists have attempted to capture what it means to be human, exploring the universal qualities that connect us all. During the Renaissance in Elizabethan England, a time of significant cultural and societal change,...

Resilience: “Legends Are Made, Not Born”

Introduction Resilience is the capacity to bear and overcome difficulties in one’s life. Every individual is faced with challenges on their path, be it the loss of their loved ones, interpersonal struggles, or an inability to function within their society. Discussion Resilience is a quality and an ability that helps...

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...

Why Gilgamesh Is Different From the Other Mesopotamian Kings

The poem The Epic of Gilgamesh was composed in honor of Gilgamesh, a real-life ruler. The Gilgamesh Epic was a highly revered and worshipped poem in Mesopotamia. The poem was set in the Mesopotamian city of Uruk, now known as Iraq. Gilgamesh, who ruled as a hero king in the...

August Wilson’s Play “Fences”: The Perspective of Rose

Introduction The lead female figure in August Wilson’s well-known play Fences is named Rose Maxon. The author contrasts the macho physical strength of Troy, who lacks psychic and emotional stability, with the feminine spiritual strength of Rose, who is physically frail. Due to her capacity to resist her husband, willingness...

The “I Fought the Law, and I Won!” Book by J. Cordero

Jonny Cordero’s 2017 book “I Fought the Law, and I Won!” is a semi-autobiographical work that contains fiction elements. The plot of the author’s work was mainly based on his life events. The main topics are relationships within a fractured family, the effects of divorce, being apart from loved ones,...

Flannery O’Connor’s Masterpiece: ‘A Good Man Is Hard to Find’ Analyzed

Flannery O’Connor’s 1955 short tale, A Good Man is Hard to Find, highlights the seemingly random events with far-reaching implications that people encounter. The story, though narrated in the third person, takes the perspective of the character simply referred to as “The Grandmother.” From this angle, O’Connor presents the topic...

The Great Escape by Paul Brickhill: Book Analysis

The Great Escape, a non-fiction book by Paul Brickhill that was released by WW Norton & Company in 1950, describes what it was like to live in a German POW camp during World War II. The author was an Australian fighter pilot and became a prisoner of war, which means...

Psychology of the Colonizer: Orwell’s “Burmese Days”

The purpose of this essay is to examine a topic of colonization and its psychological aspects in the selected bibliography of an English writer George Orwell. Most of his novels and essays focus on social criticism that are supported by his personal experience of working as a policeman in Burma,...

Importance of Female Characters in Hamlet

Introduction Gender relationships are always complex and associated with concepts like power, responsibility, and concession. William Shakespeare is one of the authors whose works are intended to change the audience’s opinions on common events and expected feelings. His Hamlet is not just a story of a man who loses his...

Transforming Emotions and Behavior in Literature

A. R. Ammons and William Carlos Williams were famous American poets of the 20th century. They were known for giving common creatures, feelings and experiences unusual depictions and embodiments. By using various devices and means of description, they give those beings and cases a new interpretation. This feature in the...

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

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

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway

Introduction Faith and resilience stand out in the novel The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway, particularly in the older man’s story. Reading about Santiago’s experiences allowed me to view life from a hopeful perspective. The old man’s life is an inspiration to deal with life’s challenges without...

Thematic Significance of the Image in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”

Introduction The variety of well-known images that Shakespeare presents in Hamlet reflects the genius of the playwright and the demand for his play in the modern world. Many of the quotes still apply to this day, and some of the scenes have become iconic. One of the images that deserve...

Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing: Dolores Umbridge

Introduction The wolf in sheep’s clothing is a traditional trope born from the same-named fable that teaches that appearances can be deceiving. The fable tells the story of a wolf wearing a sheep’s skin to blend with the rest of the sheep and lure an innocent lamb to make a...

Twain’s Thoughts About “The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas”

Introduction Notably, those who leave Omelas would have Mark Twain’s approval. The writer would probably be relieved to discover that not everyone is destroying their innermost subconscious. This thought is reflected by Mark Twain’s title for his essay “The Damned Human Race” (42). Discussion Twain outlines a situation in which...

The Goal Book by Eliyahu Goldratt

Introduction The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement was published in 1984 by Eliyahu Goldratt, with the latest edition being released in 2004. Goldratt uses the story to explain the interrelated management concepts essential in strategic planning and operation management. Alex Rogo is the protagonist in the story, as it...

Review of “1776” Book by David McCollough

Introduction 1776, written by David McCullough, is a follow-up to his earlier biography of John Adams and is intended to expand the reader’s understanding of the early stages of the American Revolution. The book provides a fresh viewpoint on those events in a clear and exclusive manner. This review essay...

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...

“Imagine a World” by Amory Lovins

The essay starts with the parable about parachuting cats to Borneo in order to trace the idea that it is more essential to focus on solutions rather than problems. In the story, the spread of malaria was a major threat to the country’s residents back in the 1950s. The researchers...

Identity Development in Yukio Mishima’s “Sound of Waves”

Introduction The Sound of Waves is a fishing love story in the style of the poem about Daphnis and Chloe. Yukio Mishima focused on the story of noble heroes with strong and invincible characters. Consequently, the novel’s key theme is cognition of oneself and the world around these individuals through...

Hamlet’s Vulnerability in “Hamlet” by Shakespeare

The sadness of Hamlet is not the most apparent theme of the work, which, as a rule, fades against the background of madness. However, the protagonist’s anxiety and depression can be read in the lines of Hamlet’s dialogue with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, two unusual but very similar characters. This fact...

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

The novel A Good Man is Hard to Find was first published in 1953, and this work perfectly captures Flannery O’Connor’s style and writing technique. Her atmospheric writing does not leave anyone indifferent. Flannery O’Connor in “A good man is hard to find” uses literary elements such as description of...

Beowulf’s Motivation for Slaying Grendel

Being one of the oldest and by far most famous epic poems in English literature, “Beowulf” still remains an engaging and exciting story of magnificent proportions. Though the characters would, later on, become archetypal, they are still clearly defined and well-built, the leading one being a primary example. Though Beowulf’s...

The Battle with Grendel’s Mother in the Beowulf Poem

The monster’s mother is one of the three main antagonists of the Beowulf poem, along with Grendel himself and the dragon: different versions have referred to her as both a “female monster,” a “warrior-woman,” and even “the monstrous bride from hell.” This paper examines the episode of the battle between...

“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...

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...

Review of “Young Goodman Brown” by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Introduction The short story Young Goodman Brown by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a metaphorical narration created to express the process of taking vital decisions in life. The author uses such literary elements as setting and symbolism to convey the essential ideas related to the themes of faith, hope, sense of living,...

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...

“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...

“The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin: An Analysis

“The story of an hour” by Kate Chopin focuses on Josephine, who has conflicted feelings about the loss of her husband. The entire text describes how she reacts to the news of her husband’s death. Her worries, possible memories, emotions and, oddly enough, the inhalation of freedom are placed at...

Raymond Carver’s Portrayal of His Biography in His Fictional Works

Introduction Widely reputed for his mastery in infusing understatements in his short stories, Raymond Carver (1938-1988) is considered to have reignited the art of writing by the time of his death in 1988. As a poet and a writer of short stories, his works were characteristically multi-themed and could explore...

Review of “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” Book by O’Connor

“A Good Man is Hard to Find” is a fiction book and a collection of short stories written by Flannery O’Connor. In the short story with the same title, the author focuses on the story of a family’s vacation to Florida, during which this family meets a criminal named The...

Evil Humanity in “Night” Book by Elie Wiesel

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

The Play “Proof” by David Auburn

Prove that irony exists in the play In the play “Proof” by David Auburn, events unravel in the house of a mathematical genius Robert, who has been suffering from mental illness. His daughter Catherine is living with him in order to take care of. The first element of irony is...

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...

“The Montgomery Bus Boycott and the Women Who Started It” by Robinson

Robinson’s Involvement in the Women’s Political Council As the first member in her household to finish college, Robinson accomplished her aspiration to become a teaching assistant. She tutored for five years in Macon, Georgia, while receiving her master’s degree from Atlanta University. She also studied English at New York’s Columbia...

Mark Twain’s Pudd’nhead Wilson – Challenging Stereotypes

The whole plot of Twain’s novel is based on racism and the hypocrisy around white supremacy. David Wilson is a qualified lawyer; when he moves to Missouri, a small town in Downs landing, he is denied equal chances to practice his law skills. The whites view him as a less...

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...

Loss as a Transformative Experience in Alice Dark’s “In the Gloaming”

Writers have tackled the theme of tragedy and loss for as long as there was literature itself, contemplating the many different aspects of this hard yet omnipresent experience. In this respect, Alice Elliot Dark’s “In the Gloaming” is hardly a ground-breaker, as it is definitely not the first piece of...

“Never Let Me Go” by Kazuo Ishiguro

Introduction Never Let Me Go novel highlights the life of a group of clones and their lives when growing up. Kathy, the protagonist, narrates her life in Hailsham, a school of future organ donors. Kathy is now a ‘carer’ but tells her story as a flashback. The memory also speaks...

The Lottery Analysis: Story by Shirley Jackson

This paper analyses the short story “The Lottery” written by Shirley Jackson (1916-1965). Shirley Jackson is one of the most influential American authors of the twentieth century, mostly known for her short stories and novels excitingly describing different supernatural events. “The Lottery” tells about the annual lottery in a small...

Romance in Canterbury Tales and Courtly Love in the Lais of Marie de France

The Canterbury Tales originate from some pilgrims’ contest in story narration as they were navigating to Canterbury Cathedral written by Geoffrey Chaucer. Pilgrims from a wide variety of social classes participated in Canterbury Tales to reflect on the general social tensions and upheavals. The host of the competition promised a...

Lon Po Po Analysis and Comparison

Even though Red Riding Hood’s tale is universally recognizable, it has many versions that have both shared and different features. Its Chinese variant, Lon Po Po, can be considered the most distinguishing interpretation of the familiar idea. Thus, the essay will comment on what differences and similarities Lon Po Po...

Review of “Hum” by Jamaal May

Readers always have different opinions for the same work of literature. Specifically, people tend to use different lenses in interpreting a book. However, knowing the author’s biographic information and the contextual setting within which the author wrote a novel helps to get the intended meaning. Other aspects that a person...

Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily”: Analysis of the Plot

A plot is a series of events in a story. The plot in the short story “A Rose for Emily ” is well–developed. A plot must be chronological or non-chronological; chronological means the events happened in order of their occurrence. Non-Chronological implies that there were regressions into the past from...

The Cabuliwallah vs. Mini’s Father in Tagor’s Story

There are similarities and differences between the Cabuliwallah and Mini’s Father. The Cabuliwallah is from Afghanistan, while Mini’s father is from Calcutta in India. The Cabuliwallah has traveled from his country to Calcutta, India, to make a living by selling fruits, specifically grapes. He walks from door to door selling...

On Being Brought from Africa to America Poem by Wheatley

The poem On Being Brought from Africa to America by Phillis Wheatley is a poetic representation of dark period in American history when slave trade was prominent in society. However, despite the horrors of slavery, it is a poem of resilience and strength demonstrated by Wheatley on her journey. In...

“Cathedral” by Raymond Carver and “The Management of Grief” by Bharati Mukherjee

The common theme of “Cathedral” by Raymond Carver and “The Management of Grief” by Bharati Mukherjee is the misinterpretation of people’s feelings and perceptions by representatives of different population groups. Its general idea is the impossibility of understanding each other without walking a mile in their shoes. As a result,...

Peter Singer’s Perspective on Global Suffering

In his article, “Famine, Affluence, and Morality,” Peter Singer focuses on a topic that is essential for the whole world. The author considers famine, refugee crisis, and ways to combat these issues from a philosophical point of view. Singer takes a comprehensive approach to the problem since he introduces assumptions,...

Still, I Rise by M. Angelou: An Analytical Essay

The theme of the suppression of black people and the restoration of their rights is especially popular among African-American authors. In particular, this topic often refers to how Black people have experienced injustice in the past and are currently forced to fight for their freedom. The poem Still I Rise...

Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart”

Edgar Allan Poe is a well-known master of macabre stories, saturated with Gothic atmosphere, madness, and decay. One example is “The Tell-Tale Heart,” similar to other authors’ works, such as “The Black Cat,” because of the murder and concealment motif. However, the story is distinctive insomuch as the wrongdoer is...

Images of Oedipus, Socrates, and Hamlet in the Interpretation of Tragic Heroes

King Oedipus is the central character of the same name’s play, a bright and significant person with an unshakable strength of spirit and a thirst for knowledge. The literary prototype of King of Thebes is the central character of Shakespeare’s play ‘Hamlet.’ Prince of Denmark is a multifaceted image, which...

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

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

The Meaning Behind the Lines: Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18

Creating a literary piece requires an understanding of various poetic devices. William Shakespeare is one of the world’s most renowned writers, capable of capturing the reader’s attention. Even though it is challenging to grasp the essence of one’s fairness, a person can indeed be more attractive than a day in...

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...

Analysis of Kate Chopin’s Impact on Feminism

Kate Chopin was a prolific figure and a writer of the mid-to-late 19th century, who has contributed significantly to the growth of feminism in the United States. She was a well-read woman who has started writing after the death of her husband, publishing both longer works and short stories. The...

Symbols Analysis in “Girl” by Jamaica Kincaid

When the mother instructs her child on the household rules of behavior, it demonstrates her inquisitive character. She understands how to cooperate with others. She demands the attention of her family members and the rest of the population. She loves her child and advises her not to be irresponsible with...

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...

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,...

“In the Red Room” Short Narrative by Paul Bowles

“In the Red Room” is a short narrative by Paul Bowles that involves a man escorting his elderly parents around Sri Lanka. His mother meets a young man who later invites them to his villa. Nonetheless, they have no idea about the young adult’s intention. They even spent some tense...

Nature of “The Heart of Darkness” by Joseph Conrad

Joseph Conrad, an English-Polish author has made a considerable contribution to the artistic scene of Great Britain. As a writer, Conrad was noted for his unique writing style, accentuated by the fact that English was not the man’s first language. Having lived during the period of rapid discovery and societal...

The Novel “The Color Purple” by Alice Walker

There are many books which tell about the struggles of protagonists and how they manage to overcome them, attaining a better life for themselves or the people around them. Yet, not many of them show how the personal problems of the main character reflect the overall historical context of the...

Humor and Its Purposes in Literature

Introduction Humor in literature and art can be characterized as a kind of tendency, the desire to evoke a laughing reaction from the audience. Initially, it seems that the humorous presentation of information, the description of comic situations, is aimed at entertaining the audience, arousing positive emotions in it, and...

“The Monkey’s Paw” by W. W. Jacobs

Notably, the Monkey’s Paw by W. W. Jacobs tells the story of the family who receives a monkey’s paw from a friend, fulfilling the owner’s three wishes, which always lead to dire consequences. Through the story, the reader may notice Jacobs wanted to warn readers to be careful with their...

Romantic and Realism Literary Periods in Britain

English literature has existed from the beginning of time, developing spontaneously regarding forms of writing from different eras and periods. Realism and romantic periods originate from grouping literary works according to specific time frames exhibiting certain features. The periods help in understanding various characteristics of literary works according to the...

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

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

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...

“My Life as a Muslim in a West’s Grey Zone” by Lalami

In “My life as a Muslim in a West’s Grey Zone”, Laila Lalami discusses the treatment of Muslims not involved in terrorist organizations in the West. She explains that Muslims who do not support the actions of ISIS are referred to as a grey zone. However, the attitude towards this...

Home, Journey, and Identity in Children’s Books

The genre of children’s books might appear to be rather unsophisticated and plain to the uninitiated. However, on closer inspection, the world of children’s literature will reveal that it has no boundaries for imagination and, therefore, can stretch across the themes and subgenres hat no other type of literature can....

Edgar Allan Poe’s “Wuthering Heights”

The narrator wanted to take revenge with impunity, also making sure that it would be recognized as revenge, otherwise, there would be no point in it. The retaliation could go unpunished if it was portrayed as an accident, but, in this case, Fortunato would not understand the meaning of the...

Desdemona and Lago’s Conflict in “Othello” by Shakespeare

In this passage, there is a conflict between Desdemona and Iago over women’s nature, which ends with the victory of a rational and objective way of thinking. The woman argues with the man and is indignant at his feeble mind. Although she does not have so much experience in life,...

Social, Economic, and Cultural Values in Steinbeck’s “The Chrysanthemums”

Literary fiction should never be regarded exclusively as a whim of a writer’s imagination. After all, any artist takes inspiration from their surroundings, which is why it is important to look deeper into a piece and decipher the true meaning of themes, characters, and settings integrated into the work. John...

“Celia, a Slave” Biography by Melton McLaurin

Introduction Slavery is undoubtedly one of the darkest stains on U.S. history, the effects of which can be felt in society to modern day. The slavery institution was cruel and criminal, resulting in the abuse of many fundamental human rights. Women were especially vulnerable, having even less rights and lack...

Themes of Humanism in Jackson’s “The Lottery” Story

Shirley Jackson’s short story “The Lottery” is a mystic and enthralling story, shocking the audience with its ending. The story begins with a quite positive yet suspicious note. From the first lines, readers feel the tension and guess that something terrible is about to happen. Later they realize that they...

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

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

Bartleby, the Scrivener by Herman Melville

Bartleby, the scrivener, gives an idea into the broken life of Bartleby, which depicts changes in his career affected and ultimately influenced his emotional stand. The author clearly uses symbolism to reflect the mental state that burdens Bartleby in the Lawyer’s office. Bartleby holds signs of depression at work, which...

Work in Walt Whitman “I Hear America Singing”

Introduction Walt Whitman presents an idyllic vision of American life through “I Hear America Singing” (1860). The piece of poetry covers every corner of the nation introducing the reader to all sorts of works, from housewives to farmers to show makers. As the audience makes an imaginary journey traveling through...

“A Worn Path” Short Story by Eudora Welty Reviewed

Introduction “A Worn Path” is a short story written by Eudora Welty in 1941 which describes the journey of an old African American woman. The Hunger Games is a novel by Suzanne Collins first published in 2008 that depicts a dystopian world. At first, these two books can be considered...

A Man of the People by Chinua Achebe Review

The literary canon concept is used to describe the most valuable and influential texts of a particular time. The current paper argues that a short story “A Man of the People” written by a Nigerian novelist, Chinua Achebe, should be included in the literary canon to be taught as part...

Walt Whitman: Life and Work

Life It is important to note that Walt Whitman is among the most well-known and influential American poets. His life began with his birth in West Hills, New York, on May 31, 1819, and during his adolescent years, he studied and read Bible, Shakespeare, Dante, and Homer. As a boy,...

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...

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

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

Family Relations and History in “The Best We Could Do” Novel by Bui

Thi Bui’s “The Best We Could Do” brings out the theme of family relations and family history. The author explains that she started researching and writing the book to understand their family and better connect with her mom and dad and learn to love them. Although a vast gulf separates...

“War Dances” and “What You Pawn I Will Redeem” by Sherman Alexie

Sherman Alexie’s short stories “War Dances” and “What You Pawn I Will Redeem” describe the life of Native Americans who have to deal with vices and vulnerabilities in everyday life. Their values ​​and suffering have different causes, but they are similar due to the degree of pain projected onto daily...

“Yellow Face” by David Henry Hwang

There are two most likely reasons why the author is telling this story. To begin with, since it is a semi-autobiographical drama, the events described in it may be divided into those that happened to Hwang and those that did not. Thus, creating this play is a unique way for...

Barn Burning Personal Response

Books can be a great avenue for exploring ideas. By writing about one’s feelings and thoughts, they can be shaped more clearly, be transformed and be understood by others. As a creative medium, literature is one of the best ways to properly examine the phenomena of the human condition in...

Aphrodite of Knidos vs. Venus of the Rags

Art has always been one of the tools used for different purposes. Creating various artworks, individuals acquired an opportunity to show things that were important to them and make other persons think about the ideas vital for them. A masterpiece belonging to a particular era can highlight the moods, attitudes,...

21st Century Ideals of Revolution From Shelley’s “Prometheus Unbound”

Introduction Percy Bysshe Shelley’s Prometheus Unbound combines the literary forms of lyrical drama and poetry to recreate and reanimate a classical mythological story. In the opening episode of the play, Jupiter, Shelley’s symbol of religious and political tyranny, punishes the heroic Prometheus for stealing fire from heaven and giving it...

“Neighbors” Short Story by Raymond Carver

The story of the Millers presents fascinating attributes of families in contemporary societies. In many instances, people tend to copy what their fellows are doing with a perception that these other individuals have a better life, just like the Millers admired the Stones. Although Bill is portrayed as an outgoing...

Flannery O’Connor’s “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”: The Role of The Misfit

A Goodman is Hard to Find is a short story created by Flannery O’Connor back in 1953. It should primarily be mentioned that this literature piece is very interesting to read because it makes the readers think about the main characters and their distinguishing features, and apply the identified ideas...

The Importance of Setting for Interpretation of Stories

One of the essential components of any story is its setting helping the authors efficiently transmit the message. It is a place and time of the described events alongside the weather, cultural surrounding, climate, and physical landscape serving as the background of the narrative. Hence, the uniqueness of readers’ experience...

Religion in Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman Brown” and “The Minister’s Black Veil”

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short stories “Young Goodman Brown” and “The Minister’s Black Veil” reveal a central theme of religion that has played an important role in society. Both stories are filled with dark gothic motives that create an atmosphere and help convey a message. However, the elements of the grotesque in...

Literary Devices in John Updike’s “A&P” Story

Aguiar, Christian. Living class in John Updike’s “A&P”. The Explicator, vol.78, no. 2, 2020, pp. 58-61.  Some analyses identify the specific variation of the short story interpretation referred to as the “living class” concept of Beverly Skeggs. It is known as a classism perception in A&P Story, another metaphoric tool...

Explication of “Diving Into the Wreck” by Adrienne Rich

This poem dramatizes the conflict between the fight for women’s empowerment and rights. Rich’s oeuvre is characterized by the extended metaphor at the heart of this poem. She speaks about the struggle for women’s empowerment by using the image of a woman training for a deep-sea scuba dive and discovering...

Modern Meets Ancient in A. E. Stallings

Death took me by the hand and took me to the underground. Did it not know that I still had life to live and more to explore? It was the second chaotic, unpleasing home it placed me on. Never did death feel a little sorry for me. Dealing with the...

Monologue of Hamlet by William Shakespeare

‘Tis sweet and commendable in your nature, Hamlet, To give these mourning duties to your father: But, you must know, your father lost a father; That father lost, lost his, and the survivor bound In filial obligation for some term To do obsequious sorrow: but to persever In obstinate condolement...

“My Last Duchess” Poem by Robert Browning

Summary The poem, “My Last Duchess” was written by Robert Browning in 1842. The work can be described as one that’s the prime example of a dramatic monologue in the form of a poem. The dramatic monologue, as a genre is a self-conversation that is presented from a particular character’s...

“The Other Two” Short Story by Edith Wharton

In the short story “The Other Two,” Wharton describes a husband, Mr. Waythorn, whose wife Alice has two divorces. At first sight, it seems that Alice is miserable because she marries and divorces in strive for social prestige. Nonetheless, it is essential to notice that Wharton depicts the upper class’s...

“Philip Seymour Hoffman” by Nick Flynn: Poem Analysis

In “Philip Seymour Hoffman” by Nick Flynn, the narrative sets the former addict in front of a box with Vicodin, which he had put away for an emergency when he decided to stop using drugs. The author describes the thoughts and feelings of a person who struggles with addiction, demonstrating...

Edgar Allan Poe’s Works and Their Characteristics

Edgar Allan Poe is one of the greatest American writers. Numerous poems and short stories are still being studied, and new facets and hidden meanings are being discovered. The life of the writer was not happy: early orphanhood, life failures, as well as the death of his beloved were significantly...

“The Reader” by Bernhard Schlink

Introduction The Reader, a novel written by Bernhard Schlink, is one of the heartbreaking books in the last 30 years. The author discusses many topics relevant to people born in the 20th century and analyzes one of the worst events during this period, the Holocaust. Topics include first love, male...

Character Development of Almarine Cantrell

In Lee Smith’s novel “Oral History,” the character development of Almarine Cantrell plays a large role. It is a dynamic character since the main difference between a dynamic character and a static one is a change in the structure of thought and feeling within a literary work in one or...

Review of “Young Goodman Brown” Book

An American writer Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote “Young Goodman Brown.” The story’s setting is 17th century New England, which was predominantly Puritan. Hawthorne bases his work on the criticism of puritanism and its central premise that all people are responsible for the original sin. “Young Goodman Brown” is a literary criticism...

“Wild Nights!” by Emily Dickinson

Who is the Speaker? Wild Nights is known as one of the most thought-provoking poems written by Emily Dickinson in 1891. This verse has captured readers’ attention and imagination due to its ambiguous nature. It narrates about passion, desire, rapture, and ecstasy; yet, it also describes the powerful natural phenomenon....

Comparing “The Egg” by Weir and “Other People” by Gaiman

The Overview In Neil Gaiman’s short story Other People, a person finds himself in Hell, and his greatest torture is to relive his life through the eyes of those he hurt. It is a circular narrative in the sense that it ends just like it began: an arrogant person enters...

Body, Pain, Self, and Sexual Desires as Themes in Poetry

The human body has always been an important topic for people. Its representation and attitude to it changed throughout the history of humanity, and the literature belonging to different epochs proves it. Writers tried to respond to topical ideas and speak about the topic from different perspectives. One of the...

“Royal Commentaries” by Garcilaso el Inca

By the will of fate, Inca Garcilaso de la Vega may be considered as the most famous chronicler of the New World. As the son of an Inca princess and conquistador, he had a truly unique opportunity to learn the details of the history of pre-Hispanic Peru first-hand from numerous...

“Airframe” by Michael Crichton

The plot of the story is focused around Casey Singleton who is a single mom and the quality assurance vice-president of Norton Aircraft, a company that deals with the manufacture of airplanes. Casey is called in to investigate the crash of one of Norton’s wide-body aircraft, the Norton N-22 after...

‘Raisin in the Sun’ by Lorraine Hansberry: Dreams in the Play

Introduction This play was written by playwright Lorraine Hansberry in 1959. It talks about a young family with a mama Lena Younger, her son Walter Lee, Ruth the wife of Walter, Travis their son and Benetha the young sister to Walter. One of the themes of this play is dreams...

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...

Eliezer’s Lost Childhood and the Image in the Mirror

Holocaust is a sad tragedy that left its terrible traces in the hearts and souls of millions of innocent people. Among them is also Elie Wiesel who shared his sad experience in his book “Night”. At the end of the book, the readers find a very special scene when Eliezer,...

Kafka’s Metamorphosis from a Legal Perspective: People vs. the Samsa Family

Closing Statement: The Prosecutor Your Honor, the life of a person, no matter what his or her body may look like, is sacred, which is why the Samsa Family must answer for their actions. There is clear evidence that, despite his transformation, Gregor Samsa still possessed the ability to feel,...

The Theme of Love in “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” by Victor Hugo

Introduction As noted in the plan mentioned above, this work is an analysis of the novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo. It will present the results of a study of the past writer, narrative, characters, and various opinions related to the work. Also, this paper explores the...

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 House of Mirth” by Edith Wharton

In her book “The House of Mirth”, Edith Wharton addresses several values that play an important role in the society of those days. One of the values, she discusses in detail and from different angles, is the value of responsibility to family and marriage. In the following paper, the influence...

Science Fiction as “Literature of Change”

Science fiction as a genre of modern literature is organically integrated into the public worldview, in the humanitarian culture of the 20th and early 21st centuries. It responds to a new type of “creative person,” as it is directed towards the future, contributes to the building of social projects of...

“What You Pawn I Will Redeem” and “War Dances” by Sherman Alexie

Sherman Alexie’s short stories “What You Pawn I Will Redeem” and “War Dances” portray two native American men, who lead different lives, yet whose narratives share common features and explore similar topics. In the first story, the reader witnesses a day of a homeless person in Seattle who spots family...

“Theatre 6” by Sarah Hall

Introduction It might be difficult for people to openly discuss the moral dilemmas that can cause one to choose between abiding by the law and helping others. The story that is described in this essay discusses this issue by placing the reader out of his or her comfort zone and...

Alice Walker’s 1955 and “Everyday Use”: Artificial vs. Genuine

Introduction Alice Walker is a writer who focuses her stories on the place of women of color in American society. In her works, the author raises themes of life of the African American community in the country, race, racism, as well as those of culture, heritage, and belonging. This essay...