“Lady Lazarus” by Sylvia Plath: The Theme of Death and Resurrection

Sylvia Plath’s “Lady Lazarus” is a poem published in 1965, two years after the poet’s suicide. It is considered to be one of the most illustrative examples of Plath’s artistic style and explores the topic of death. The purpose of this short essay is to analyze how the author develops...

“A Clean, Well-Lighted Place” by Ernest Hemingway

Introduction “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place” is a short story by Ernest Hemingway, portraying three people, different in age and possessed values — an elderly drunk and two waiters. Through the protagonists’ behavior in the café where the story is set, the author expresses the idea that all humans will inevitably...

“The Missing Peace” Book by Edwidge Danticat

Introduction “The Missing Peace” is a novel in the book Krik? Krak! by Edwidge Danticat. She is an American writer of Haitian descent whose works tell about women’s lives and their relationships, mainly reflecting the problems of power, injustice, and poverty. “The Missing Peace” displays the story of a teenage...

The Skipper in the Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer

In the book “The Canterbury tales”, Geoffrey Chaucer (1977) presents 24 stories where the author satirically portrays life in medieval England and people who belong to various professions. The narrative begins with the prologue, where the author explains how such a company of people with different social backgrounds could form....

Midsummer Night’s Dream: Perspectives on Marriage

Introduction “The course of true love never did run smooth” (Shakespeare 1.1.134). This quote ironically represents the complex relationships full of romantic complications which dominate the plot of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Written as a romantic comedy where marriage is the central theme, Shakespeare presents various views on love and...

“Never Marry a Mexican” by Sandra Cisneros

“Never Marry a Mexican” by Sandra Cisneros is a short story describing the life of Clemencia, a Latina woman born in the United States. In her piece, Cisneros touches upon Clemencia’s life circumstances as well as her love life, both largely influenced by her status as a Mexican-American. The reader...

The Failure of American Dream in Death of a Salesman

‘Death of a salesman, written by Arthur Miller portrays the real life of a typical American middle-class man who dedicates most part of his life to a private company. The central character in the play, Willy Loman, and his wife fail to understand the real pulse of society. He is...

Book Report: “Rich Dad Poor Dad”

Introduction The book “Rich Dad Poor Dad” was written by Robert Kiyosaki. The novel aims at enlightening people on how to achieve monetary success through rewarding business activities. It draws insights from the lives of two fathers who have disparate personalities and perspectives of money. The author compares the principles,...

“The Wind-Up Bird and Tuesday’s Women” by Haruki Murakami

Introduction The story’s central themes are the routine and monotony of human life, conveyed through the narrator’s behavior and symbols. The plot does not describe extraordinary events or essential incidents. The story’s primary focus is to describe the thoughts, relationships, and perceptions of the main character’s life. Thus, monotony is...

“A Sorrowful Woman” Short Story by Gail Godwin

The protagonist in Gail Godwin’s short tale A Sorrowful Woman is a woman and parent who, after becoming overburdened with her spouse and kid, withdraws from them and progressively cuts them off from her existence. She tries on different roles after becoming dissatisfied with her duties as a responsible wife...

Bradbury’s Story vs. Teasdale’s Poem “There Will Come Soft Rains”

The title of Ray Bradbury’s short tale, “There Will Come Soft Rains,” is also the title of Sara Teasdale’s poem, which is interwoven in the short story. The poetry was composed in 1920, after the First World War, and the short tale in 1950, just after the Second World War....

The Short Story “The Mortal Immortal” by Mary Shelley

Introduction In the short story “The Mortal Immortal” Mary Shelley talks about the burden of immortality on the example of a young man Winzy, who accidentally drank the elixir that gives eternal life. The protagonist, driven by the desire to marry his beloved, works for the scientist Cornelius Agrippa, who...

Irony of “Nebraska” Poem by Bruce Springsteen

The poem is about a man who went on a murder spree alongside his girlfriend. As he went into the badlands of Wyoming, he killed everything that appeared on his way, including humans. The person is not sorry for the murder he has committed. Instead, he insists that he had...

The Role of Conflicts in Hamlet by William Shakespeare

Conflict in Hamlet: Essay Introduction The play Hamlet is one of the appealing literary works of the world’s renowned play writer, William Shakespeare. The play is about one character that is, Hamlet who is the prince and son of the late king who was allegedly murdered by the current king...

Formalist Criticism of “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner

Introduction In the short story “A Rose for Emily,” written by William Faulkner, the Old South is portrayed through the lens of symbolism. Hence, the emotional response of the people, who witnessed the tragic events stemming from the main character’s unrequited love, which is unacceptable for her position, can be...

“Pamphilia to Amphilanthus” by Lady Mary Wroth

Introduction Pamphilia to Amphilanthus is a sonnet sequence by Lady Mary Wroth, written in the seventeenth century. The 105 sonnets can be divided into four unequal parts, during which the author addresses various issues. While traditionally, the poems are considered to discuss the hardships of women’s lives during that time....

William Blake’s Poem “Spring”

Summary Poetry is a unique form of art that helps to reflect deep feelings using words. By combining sounds, an author can create a text that sounds unique and memorable. The emotional effect of poetry is linked to aesthetic pleasure, meaning that poems appeal to the ideas of beauty (Wassiliwizky...

“The Myth of the Latin Woman” by Judith Ortiz Cofer

Your Last Name “The Myth of the Latin Woman” is a memoir essay written by Judith Ortiz Cofer, and it reveals the challenges Hispanic women have to go through due to their identity. The author recalls her own childhood while describing how different life was for her compared to the...

Romantic Poetry: Wordsworth, Shelley, Coleridge, Keats

One of the topics that are especially pertinent to Romantic poetry is imagination. This concept is notable because it cannot be defined clearly and can be considered motif readers can see in the works of the period. The purpose of this paper is to explain how the imagination is relevant...

“Lanval”: Summary & Analysis of Gender Roles and Courtly Love

The details of the concept of love presented in the literature change with references to different centuries and societies and Marie de France’s vision of love presented in her lais can be discussed as rather provocative for the Medieval society and literature because of the author’s use of the feminist...

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

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

Literary Elements in Anne Tyler’s “Clock Dance”

An author’s main intention when writing literature is to send a message regarding social factors and shed light on issues not readily visible to society. As a result, they adopt various strategies, which may sometimes conceal the real meanings of text or use words that attract and retain their audiences’...

“The Double Image” by Anne Sexton: Poem Analysis

“The Double Image” is a rather significant and famous confessional poem written by Anne Sexton. This is an increasingly severe and profound literary work that can have various meanings and interpretations. The poet tells about her most intimate parts of life and her way through post-traumatic stress disorder. It is...

Three Little Pigs: Analysis of Three Different Versions

The story about the three little pigs is a very popular story that served as a basis for numerous fairy tales created all around the world in different languages, and the most varied interpretations. Its value is hard to be underestimated as it teaches a lot of important lessons concerning...

Sentiments in “Windsor Forest” Poem by Alexander Pope

Introduction Alexander Pope is one of the most renowned British poets who glorified his native land and his people. He is specifically famous for the use of heroic themes and imagery that made his works successful during his lifetime and still popular in modern times (Fairer and Gerrard 114). One...

Gender Roles: “What’s That Smell in the Kitchen” by Piercy

Introduction “What’s That Smell in the Kitchen” by Marge Piercy is a poem that relates to my childhood experience. Since I was young, I have been taught by my parents and grandparents that my role as a woman was to perform domestic chores like cooking, cleaning, etc. On the contrary,...

Punishment in Greek Mythology: Prometheus and Sisyphus

Introduction One of the main themes of classical myths is the punishment of mortals for their crimes by gods, and it reflects the perspectives of ancient people on matters of justice. Most cases are connected to disrespectful conduct and the lack of obedience (Jones 4). In this way, the principal...

Power, Vulnerability, and Resistance in Carol Ann Duffy’s “Circe”

Carol Ann Duffy, a staunch supporter of equality and a fighter for women’s freedom, strives to convey to the reader the idea of ​​the inadmissibility of male domination in the modern world. Her poem “Circe” is a work that carries an overt and even aggressive feminist overtone (Duffy 47). The...

“The Tempest” by William Shakespeare

Introduction The tragicomedy The Tempest by the great playwright William Shakespeare is an outstanding and world-famous work that is full of quotes and sayings, which, in turn, have become catchphrases. Some characters of this story are endowed with magical powers, which allows the author to convey his subtexts and ideas...

Emily Dickinson vs Walt Whitman: Poems Comparison

Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson are often compared to each other. Why? Well, there are many similarities between Whitman and Dickinson, but the most important aspect is the attitude towards nature that makes them such important poets. So, how do both Dickinson and Whitman show they value nature in 324...

Auden’s “The Unknown Citizen” Poem Interpretation

Wystan Hugh Auden’s poem ” The Unknown Citizen” is a portrayal of a conflict between individualism and government control and the central theme of the poem is the attitude of the government towards its citizen. W H. Auden’s poem “The Unknown Citizen” is a government’s outlook of the ideal contemporary...

The Great Gatsby Themes

Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby depicts life in America in the 1920s focusing on the relationship between different classes and their representatives. The main character, Jay Gatsby, starts his life as a poor farm boy and earns his position in society and wealth through perseverance, commitment to his dreams, and hard work....

Absurdity in “The Metamorphosis” and “The Stranger”

Just like The Metamorphosis by Kafka, The Stranger by Camus is characterized by existentialism, humanity, and alienation. Learn about absurdity in The Metamorphosis and The Stranger from this essay sample. Absurdism in The Metamorphosis and The Stranger: Essay Introduction The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka and The Stranger by Albert Camus...

Family in A Doll’s House Essay Example

Introduction A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen is considered one of the most prominent works of this influential Norwegian author. It tells the story of Nora Helmer, a young woman who goes from sacrificing her and her father’s reputation for her husband, Torvald, to becoming independent and free from her...

Setting of “Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway

Ernest Hemingway’s famous story “Hills Like White Elephants” is a short work but full of contextual details. The setting in which the events of the story unfold is notable for how much it influences the course of the narrative. Various non-obvious aspects presented by the author allow the reader to...

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...

A Letter to Rosaline from Romeo in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet

A Letter to Rosaline from Romeo. Romeo is expressing his heart-ache, pledges his devotion, begs for a meeting. Dear Rosaline, This letter I write to request thee to give me a place in thy heart. Written hath I many a love poem to express my love to thee to reply...

Themes of the “Absence” Story by Daniel Alarcon

Introduction The short story, Absence, focuses on the life of Wari when he visited his friend Eric in New York. The beauty of the town, the diversity of its residents, and infrastructural developments have convinced Wari that the city is the capital of the world. A critical analysis of the...

Chike’s School Days by Chinua Achebe: A Tale of Alienation and Belonging

Literature can be extremely personal and serve as a reflection of the experiences of the author. Chinua Achebe is one of the most prominent contemporary Nigerian writers, with a unique writing style and even more remarkable stories to tell. In his works, Achebe sheds light on the cultural disparity between...

Plot and Characters of “The Land of Heart’s Desire” by Yeats

“The Land of heart’s desire” is a play scripted by an Irish poet, playwright, and 1923 Nobel winner named William Butler Yeats. Setting The play is set in a room with a floor-to-ceiling fireplace in the center and a large alcove to the right. There are seats and a table...

When I Die by Merritt Malloy: A Poem Analysis

Merritt Malloy is an American poet whose works have been recognized by many people and even become considered legendary. She is the author of an epitaph poem called When I Die. The epitaph means that the work was written in honor of the memory of someone who once died. In...

The Poem “When Death Comes” by Mary Oliver

“When Death Comes” is Oliver’s deep thought of what happens when one dies. Oliver narrates how death can determine life when the crossing time reaches and decides to cross over, and new adventures await. Despite reaching the other side, the speaker is determined to look back at life and be...

Revenge in Wuthering Heights

Since its release, Wuthering Heights has been a subject of criticism for many. The only novel by Emily Jane Bronte, written in 1847, has been put under the spotlight due to its doubtful theme, which is revenge and its causes in people’s lives. The author smartly narrates the story about...

“Trifles” by Susan Glaspell: Literary Analysis

Trifles is a piece written by Susan Glaspell in 1916 in the genre of the one-act play. The play explores the connections between husbands and wives, focusing on a murderous marriage. The play contains many symbols with specific meanings that enhance the contents of the play. Every symbol is related...

Xenia Hospitality in Iliad and Odyssey by Homer

Introduction According to the Greek culture, Xenia is an ancient concept of friendship and hospitality. The ancient culture translates Xenia as an aspect of institutionalized friendship rooted in exchanging gifts, acts of generosity, and reciprocity. Iliad and Odyssey books portray the theme of Xenia throughout the journeys. Acts of generosity...

The Short Story “A Wall of Fire Rising” by Edwidge Danticat

Edwidge Danticat utilizes her short story, “A Wall of Fire Rising,” to paint a picture of life in Haiti for the proletariat and the bourgeoisie. In particular, the elemental story, as well as a haunting tale, revolves around a father’s shame and feeling of guilt and a child’s innocence, in...

John Donne’s “Death Be Not Proud” Poem Analysis

John Donne is often considered as one of the most remarkable literary figures of the Elizabethan age. ‘Death Be Not Proud’ is regarded as his most widely accepted religious poem. A closer examination and analysis of his religious poems reveals that Donne broke away from the conventional Elizabethan traditions and...

Death in Emily Dickinson’s Poems

Introduction Emily Dickinson was a renowned 19th-century American poet that wrote unique and complex poems. Her style, symbolism, and hidden meanings of poems continue to be studied in the modern-day as she delved into socially controversial topics of her time. One subject matter commonly explored in her poems is the...

The Cask of Amontillado Summary and Analysis

Introduction The stories of Edgar Allan Poe impress a lot with their gloominess, terrible reality, and cruelness. The Cask of Amontillado is one of such stories with a simple plot but rather complicated techniques and ideas. On the one hand, The Cask of Amontillado is a story of one person’s...

The “When Ure Hero Falls” Poem by Tupac Shakur

People often create heroes in their minds and desperately try to follow their example. However, nobody is perfect, and a heroic image usually collides with the harsh reality of our world. As a result, a person who believed in their hero may become traumatized by the experience. In the first...

“The Lesson” by Maya Angelou: A Poem Analysis

I keep on dying again. Veins collapse, opening like the Small fists of sleeping Children. Memory of old tombs, Rotting flesh and worms do Not convince me against The challenge. The years And cold defeat live deep in Lines along my face. They dull my eyes, yet I keep on...

Character Analysis of the Knight from The Canterbury Tales

Want to know about social status and other characteristics of the Knight character in Canterbury tales? This critical analysis of the Knight from The Canterbury Tales has everything you need! Introduction The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer is considered as one of the most significant literary works of the Middle...

Hero’s Journey: A Comparison of The Epic of Gilgamesh, The Iliad, and The Odyssey

Despite its ancient origin, the archetypal journey of the hero remains one of the most enduring and captivating stories known to civilization. The Epic of Gilgamesh, The Iliad, and The Odyssey depicts two very different types of heroes – Gilgamesh and Odysseus – however, both heroes encounter the theme of...

Archetypes in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J. K. Rowling

Myths are interesting for many people because they are based on primitive and common opinions and ideas about the situations and phenomena of the life. That is why, the mythological and archetypal approach with references to the Jungian analysis can be used in order to discuss the piece of literature...

The Theme of Goodness in “The Good Person of Setzuan” by Hoit Hilsman

There are many instances portraying goodness in the play “the good person of Setzuan.” One has to say that “goodness” as portrayed in the play is a multifaceted phenomenon. During Wong’s absence, the gods show their fears about the possibility of failing to achieve their mission of finding a good...

Postcolonialism and Poetry: “Civilization” by Oodgeroo Noonuccal

The world continuously changes, and the reality existing today differs from the past significantly. However, this past was the main factor that impacted the evolution of society and its acquisition of specific features and shapes that can be seen nowadays. All events, choices, and policies of previous epochs imprint on...

Humanism in “Macbeth” and “Romeo and Juliet”

Introduction English Renaissance marks a period in the history of artistic and cultural transformation between the late fifteenth and early seventeenth century. It is linked to the European Renaissance that is considered to begin in Italy at the end of the fourteenth century. The transformation that English society and culture...

Critique on “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Gender issues acquired exceptional actuality in the end of the nineteenth century as women were for a long period in a rather difficult situation requiring serious changes in order to march in step with the ongoing process of democratization in the western world. Along with unprecedented achievements in the area...

Symbolism in Herman Melville’s “Bartleby the Scrivener”

Herman Melville’s “Bartleby the Scrivener” is the story about a person, who made himself imprisoned in his office. The main theme of the essay is to show the life of most people in New York from the point of view of capitalism which took its development during the time when...

Okonkwo’s Exile in “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe

‘Things Fall Apart’ by Chinua Achebe narrates the story of the moving and tragic character of Okonkwo. He is one of the most respected elderlies in his village and holds enough power to influence his population. However, Okonkwo is helpless once he finds British colonization creeping in and destroying the...

Slavery in “Parable of the Sower” by Octavia Butler

Introduction Although slavery is considered to be the issue of the past, in the novel Parable of the Sower, Octavia Butler imagines that this social phenomenon may acquire a new form soon. The extension of powers of big conglomerates may lead to the aggravation of poverty and enslavement of employees....

Irony in Kate Chopin’s The Story of an Hour

The irony is an expression of meaning using a language that is opposite and in a humorous way. Kate Chopin’s novel The Story of an Hour employs irony to make the person reading it understand the unpredictable events in life that could arise. She utilizes situational sarcasm that shows the...

Symbolism in “A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings” by Marquez

Symbolism is often employed in literature to represent, signify, and express ideas and qualities that differ from their literal sense in real life. As a literary device, symbolism can assume various forms by using abstract ideas to give an object a more vivid and deeper meaning by the use of...

Theme of Ambition in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”

Ambition is the elementary factor in the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare. The author has used Macbeth and Lady Macbeth to explore the concept of purpose in Macbeth. The two characters’ ambitions and downfall are the key storylines which the author illustrates. Besides, the desire of control by Lady Macbeth...

“The Telephone” by Robert Frost

Robert Frost is one of the most respected poets. He appears in his poems in different guises, but whatever character he assumes, he is very honest and provides the readers with delight and wisdom. The poem, “The Telephone” under discussion here, is a love poem, though it is open to...

Similarities and Contrasts between “Fences” and “Death of a Salesman”

Comparison of “Death of a Salesman” by Arthur Miller and “Fences” by August Wilson Both plays are works that question the right of the average American to be a tragic hero. The central conflict of both works is consistent with the laws of tragedy. Thus, they assert the possibility of...

“Only Drunks and Children Tell the Truth” by D. H. Taylor

The play Only Drunks and Children Tell the Truth by Drew Hayden Taylor tells the story of Janice, a woman who was taken away from her biological family when she was a child. At some point, her brother Toronto says that “If you have a sound understanding of where you...

Chekhov’s “The Cherry Orchard”: Tragedy or Comedy?

Introduction It does not make sense when someone calls Anton Chekhov’s poem The Cherry Orchard a comedy, but as one progresses to analyze the book, this idea becomes a reality. The play is centered on Lyubov Andreyevna whose irresponsible mannerism leads their family into a tragedy of financial collapse and...

Girl by Jamaica Kincaid Analysis

Girl by Jamaica Kincaid Analysis: Introduction The short story “Girl” by Jamaica Kincaid is a narrative about a girl between the ages of ‘innocence’ and ‘transformative entrance’ into adulthood. Her mother trains her how to be an ideal and respectable lady. She believes that she is the only person who...

Themes in “Drive Your Plow…” by Olga Tokarczuk

This paper will analyze the Polish novel Drive your Plow Over the Body of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk, focusing on several key themes of feminism, protection of nature and its innocence conflicting with human immorality and ignorance. In the novel, one of the major themes is nature vs. humanity,...

Existentialism in Tolstoy’s “The Death of Ivan Ilyich”

In Leo Tolstoy’s The Death of Ivan Ilyich, the titular character leads a life defined by superficiality and conformity, only to confront the emptiness of his existence on his deathbed. Through Ivan’s story, Tolstoy explores existentialist themes of the search for authenticity and the human condition. As Jean Wahl notes...

Starr Carter’s Two Identities in “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas

Introduction The Hate U Give is a critically acclaimed young adult novel written by an American author Angie Thomas and published in 2017. The book’s protagonist, sixteen-year-old Starr Carter, balances between two worlds: her poor black neighborhood, and her rich white school. She manages two different versions of herself without...

Torvald Helmer’s Character in Ibsen’s “A Doll’s House”

One of the two main characters in the play is Torvald Helmer, a husband and a head of the family, whose “doll’s house” is torn apart at the end of the play. Torvald is a successful lawyer who is characterized by adherence to principles, pedantry, and purposefulness. He is far...

The Role of Letters in Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice”

Introduction Written in 1813, Pride and Prejudice is an epistolary romantic novel by Jane Austen unraveling a love story between the protagonists, Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy. One of the main characteristics of this chef-d’oeuvre novel is the use of letters as a literary device. In the 19th century when...

English Enlightenment Through the Perspectives of Defoe and Swift

The Age of Enlightenment occurring in the 17th and 18th century England and Europe remains one of the most prominent periods of history and development in human civilization. This period was chosen along with the respective works and their authors because of the changes that occurred in the literary space...

Shakespearean King Lear from a Marxist Perspective

Among the core insights of the Marxist theory is that the class struggle has characterized the history of societies’ development. Because art, both literature and theater, does not exist separately from society, it has become a crucial aspect of the historical process and people’s comprehension of the world. Thus, it...

“Dead Men’s Path” by Achebe: A Literary Analysis

“Dead Men’s Path” was set in the Great Britain colonial era in Nigeria. The British were intervening to displace the Portuguese since they were slave trade leaders. The British managed to ban the slave trade; they commenced signing treaties with some leaders in Africa, hence introducing new beliefs and an...

Nick Hornsby’s “About a Boy”

Introduction Nick Hornby’s novel, About A Boy, explores the multifaceted relationship between two characters, Marcus and Will. The story is based on Marcus, a twelve-year-old who is eccentric, bullied, and extremely introverted. The entire story describes Marcus’s intricacy of finding a sense of balance between being a child and being...

Jay Gatsby and Tom Buchanan: Character Comparison

Introduction The Great Gatsby is a story that is centered on three main characters in a love triangle, Daisy is married to Tom Buchanan and Gatsby is Daisy’s old flame since collage days and is still in love with her though she is married. The Great Gatsby demonstrates how the...

Henrik Ibsen and His Portrayal of Women

Outline This paper discusses Henrik Ibsen portrayal of women. Ibsen was one of the finest novelists of Norwegian history. His novels were very controversial about the role of women during that time. Though, he highlights different shades of women characters. This paper discusses his works and highlight how he portrays...

The “Diamond Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant: The Character of Mathilde

Introduction The ‘Diamond Necklace’ is a short story written by Guy de Maupassant in 1907. In the story, the focus is on a lady known as Mathilde, who was married to Loisel, an employee at the ministry of public instruction. De Maupassant introduced Mathilde as a humble woman who had...

“The Happiest Days of Your Life” by Lively

This essay analyses a short story titled, ‘The Happiest Day of Your Life,’ written by Penelope Lively from England. The story is told by a third person omniscient narrator from Charles; the main character’s point of view. The events of this book unfold in South England at a place called...

Symbolism of Raymond Carver’s “The Bath” Story

The story of The Bath by Raymond Carver is short. It begins with a woman, Ann Weiss, ordering a cake from a baker on a Saturday afternoon for her son’s eighth birthday. On Monday morning, when the boy was walking to school, a car hit him. The husband arrives at...

Sexuality in Tennessee Williams’s The Glass Menagerie

Introduction The Glass Menagerie was written and premiered by Tennessee Williams in 1944. The play drew the audience’s attention to the author and gained theatrical success (Adler 18-19). The characters of the play, Amanda Wingfield, her son Tom, and her daughter Laura, can be described from different perspectives, but it...

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...

Social Issues in the “Little Red Riding Hood” Tale

“Little Red Riding Hood” is one of the tales that seem simple yet addresses complex social issues such as sexual predators, stalking, date rape, and many others. It is the way in which a comparatively old fairy tale shapes relationships and interactions in modern society that seems to be especially...

A Good Man Is Hard to Find Analysis: Essay Example & Summary

Are you about to write A Good Man Is Hard to Find theme essay? Then, make sure to check this sample out! Here, you’ll find the story’s summary, moral lesson, themes, and other aspects of the analysis. Keep reading to get some inspiration for your A Good Man Is Hard to Find thesis! ...

Relationships in “The Merchant of Venice” by Shakespeare

Introduction The Merchant of Venice is a play written by William Shakespeare during the 16th century. The characters in the play demonstrate virtues of friendship, love, and hate. Shakespeare highlights typical examples of true friendship and romantic love in the play. The theme of love mainly revolves between Bassanio and...

“Lineage” by Margaret Walker

Margaret Walker was an African American poet and writer who wrote on a level comparable to such well-known names as yesterday’s Langston Hughes or today’s Gwendolyn Brooks, but her name is often not recognized outside of academic circles. Coming out of the oppressed South into the North for her university...

“Cinderella: Not So Morally Superior” by Panttaja

Introduction Modern advances in psychology allow us to take a fresh look at fairy tales known to everyone from childhood, finding new meanings and interpretations that differ from the usual ones. The moral of the story is much more contradictory, complex, and ambiguous than the usual interpretation. In the article...

Values in Native American Oral Literature

Literature emerged as a way for people to describe what they held dear and what constituted a significant part of their lives. Many nations developed their art to convey their values and reflect their worldview, and Native Americans were no exception. Indigenous people had established their oral traditions before Europeans...

Literary Analysis of The Tell-Tale Heart

The Tell-Tale Heart is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe of an unnamed narrator who murders an older man who lives in the same house as him. The narrator is then haunted by what he thinks is the rapid heartbeat of the deceased man, coming from beneath the floorboards....

“Crime and Punishment” by Dostoevsky: Analysis of the Work

The novel Crime and Punishment written by Fyodor Dostoevsky concentrates on the moral issues and highlights the urgent problems of society in the nineteenth century. The protagonists of the novel embody different features of characters who find comfort through redemption. In addition, the novel presents the reader with a great...

The Role on Women as Portrayed in The Necklace

“The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant depicts the place of a woman in a social hierarchy of the 19th-century France. The story about Madame Loisel, a poor clerk’s wife who dreamt of being rich, reflects the problem of opportunities for development and personal growth for women. A dramatic ending emphasizes...

Symbolism in The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin

Symbolism in The Story of an Hour: Introduction The action in Kate Chopin’s The Story of an Hour takes place in the Mallards’ house, were learning about her husband’s death, Mrs. Mallard experiences freedom and dies when she sees him alive within an hour. The setting of this story is...

Character Analysis in ‘Doubt’ by John Patrick Shanley: A Question of Innocence

Introduction Doubt: A Parable is a drama written by John Patrick Shanley in 2004. One of the main characters, Sister Aloysius, has a very rigid and sharp character, and her behavior is often connected with the question of innocence. The drama portrays the fictional St. Nicholas Bronx School and the...

“The Soldier” by Rupert Brooke: Poem Analysis

The poem The Soldier was written by Rupert Brooke in 1914 to communicate his thoughts and emotions at the beginning of the First World War. In this idealistic poem, the poet paints a picture of patriotism for England as the country that nurtured him. It is a sonnet that contemplates...

Theme of Money in “A Doll’s House” by Ibsen

Introduction The play entitled A Doll’s House, written by Henrik Ibsen, shows a few days of the life of one married couple: Nora and Torvald Helmer. Several themes can be identified in this play, including love and marriage, deceit, gender roles, reputation, and money. This paper will focus on the...

Main Conflicts in “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger

The Catcher in the Rye was a novel written by J.D Slinger. The novel’s protagonist is a young man struggling with various issues in his adolescence. Holden Caulfield, aged 16, was the name of the young man. For the fourth time, he had been kicked out of class. Salinger uses...

“How I Met My Husband” Narrative by Alice Munro

Introduction How I Met My Husband is a short story by Alice Munro published in her collection Something I’ve Been Meaning to Tell You in 1974. The short story was written to show various contemporary issues that happen in marriage, relationships, and common points of interaction such as work (Kumar...

Feminism in “The Bell Jar” by Sylvia Plath

Introduction The Bell Jar is an autobiographical novel by Sylvia Plath, published in 1963. The prototype of the main character is Plath herself, who reflects on her experience of being married to Ted Hughes and her way as a female writer. The novel, which tells the story of nineteen-year-old Esther...

Metaphors and Figurative Language in Updike’s “A&P” and Pastan’s “Marks”

Introduction Figurative language and metaphors are used in short stories and poems to establish mood, develop characterization, enhance daily language, and make the works more expressive and brighter. In the poem “Marks,” Linda Pastan uses an extended metaphor to demonstrate the narrator’s attitude toward her family members and their appraisal...

Biff Loman in Death of a Salesman: Character Analysis

“Death of a Salesman” is one of the most significant works by Arthur Miller. In this play, Miller concentrates on the life of the middle class people-presented through the Loman family. The play is basically drawn by the conflicts between its protagonists. Biff and Happy are the two siblings in...

King of the Bingo Game by Ralph Ellison

In his short story “King of the Bingo Game,” Ralph Ellison describes a very specific moment in the life of an African American who lives in the USA in the late 1930s. The man trying to take control over his life hopes to win in a bingo game. He is...

Character Analysis in “Sweat” Play by Lynn Nottage

Role of Character The selected minor character is Brucie, an African man; the husband to Cynthia and father to Chis. Nottage uses Chris to illustrate how financial hardship can lead to psychological suffering, illness, and addiction. Brucie becomes addicted to drugs two years after being fired from a textile mill....

“The Giver” by Lois Lowry: The Role of Emotions

It is impossible to imagine the life of human beings without emotions. Every moment, event, object, and piece of information, people interact with provokes feelings that vary in sentiment quality and thereby differently affect our experiences and further life. Emotion is a principally unconscious mental reaction sent by the nervous...

Odysseus and Athena Relationship in Homer’s The Odyssey

Odyssey is one of the major poems written by Homer. It has been translated to a number of modern languages and originally it was expected to be sung, rather than read. Odysseus, a Greek hero, is a central character of the poem and throughout the story the reader can observe...

The First Person’s Point of View in Poe’s “The Tell-tale Heart”

The Tell-Tale Heart is a story by Edgar Allan Poe initially published in 1843. The writer utilizes various poetic techniques to deliver the internal state of the character who experiences a mental disorder. The most important one is the use of first-person narration. This point of view allows us to...

Religious Fanaticism in “The Prophet’s Hair” by Salman Rushdie

Introduction The story written by Salman Rushdie focuses on the theft of Prophet Muhammad’s Hair, a powerful relic that could offer its possessor a blessing or a curse. Most of the story illustrates the horrible consequences that Huma’s family faced when the head of the family and Huma’s father, Hashim,...

Critical Analysis of “To Build a Fire” by Jack London

Introduction The man’s endeavors to get by in the unpleasant cold and his dog’s simple surrender show nature’s indifference in light of human misery. In To Build a Fire, London utilizes literary devices such as symbolism, setting, and character portrayal to make the topic of the work through the formalist...

How Tennessee Williams’s Life Influenced His Work

Introduction Tennessee Williams is considered one of the most successful American playwrights of the mid-1900s. Ben Brantley’s summary on ‘A Century of American Theatre’ states that “by the mid- 1950s, “the burden of American drama rested mostly on the shoulders of two men, Tennessee Williams and Arthur Miller.” In the...

Portrayal of Racism in Forster’s ‘a Passage to India’

Outline The following paper discusses portrayal of racism in ‘passage to India’ by bringing the relationship between the concept of racism and the contents of the novel. The analysis focuses to establish whether the content of the novel establishes at any point either resistance to racism, or it submits to...

Spiritual Barrenness in “The Waste Land” Poem

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

Societal Norms of Mrs. Linde and Nora in “A Doll’s House” by Ibsen

Introduction The play titled “A Doll’s House” by Henrik Ibsen is one of the most prominent feminist pieces of art of the 10th century. It questions the societal role and fate of a married woman in a male-dominated society, showcasing how women lacked opportunities for self-fulfillment and independence in Norway,...

“Annabel Lee” by Edgar Allan Poe Analysis

Introduction The poem “Annabel Lee” by Edgar Allan Poe narrates the experience of a young man. He loses the woman he loves because of the angels’ envy and claims to keep his feelings for her forever (Poe). By the end of the story, the main character concludes on the impossibility...

Taming of the Shrew: Katherina’s Final Speech

Katherine’s final speech in Act 5, scene 2 of Taming of the Shrew, is quite surprising and contradictory to her character. A woman who was known for rebellious behavior towards men, including her husband, suddenly speaks as an exemplary wife. Katherina’s husband asked her to talk about a woman’s duties....

Margaret Atwood’s and Gloria Steinem’s Views on Pornography Comparison

Introduction The role of pornography in modern society should be considered as the topic for debate because of the controversial nature of this subject. Women’s ideas regarding the concept of pornography are important to examine and discuss in detail because of the prevalence of males’ views in this field. In...

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Vladek From “Maus” by Art Spiegelman

Introduction The topic of PTSD or any other mental disorder is common among modern authors. However, some opt for not clearly stating the issue in their texts but rather inviting the reader to be a witness of the characters’ symptoms. Art Spiegelman employed such a method to present how trauma...

Analysis of “A Fixed Income” and “Valediction” by Sherman Alexie

The two stories selected for the discussion are “A Fixed Income” and “Valediction”. A “Fixed Income” highlights the plight of minorities in the United States through Sherman’s experience at McDonald’s. He explains that most of the employees at the restaurant are blacks and Latinos. Moreover, these workers are college graduates...

Statuettes in “Thinking as a Hobby” by William Golding

Introduction ‘Thinking as a hobby’ is a story written by William Golding where he explained how he considered thinking as his hobby. From the study, it can be revealed that Golding was introduced into the field of thinking by his headmaster who used statuettes in his study. On this basis,...

The Glass Menagerie: Analysis of Relationships

The Glass Menagerie is a play about a dysfunctional family, each caught in between their feelings and dreams. The conflicts experienced in the Wingfield’s family primarily lie deep within themselves, but also intertwine with each other. This essay will analyze the complicated relationship between Amanda–the mother and Laura—the daughter and...

Touchstone and Jaques in Shakespeare’s “As You Like It”

Jaques, a character from the play As You Like It by William Shakespeare, creates an unexpected contrast to the entire premise of the Arden Forest. In broad terms, he aligns poorly with the setting of optimism and change for the better conveyed by the rest of the characters. However, upon...

Irony in “Lamb to the Slaughter” by Roald Dahl

The irony, a literary device that provides a clashing of the choice of word and its intended meaning, features prominently within Roald Dahl’s Lamb to the Slaughter. The utilization of irony in its various forms is often a component of allowing a work to illuminate the complexities and contradictions of...

The Hero’s Journey Pattern in the Epic of Gilgamesh

Gilgamesh is the main character of the ancient Mesopotamian epic and he fits the pattern of the hero’s journey. Gilgamesh’s quest is to defeat the evil get wood for building houses. According to the structure of the monomyth, there are three stages in the hero’s journey, including separation, initiation, and...

Black and White Colors in “Othello” by Shakespeare

In Othello, a tragedy written by the outstanding English poet and playwright William Shakespeare, black and white colors are frequently mentioned and attract particular attention. At first sight, they refer to skin colors as Othello is a Moor who marries Desdemona, a young and fair Venetian lady. However, black and...

“The Man Who Planted Trees” by Jean Giono

The story “The Man Who Planted Trees” was written by the French writer Jean Giono in 1953. It tells the story of an old man who spent thirty years of his life planting trees in a valley in France, transforming the once barren land into a blooming garden. The story...

Crisis of Masculinity in Hamlet

The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark is among the most famous works of William Shakespeare. Written between 1599 and 1601, it focuses on the story of Prince Hamlet, who struggles after losing his father, King Hamlet. The work has been heavily studied by literary critics and scholars because it...

The Theme of Duality in Literature

The theme of duality is a common topic for many literary works, including Shelly’s Frankenstein, Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, and Stevenson’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The main idea of duality is to underline the worth of opposition that exists in society and human relationships. As a rule,...

Setting in Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale”

Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, which was first published in 1985, is one of the most controversial dystopian novels. The key themes that are discussed by the author in her work include social inequality between men and women, power, oppression, gender roles, freedoms, and rights among others. The complex discussion...

Reality vs. Illusions: Death of a Salesman Analysis Essay

Introduction Death of a Salesman takes place in 1949, four years after World War II has ended. America is enjoying a postwar economic boom, but the war has caused a shake-up in American society, changing the way people view business, leisure, themselves, and others, making the American way of life...

Conflicts in Harper Lee’s Novel “To Kill a Mockingbird”

Write about the conflicts portrayed in the book as the trial unfolds and intensifies. Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird reveals the central conflict of society and humanity that is represented through Boo’s disagreements with the entire town Maycomb, the conflict between the black accused and the white justice...

David Lurie Character in Coetzee’s Novel “Disgrace”

Introduction J. M. Coetzee’s Booker Prize-winning novel is a metaphor for the twenty-century world and events happening in it. While the book events revolve around David Lurie and his personal and intrapersonal complicated issues, the author manages to present a picture of the present-day difficulties in South Africa and describes...

Racism and Injustice in “Monster” Novel by Myers

As a rule, observing people in a courtroom in reality is beyond boring. Once the realm of the place where justice is supposed to serve is deprived of its mystery veil, it is rendered nearly mundane. However, “Monster” takes several steps further to examine the courtroom events, people, and even...

“Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been” Literary Analysis

The appearances people put on for others and the true essence of their being are vital parts of “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been.” A short story is a literary genre with distinct ways of conveying themes and messages concisely. Various authors utilize different elements to enhance and...

“The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka

Introduction The Metamorphosis is considered to be a well-known novella written by Franz Kafka in 1915; this book is aimed at the disclosure of dramatic actions and transformations making the story expressive and emotional at the same time. It is important to stress that refection play and reality are 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...

Analysis of “The Damned Human Race” Essay

The Damned Human Race is an essay written by an American writer, Mark Twain. In this satirical paper, the author reveals a very original and peculiar theory, according to which humankind is not the highest point of evolution, but the lowest. Mark Twain provides very convincing arguments to defend his...

“Anansi and the Tar-Baby”: The Folklore Story

Common to many cultures around the world, folklore acts as both entertainment for the children and a way to teach them lessons. “Anansi and the Tar-baby” is one of many Jamaican folklore stories collected by Martha Warren Beckwith (1924). These stories, passed on through generations, were preserved relatively well from...

“Flowers” by Alice Walker

Introduction The piece written by Alice Walker is a short story about a 10-year-old girl named Myop, who turned from a carefree child into a person understanding the cruel realities of life in one day. The child was walking through the area she was living in to explore the beautiful...

“Strange Meeting” by Wilfred Owens

Introduction Wilfred Owen is often considered as one of the eminent war poets in English literature who exhibits real pathos in his poems. His war poetry shows an astonishing advance in expressions as well as contents. Owen had previous experimented with a variety of new technical devices, such as half–rhymes,...

Lord Pococurante in Candide: Character Analysis

Voltaires philosophical and literary works are now believed to be prominent examples of French literature of Enlightenment. The author subjected to heavy criticism shortcomings of the then Western-European society as, religious fanaticism, despotism, military aggressiveness, feuds that engulfed Europe, etc (Rolland, 155). However, it is hardly possible to say that...

Love Theme in “Badeye” Short Story by Ron Rash

“Badeye” by Ron Rash is the narrative about childhood loss of innocence due to the fascination with snakes. Temptation arrives in the guise of a man named Badeye, who sells snowcones and offers an eight-year-old boy a beautiful, lethal coral snake in return for delivering moonshine to a client. The...

Critical Comments on “A Streetcar Named Desire” by Williams

Introduction The play presents an analysis of the postwar American society and how the attitudes and institutions at the time restricted the lives of women. The author uses the dependence of Stella and Blanche on men to depict and evaluate how women were treated by men during the early twentieth-century...

The Story “The King of the Bingo Game” by Ralph Ellison

In “The King of the Bingo Game,” Ralph Ellison presents an unnamed protagonist, an African American man, whose life is characterized by economic and social struggles. In particular, the black man makes tireless efforts to survive, while at the same time, seeking recognition in an environment that is hostile to...

Raymond Carver’s “I Could See the Smallest Things” Story

“I Could See the Smallest Things,” written by Raymond Carver, is concise, but it has a powerful effect on readers. The author masterfully attracts attention, forcing them to search for clues about what is happening in the characters’ lives. The story’s plot is constructed around Nancy’s night walk, who hears...

“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...

Poems by Gilbert K. Chesterton and M. Oliver Analysis

Introduction Poetry can take many forms and use a variety of rhyme types and literary devices. Despite the diversity of forms, poems have one thing in common: they elicit deep feelings from people’s souls and make readers reflect on important philosophical questions. This essay will discuss two pieces of poetry:...

Allegory in “Young Goodman Brown” by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Faith is Goodman Brown’s young wife; they have been married for three months. She is believed to symbolize his spiritual faith, and her pink ribbons are mentioned by the author as a symbol of her innocence. At the end of the story, when Goodman comes back to the village, he...