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...

Humor and Horror in Poe’s “The Cask of the Amontillado”

Introduction In works of literature, authors rely on several stylistic devices to convey their message. One of Edgar Allan Poe’s literary devices in “The Cask of Amontillado” is the combination of horror and humor. Poe is a witty author who uses literary elements like point of view, place, and word...

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,...

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...

Analysis of “Fahrenheit 451” by Bradbury

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

Tecumseh’s Historical Speech and Sherman Alexie’s Poems: Comparative Analysis

Comparing Tecumseh’s warlike uplifting speech with the poems of contemporary poet Sherman Alexie, one can find seemingly archetypal elements of the representation of the peoples of the Native Americans. Analysis and consistent comparison of these texts allows us to observe the deconstruction of the epic image of the Native American....

Recognition in Sophocles’ ”Oedipus Rex” and Homer’s ”The Odyssey”

The Purpose It is a rather well-known fact that ancient tragedies were written in compliance with certain rules and components. One such component is anagnorisis, which is translated from Greek as recognition. The recognition scene is the one where the main character learns something extremely important and makes a startling...

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

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

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...

Discrimination Against Women in Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale”

Description of the issue The issue of discrimination among women continues to influence the experience of females in the modern world. Mainly, society continues to depend on prejudices that concern the role of women in society. Coffey demonstrates that this part of the population suffers from inequality in India because...

Harlem in “Sonny’s Blues” Short Story by James Baldwin

James Baldwin is a novelist, publicist, playwright, and human rights defender. Born to a priestly stepfather, he was the oldest of nine children. Baldwin never knew his father and partly suffered from it. Nevertheless, he followed in his stepfather’s way and helped him in the church until he graduated from...

The Character of Miss Emily in Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily”

Introduction Miss Emily is an especially complex and interesting character who is undoubtedly worth deep consideration. In his short story, “A Rose for Emily,” William Faulkner introduces the woman who deserves sympathy despite multiple negative personal qualities. Even though readers do not know how Emily herself perceives her life and...

Comparison of “The Birthmark” and “The Fall of the House of Usher”

Both stories by Nathaniel Hawthorne and Edgar Allan Poe are written in a gothic style which means they keep a reader in tension and fear engaging in a plot full of drama and tragedy. Both writers were finding major issues of the time and disclosed them within their works. One...

“The Tell-Tale Heart” and “The Parking Lot”: Comparison

Introduction Numerous American Gothic Literature creators include mentalities that plummet into madness inside their accounts. Poe’s narratives review his self-existing emotions and encounters of seclusion and dejection that he had to manage throughout his life. He was never privileged with the introduction to the world with guardians; such as how...

Plot of “The Little Match Girl” by Hans Christian Andersen

The stories written by Hans Christian Andersen have never been particularly cheerful, often having rather grim undertones and serving as cautionary tales rather than a fun pastime. However, even among Andersen’s rather grim narratives, “The Little Match Girl” takes a special place due to its somber plot. The story opens...

“Desiree’s Baby” by Chopin and “Young Goodman Brown” by Hawthorne

Introduction Desiree Aubigny and Faith Brown are characters in the short stories “Desiree’s Baby” by Kate Chopin and “Young Goodman Brown” by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The heroines of these stories are young women who faced several trials in their family life. However, it would be wrong to decide that the women...

Nguyen Du’s The Tale of Kieu: Revolution in Transition

Introduction The Tale of Kieu by Nguyen Du involves a famous Vietnamese story of a young girl attempting to correct her past life mistakes through continuing adversity in her life. The Vietnamese girl, by the name Kieu, is peddled into prostitution and unceasingly gets cheated by men in the context...

Analyzing Women Characters in ”The Odyssey” and ”The Epic of Gilgamesh”

No one can doubt that women can perform different roles in society. On the one hand, females can follow a simple strategy and become deceptive sex objects. One can state that individuals use their genders as a leading force to achieve the desired outcomes and manipulate people. On the other...

“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 in “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley

Frankenstein is one of the greatest books of the nineteenth century that remains relevant today. Shelley explores many topics in her work that reflect social and philosophical aspects. In particular, the work refers to the problems of opposing nature and humanity, as well as the issues of ambition and blind...

Junot Diaz’s Literary Works: The Theme of Racial Superiority

Junot Diaz is among the most artistic, literary writers of all time. Diaz has won many awards for his creative writing, including the innovative 2008 Pulitzer award for best fiction literary works. Diaz’s literary works mainly focus on racial issues, prejudice, Dominican attitudes and immigrant assumptions on U.S culture. Diaz...

Protagonist’s Motivation in “Antigone” Play by Sophocles

Antigone acts the way she does because of all the grief they have suffered because of the curse of Oedipus and her brothers’ deaths. She believed that his brother Polynices was not a traitor, and he didn’t deserve to be left out on the field to be eaten by carrion...

Oedipus the King: Analysis of Plot

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

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...

Critique of Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass was a notable abolitionist and social reformer who escaped from slavery and depicted his experience in his memoir Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. He strongly believed in equality and shared his ideas in a direct and intimate fashion through his own story. Throughout...

“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...

Technology in Burning Chrome by William Gibson

Introduction William Gibson’s story Burning Chrome depicts an advanced but soulless society where most technological advances are portrayed as distorted by commercialization and human mechanization rather than improving the quality of life. However, the main characters are depicted as completely dependent on technology. Technology is not only a global achievement...

Michael P. MacDonald’s “All Souls” Memoir Analysis

All Souls: A Family Story from Southie, written by Michael Patrick MacDonald, is a sincere memoir published in 1999. The author uses his talent of putting life experiences and feelings into words to describe the place where he used to live in his childhood. The book starts with the author,...

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

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

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,...

Espaillat’s “Bilingual-Bilingüe” & Hayden’s “Those Winter Sundays” Poems

Family relations, in particular between parents and children, are often complex and ambiguous. Moreover, the connection established with the mother and with the father also contrasts. Most modern adults were probably closer to mothers who took care of the home well-being, while fathers worked daily for the benefit of the...

Plaatje’s Mhudi on South Africa in the 19th Century

Introduction Sol Plaatje’s Mhudi is an incredible full-length book written in English by a black writer from South Africa. It is a romantic epic with its setting in the early nineteenth century during the South African wars. The main action is centered around an extermination campaign by King Mzilikazi against...

The New Colossus Poem by Emma Lazarus

Anthology The New Colossus is a famous poem written by Emma Lazarus in 1883 (Lazarus 2000). I chose that poem as it has an interesting history behind it and is related to one of the most well-known sites in the US. The unique aspect of its history is that the...

Narrative Point of View in “Stranger Things” and “Macbeth”

Introduction The story knowledge is delivered to the viewer through a series of symbolic, operational, and discursive cues. A story may be told using a sequence of written or spoken words, still or moving pictures, or some combination of these. According to Blair and McCormack, “the primary elements of a...

“Deaf Like Me”: A Book Report

Introduction Hearing impairment affects effective communication between the deaf and other community members. The book Deaf Like Me by Spradley, T. S. and Spradley, J. P. presents a learning journey between parents and their deaf child (Spradley & Spradley, 1985). The book was published in 1985, but its context depicts...

“My Sister’s Keeper” by Jodi Picoult

Abstract My Sister’s Keeper, by Jodi Picoult, looks at the medical, legal, ethical, and moral issues that come with long-term illness, as well as some of the bioethical problems surrounding the experimental process known as the preimplantation genetic diagnosis. Preimplantation Genetic diagnosis is the process of analyzing the genetic makeup...

Ferdinand and Miranda in Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” in Terms of Postcolonial Theory

Shakespeare’s last plays belong to the genre of tragicomedy – plays devoid of genuine tragedy, which, while slightly disturbing for the audience, were still mainly intended to entertain them by delivering a sharp and entertaining experience. Nevertheless, Shakespeare brings an exceptional tone to them, switching them into the fairy tale...

The Book “Speak” by Laurie Halse Anderson

In Speak, the author, Laurie Halse Anderson, illustrates the idea that people can recover after trauma and become stronger. The writer utilizes the first-person point of view to show the path protagonist goes through to her transformation. The first-person point of view is the type of narrative in which events...

The Meaning of Fairy Tales in Adult Life

Children love fairy tales, which is not surprising as books contain worldly wisdom, allowing them to find a way out of many life situations and in an accessible form explaining the structure of this world. Many of the world-famous fairy tales were initially written for adult readers. Only transformed and...

Good Books for Children: “The Hobbit”

Quality literature is an integral component of a child’s upbringing for a range of reasons. First of all, reading develops vital skills, such as literacy, logic, and imagination. Children with an early affection for good books are likely to demonstrate better school preparedness and learning outcomes. At the same time,...

Lies vs. Truths in Shakespeare’s “The Tragedy of Othello”

Different people may subscribe to different types and levels of beliefs due to cultural-religious or social factors. Some of these beliefs may not be straightforward altogether in terms of the meaning and truth they carry, but people may tend to stick to them. What exactly this means is that a...

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...

“Sense and Sensibility” by Jane Austen

The lives of people in the past and, more specifically, their relationships were primarily guided by material considerations. This world is portrayed in the novel “Sense and Sensibility,” written by Jane Austen, which demonstrates the rigid social hierarchy of the time leading to human greed. It is especially applicable to...

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

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

Those Winter Sundays Poem by Robert Hayden

The Poet Robert Hayden wrote the poem “Those Winter Sundays” depicting a Person remembering the love of his father that he failed to understand when he was young and returned with cold indifference. The protagonist is shown to be lamenting his past relationship with his father. The claim that the...

Examination of the Heroes Beowulf and The Knight

The characteristics of a good individual have been an essential topic of philosophical and literary discussions for several decades, as such attributes as moral conduct and benevolent attitude often distinguish a virtuous person. The epic poem Beowulf, translated by Lesslie Hall, presents a prominent example of a good individual. The...

The Triumph of Death: A Prominent Theme in Gothic Literature

No species is more deserving of accolades than humans for consistently executing the dual role of creating problems and solving them. While some challenges predate humanity, many wrongs people seek correct are artificial. Mired in the endless maze of thanatophobia, the fear of death, people have grown overly preoccupied with...

“The Story of the Stone” by Cao Xueqin

The Story of the Stone is a classic and outstanding example of the Chinese literature of the end of the eighteenth century that has marked a significant period in the country’s cultural development. The literary work is a composition of multiple social, religious, moral, and psychological issues that reflect the...

The Life of Walt Whitman, His Works and Poetry Engagements

Introduction Walt Whitman was a renowned American poet for his literary works and as a successor to Virgil, Shakespeare, Homer, and Dante. In his book, Leaves of Grass, he wrote poems that celebrated love, democracy, friendship, and nature (Turpin, 2017). This monumental work earned praise from the audience and influenced...

Krebs’ Portrayal in “A Soldier’s Home” by Hemingway

In Hemingway’s “A Soldier’s Home,” the main character experiences apathy for a multitude of reasons. Harold Krebs was trained in a way that made him void of any empathy. The disinterest towards maintaining normal relationships or any mundane hobbies settled in after the return to civilian life (Hemingway 2). This...

Women’s Gender Role Unfairness: “The Yellow Paper” and “Trifles”

Introduction The question of gender roles has been recurrently addressed in numerous works of literature. The presence of different outlooks on the issue allowed numerous contemporary and past authors to approach gender roles from numerous perspectives. The current research paper takes Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s The Yellow Paper and Susan Glaspell’s...

Edwin Arlington’s “Richard Cory” Poem Analysis

Introduction The author skillfully springs a surprise on his unsuspecting audience when Richard Cory violently ends his life. The ironic contrast created highlights certain facts about life. For instance, it is virtually impossible to identify events happening within a person by looking at external features. In addition, the people society...

The Role of Nature in Human Life

Regardless of the period the literary text is written, the message it tries to express through black ink is often relative for many decades. An example of this kind of works is the excerpts written by Keats, Yeats, and Orwell. The writers invoke philosophical ideas and provoke readers’ thoughts by...

“I Am Malala” by Malala Yousafzai: Review

I am Malala, or also known by its full title as “I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and was Shot by the Taliban”, is an autobiographical book by Malala Yousafzai. It has won at both Specsavers National Book Awards, and the 2013 Goodreads...

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...

‘Everyday Use’: A Deep Dive into Rural Black South vs. Progressive Movement

“Everyday Use” is a short story written by Alice Walker, which depicts a family gathering where one of the two daughters comes home to visit her mother and sister. Dee studies at a University and her perspective on the African-American heritage differs from that of her relatives. Moreover, for her...

The Concept of Fairness in the Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale”

Justice, equality, and fairness are the ideals people from different cultures in different parts of the world have always aspired to achieve. They are the values that not only have inspired people to speak up and fight against oppression, cruelty, discrimination, and abuse but also encouraged innovation and progress, bringing...

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...

Love and Tragedy in the Play Oklahoma!

Introduction Literature is one of the forms of arts that human beings have invented in order to reflect the objective reality. Therefore, all the complexity of human relations is also described by literary geniuses. The art of playwriting takes a special place in literature as it is subject to visualizing...

“My Papa’s Waltz” and “Porphyria’s Lover”: Sounds Show

In prose and verse, sound extensively contributes to indirect characterization: authors use sound devices to shape readers’ perception of characters and nuance characters’ descriptions. In this respect, such unlike texts as “My Papa’s Waltz” and “Porphyria’s Lover” is exemplary for investigating the connection between form (in this case, sound) and...

“Homage to My Hips” by Clifton

If anyone is asked in a small town, two-hour drive away from New Orleans, whether they know Lucie, their faces will be filled with joy as they begin speaking about the young, but already not so young, girl. Lucie is a brave and proud individual – she can make almost...

Travel Motive in Homer’s “The Odyssey”

Introduction The Odyssey is considered one of the first adventure novels in the history of humankind and a kind of encyclopedia of geographical representations of the ancient Greeks. Odysseus, in folk memory, is represented as a famous and even archetypal traveler. However, often readers forget that the legendary king of...

The Novel “The Natural” by Bernard Malamud

Modern Jewish literature is very diverse, representing one of the richest layers of world literature. A large part of Jewish literature is English-language Jewish one. The Jewish diaspora of America did not suffer in World War II and could accept a number of refugees from Eastern Europe. Thus, after 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 Sound of the Trees, and the Noise of the People

Robert Frost was a prolific American poet born on March 26, 1874, in San Francisco. Although he holds the absolute record for the number of Pulitzer Prizes for Poetry awarded to a single person, Frost struggled to find any recognition in his early years. In fact, he had to work...

Current Culture in Le Guin’s “The Ones Who Walk away from Omelas” Story

“The Ones Who Walk away from Omelas” is a fiction by Ursula K. Le Guin. Through the elaborated imagery of reflective narration, the author explores urgent moral issues still relevant to our society. This paper aims to apply Le Guin’s short fiction to the cultural analysis of our modern society....

Twain’s and Hemingway’s Short Stories Comparison

A short story is an impactful and fundamental literature genre, as it utilizes essential stylistic qualities to convey a message. “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place” is a short story by Ernest Hemingway about a late night at a cafe where an old man is drinking. The plot centers around the discussion...

Gandhi’s Hind Swaraj: Self-Governance in India

Hind Swaraj is a book written by Gandhi, which represents his view on modern civilization. The Reader and The Editor are the main characters who engage in a dialogue, where the latter explains his understanding of self-governance in the Indian state. In this book, Gandhi summarizes his view on the...

“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...

The Norton Anthology of American Literature

When pondering upon the notion of democracy, the vast majority of people will inevitably think of the United States of America. Since the US declaration of independence in 1776, the state itself became the synonym with the idea of the public will. In fact, researchers who spend years on investigating...

“Intertextuality and the Discourse Community” by Porter

Analyzing the concept of plagiarism is often neglected as it is, by definition, considered a copyright violation. However, James E. Porter challenges this opinion in the article “Intertextuality and the Discourse Community.” The author declares that any text, regardless of academic level, is a synthesis of other writers’ existing opinions....

Phoenix and Cycle of Struggle

Student Name___________________________ Professor Name__________________________ Course________________________________ Date__________________________________ Mythical and majestic phoenix dies under its own power and emerges from its own collapse, which makes its immortality cyclical. Phoenix’s main quest is to ease the pain and suffering of her beloved one. It is important to note the fact that her name...

“Jupiter and Io” by Ovid

Introduction In his poems, which Ovid wrote while being inspired by Roman folklore, he demonstrated the entire mythology of his time. In addition, the author also managed to illustrate through the prism of poetry the life of the people around him. Even though many of his characters are gods, they...

Rushdie’s “Midnight Children” and Murakami’s “Kafka on the Shore’

Introduction There are three critical themes explored in Salman Rushdie’s Midnight Children and Haruki Murakami’s Kafka on the Shore. The three themes are a myth, fate, and prophecy. The authors of these two novels have vividly presented these themes through actions of the characters like Kafka, Saleem, Amina, Shiva, and...

Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet: Play Analysis

Composed by William Shakespeare, Macbeth is a mental and shocking story of visually impaired aspiration and dangerous, all-expending power. This is a play brimming with detestable goals and horrifying killings. Fabulously coordinated by Dan Hodge and enlivened by the Ghost accounts of Edgar Allen Po, this creation, with its intriguing...

Caution and Restraint in Books 17-20 of Homer’s “The Odyssey”

Introduction Books 17-20 of Homer’s The Odyssey concentrate on Odysseus’ arrival to his palace in a beggar’s disguise and the adventures surrounding his unannounced return. There are several critical ideas reflected in these parts of the epic, including loyalty, pride, patience, a strategic approach, and Athena’s involvement. However, it seems...

Modernism and Vanity in The Story “Araby”

Introduction The story “Araby” is a first-person narration of a boy who is trying to impress a girl. The narration is on behalf of a boy in love with his friend’s sister. He learns from her that she wants to go to a charity bazaar called “Araby”. He promises the...

The Charge of Light Brigade

The Charge of the Light Brigade is a heroic but catastrophic attack that was conducted by the British cavalry under the command of Lord Cardigan. The attack was targeted at the Russian army and occurred during the Battle of Balaclava in the Crimean War on October 25, 1854. This event...

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

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

The Story “The Interpreter of Maladies” by Jhumpa Lahiri

On the surface, it is most likely that a reader may understand ‘The Interpreter of Maladies” as one of the simplest stories about a family of five on vacation in a foreign country. However, the introduction of Mr. Kapasi, who is portrayed as a lonely tour guide, makes the short...

Symbolism in Everyday Life, Culture, and Literature

Prewriting: Clustering Symbolism surrounds people in everyday life: it can be seen in certain colors like red for passion or aggression, culturally meaningful items such as rose as a symbol of love, etc. Symbols, as representations of certain ideas, exist to influence people’s opinions and directly or indirectly communicate a...

Hemingway’s Lessons in “The Old Man and the Sea”

The Old Man and the Sea is the last complete work published by Ernest Hemingway, a genius author who won both the Pulitzer Prize and the Nobel Prize in a matter of a couple of years. His novella about an old fisherman named Santiago is an example of the masterful...

“Beggars in Spain” by Nancy Kress

Beggars in Spain is a highly allegorical work of fiction that was impactful, not only from a pure entertainment point of view but also by delivering deeper meaning and lessons that pervade more than just the superficial. The theme of discrimination, in separation and segregation, is pervasive throughout the book....

“The Gods in the Homeric Epics” Book by Kearns

Belief in Gods was part of the culture and religion of Ancient Greece, which was reflected in sculpture, art, architecture, literature, and traditions of the population. Nevertheless, often the images of the Gods in the art are the representation of the author but not of the entire people, since rituals...

“Romeo and Juliet” by Shakespeare

Some masterpieces of the world literature and culture, in general, have now become deeply integrated into the human mind. As a result, the vast majority of the world residents no longer have the need to read the whole work or see its interpretation in order to retell its main gist...

Differences Between Poetry and Prose

Introduction Differences between poetry and prose are highly noticeable even for people who are not knowledgeable in the forms of writing. The most obvious difference between prose and poetry lays in their structures – while poetry may be regarded as properly structured, the prose is more free and natural. Rhythm,...

Symbolism in Poe’s “Masque of the Red Death”

The Masque of the Red Death is a horror story by E. A. Poe that talks about Prince Prospero and his masquerade ball during the Red Death plague spreading. The disease symbolizes Tuberculosis, an illness common during the writer’s lifetime (Jones, 2017). In the film, it is possible to see...

Inspiration by Elizabeth Browning’s Love Poetry

Art Creation There is a significant number of topics that are especially loved by both authors and readers and used in literature rather often. Though all of them were being discussed for many centuries, poets can still find ways of expressing their thought and feelings about such themes in unusual...

The Book “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” by Mark Twain

The adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain is a classic bildungsroman that can be relevant for people of all ages. The main theme of the topic is a moral and social maturation that the main character, Tom, goes through. Being away from society as a child who did not...

“American Born Chinese”: Theme of religion

Introduction Religion is a contemporary issue influencing civilization, morals, laws, and cultural societies globally. The American Born Chinese written by Gene Luen Yang’s narrates the experiences of immigrants in America using three different tales. This book conveys three major morals, which are resisting the urge to be assimilated, not denying...

Theme in Glaspell’s “Trifles” and Hansberry’s “A Raisin in the Sun”

Introduction Words, especially sincere and true ones, are people’s most powerful and influential weapons. They can go deep into humans’ hearts and souls and touch the innermost and most essential parts. Some crucial concepts, including dreams, freedom, equality, fairness, and family, are sometimes so difficult to discuss that persons decide...

Francis Scott Fitzgerald’s Jazz Age Perception in “The Great Gatsby”

Introduction Great works of literature remain in history for a variety of reasons. Some of them represent a particular era masterfully, leaving the reader with strong, vivid impressions. This objective is attained through accurate use of specific symbols, strengthening the work’s relation to a particular epoch, and contributing to its...

George Orwell’s Book “Road to Wigan Pier”

Introduction George Orwell’s book, Road to Wigan Pier, depicts the struggles of the British underclass, unemployed, and poverty-stricken nationals in the post-World War 1 period. The authors’ target audience was the wealthy and affluent people seeking to understand the lifestyle of the poor beyond formal reports. The author uses a...

The Yellow Wallpaper. Mrs. Spring Fragrance. Review

The compositions left a profound trace in the literature of the XX century. Even though the stories are short, they contain significant ideas. The narratives are modernist since they describe the individual’s thoughts, not the social environment. The paper below represents a brief overview of the narrations. It also explains...

The Canterbury Tales by G. Chaucer: The Miller’s Position about Marriage and Power

Introduction At the end of the 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer introduced his Canterbury Tales, where several people share their stories about British history, identities, and values. Each tale has a narrator and main characters who make mistakes, develop relationships, and analyze their achievements through the prism of the already established...

Carlos Bulosan’s Story and Delano Manong’s Documentary Analysis

Quotation from Carlos Bulosan’s Short Story “The Romance of Magno Rubio” “Claro looked tentatively at the money. He picked up the crispy bills on the table. He grabbed the jug of wine and went to his room.” (Bulosan, 1979, p. 34). The above quote from the story depicts the hard...

The Tragedy “Hamlet” by Shakespeare: Evidence of Religious Beliefs

The Tragedy of Hamlet is among Shakespeare’s notable plays which have been performed across the world. In the tragedy, the ghost of the King of Denmark tells his son, Hamlet, to avenge his death by murdering the new king who is Hamlet’s uncle. Hamlet pretends to be mad, envisions life...

“One Thousand and One Nights”: The Frame Story

Frame story (a frame narrative or a frame tale) is a widely popular literary technique used in storytelling and even cinematography because it helps involve readers’ attention in several stories within the whole narration. An excellent example of this method is One Thousand and One Nights, a collection of folk...

The Epic of Gilgamesh: Gilgamesh and Enkidu

Despite the endeavors of Gilgamesh and Enkidu to be similar to gods, the two heroes overestimated their power and neglected the fact that they were both mortals, which led to tragic consequences. By the end of the epic, it becomes evident to Gilgamesh that every human being is bound to...

Claudia Rankine: Biography and Works

Introduction Nowadays, more and more poets are starting to experiment with the possibilities of language. For example, some of them mix prose and poetry or create new genres in literature. Undoubtedly, the genre diversity and the formation of new departments of literature is a significant part of modern writing, but...

“Death of a Salesman”: The American Dream by Arthur Miller

Introduction Even though many readers consider the American Dream as one of the core ideas in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, there is always a chance to find some new interpretation. In his article, Majid Salem Mgamis explains the American Dream as a part of social values “that...

“The Old Man and the Sea” by Ernest Hemmingway

The novel The Old Man and the Sea by Hemmingway is among his most significant writings. The author explores plenty of themes that are still relevant nowadays. Hemmingway forces his reader to reflect throughout the whole narrative, making him or her emphatic with aspirations, struggles, and achievements of the protagonist....

‘The Things They Carried’ by Tim O’Brien: Reflection

War is a central theme in books of numerous authors, and Tim O’Brien is no exception to the rule. What makes him stand out from the rest is the source of information he uses and the way he presents the war. Being a war veteran, O’Brien writes about his personal...

Allen Ginsberg’s “Howl” Summary and Analysis

Over the course of history, it has become clear that in a world replete with cruelty and mischievous triumph, people crave freedom even if it implies going as far as possible from the established behavioral norms and patterns. The undisputable eagerness to feel alive and find the new connotative meanings...

The Impact of Greek Philosophers on Current Life

Many scientists agree that Ancient Greece is the cradle of European civilization. Its philosophers, scientists, and poets greatly contributed to the development of Greek culture. Modern philosophical thought would be impossible without the works of Aristotle, Plato, and numerous philosophical schools. Dramatic art would have been different if, at one...

Axe and Bermuda Triangle Overview

Among numerous contemporary writers, Carmen Boullosa occupies a specific place due to her fascinating use of metaphors and textual objects to convey deep underlying meanings. She is famous for many novels dedicated to the pressing problems of Mexican and American society. Still, she admitted in her interview that she had...

“Under the Skirt of Liberty” by Giannina Braschi

An outstanding piece of writing called Under the Skirt of Liberty is Giannina Braschi’s creation, which criticizes the American establishment for the loss of its previous values and goals. The author’s message is primarily focused on describing major pitfalls of the American system, and it reaches out and converses with...

“Tell My Horse” by Zora Neale Hurston Book Review

Zora Neale Hurston was a writer in the early 20th century. Her book Tell My Horse was published in 1938, which described the hands-on experiences in Jamaica and Haiti held two years prior. One of the book’s central discourses is the preservation of the traditional African customs in the era...

“Mother Tongue” of A.Tan Analysis Review

Amy Tan is an American writer of Asian origin who is passionate about languages. She had to grow up in a difficult situation, being the daughter of a Chinese immigrant. Her circumstances were also complicated due to the communication issues that her mother had to endure. For this reason, she...

“A Lesson Before Dying” by Ernest J. Gaines

From ancient history to modern days, people have worshipped heroes. Whether they were living or dead, fictional or real, those extraordinary individuals inspired others to be better. In A Lesson Before Dying, Ernest J. Gaines explores the theme of heroes in a seemingly brief, but significant way. The novel’s plot...

William Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Gertrude

William Shakespeare’s Hamlet is one of the most known tragedies in the English literature, while Hamlet himself is an illustrative example of a turbulent mind. His inner thoughts and his attitude towards his father is often at the center of the discussion, but his relationship with Gertrude, his mother, is...

“Endgame” by Samuel Beckett

In the twentieth century, many artists paid great attention to existentialism. In addition, the theater of the absurd became a remarkable phenomenon, which described in colors all the strangeness and meaninglessness of life. A striking example of such a work is Endgame by Samuel Beckett. One of its theatrical performances...

Youth and Adulthood: A Comparative Analysis

Poems “We Old Dudes” by Joan Murray and “We Real Cool” by Gwendolyn Brooks are going to be the primary focus of this essay. It might be easy to draw comparisons between the pieces as the poem by Murray derives its leading themes and literary elements from “We Real Cool.”...

Challenging the Rules in “Animal Farm” and “Fahrenheit 451”

All conventional norms established by members of society have a specific purpose and a prevailing ideology as a basis. Generally, rules are created by a hierarchical elite based on an ideology that is either initially shared by the majority as in Orwell’s Animal Farm or eventually imposed on it as...

Eliezer’s Lost Childhood in the “Night” Novel by E. Wiesel

Introduction of the author Eliezer Wiesel is an American-Jewish writer, the author of 57 books, and the Nobel Peace Prize, winner. The list of his accomplishments and achievements is long and his life is full of memorable events and experiences. The most horrible one is, without a doubt, the experience...

Euhemerism Theory and Myths Across Cultures

Introduction to mythology Myths are the basis of our cultural construct. Myths are based on gods and heroes who narrators of myths insist should be emulated. Myths provide insights about the cultural past of modern society. Theories of mythology Euhemerism The euhemerism theory explains how myths are actual accounts of...

The Poem “Everyman”: Author’s Perception of Death

Introduction As the adage goes, ‘…two things are certain in this life: Death and Taxes.’ Although one can escape the latter, the former is like a change, it is inevitable, and inasmuch as people continue to hate it, they must encounter it anyway. Everybody has an assigned day of answering...

An Analysis of Desdemona’s Intellect in the Play

In Shakespeare’s Othello a very unique and intriguing society is shown. A relationship between a man and a woman is described in detail, illustrating their inner emotions and passions. Desdemona is without a doubt an intelligent and understanding woman, who is determined to accomplish anything she sets up to do,...

“Night” by Elie Wiesel: Eliezer’s Struggle to Keep Faith in God

Introduction The manner in which Eliezer struggles with his faith in God is portrayed throughout the novel. In the beginning, the faith he has in God is strong. This is evident when he asks himself, “Why did I live? Why did I breathe?” (Wiesel). This shows how absolute his faith...

Acquainted with the Night by Frost: Writing Techniques

Introduction “Acquainted with the Night” is a poem written by an American poet, Robert Frost. He is a famous figure in the literary world because there are no other poets except for him who managed to receive four Pulitzer Prizes for Poetry. In this essay, the answer to the question...

The Struggle From Faith To Faith In Night By Elie Wiesel

Introduction The essay analyses the novel Night by Elie Wiesel and examines the story of Eliezer’s struggle with his faith. It exposes Eliezer’s great faith and how it eventually weakens due to his experience. Eliezer’s Struggle to Keep His Faith in God In the novel Night by Elie Wiesel, great...

Works by Carl Sandburg and Robert Frost Review

The first two poems are good pieces written by Carl Sandburg. The First poem is titled “A Fence” and the second one “Onion Days”. The third poem is a very interesting piece by Robert Frost titled “Mending Wall”. The three poems have apt language of metaphorical compositions. The themes in...

Different Points of View

First person point of view uses a personal approach and generally employs the pronoun “I” or “we”. It is less formal, and often contains some personal opinion, though it may be supported with evidence. First person viewpoint may be used in most types of essays. However, the aim of the...

“Mother to Son” Poem by Langston Hughes

Published in 1922, “Mother to Son” was one of Langston Hughes’ early poems. Simple language and a powerful message created by the author make it accessible and meaningful to all readers. While Hughes captures the inspiring persistence of an aging mother, he also represents the struggle of African-Americans inherent in...

Main Characteristics of a Knight

Introduction The story of the song of Roland is an old one that portrays the struggle between evil and good. This is clearly seen between the Christian franks led by Charlemagne who represents good and Gods will while Muslim Saracens representing pure evil. Main Body In this story, Roland is...

“Sitt Marie Rose” by Etel Adnan

The majority of people view other cultures from the perspective of their own one, which can partially be referred to as ethnocentrism. When it comes to such cultures as the Lebanese one, ethnocentrism is peculiar to almost all the people who regard modern society as equal and non-discriminatory. Sitt Marie...

“Recovering the Sacred” by Winona Laduke

Introduction There is a book I have read recently that impressed me a lot with its content and the way it was written. It is called Recovering the sacred by Winona LaDuke. This book is about some cases when Native Americans took back their traditions, food, and lands. Reclaiming sacred...

Beowulf, a Never Forgotten Hero

Early English literature flourished after the Anglo-Saxons had settled in England between the 5th and the 12th centuries, a long period of migration, and conflicts over the supremacy, where kings could only rely on the loyalty of their men. Almost ineluctably, first literary compositions exalted the figure of the hero,...

Hemingway’s “The Sun Also Rises” Close Reading Analysis

“…Also Belmonte imposed conditions and insisted that his bulls should not be too large, nor too dangerously armed with horns, and so the element that was necessary to give the sensation of the tragedy was not there, and the public, who wanted three times as much from Belmonte, who was...

Barn Burning by Faulkner: Symbols & Setting Analysis

In the story Barn Burning by Faulkner, we first encounter Mr. Snopes in a courthouse. He is accused of burning Mr. Harris’ barn. The justice of the court tells Mr. Harris to prove his allegations but he is unable to do so because Mr. Snopes is cunning and does not...

Love and Death in Poetry by Emily Dickinson

Emily Elizabeth Dickinson is known as one of the most famous poets of the XIX century. One of the most important causes of her popularity is her manner of writing that was new for the period, during which she has been working, and the main themes of her literature. So,...

“The Myth of Latin Women” by Judith Ortiz

Introduction In the myth of the Latin woman; Judith Ortiz explained how she grew up under stern observation, since virtue and humility were equated to family honor by culture. From her story it can be seen that as a teenager, she was required to conduct herself as a good ‘senorita’....

Poetry of Seamus Heaney and Sinéad Morrissey

Introduction Seamus Heaney and Sinéad Morrissey are prominent modern Irish authors who address the past and the present in their poetry; they combine personal experiences, historical events, and stylistic devices to bring the reader closer to the themes they explore. Both of them focus on emotional experience as the mirror...

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

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

Writing About the Past

When it comes to discussing the representations of the past in the works of literature, many critics assume that how authors go about retelling their memories simply reflects the creative subtleties of their psyche. And, it goes without saying, of course, that addressing the subject matter from this perspective would...

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

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

R. W. Emerson and N. Hawthorne: Human Nature

Introduction People are different with a view to their intellect and abilities, features and appearance, beliefs and views. Some people have good intentions and make good actions; other people do not seem to be good at all. Nevertheless, good and bad actions and even thoughts can be argued; it is...

Ernest Hemingway and Shirley Jackson Writing Style

Introduction The current paper contains a discussion of the writing styles of two American writers Ernest Hemingway and Shirley Jackson whose works are now considered the classics of American literature. Some writers are influenced by others with a view to the chosen topics, manner of presenting facts and settings, the...