“If Beale Street Could Talk” Symbols of Love and Injustice in Baldwin’s Novel

Introduction “If Beale Street Could Talk” by James Baldwin is a moving examination of love, family, and racial injustice in 1970s Harlem. Baldwin uses various signs and symbols throughout the narrative to encapsulate the multifaceted nature of human experience, particularly within the African-American community. This analysis delves into how Baldwin...

Rhetorical Devices in Writing by Orwell, Didion, and Vonnegut

Introduction The art of persuasive writing, a blend of creativity and technique, often relies on rhetorical devices such as pathos, ethos, and logos. George Orwell’s “Why I Write,” Joan Didion’s “On Keeping a Journal,” and Kurt Vonnegut’s “How to Write With Style” exemplify the mastery of these devices to connect...

Shifting Gender Roles in Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Wife of Bath’s Tale

Introduction Geoffrey Chaucer’s portrayal of gender roles in The Wife of Bath’s Tale differs significantly from other sources from that period. The author puts women in charge of judging men’s actions throughout the text. While the story begins with sexual assault that is later dismissed, it contains elements that present...

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

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

Theodore Roethke’s “My Papa’s Waltz” Poem Explication

Introduction Theodore Roethke’s poem “My Papa’s Waltz” explores the recollection of the speaker on a childhood experience centered around a waltz performed with their father. This piece exhibits noteworthy qualities in terms of its linguistic choices, tone, and employment of imagery, which collectively serve to communicate intricate feelings within a...

Critical Theory and Liberalism in Harry Potter: Mendlesohn’s Insights

Introduction Media analysis can take many forms and look at different elements of creative works. Focusing on the social and political notions in writing is often connected to critical theory. It is a philosophical approach that looks at how power structures affect and are influenced by society. One of the...

Socrates’ Concepts of Gender Roles and Communal Child Raising in Plato’s The Republic

Introduction In the chapter “Woman and The Family” from Plato’s “The Republic,” Socrates explores the societal roles of women and the concept of family. Two fundamental ideas that stood out are the concept of gender roles and the idea of communal child-rearing. Abandoning Gender Roles Socrates posits a radical theory...

Flaws in Mental Health Care: Insights from Pete Earley’s ‘Crazy’

Introduction Mental health is one of the most essential parts of a human being. It allows the person to properly function in society and collaborate with others in daily activities: working, learning, and spending free time. However, when a person struggles with mental health, the community quickly rejects them. In...

In Cold Blood: Truman Capote’s True Crime Masterpiece and Psychological Exploration

Introduction In Cold Blood is a non-fiction novel written by Truman Capote that tells the chilling true story of the brutal murder of the Clutter family in Holcomb, Kansas, in 1959 (Capote, 2000). This book is often regarded as one of Capote’s most significant literary achievements and a groundbreaking work...

Postpartum Depression and Its Representation in “The Yellow Wallpaper”

Introduction Mental health problems are a significant consequence of any experience in a person’s life. Postpartum depression is one of the consequences that can develop in women due to the birth of a child. In the story “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, one can find many parallel connections...

Preserving Indigenous Identity in Wagamese’s Indian Horse

Introduction Literary works have great power, which can draw readers’ attention to the most critical and disturbing problems. An example of such a work is a novel by Richard Wagamese called Indian Horse. This work touches on a relatively large number of topics, including unfulfilled dreams, the influence of alcohol...

Olasky’s Defense of the Gospels in “Liar, Lunatic, Lord?”

Introduction In his article “Liar, Lunatic, Lord?” Marvin Olasky addresses the atheist students who argue against C.S. Lewis’ tripartite divide of viewing Jesus as either a liar, a lunatic, or the Lord. The students contend that Lewis assumes the accuracy of the Gospel accounts, which could have been written years...

Exploring Spiritual Truths in Mere Christianity: C.S. Lewis’s Use of Vivid Metaphors

Introduction In his seminal work, Mere Christianity, Lewis, a renowned Christian apologist, employs a series of vivid word pictures and illustrations in Book II to elucidate profound spiritual truths, much like Jesus did with his parables. These imaginative analogies serve as guiding lights, illuminating the path to understanding for readers...

Exploring Totalitarianism and Freedom in George Orwell’s 1984 Novel

Have you ever imagined living in a dystopian world where the Party rules with an iron fist and there is no way for freedom? Would you oppress such a life and question the oppressive regime? In the novel 1984, Winston Smith is such a person, a middle-aged man who has...

Sita Sings the Blues: A Feminist Reinterpretation of the Ramayana’s Gender Roles

Introduction The Ramayana is an ancient Indian epic that describes the interactions of many key characters in mythology. Ramayana is an epic narrative from Hinduism that reveals the traditional ideas of the time about courage and duty (The Ramayana: A South Asian Myth and Text, n. d.). At the same...

“Lazy Lawrence: Teaching Children Perseverance, Compassion, and Hard Work”

The goal of Lazy Lawrence is to offer insightful teachings for children’s future success. The narrative teaches children that spending time on things that will help them reach their ambitions is essential. It teaches children the value of inner drive and the necessity of perseverance in the face of adversity....

Themes of Racism and Identity in Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye

Introduction Literature conveys various aspects of human life with unwavering precision, allowing us to delve into the world of characters and their personal experiences. One such work is Tony Morrison’s novel The Bluest Eye, which explores the complex theme of racism, belonging, and self-esteem among African Americans in 20th-century American...

Honoring Immigrant Lives Lost on September 11: Stories and Remembrance

Introduction The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, will always be remembered as a dark day in American history. Some experiences frequently went unwritten or were missed among the agony and loss. One story focuses on the immigrant servants who died while working in the World Trade Center’s kitchens on...

Heroic Tone in Led Zeppelin’s Stairway to Heaven and Tolkien’s Work

Introduction There’s a feeling I get / When I look to the west / And my spirit is crying for leaving / […] / And as we wind on down the road / Our shadows taller than our soul (Led Zeppelin, 1971). In writing, a tone describes the general mood...

Finding Winnie by Lindsay Mattick: The Heartwarming Story Behind Winnie-the-Pooh

Introduction The author of the book “Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear” uses it to share her family’s history and connection to the creation of Winnie-the-Pooh. She dwells mostly on how her great-grandfather Harry Colebourn, a Canadian veterinarian, purchased a bear cub from a hunter...

The Voices of Narrator, Author, and Characters in Hawthorne’s Young Goodman Brown

Introduction The discussion in this essay will revolve around the short story, Young Goodman Brownwritten by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Four voices—those of the narrator, author, characters, and readers—dominate the narrative, as is evident from once. These voices besides helping control the events of the story are critical in communicating the author’s...

Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson: A Story of Freedom and Struggle

Book Summary Chains is a novel by Laurie Halse Anderson, first published in 2008. It is a fictional story following the life and struggles of Isabel and her little sister, Ruth, during the events of the American Revolutionary War (Anderson 7). Isabel seeks to help the rebels against the loyalists...

Freedom and Slavery in Solomon Northup’s Twelve Years a Slave

Introduction The book under analysis in this paper is the narrative of Solomon Northup about his 12-year experience as a slave in Louisiana. The book entitled Twelve Years a Slave is the first-person narration of Solomon Northup’s life as a person of color who was born a free man but...

Magical Realism and Its Legitimacy in Fiction Writing

Introduction Magical realism is a literary genre that has become increasingly popular recently. It combines the realistic elements of the everyday world with fantastical and supernatural elements, blurring the line between the two (“Magic Realism | Definition, Authors, and Facts“). It is a common theme in several short stories, such...

Elizabethan Conventions in Hamlet: Laertes and Claudius on Avenging Polonius

The Use of Honorifics: Thou vs. You The Elizabethan conventions are a group of signs in the theater indicating belonging to a specific period. The first thing to point out is the language used by the characters of Hamlet. Laer addresses the King, “That I shall live and tell him...

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

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

Inspired by Shakespeare: Adaptations of A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Introduction A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of Shakespeare’s most iconic plays. The comedy-drama depicts the adventures of several young lovers and novice performers who fall prey to fairies. Such work has inspired countless adaptations and retellings, each with its unique take on the story. Among the works inspired by...

Social and Economic Inequality in Toni Cade Bambara’s “The Lesson”

Introduction Imagine a world where a simple trip to the toy store can change a child’s perception of society and class. Toni Cade Bambara’s ‘The Lesson” offers just that: it tells the story of a group of underprivileged children who receive an eye-opening lesson from a well-intentioned but confrontational teacher....

Swift’s “A Modest Proposal”: Satirical Critique of Anglo-Irish Relations and Poverty

Publication Year and Historical Context of “A Modest Proposal” Swift’s 1729 work, A Modest Proposal, satirized the tense Anglo-Irish relationship and the declining standard of living among ordinary people. The Norman invasion in the late 12th century marked the start of 700 years of interaction between the two islands, which...

The Warmth of Other Suns: Isabel Wilkerson’s Accounts of African American Relocation

The Book’s Overall Topic In the history of the US, Americans have been part of many relocation incidences seeking a better life, including the Dust Bowl and the Gold Rush. However, one large migration stands out of all of them: The Great Migration. The Great Migration included a significant number...

Dee’s Struggle with Family Heritage in “Everyday Use”

Introduction Alice Walker presents several bright characters in the short story “Everyday Use,” but the mother and Dee, her eldest daughter, are at the center of the plot. After returning home, a young woman shows interest in her African heritage – through her actions, she wants to show that she...

Analyzing Racial Expectations in University Settings in ZZ Packer’s “Drinking Coffee Elsewhere”

Introduction Universities are often seen as bastions of meritocracy and social mobility, where students from diverse backgrounds come together to pursue academic excellence and achieve upward social mobility. ZZ Packer’s short story “Drinking Coffee Elsewhere” provides a powerful critique of race expectations in university settings. The report examines the experiences...

Comparing Dr. Frankenstein and Aylmer in “Frankenstein” and “The Birthmark”

Introduction The Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and The Birthmark by Nathaniel Hawthorne have much in common. Both works tell the story of incredibly smart scientists who, nevertheless, overestimated their capabilities and decided to interfere in Nature. Each of them achieved their goals and, in doing so, sacrificed human lives. Although...

Emotional Isolation and Teenage Exploration in ZZ Packer’s “Drinking Coffee Elsewhere”

ZZ Packer’s story “Drinking Coffee Elsewhere” tackles the issues of teenage exploration of sexuality, loneliness, isolation, and relationships. The heroine, a young woman named Dina, is struggling to define herself and find ways to build relationships with people around her. Her attention is focused on another girl, Heidi. However, her...

Langston Hughes’ Love in “Fantasy in Purple”

Music and poetry are interrelated since many poets have dedicated their poems to various musical genres. This article by Beugre Zouankouan Stephane explores how Langston Hughes expressed his love for Blues and Jazz in his poem “Fantansy in Purple.” The author observes an as close link between the two genres...

Ideas in “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place” by Hemingway

Introduction A Clean, Well-Lighted Place is a powerful short story written by Ernest Hemingway that evokes a lot of melancholic thoughts in the reader. Many readers of Hemingway are familiar with his talent for creating short but emotionally rich stories with deep meaning. The themes and ideas Hemingway explores through...

The Book “The Oedipus Cycle” by Sophocles

Oedipus cycle is a collection of three Theban plays written by Sophocles, which include Antigone, Oedipus at Colonus, and Oedipus the King (also known as Oedipus Rex). These plays illuminate Thebes’ fate during and after King Oedipus’s reign. The three plays talk about the mythological Oedipus, who married his mother...

The Novel “A Farewell to Arms” by Ernest Hemingway

Ernest Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms is a novel about war, love, and an individual’s personal growth. The story reveals the actions of the first world war, specifically the stories from the Italian ambulance service and young man and woman Fredrick Henry and Catherine Barkley. After meeting the main female...

Literary Research on Oscar Wilde “The Importance of Being Earnest”

Great Britain, in the nineteenth century, was a nation whose laws forbade homosexuality. Consequently, men were reluctant to develop strong bonds with other male counterparts since they would be persecuted. Despite homosexuality being illegal, Oscar Wilde defied this law in pursuit of happiness and created sexual relationships with other men....

The “Preface” by Alice Walker Review

After I read the “Preface” by Alice Walker and the poems at the beginning of Spiegel, I started to think about animal life. I felt ashamed because I had previously loved visiting the zoo and exploring animals living in captivity. Moreover, I realized that confinement is a restriction on the...

“The Open Boat” by Stephen Crane: When a Few Words are Enough

Introduction Describing a disaster inflicted upon characters by an unstoppable and uncompromising force of the elements while keeping each protagonist fleshed out and well-developed is an extraordinarily difficult task. However, Steven Crane, who had a first-hand experience in a similar situation that involved being shipwrecked and having little to no...

Exploring Themes in ‘Sir Gawain and the Green Knight’

Nobility, Elegance and Mystery Around the “Emerald Color” “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” is a unique, inimitable work in its structure and content, illustrating a special message and interpretation of color from the point of view of symbolism, hints, and mysterious signs. Thus, the green color in the novel...

Family Pressure in “Encanto” and “Witch Boy” Artworks

Individuals develop certain beliefs and identities from early childhood as a direct influence of the family’s culture, religion, traditions, and rites of passage which shape the family member’s identity. Growing up with specific cultural and societal expectations requires displaying specific skills which must conform to the community and its traditions....

Homer’s Odyssey in Ancient Greece’s Reality

Ancient Greece stands out significantly among all other civilizations of its time due to its cultural development. The work of Greek philosophers, scientists, and writers countless times served as an inspiration to a younger ancient Rome, Europe, and consequently the whole world. Such tendency effectively showcases the definition of the...

Tragedy and Comedy of Love in British Literature

Introduction Literature at all times tried to find answers to various questions that arise in human life and thus touched on various topics, but the theme of love always remains relevant. In the sonnets, this feeling is shown in a very contradictory and ambiguous way: on the one hand, as...

The Poem “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodor Roethke

The poem My Papa’s Waltz touches on the intricate relationship between a child and a socially irresponsible father. It is difficult to say whether this work was written under the pressure of one’s negative memories or in impulses of inspiration. However, Theodor Roethke conveyed with precise accuracy the image of...

Genre-Based Perspective of Poem Analysis

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

Is Sammy a Hero in John Updike’s Story “A & P”

Although John Updike’s story is extremely short, it is long enough to reveal the character of the protagonist, Sammy, fully. As the narrative moves, the reader can see how the hero grows up – he becomes ready to accept the outcomes of his actions and matures. His cynical attitude toward...

American Labor: “The Mind at Work” by Rose

Introduction The Mind at Work: Valuing the intelligence of the American Worker examines the mental aspect of work, which is sometimes considered mindless. Rose portrays waiters, hairstylists, plumbers, construction workers, welders, and car assembly line employees in vignettes. This academic and sophisticated work reads like a captivating novel. Reading his...

Analysis of Thousand and One Nights Stories

Storytelling as art can speak to humans in a way that numbers, presentations, slides, or data cannot. It is capable of influencing one’s beliefs, thoughts, and values. Through Shahrazads’s effective storytelling techniques, she changes the king’s mind, calms him, and manages to save her and many other women’s lives. Her...

Werewolf and Rise of Beliefs in Such Creatures

Introduction Stories about people who turn into animals, especially a wolf, are not new to the current generations. However, many people interact with such tales through the media, particularly the horrific movies featuring medieval or sci-fiction characters. The werewolf is a typical feature in ancient accounts, indicating the possible link...

Societal Perception of Men and Women in Literature

The perceptions of the role of men and women in various societies are often portrayed differently depending on the culture. Most instances demonstrate them differently, but there are always some similarities in what men and women are perceived to be. In the previous reading handled in previous classes, different personalities...

The Blend of Humor and Horror in Poe’s ‘The Cask of Amontillado’

Edgar Allan Poe is a 19th-century writer and poet known for Gothic horror stories. In The Cask of Amontillado, Poe narrates a tale of a nobleman, Montresor, trying to get revenge on his friend Fortunato. The terror of realizing that the reader is witnessing a character walking into a death...

Racial Identity in “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin

This dissertation is fundamental and very informative research that explores the representation of the topic of racial identity in “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin. Since the author also compares this short story to three significant African-American novels, it is possible to say that this source is helpful in identifying the...

“A Sand County Almanac” by Aldo Leopold

A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold is a passionate and thoughtful account of nature observations throughout a year. In the very beginning, Leopold lovingly refers to the start of the year’s observations as tempting distractions (1). This love for the natural world is vivid in his descriptions of natural...

Change Management in Spencer Johnson’s ‘Who Moved My Cheese?’

Introduction In this story, cheese is a metaphor for everything people may want in life, including money, high social status, family, comfort, safety, etc. Unlike the Little People, mice in the story understand that complaining about injustice during change is pointless, as it will not improve any aspects of someone’s...

Reflection of Flannery O’Connor’s Biography in “Revelation”

The work “Revelation” by Flannery O’Connor was chosen to analyze the question of historicity or biographical character of a literary work. This work is of particular value for research, as it provides valuable insight into what contribution the writer’s life and past experience make to her future works. Thus, in...

The Book “Dwelling” by Linda Hogan

The work of the Dwelling is unique in that it provides readers with the opportunity to look at their own lives differently. With the help of her book, Linda Hogan tried to show how people look at each other and ignore those things that seem insignificant. The author introduces her...

The Epics “The Ramayana” by Valmiki and “Medea”

Introduction Literary works of various cultures and historical epochs are an exciting topic to study. Hence, this scientific paper aims to examine two texts and discern what significant meaning is generated by their differences. Moreover, the work denotes similarity that allows the difference to highlight a meaningful idea. Thus, The...

The Plays “Julius Caesar” by Shakespeare and “Equivocation” by Bill Cain

Introduction The two plays Julius Caesar by Shakespeare and Equivocation by Bill Cain are contrasting pieces that follow unmatching plot lines. However, the two are similar in the sense that they try to modernize the stories from a distant past to fit their respective era better. They follow conspiracies taking...

Sophocles’ “Antigone” Classical Greek Tragedy

Queen Josaka in Oedipus the King is an excellent example of a character whose faith and beliefs allowed her to live a royal life only to end in pain and grief. Queen Josaka and her husband, King Laus, always paid tribute to the prophets and acknowledged everything the prophets foretold....

Part 3 of The City Always Wins by Hamilton

Part 3 of The City Always Wins by Hamilton has impressed me and had a much greater impact than the previous two parts. One of the reasons is the disclosure of characters from a new side. Unlike the first two parts, in the final one, more tension is observed, affecting...

Women’s Choices in the 19-20th Centuries Literature

“White Elephant Hills,” “Desiree’s Baby,” and “A Good Man Is Hard to Find,” by Ernest Hemingway, Kate Chopin, and Flannery O’Connor; all address women’s choices in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Women had a terrible situation in terms of their life choices and independence during this period. Instead...

Ulysses in Dante’s The Divine Comedy

In Canto 26 of Dante’s Inferno, Dante and Virgil continue their descent into the 8th circle of Hell – the one that hosts all sinners who deceived those who did not trust them. Here, in the 8th bolgia, where to sit counselors of fraud, they meet the famous Greek hero...

The Asterios Polyp Book by David Mazzucchelli

Introduction The book Asterios Polyp by David Mazzucchelli is a comic book written regarding the life of the protagonist Asterios, a former professor of architecture. The narrator is Asterios’ late twin brother Ignazio who died in the womb. The novel begins with Asterios having divorced his ex-wife Hana, who loses...

“How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents” by Alvarez

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

Hamlet by Shakespeare: A Play Review

Introduction Hamlet by Shakespeare is a brilliant piece of classical literature that is immortal in its ability to be always relevant. It tells a tragic story about the young prince of Denmark, who is tortured by nihilism and vengeance for his father. Throughout the narrative, prince Hamlet encounters numerous challenges,...

“Their Eyes Were Watching God” Story by Hurston

Introduction Their Eyes Were Watching God is written by Zora Neale Hurston and published in 1937. This story is about Janie, whose life journey is challenging, and shows the girl’s struggle with building the life she wants. Although Janie wants to find love, she is influenced by her grandmother Nanny...

Theme of Feminism in Brookner’s Literary Works

Introduction Feminism is becoming increasingly important in the modern world and its study is of considerable significance. Hence, spreading awareness on this topic in the literary works can be considered highly effective. Two pieces that will be analyzed in this paper are “Leaving home” and “Undue influence”. Feminism in “Leaving...

Cosmic Horror in Campbell’s and Machen’s Works

Background Cosmic horror is the fear and terror we experience when exposed to things beyond our knowledge, whose reach stretches beyond the limited context of human affairs and exhibits cosmic significance. Fundamentally, cosmic horror is a hybrid of horror and terror, defined by a great fear of external forces and...

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

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

Voldemort’s Return in “The Goblet of Fire” by Rowling

Introduction Unlike all the other novels in the Harry Potter series, The Prisoner of Azkaban does not directly feature the presence of Voldemort as a primary antagonist. Although there are key events which end up impacting future novels, Voldemort’s absence in any form is mysteriously overlooked. However, in The Goblet...

Water, Dystopia, and Violence in “The Water Knife” by Bacigalupi

Introduction It is important to note that Bacigalupi’s book titled The Water Knife is an outstanding piece of dystopian storytelling, where the essential commodity for human survival is made scarce. Water is a major source of value for the three key states involved, which include Nevada, Arizona, and California. Due...

Murderous Intent in Poe’s and O’Connor’s Stories

Introduction Many crimes, especially murder, result from betrayal by someone close to or known to the victims. In other words, to be betrayed, the victim must have first trusted the betrayer. Betrayal is caused by greed or selfish motives, which are human nature. Betrayal is a bad experience that destroys...

Happiness in King’s and Le Guin’s Stories

Alexandre Dumas once said in his letters, “Happiness is like those palaces in fairy tales whose gates are guarded by dragons” (“Alexandre Dumas Quotes and Sayings”). True joy is impossible without hardships since people can know it only through suffering. The idea of this connection is revealed in “The man...

The Novel “Oryx and Crake” by Margaret Atwood

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

The Poem “The Lake Isle of Innisfree” by Yeats

In his poem called the Lake Isle of Innisfree, Willian Butler Yeats emphasizes the undeniable connection between the spiritual world of the human being and nature. The author describes the mystical world of the human phantasies where one can be saved from the vanity of the real world. The comparison...

The Poem “Song of Myself” by Walt Whitman

The theme of the fullness of life, to which the character aspires and which he sings as an integral component of earthly existence, is one of the main ones in the poem by Whitman. The poet speaks of his desire to leave his mark on the earth and encourages the...

The Play “The Taming of the Shrew” by Shakespeare

Introduction The Taming of the Shrew is one of the most famous comedic plays in English literature. The story revolves around the conflict between representatives of two different planets, the sons of Mars and the daughters of Venus. The main character, Kate, is the headstrong eldest daughter of a wealthy...

Fitzgerald’s ‘The Great Gatsby’: A Novel Overview

Introduction Many great authors have an admirable talent for using literary devices in ways that make their literary works get implicit meanings. Therefore, only with careful reading, the reader manages to recognize metaphors, allusions, comparisons, and symbolism. The latter, for example, is often especially difficult to identify. In The Great...

Analysis of “The Tale of Genji” by Murasaki Shikibu

The novel spans several decades; the protagonist, the brilliant Genji, one of the imperial sons, has all sorts of virtues, rare external beauty, and outstanding abilities, which causes everyone’s admiration. His career at the Court is developing successfully: he lives in luxury and has a prominent future. The second chapter...

Loss of Sense of Reality in Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper”

Introduction Charlotte Gilman’s The Yellow Wallpaper is a haunting first-person narrative that tells a story of a twenty-six-year-old woman who is suffering with postpartum depression. The storyline is relatively simple: a nameless woman is put in an attic of an isolated country mansion by her physician husband to help her...

Dante Alighieri’s Attitude Toward Popes

Dante was a fierce Guelf supporter and stood opposed to the Popes holding the political power in Italy. In Canto 19 of Inferno he states that the Pope Nicholas III is already in Hell, and he is awaiting the arrival of Boniface VIII and Clement V: And he cried out:...

“Trifles” by Susan Glaspell: Drama Research

It is important to note that the play Trifles by Susan Glaspell is an outstanding piece of theatre and writing which explores critical ideas of feminism and gender identity within the context of historical patriarchal societal structure. The plot highly pertains to women since it is heavily focused on two...

“Fences”, a Playwright by August Wilson

Fences, a playwright by August Wilson, is a modern classic that describes the life of African Americans in the United States in the 1950s and reveals all the challenges and struggles people experienced. The drama won a Pulitzer Prize in 1987, and the combination of an emotionally strong plot, bright...

“Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner

Rose for Emily is a novel about the profound tragedy of a woman who cannot come to terms with loss and cope with grief. Emily Grierson experiences her tragedy regularly; she cannot bear the loss. The story begins surprisingly: Emily’s funeral, followed by the narrator’s memories of what this unfortunate...

“Tracks of the Wandering Mind”: Poem Analysis

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

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

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

Men’s Idealization of Women Satirizing

Introduction The seventeenth and eighteenth centuries reflected a patriarchal system, where the functions of a woman were motherhood and household duties. Gender and class roles were determined, as a rule, by men. Jonathan Swift, as a satirist, reflected the leading positions of misogyny, almost without hiding it. However, his work...

Analysis of “Siddhartha” by Herman Hesse

Introduction Siddhartha is a novel written by Herman Hesse in 1921. The novel’s main characters are the young brahmin Siddhartha and his close friend Govinda. They have been trying to achieve enlightenment, that is, a special realization of the Self. For this purpose, Siddhartha and Govinda join the movement of...

Achilles and Aeneas Discussion

According to Greek mythology, Achilles is also called Achilles and mainly refers to a Trojan War hero who is considered the greatest of all all-time among the Greek warriors. As a result, he was regarded as a central character of Homer’s Iliad as displayed in mythology. On the other hand,...

Researching of Verismo in Literature

Introduction Verismo is a special genre and way of thinking widely spread in Italian literature and creative directions in general. This style reflects an authentic, truthful picture of socio-psychological confrontations in relation to the new reality (Virga, 2021). Accordingly, genre writers in their works sought to depict the manifestations of...

The Perks of Being a Wallflower: Imaginative Response

I guess we are who we are for a lot of reasons. And maybe we’ll never know most of them. But even if we don’t have the power to choose where we come from, we can still choose where we go from there. Stephen Chbosky Reflections at Dawn In the...

The Power of Love in Siddhartha

Love is a strong emotion that dictates most of a person’s decisions in life. The Siddhartha is a novel by Hesse that narrates Siddhartha’s life in pursuit of happiness and spiritual enlightenment. The story revolves around two main characters, Siddhartha and Govinda, his best friend, who move from one religious...

Euphemism Behind Connie’s Actions as Presented by Oates

Connie yearns for attention, a factor that appears throughout the text. She talks condescendingly about her sister’s looks and claims her mother used to be beautiful. However, despite talking about them in this light, she does not seem bothered by her relationship with her father. In this instance, the character...

Richard Cory by Robinson and Death, Be Not Proud by Donne

The essay will compare two poems, namely “Richard Cory” by Edwin Arlington Robinson and “Death, be not proud” by John Donne. Mays (2019) suggests that poetry varies as much as the individuals who create and interpret themes. Essentially, the theme selected for the analysis is identity position. The poems’ genre...

Orwell’s 1984 and the Privacy Law in the Netherlands

Introduction The context of the modern Netherlands and Europe, in general, is shrouded in the pathos of protecting personal information. Many people, unfortunately, do not realize that modern corporations can easily use their data, as users of social networks and the Internet are often indifferent to this. The central surveillance...

Issue of Racism in “Growing Up Colored”

Henry Louis Gates is a famous American writer and educator. In Growing Up Colored, he wrote about his childhood as an African American person in the West Virginia town of Piedmont, where people like him were considered to be second-class citizens. Although it may seem to be at some point...

The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer Reviewed

The Canterbury Tales is a collection of twenty-four short stories written by Geoffrey Chaucer in the fourteenth century. It is considered a foundational work of English literature that popularized the English vernacular. The individual stories are presented as part of a story-telling contest hosted during a pilgrimage from London to...

Inferno Cantos XVII-XXXIV of Divine Comedy by Dante

Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri is one of the most well-known poems in history. It depicts a journey of a soul after death through Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise. Consequently, the examined part – Inferno Cantos XVII-XXXIV – describes the Eighth and Ninth Circles of Hell and provides fascinating insights into...

Round Character in “Young Goodman Brown” by Hawthorne

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

A Positivist-Conservative Reaction by David Bushnell

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

Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper” Story Analysis

Before society, dominated by men, started to acknowledge the importance of treating women equally, females were not perceived as intelligent and worthy creatures in many countries. Indeed, the oppression of females is a vast and horrifying process that was especially active in the 1890s (Özyon 115). This topic is discussed...

The Lays of Marie de France Poems Analysis

The Lays of Marie de France (or The Lais of Marie de France) is a prime example of late 12th-century poetry. The twelve romantic poems were initially written in Anglo-Norman, and it is available to the modern reader only in the translated format. However, this does not diminish its significance...

Female Voices in Poetry by Sappho and Erinna

Female voices in poetry are significant for interpreting women’s experience in different cultures, and poets from Ancient Greece are no exception to the rule. Their works shed the light on the emotional aspects of their lives in the first place as well as their place in the world of men....

Geoffrey Chaucer’s Poetic Career Development

Geoffrey Chaucer is one of the greatest English poets that has disclosed the language in a unique, unrepeatable way. Unfortunately, some facts about the writer’s biography remain unclear and unknown; however, Geoffrey Chaucer remains in history as a poet, diplomat, courtier, and military servant. Chaucer experienced a bright and interesting...

The Prevalence of Divine in Ancient Greek Mythology

Presumably, everybody can remember an occasion that seems to have been shaped in advance by a certain external force. A seemingly unlikely coincidence, an unexpected ending, an essential sign, or a chance, which an individual needed but did not consider real – many have such or similar experiences. They are...

Medieval Life Through “The Canterbury Tales” Characters by Chaucer

Introduction Life in the late Middle Ages had numerous characteristic aspects to it. By analyzing the characters of The Canterbury Tales by Chaucer, readers may sometimes identify common attitudes and experiences of that time. In The Canterbury Tales, three characters satirically embody corresponding medieval life aspects: religion’s perception through the...

Teju Cole Personality’s in Modern American Society

Introduction Teju Cole is one of the most famous and influential creative personalities of Nigerian origin in modern American society. The range of his hobbies is pervasive and diverse; it is known that Teju is engaged in writing, photography, curation, criticism, and studies and teaches art theory. Nevertheless, the insufficiency...

Female and Male Gender Roles and Sexualities in Feminist Literature and American Nation

Introduction The last two centuries have been and the last 80 years especially can be called revolutionary for Western and global literature, as the female author’s perspective has finally become one of its thematic and genre mainstreams during these times. It was and continues to be a historical age of...

“The Vanishing Half” by Brit Bennett

The Vanishing Half, written by Brit Bennett, is devoted to showing racial discrimination issues through different generations. One of the most illustrative connections with racial prejudices is depicted through the relationships between Stella and Loretta. The first character’s racial identity is questionable because her family is originally black. However, Stella...

“How I Met My Husband” Short Story by Alice Munro

Alice Ann Munro is a short story writer from Canada born in 1931 in Ontario, Canada. She attended the University of Western Ontario studying English and journalism before abandoning her studies after two years. Munro won the Man Booker International Prize in 2009, while in 2013, she won the Nobel...

Urban Policy in the UK: “From the Right to the City to the Urban Revolution”

Introduction Inspired by the most recent waves of urban struggles and revolutionary, from the Spanish Indignados to the Latin American urban social movements, David Harvey’s Rebel Cities deconstructs capitalism in aspects of capitalist accumulation and urbanization. It makes essential contributions to the understanding of how individuals would conceptualize the city...

Black Boys, Black Men, and Hardship in Poems and Short Stories

Poems Hayden, Robert. “The Whipping.” This poem is about, as the title suggests, the whipping of a little boy by his mother, assumingly, or perhaps other female relative. Violently and relentlessly, she strikes him again and again, seemingly habitually, as the narrator hides away from the cries. Hayden refers to...

Satire in the Essay on Criticism by Alexander Pope

Alexander Pope is considered one of the greatest English poets and an outstanding poet of the early 18th century. He is best known for his satirical and discursive poems. In England, at the time of Alexander’s birth, there were still quite strict laws against Catholics. They could not hold public...

“The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” Biography by Skloot

Rebecca Skloot uses the titles life, death, and immortality in her write-up to portray a range of events that happen through the biography. The life of Henrietta Lacks, her death, and immortality are essential aspects considered in the development of the memoir. Life, death, and immortality are used metaphorically to...

A Poem “The Great Hymn to Aten”

People can trace the development of world religions through various written sources, historical changes, and mentions in literature. The latter source most accurately reflects not only developmental processes or religious rules but their influence and perception in society. For example, the emergence of monotheistic religions is considered the birth of...

Poetry as Important Part of Art

Since its inception as a form of art, poetry has had significant importance to the culture and identity of Native Americans. Although it is not exotic, the literature of the aboriginal people defines America. The concerns highlighted in the poems are particular to the life and challenges they faced in...

The Sunflower: Mistakes That Cannot Be Forgiven

Introduction The book’s exposition takes us to the time of the Nazi concentration camps and tells about Simon and his friends’ life and hard work. Simon, Adam, Artur, and Jozek are Jews who work in a section of a concentration camp where medical waste is thrown out to prisoners. They...

A Life Plan for Dealing with Evil: The Night by Wiesel

Evil has existed since the beginning of the existence of the world and is constantly a part of people’s lives. There are many examples of evil events in history and in the modern world. Their main characteristic is bringing misfortune to large groups of people, as well as their death...

Indian History in the “Ceremony” Novel by Silko

The novel Ceremony, published in 1977, is rightly considered Silko’s best work to date. The theme of the one-sided military experience of the Indians naturally merges in the book with the theme of bitterness over the lost land, with the rejection of which all the social rights of the “native...

Description of a Narrator in Bartleby, the Scrivener

The narrator describes himself as a lawyer who is unwilling to think more than necessary to do his work well and live a good and comfortable life. In my opinion, such a view makes his life better and much easier, as he has a very positive attitude toward the world....

“The Tell-Tale Heart” and “The Black Cat” Novels by Poe

The novel The Black Cat combines the features of true-to-life horror and mysticism. Realistic events and a series of mysterious, frightening coincidences allow the reader to classify this work as a psychological thriller. The first-person narrative reinforces the oppressive psychological component of the novel. This technique enhances all the sensations...

Adversity in “The Wars” by Timothy Findley

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

The Poem “The Odyssey” by Homer: Story of the Sirens

When it comes to the story of the Sirens in Homer’s The Odyssey, the first mention of them comes from the goddess Circe. She warns Odysseus that upon returning from the Underworld, he will encounter creatures bewitching sailors with the sweetness of their song. Circe notes that there is no...

Religious and Spiritual Ideas in Octavia Butler’s “Parable of the Sower”

Introduction “Parable of the Sower” is one of the most significant and valuable science fiction novels written by the famous American writer Octavia Estelle Butler. Thus, it is no secret that the creation of this woman is quite difficult to overestimate. Her non-standard and creative thinking, flexible mind, and originality...

The Importance of Abolishing Slavery in Narrative of the Life of F. Douglass

Introduction Frederick Douglass was and remained to be an influential figure in US history in general and in the history of slavery and abolition in particular. His book entitled Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass, an American Slave. Written by Himself is an invaluable account of documented atrocities faced...

Gay’s “The Mark of Cain” vs. Allison’s “Compassion” Stories

The short stories The Mark of Cain and Compassion are dramatic plots that relay the family lives of the characters. These stories are realistic fiction and demonstrate the struggles and twisted relationships between people. The Mark of Cain, told from the perspective of a woman, recounts her romantic and sexual...

The Power of Words in Richardson’s and Centlivre’s Works

Introduction Words are undeniably a powerful vehicle. In addition to influencing individuals’ mental state, they can also be used to stimulate cognitively enhanced reality to our ordinary life experiences. Traditionally, literary works like plays and novels have been used to exemplify varied fascinating themes (Slagle 79). But a particularly enchanting...

Shirley Jackson’s Story “The Lottery” Analysis

Introduction Shirley Jackson wrote a work that became a precedent for the entire world community. The Lottery’s story caused outrage worldwide, mainly affecting small towns in America. The report describes the ugly side of small-town life during the annual event. Shirley Jackson’s story shows many sins committed by humankind for...

Antigone and Ismene in Sophocles’ Play

Today the play “Antigone” by Sophocles, written hundreds of years ago, is still widely discussed, not in the least due to the masterfully created characters of Antigone and Ismene. The readers see that the sisters love each other, and family means a lot to them from the very beginning. However,...

Cry and Compassion in Paton’s Novel “Cry, the Beloved Country”

In “Cry, the Beloved Country,” Alan Paton authored the novel to address the presence of inner conflicts of South African citizens. It entertains and dramatically shows some situations the author wants the citizens to find a remedy. Suffering is evident in many instances where Paton seeks to address South Africa’s...

Achilles’ Second Self in The Iliad by Homer

Introduction Host (YOU): Ancient epics describing great heroes’ life events are full not only of many details that reveal the personalities of these characters but also of a deep meaning that reflects the inner motives of their actions. In Homer’s The Iliad, Achilles, as one of the main characters, is...

Love in Traditional and Modern Literary Works

Love is a popular theme in literary works because it has attracted writers and poets since ancient times. As a rule, in their works, authors reflect the ideals of love prevalent in their contemporary societies. Therefore, as society changes, so do its views of love and its representation in literature....

Exploring Monstrosity in Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein”

Introduction Some of the notions that people have always tried to define are good and bad. For example, when thinking about what can be associated with good things, words like kindness, care, and generosity come to mind. And when thinking about bad things, the word monster comes to mind. However,...

Revenge: Confessions of a Murderer (Based on A. E. Poe’s the “Cask of Amontillado”)

Introduction “The Cask of Amontillado” is a short story by Alan Edgar Poe, first published in 1864 and part of an unofficial collection of stories about murderers’ confessions. The story tells of a deep grievance and the place the narrator chose: walling up a corpse. Grim themes have always been...

Analysis of Odyssey’s Personality

The personality of characters in ancient Greek literature is a question for discussion. For a long period of time, it was considered that epic characters are flat and do not change significantly throughout the plot. Ancient Greek authors usually did not have a goal to describe deep, complex, and controversial...

Analogy in “To a Daughter Leaving Home” by Linda Pastan

An analogy refers to a linguistic expression that compares one thing to another to make a comparison and clarify meaning. As a result, poets often employ analogies when they want to establish a resemblance between two factors. The following essay recounts how Linda Pastan uses analogies in her poem, “To...

Faulkner’s “Rose for Emily” Literary Analysis

“Rose for Emily” is one of Faulkner’s most famous and uncharacteristic stories. It is set in the Southern town of Jefferson in the decades following the Civil War. Emily Grierson’s house, in its “stubborn and coquettish decay,” is the epitome of declining Southern aristocracy in the town (Faulkner). It is...

The True Measure of Success in Literature Works

Introduction Achieving success is a complex endeavor, which cannot be pursued in a linear manner. Sometimes it means failing multiple times before getting what one wants, and the stories written by Amy Tan and Cherokee Paul McDonald support this opinion by providing examples of such cases. In these pieces, the...

The Novel “Persepolis” by Marjane Satrapi

Introduction Persepolis is a novel by Marjane Satrapi, published in 2003. The novel explores many important themes such as family life in the context of the Iranian Revolution, political tension, expectations, cultural differences, and others. This book consists primarily of graphic representation, so the novel received the status of a...