“Chronicle of a Death Foretold” by Gabriel García Márquez

Introduction Chronicle of a Murder Foretold, a book by Gabriel Garcia Márquez, examines the idea of responsibility concerning crime and justice. Márquez depicts the intricate network of components that lead to the murder of Santiago Nasar, a young man wrongfully accused of stealing Angela Vicario’s virginity, using various literary devices....

Is Shakespeare Still Relevant Today?

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

“The Library of Babel” by Jorge Luis Borges

Introduction Jorge Luis Borges is a talented writer and a gifted personality who has created many wonderful and influential literary works. Perceiving the library in the context of his multifaceted picture of the world, Borges wrote a significant work, “The Library of Babel.” This narrative focuses on the description of...

Vonnegut and Kafka: A Plea to Change Perspective on Life

Introduction The literary works by Franz Kafka, “The Metamorphosis,” and Kurt Vonnegut, “Slaughterhouse-Five,” show that the abilities of the person to change their destiny are limited in many cases, and the individual can only submit to the circumstances to preserve psychological sanity. The lines from Kafka and Vonnegut illustrate the...

Does Shakespeare Still Matter?

Shakespeare’s works are still highly relevant to modern society and people. Despite the fact that his plots unfold in a historical setting, the poet talks about timeless matters and themes. Firstly, his characters experience the same conflicts and problems as modern people do. Secondly, they have difficulties understanding themselves and...

The “To Build a Fire” Short Story by Jack London

Jack London is a realistic American writer whose story To Build a Fire was written in 1908. Despite the theme of the confrontation between man and nature, naturalism is not an end in itself for the writer. The realism of the description is a feature of Jack London’s style, with...

Supernatural in the “Oedipus Rex” Play by Sophocles

The Oedipus Rex by Sophocles is a classical Greek tragedy. The roots of tragedy can be traced all the way back to ancient Greek culture. In the traditional meaning, it is a play that deals with weighty topics, as opposed to the lighter fare of a comedy. All throughout the...

Exploring Idealized Love in Marie de France’s Poems

Introduction Marie de France was a poet from the Early Middle Ages best known for her lays, or narrative poems written in Old French. These lays address a wide range of subjects, from courtly love to morality to societal conventions. The novels frequently feature romanticized types of love, in which...

The Book “Resilience” by Eric Greitens

Introduction The book “Resilience” by Eric Greitens, writer, boxing champion, U.S. Navy Special Forces officer, and, more recently, the state governor of Missouri, is a bestselling self-development book about overcoming life’s challenges and building character. After the experience, the former SEAL comrade found his own way of coping with adversity....

Ten Pillars of the Shoe Dog Book by Phil Knight

Nearly everyone on the planet now is familiar with Nike. It is one of the most well-known brands in the world, has been in existence for a very long time, and is present in practically every nation. What is intriguing is that Phil Knight, a young man without any prior...

“Red, White and Black” by Gary B. Nash

Introduction Gary B. Nash’s book Red, White and Black: The Peoples of Early America explores the complex and diverse peoples who inhabited the Americas before the American Revolution. Through a combination of primary source documents and narrative history, Nash sheds light on the various Native American societies, European empires, and...

Discussion of “A Sense of Urgency” by John Kotter

Change is uncomfortable and hard to achieve, revealing why most organizational transformations are unsuccessful. In his famous book “A Sense of Urgency,” John Kotter, a renowned scholar, provides eight actionable steps to lead and implement long-lasting organizational change effectively. According to Kotter, the first stage is creating urgency to trigger...

Themes of Hawthorne’s “The Birthmark” in Modern Life

Introduction Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story, The Birthmark, centers on the relationships between Aylmer, the brilliant scientist and alchemist, and his wife, the beautiful Georgiana. Despite the story’s main focus on Georgiana’s mysterious birthmark, the author explores many themes by explaining the main character’s thoughts and perceptions. Moreover, even though the...

“The Martian” by Andy Weir: Critical Review

Introduction The Martian is among the greatest science fiction novels Andy Weir published on his website in 2011. The book attracted a significant audience appreciation, making it among the New York Times Best Sellers. Andy Weir’s lifelong interest in science fiction inspired him to write The Martian. The novel’s review...

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

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

Critical Thinking Applied to Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk

Proponents of the chaos theory hold that despite the randomness of any action, there is an organized pattern behind them. Consequently, Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk gives a story of a narrator who is seemingly trapped in an apparent disordered series of domino effects. As he moves from a corporate...

Edna in The Awakening Novel by Kate Chopin

Kate Chopin’s The Awakening is a one of the first books about feminism with a heroine desiring freedom from societal expectations. The main character is Edna Pontellier, a married woman in her late twenties with two sons and a husband, Léonce Pontellier. The latter is a successful businessman who loves...

Madness of Ophelia in “Hamlet” by Shakespeare

Introduction In the tragedy “Hamlet,” a special character causes much admiration and compassion, yet is a very controversial figure. This is Ophelia, daughter of the royal adviser Polonius, who can be called the embodiment of femininity in the traditional sense because she is beautiful, sweet, and uncomplaining (Shakespeare). However, Ophelia...

Salem Witch Trials as a Metaphor for McCarthyism in Miller’s The Crucible

The literature is a powerful tool for provoking the thought process by various means. One of those mediums is a political analog, seen in Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible. By focusing on the events that happened in the late 17th century in the United States, during the Salem Witch Trials,...

The Story “Sweat” by Zora Neale Hurston

“Sweat” is a story written by Zora Neale Hurston, an American writer, in 1926, and it provides valuable insight into the daily life of African-Americans during this historical period. Delia, a young woman, works as a washer in white families, while Sykes, her abusive spouse, struggles to find any job,...

Those Damned Rebels: The American Revolution as Seen Through British Eyes

Introduction Michael Pearson is the author of Those Damned Rebels: The American Revolution as seen through British Eyes. The book seeks to provide a perspective of the British on the American Revolution. The historical argument that the book focuses on is that the British won the battle but the Americans...

The “Crispin: The Cross of Lead” Novel by Avi

The book “Crispin: The Cross of Lead” by Avi tells the story of a young boy who has to flee his home after his mother’s death. In the beginning, the main character has a low social status, thinks little of himself, and does not have his own opinions. By the...

Dark Romanticism: Hawthorne’s Young Goodman Brown & Poe’s The Black Cat

The dark romanticism that characterized nineteenth-century New England writers is an integral part of classic horror literature. Typical representatives of this genre include such writers as Nathaniel Hawthorne and Edgar Alan Poe. The demonization of man and the predominance of psychological horror over the supernatural must be considered as the...

“The Fires of Jubilee” by Stephen B. Oates: Review

Introduction “The Fires of Jubilee” by Stephen B. Oates is an accurate, reliable source of Nat Turner’s biography regarding specific historical fragments – the Civil War and the Slave Rebellion. This text is one of the best examples of how this historian can be savvy on this topic. “The Fires...

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

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

Compare and Contrast Essay: Magical Realism

One of the most popular genres of fiction is magical realism. Magical realism is an artistic method in which supernatural elements are incorporated into a realistic world picture. A striking example of the works of this genre is the works of Nikolai Gogol, The Nose and Mikhail Bulgakov Master and...

“The Mask of the Red Death”: Story by Edgar Allan Poe

Introduction Man’s inescapable fear of death guides his daily choices and decisions from inception. The inevitability of life’s end is a constantly looming reality whose clock is unknown and fundamentally uncontrollable. This sentiment has percolated into works of art and, specifically, literary works of fiction in a bid to demystify...

Dunbar’s “Sympathy” and Hughes’s “I, Too” Poems

Captivity, specifically African Americans being trapped by society through racism, prejudice, and unfair laws, are an important theme in American poetry. Paul Laurence Dunbar’s “Sympathy” and Langston Hughes’s “I, Too” are both dedicated to these social issues. However, in my opinion, Paul Laurence Dunbar’s “Sympathy” is more hopeful than the...

The Play “A Streetcar Named Desire” by Tennessee Williams

One of the core themes in the play A Streetcar Named Desire written by Tennessee Williams is the development of the relationships between Blanche and Mitch. In the beginning, creating a family for sensitive and strong Mitch and delicate and naïve Blanche seems to be a compatible option that meets...

“The Soft-Hearted Sioux” and “Tecumseh’s Speech to the Osages”

Zitkala-Sa’s story The Soft-Hearted Sioux and Tecumseh’s Speech to the Osages have certain similarities and differences. For example, both works are based on the experiences of Native Americans and their conflicting relationships with white people. The main character in Zitkala-Sa’s story is the young Sioux who leaves his tribe to...

Roald Dahl: Biography Main Points

Roald Dahl is one of the renowned authors. Dahl was named after a Norwegian scientist. Roald spent his boyhood in Oslo, Norway. His father died when he was four. Roald Dahl: Life Dahl’s initial school was Llandaff Cathedral School. Roald finished his education at Repton. Roald became Shell Petroleum Corporation...

Repression and Depression in “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Introduction Nowadays, society mostly acknowledges the importance of treating women equally and paying sincere attention to their needs and concerns. However, more than a century ago, it was a common practice not to perceive females as intelligent and worthy. Indeed, the repression of women is a horrifying and long-lasting process...

Book Report on “On Killing” by David Grossman

For much of human history, wars were always part of human existence, whether people liked it or not. Many study wars, analyze combat strategies, and even try to predict what would happen next. Throughout these times, people have always questioned whether war and killing others are innate to humans or...

Millay’s “I, Being Born a Woman and Distressed”

Blazing the trail for a new philosophy is always a challenge; however, the task becomes excruciating when the idea in question is as unpopular as the concept of feminism at the dawn of its development. Edna St. Vincent Millay was one of the few American poets who managed to skewer...

“The Naked Citadel” by Faludi and “Selections…” by Nafisi

Humans are often referred to as individuals due to each person’s extensive and ubiquitous depth of self. However, this was not always the reality and did not remain one in various parts of the world. In the work of Azar Nafisi, “Selections from Reading Lolita in Tehran,” it is possible...

Father-Son Relationships in “Night” by Elie Wiesel

Elie Wiesel’s “Night” deserves to be listed among the most poignant and emotionally devastating novels in recent history. Rendering the turmoil and suffering of people mercilessly persecuted for their race, “Night” represents its characters with due humanism and regard for their complicated past. However, apart from the generational trauma of...

Peer Pressure in Perrault’s “Bluebeard”

Introduction Perrault’s “Bluebeard” story is one of the most famous stories told from generation to generation for centuries. Simple in its plot, it provides a source of wisdom in its various interpretations and morals. To properly understand the story, it should be analyzed from different points of view. One of...

Updike’s A&P vs. Achebe’s Dead Man’s Path Comparison

The author’s tools for creating a full-fledged atmosphere are diverse and consist of the selection of words and rhetorical style. The authors try to include as many emotions as possible in the narrative so that readers can identify with the characters, agree with them and empathize with them. Examples of...

“Sundiata” by Niane and “The Odyssey” by Homer Review

The heroic epic that has been saved today represents stories that interested people many years ago. Sundiata and The Odyssey are epic poems from different cultures and eras – 13th century West Africa and 8th century Greece respectively. They have few historical events, but in a significant way, they are...

Binary Oppositions in Alcott’s “Little Women”

This study explores how binary oppositions in the personality of Jo March, depicted in Louisa May Alcott’s novel Little Women, deconstruct the character’s writing adventure. This research uses deconstructive criticism to examine Josephine’s material conditions, other characters’ responses to the girl’s writing, and her attitude towards other characters’ stereotypical gender...

Book Summary of Eirik Saethre’s “Illness Is a Weapon”

Introduction Eirik Saethre believes that the illnesses of people can become their weapons. The author sees the rejection of medical advice as a manifestation of a disenfranchised people’s identity. The inhabitants of Lajamanu, a former Australian Aboriginal settlement, face chronic illnesses. Their town is a place where they experience oppression,...

“Isaac’s Storm” by Eric Larson Review

The account by Erik Larson of the catastrophic hurricane that hit Galveston in September 1900 is a riveting investigation into what caused this storm to be so destructive. With between 6,000 and 12,000 fatalities, the Galveston hurricane is still regarded as the greatest natural disaster in American history. Despite his...

“Pride and Prejudice”: Chapter 60

In one of the final chapters of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, the narrative dwells on the reflections about Lizzy and Mr. Darcy’s upcoming marriage, relationship, and their stance on love and class. The chapter is devoted to both the new perspective of the relationship between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy...

The “Clearing the Plains” Book by James Daschuk

Justified by archeological records, Canadian history, and empirical proof, in the book Clearing the Plains, James Daschuk gives an in-depth account of political, economic, and ecological systems that prompted the existing disparities between the indigenous Canadians, also referred to as the people of the plains and the settlers. With a...

The Novel “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien

Who is Cameron Sullivan? Cameron Sullivan was one of the many returnees from the Vietnam conflict. Like many other former soldiers, Sullivan returned with what he and some other soldiers derisively referred to as spoils of war. In his case, they were a piece of a wooden trap removed from...

“Remember” by Harjo and “Blessed Be the People Who See” by Gorman

NASA made a decision to include a golden plaque on a satellite named Lucy that was to complete its mission in 12 years and then stay in its orbit for an indefinite time. The plaque contains messages from different people related to science and art, including Joy Harjo and Amanda...

“The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” by Skloot

Referring to The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot, the Lacks family should be compensated financially for the HeLa cells. The first reason the process should happen is the need to develop insurance medicine and guarantee the protection of people from diseases and their consequences. The issue of...

The Book “Brain on Fire” by Susannah Cahalan

Author’s Main Message Brain on Fire – My Month of Madness touches on several important themes related to mental illness and the treatment process. Susannah Cahalan writes about the love and care demonstrated by her parents and her boyfriend, Stephen, which were vital for her recovery. She exposes the unprofessionalism...

Dante’s View on Crime and Punishment

Chevigny, Paul G. “From Betrayal to Violence: Dante’s Inferno and the Social Construction of Crime.” Law & Social Inquiry, vol. 26, no. 4, 2001, pp. 787–818. JSTOR, Web. This paper by Chevigny considers contemporary grounds for crime classification. Notably, the notion that the seriousness of crimes is founded in the...

“Where Tourists Don’t Go” and “Saving Work” by Yanique

Two stories by Tiphanie Yanique, namely “Where Tourists Don’t Go” and “Saving Work,” were selected to identify the inherent conflicts. Religion is a recurring theme in both narratives; race and ethnic identity are at stake. “A church is burning down” begins “Saving Work” (Yanique 41). Both white American ladies, Diedre...

“A Room of One’s Own” by Virginia Woolf: Main Themes and Key Ideas

In her critical paper, Virginia Woolf introduces various binaries and complicates them by placing the opposite states into the contexts of time and place to illustrate and deepen these distinctions. For instance, she elaborates on the binary of women and men by explaining the two as complex socio-cultural categories in...

“Fires of Jubilee” by Stephen B. Oates: Overview and Main Idea

Introduction Slavery in the United States has always been a controversial issue and the books which explore it help people to better understand the topic. At the same time, there are books which cover less popular themes but have a considerable significance today, and the work by Stephen B. Oates...

The Beyoncé Performs at the Super Bowl Essay Diagram

This paper discloses the rationale behind certain choices for the drawing of a diagram of the essay “Beyoncé Performs at the Super Bowl and I Think about All of the Jobs I’ve Hated” by Hanif Abdurraqib. This piece has a nonlinear structure, which complicates the comprehension of its main points....

The Tell-Tale Heart Story by Edgar Allan Poe

“The Tell-Tale Heart” is a short story written by Edgar Allan Poe. While reading it, I did not see any signs of difficult language or complex structure. One might imply that it is relatively easy to read then. However, this is when the story’s comprehension comes to mind. Psychedelic in...

“On the Run” by Alice Goffman

Introduction ‘On The Run’ is a book released in 2014 by Alice Goffman; it is the most potent piece of ethnography. The narrative of how it came to be is almost as fascinating as the story at the center of the literature. This is a description of some of the...

The Heroic Qualities in “Sundiata” by Pickett and “Popol Vuh” by Goetz

In literature centered on the heroic quest, the heroic character often becomes an embodiment of the most important ideas and perceptions of the society of the corresponding period in which the literature piece was written. Through defining the culture, the societies and nations established their moral values and virtues, contributing...

A Descriptive Analysis of a Mash-Up Poem

This paper provides a descriptive analysis of a mash-up poem created by mixing lines of two poems by José Olivarez and a song by The Beatles. The poems’ names are River Oaks Mall and You Get Fat When You’re in Love, and the song’s name is All You Need Is...

“The Pied Piper” Poem by Natasha Hooper

In the poem “The Pied Piper,” Natasha Hooper uses various literary techniques to convey her emotions of anger and frustration to the audience. In this regard, most metaphors and symbols are related to the sphere of music, sometimes with specific references to R. Kelly’s works to deliver the main point...

“Killers of the Flower Moon” by David Grann: Plot, Main Idea, and Characters

The author, David Grann, presents his understanding of the relationship between the United States government and the Native Americans. He explains that the adverse treatment of the Native Americans was driven by the jealousy the government had for them. The United States government saw all the wealth the Osage tribe...

“Life on Mississippi” by Mark Twain

Devouring works written by renowned authors; people tend to forget that the actual lives of the writers might have been even more exciting than the fiction that they have created. The personal journey of Samuel Clemens, globally known under the pen name of Mark Twain, is in every way just...

Portrayal of Women in Southern Literature

McHaney, Pearl Amelia. Representations of Women in Southern Literature. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Literature. 2019. The book deals with the portrayal of women in southern literature, looking at the roles they adopt in different literary works. These roles range from rebels, commonly associated with southern women in the nineteenth century,...

Eudora Welty’s Short Story “A Worn Path”

Eudora Welty’s short story, A Worn Path, narrates the journey of an African American woman while using various elements of literature. The story emphasizes geographical elements that inform the audience about the location of the action and historical elements that suggest a period of historical events. The author also mentions...

The Glass Menagerie Play by Tennessee Williams

Notably, The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams is a tragic and largely autobiographical play that raises crucial questions of love, loneliness, and personal freedom. The story tells of a family where the oppressive but very charming mother, Amanda Wingfield, tirelessly terrorizes her mature children, Tom and Laura. It is essential...

The “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” Poem Review

An original English chivalric verse, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, was written at the end of the XIV century by an anonymous author and kept in a single manuscript. In verse, the poet generates conflict between Christianity and paganism for the purpose of challenging and examining the very principles...

Wordsworth’s “I Wandered Lonely…” vs. Arnold’s “Dover Beach”

In I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud, Wordsworth describes a persona traipsing and discovering daffodils by a lake only to reminisce over and derive great pleasure and comfort from the experience when loneliness, boredom, and restlessness later strike. Conversely, Arnold’s Dover Beach dissects the reality of a new world detached...

Lessons From Memoir “Night” by Elie Wiesel

In “Night,” Elie Wiesel describes the suffering of the Jewish people during the Holocaust. After reading this book, I realized how strikingly different the perception of the horrors of this period was between Jews and people of other nationalities. The fact is that in ordinary life, we do not think...

Fictional Elements in “The Awakening” by Kate Chopin

Introduction The Awakening is one of the most popular novels by the American writer Kate Chopin, who is famous for her brave illustration of sexuality in her works. The story tells about a woman named Edna, who struggles to fight the societal perceptions of motherhood, which define her as the...

The Short Stories “The Storm” and “Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin

Chopin’s Story of an Hour and The Storm highlights critical issues on love matters. Conversely, the husband is regarded as important for a woman to be happy and successful in any love union. Chopin displays how women were despised when it came to love matters in that they fully relied...

“Women in Sunjata”: The Way Women Were Treated

The epic of Sunjata features stories of adventures and achievements of the Mande people, both male and female. Thus, the stories allow valuable insight into the roles that women played in society when the epic took place. Similar to the way women were treated in other ancient societies, such as...

“If We Must Die” by McKay and “The Hurt Locker” by Turner Poems

Contradictions, disagreements, and conflicts play a significant role in people’s lives as they determine defense mechanisms used to protect what is dear to them. Often people apply the analogy of war and fighting to define the meaning of life or its image and main principles. Moreover, there are many different...

Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick Review

Rodman Philbrick’s work Freak the Mighty is an interesting example of a novel for young adults. According to the plot, two very different guys meet in the book. Max is a silent, shy, and clumsy giant. Kevin is small, quick-witted, and terminally ill. They reacted differently to what was happening...

The Lottery by Shirley Jackson Review

Shirley Jackson gained a reputation as a literary witch, which later novels brought the author. However, already in the “Lottery,” the talent for the anatomically accurate depiction of the human soul was revealed. The author has stories that can excite the reader’s emotions on the fine line between the real...

Feminist “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

The Yellow Wallpaper enlightens the reader about women’s health, motherhood, mental disorders, and treatment. This story is about feminism and gender relations in America at the end of the XIX century. Although many details have changed, the story is semi-autobiographical. The author relies on her health crisis, particularly her fraught...

“The Epic of Gilgamesh” and Biblical Parables

The texts reveal the idea of the sinfulness of people who incur the wrath of God by shameful behavior. As for the story of Adam and Eve, the whole world was created for them, and everything was permitted except one fruit. Despite their respect and love for God, Eve violated...

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...

The Age of Reason Through Literature

The Declaration of Independence, created in 1776, is an excellent example of the reasoning approach used by the people of that age. The Declaration of Independence follows a strict structure, introducing the area of concern and developing the creators’ arguments. As such, “The history of the present King of Great...

The Setting Role in American Short Stories

Introduction Writers employ setting aspects to help them create worlds and establish the limits of the possible and impossible within a story. While both phrases explain elements of a universe, the latter stresses that the world being described is unfamiliar to the reader. Worldbuilding is, therefore, most closely connected with...

Holocaust and War in “Hiroshima” by John Hersey

How important is human life when it comes to incidences of ware and the use of weapons of mass destruction? The production of the book Hiroshima by John Hersey was in 1946 and narrated stories of six atomic bomb survivors in Hiroshima. During this time, there was a new line...

How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff: A Novel Analysis

How I Live Now is a novel written by Meg Rosoff that centers on the life of Daisy, a 15-year-old girl. The novel presents a coming-of-age story of Daisy and her relatives. In a way, the novel represents the author’s perception of what will happen if a third world war...

What Is Shakespeare’s Definition of Love?

William Shakespeare, an English poet, and playwright wrote “Sonnet 116.” It was most likely written in the 1590s, during English literature when sonnets were famous, although it was not published until 1609. Although Shakespeare’s sonnets were not well received during his lifetime, “Sonnet 116” has become one of the most...

“A Rose for Emily” and “The Yellow Wallpaper”: Similarities and Differences

A Rose for Emily – William Faulkner’s Storytelling by Emily Grierson. The yellow wallpaper is a short story by Charlotte Perkins Gilman about the young woman Jane. Both stories illustrate girls who became recluses in one way or another. If Emily did not let anyone into her house after her...

Identity in McBride’s “The Color of Water”

Introduction Looking for a place to fit in and have an identity is a ubiquitous quest. Self-identity correlates with the individual or self: essentially what makes us human. Most people find belonging and comprehension of the self within societies of culture, race, or religion while others find it hard to...

Review of “Othello” by Shakespeare

“Othello” is one of the most unique and outstanding works of the great William Shakespeare. There are actually more profound, complex, thought-provoking topics behind the author’s main idea, which lies on the surface. So, the main characters and their stories of the work are known to everyone, even if they...

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 Novel “The Color Purple” by Alice Walker

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

“The Other Side of the Story” by Daphine Priscilla Brown-Jack

The Other Side of the Story by Daphine Priscilla Brown-Jack is a non-fictional book that describes the author’s life events in chronological order from 2009 to 2013. Brown-Jack (2015) writes about the wrongful accusation of her husband and how it tormented her family emotionally for the whole five years. It...

The Book “Ishmael” by Daniel Quinn

Ishmael, a book written by an American publisher and author Daniel Quinn, can be viewed as a prominent example of a philosophical novel. Book’s setting includes a fantasy element in the shape of a highly intelligent gorilla with telepathic powers; however main points of writing are focused on the current...

Ichabod Crane and Brom Van Brunt in Irving’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”

In Washington Irving’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” the characters of Ichabod Crane and Brom Van Brunt seem almost diametrically opposite. The contrast between them is shaped by their appearance, social status, and behavior. Still, there are a lot of commonalities in their motivations, which expand the characterizations of the...

“The Epic of Gilgamesh”: Qualities of a Good Leader Described by Machiavelli

Gilgamesh is one of the most interesting epic stories in the modern-day, even though it was composed 28 centuries ago. The epic illustrates the success of a king, Gilgamesh, who built high walls for its empire and laid out its orchards and fields. He was regarded as a wise person,...

“Do Not Go Gentle in to That Good Night”: A Psychoanalytical Perspective

Dylan Thomas’s villanelle named “Do Not Go Gentle In To That Good Night” is an instance of valuable, from a psychoanalytical point of view, piece of literature. The work contains deep and meaningful imagery, which contributes to the dismal but fascinating atmosphere created. Potentially, this work evidences the presence of...

Home, Journey, and Identity in Children’s Books

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

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...

Mary’s Character in “Rogue Farm” by Stross

Based on a bizarre yet surprisingly engaging premise of a distant future where farms could mutate into living and rather ominous beings. Charles Stross’s “Rogue Farm” allows using the unique narrative to make the characters particularly compelling. Though Maddie is not placed at the forefront of the narrative from the...

Formal Features in “When I Consider How My Light Is Spent” by Milton

“When I Consider How My Light Is Spent” is one of the most famous works written by John Milton in the middle of the 17th century. Compared to contemporary poetry and other Italian sonnets, this poem is characterized by complex syntax and the evaluation of serious themes related to human...

The Interview “I’m a Runner: Haruki Murakami”

I listened to Haruki Murakami’s interview “I’m a Runner: Haruki Murakami.” The writer explains how exercise has changed his social and physical lifestyle (Lee, 2005). In the second interview, Murakami talks about his writing process, general life, and characters that appear in his writing. Murakami reveals that he loves cats...

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

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

Spencer’s “One Day I Wrote Her Name” Sonnet Analysis

This work presents the 75th sonnet by Edmund Spencer and belongs to the sonnet cycle “Amoretti,” which can be translated from Italian as “admiration.” Spencer’s poetic speech is distinguished by its originality both in terms of national coloring and its form and symbolism. It is an example of an English...

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

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

The Trauma of the Vietnam War

Introduction The Vietnam War, which took place from 1955 to 1957, has been the subject of many artworks of different forms, ranging from movies to paintings and literary works. While many of them focus on the experiences and heroism of soldiers, a Vietnamese-American writer Le Thi Diem Thuy focused on...

The Truth in Tim O’Brien’s “The Things They Carried”

Interpretation and understanding of truth is a very ambiguous thing. Everyone has their own unique opinion regarding what is true and what is false. The reason is that language is not a perfect instrument for communication. The language is limited because we can only hear the words. When people listen...

“Goblin Market” Poem by Christina Rossetti

Introduction The Goblin Market is a poem published in the 18th century by Christina Rossetti. The poem unfolds the story of two sisters, Laura and Lizzie, who enter the Goblin market when men are selling their fruits in the streets. The fruits represent sexual activities advertised by the merchants in...

“All Souls” Biography by Michael Patrick McDonald

All Souls is a memoir biography by Michael Patrick McDonald of his childhood in South Boston, Massachusetts. In the 1970s, it was one of the poorest and most problematic areas in America and also went down in history for its violent rebellions. The author comes from a family in which...

“The Little Mermaid” by Hans Christian Andersen

These days, people still love and cherish fairytales written by Hans Christian Andersen. Therefore, they keep empathizing with the characters’ feelings and even lamenting their tragic fates. One may easily remember “The Little Mermaid” as the most poignant story about one-sided love ending in everlasting woe. However, the author killed...

The Description of Wallpaper in “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Gilman

In “The Yellow Wallpaper” (1981), Gilman describes the wallpaper using different epithets, metaphors, and comparisons. Among the most interesting ones, there were phrases concerning the pattern, It “commits suicide” and “destroys itself in unheard of contradictions” (78) as if it were a living creature. The paper is the cause of...

“To His Coy Mistress” by Marvell

“To His Coy Mistress” by Marvell is a carpe diem poem that calls young women to enjoy the pleasures of life. There are many literary devices used by the author to make readers believe in his philosophy. I want to note two devices that are metaphor and simile. Metaphors appear...

Attributes of Gods: Similarities and Differences

Gods and various divine deities were always an object of interest in all times. The phenomenon of an unknown past explains this; contemporary people did not witness any of the Gods, and it encourages even more interest towards these creatures. Fortunately, now almost every human has access to the sources...

Objectification of Moga in Tanizaki’s Novella “Naomi”

At the beginning of the 20th century, there was a toxic enchantment with the West in Japan, which transmitted an extremely negative imprint on women who got influenced by it. Junichiro Tanizaki investigated Japan’s fascination with the West for many years and documented his observations in numerous writings. The central...

“Cinderella: Not So Morally Superior” by Panttaja

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

Characters and Scenes in Baldwin’s “Blues for Mister Charlie”

The Important Scene One of the most significant scenes in the first act was the conversation between Lyle, his wife Jo, and Parnell. Jo is worried that her husband Lyle may be sentenced for committing transgression long ago. She considers it an unfortunate mistake that Richard was dead, and Lyle...

The Bastard’s Best Qualities for Effective Leadership

“King John” is among the most interesting plays by Shakespeare. In the book, the struggle for inheritance and power controls the plot. After the death of King Richard, the Lionheart, Arthur, and John enter a conflict on who rightfully deserves to inherit the throne. At the same time, the Bastard,...

Old, Middle, and Early Modern English Literary Periods

Introduction At the dawn of human history, humankind was able to transfer information only in the oral form. However, the invention of writing more than five thousand years ago changed the way information was spread through human societies. Since then, both oral and written formats of information transfer have coexisted....

Review of “There Will Come Soft Rains” by Bradbury

In many literary works, the house is presented as one of the most essential parts of the novel. The authors give it a particular character, like living characters, a specific meaning, add important plot events to attract the reader’s attention to it. In the work “There Will Come Soft Rains”...

The Problem of Heritage in Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use”

Knowing, preserving, and passing on one’s cultural heritage are significant components of one’s cultural identity. In her story “Everyday Use,” Alice Walker addresses the problem of African Americans’ heritage, namely, what they considered to be their heritage and how they treated it back in the 1960s. In David Cowart’s article,...

Reflection About Teaching Patriotism in Schools

Introduction As a concept, patriotism has been subjected to multiple interpretations, which range from quite neutral to outstandingly positive to downright negating its significance. The perception of patriotism, has become particularly complicated over the past decade due to the rise in political tensions among representatives of different countries, as well...

The Death of Enkidu and the Enlightenment of Gilgamesh

Introduction The great epic poem of Gilgamesh explores a vast number of themes, but the one that sets the epic into motion is the subject of friendship between Gilgamesh and Enkidu. The effect their friendship imposes on the reader has to deal with the unusual circumstances of their acquaintance –...

“The Lottery” by Jackson vs. “Antigone” by Sophocles

Shirley Jackson’s short story, The Lottery, describes a tradition in a small town where members draw lottery slips, and the winner is subject to death by stoning as a community sacrifice for good health and harvests. On the other hand, Sophocles’s play, Antigone, follows one girl’s fight against authority for...

Analyzing Langston Hughes’s Poetry

The Harlem Renaissance saw many writers, poets, and artists, but Langston Hughes was the best contributor to the period with his protest poems touching on African Americans’ livelihoods and experiences. During this period, most of his poems demanded answers to the many social issues that the black faced, including racism...

Analysis of “The Portrait of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde

Oscar Wilde’s book The Portrait of Dorian Gray has constantly been mentioned everywhere in the world. This is understandable because the book presents a hedonistic worldview that was completely new back then. One of the quotes to be analyzed in this essay goes like this, “None of us can stand...

Judith Thurman’s “A Loss for Words” Analysis

Overview Judith Thurman’s “A Loss for Words” is a detailed lament for languages that die out every day since the Western civilization spread into Northern America. In contrast with renowned dead languages like Latin and Ancient Greek, the mother tongues of the indigenous population have never undergone a stage of...

Virtue and Family Responsibility in “The Ramayana”

The Ramayana is one of the major works in world literature displaying the beliefs of people who lived in Ancient India. The epic depicts the adventures of Rama, who was one of the best people of his time and the best king of his people. As any other epic hero,...

“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...

Barn Burning Personal Response

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

“Sunflower Sutra” and “Der Gilgul” Analysis

Introduction The historical periods in the development of literature often play an important part in the creation of specific literary pieces. Various movements initiated by famous authors and poets can heavily impact the contemporary literature of that age, conveying prominent ideas and personal thoughts. The evolution of American post-modernist poetry...

“Beat! Beat! Drum!” Discussion

After listening to Walt Whitman’s Beat! Beat! Drum! performed by the speaker I received a dubious impression. The free verse used in the poem reminds a quickness of movement that reflects the poet’s enthusiasm, fervor, and passion. There are three stanzas, all of which repeat the same line “Beat! beat!...

Chapters 1-5 of “Soar!” Book by T. D. Jakes

In the first chapter, T.D. Jakes describes what drives his vision and the ability to do so much. He credits much to his upbringing and the example set by his father, maintaining an attitude of a ‘hustler’ and work ethic. At the same time, Jakes believes that hard work is...

“Cathedral” Short Story by Raymond Carver

Introduction In the short story Cathedral by Raymond Carver, the narrator is a husband who goes through a life-changing experience that teaches him not to be judgmental and also learns to listen. It is not only a tale of mutual understanding and acceptance, but it is also a cultural narrative....

The Future Shock and Its Idea on Accelerating the Speed of Progress

Alvin Toffler is an American philosopher and futurologist, one of the authors of the popular concept of post-industrial civilization, author of many books and articles. He holds honorary doctorates in literature and natural sciences. In the late 1960s, Toffler was commissioned by IBM to research the social consequences of the...

Literary Heritage of Virginia Woolf

Virginia Woolf Virginia Woolf is regarded as one of the key English writers of the 20th century who shaped the modernist tradition. She became a narrative pioneer, being the first who discussed topics of gender, feminism, and freedom from the standpoint of a woman. Another innovation that she has implemented...

Aphrodite of Knidos vs. Venus of the Rags

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

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...

Owen’s “Dulce et Decorum Est”

The research on Owen’s life helps understand the motivation for writing “Dulce et Decorum Est.” Wilfred Owen was born in Shropshire, England, in 1893 (“Wilfred Owen”). As a young adult, he was forced to join the army in 1916 because the WW1 began. Hence, the understanding of Owens’s life journey...

“Neighbors” Short Story by Raymond Carver

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

Love in “Romeo and Juliet” Play by William Shakespeare

“Romeo and Juliet” was written by William Shakespeare about two young people deeply in love. It is set in Italy during the 16th century, and it has been one of the most debated narratives. Love is an archetype that is evident across the piece. The story relates to my chosen...

“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 Boston Massacre. Historical Documents

While both documents are historical accounts of the Boston Massacre on March 5th, 1770, there are significant differences in the narratives. Unarguably, bias and political motivations are present in both, but from what is known by historians, Captain Preston’s account is more accurate. First, the description of the massacre itself...

The Gift of the Magi Short Story by O. Henry

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

Family in Bambara’s ”Raymond’s Run” & So’s ”Three Women of Chuck’s Donuts”

Kindred significantly contribute to the character, values, beliefs, identity and status of an individual. When kindred suffer loss due to divorce, illness or death of an individual the impact is felt by others. In Toni Cade Bambara’s short story, “Raymond’s Run,” the protagonist shows how she relates with her brother...

“The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down” Book Review

The book The Spirit Catches You and You Fall down by Anne Fadiman is one of the highlights of the Hmong culture and the challenges socializing a family from Laos faces in American society. Misunderstandings and disagreements manifested in day-to-day interactions reveal distinctive values ​​and norms in the two cultures....

What Should Businesspeople Learn from “Atlas Shrugged”

Overview of the Novel Atlas Shrugged is a novel by Ayn Rand, founder of the liberal philosophy of objectivism. It was her fourth book, the last, and the longest. It was published on 10th October 1957 by Random House Publishers and lies within the science fiction, mystery, and romance genres....

Insignificance of the Doloneia in Homer’s “The Iliad”

The Iliad is a classic work of literature, which has withstood the test of time and become one of the essential art pieces in human history. In ancient times, scholars have already started to question whether including Book 10, often referred to as the Doloneia, was the right choice. Modern...

Analysis of “Hamlet” by William Shakespeare

Shakespeare’s Hamlet has attracted abiding interest due to its aesthetics and the exceptional complexity of the author’s masterpiece. Deep reflections on life and death invariably attract the readers’ attention and push each to their interpretations. Every generation can identify with the problems touched upon in the play. Shakespeare’s work remains...

“The Reader” by Bernhard Schlink

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

Character Development of Almarine Cantrell

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

“The Last Leaf” by O. Henry and “The Good Samaritan” by Luke

Introduction Christian stories and parables carry deep meaning and contain valuable discourses about virtues, goodness, and the righteous path that people should follow to live in a healthy and peaceful society. At the same time, in addition to theological texts, works from popular literature also may contain profound truths that...

“Wild Nights!” by Emily Dickinson

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