“The Most Dangerous Game” Story by Richard Connell

The short story by Richard Connell called “The Most Dangerous Game” quickly grabs a reader’s attention with its action-filled scenes. However, there are more mature topics within the story that highlight a question regarding the exceptional value of life and the error of black-and-white worldviews. This essay will analyze the...

Komagata Maru’s History in Compton’s “The Outer Harbour”

Introduction The Outer Harbour by Compton is an interesting story that illustrates the sufferings of humankind a century ago. The book is a collection of numerous loosely related short stories. The author keenly uses fiction narratives to explore the complex relationships between urban life, history, identity, and various socio-political patterns....

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

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

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

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

Review of “Two Kinds” by Amy Tan

The story of “Two Kinds” by Amy Tan narrates about a Chinese girl who finds it hard to recognize her identity, who is in disagreement with her mother who believes that she can achieve great things in the USA. Her mother motivates her to be a musical expert, to challenge...

Sindbad the Seaman from “One Thousand and One Night”

If one looks for the stories that became famous in the West thanks to “One Thousand and One Night,” there is no need to look further than the seven tales of Sindbad the Seaman. They became widely popular in the West after the publication of the first translated editions in...

King Odysseus from Homer’s Epic “The Odyssey”

Introduction With various literary works existing in the world, analysis of particular aspects of a story can help in understanding it better. Such analysis can be focused on the character of king Odysseus, one of the main figures of Homer’s epic The Odyssey. King Odysseus represents a complex personality of...

George Orwell’s Work “1984” Review

George Orwell’s work 1984 is a utopian social and political science fiction book and morality story. Issues and topics of the novel include totalitarianism’s effects, surveillance, and coercive regimentation of individuals and activities of the community. The dictatorial regime in the story was designed after Communist Russia and Nazi Germany...

“Celia, a Slave” Biography by Melton McLaurin

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

Themes in “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley

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

Protagonist’s Motivation in “Antigone” Play by Sophocles

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

Oedipus the King: Analysis of Plot

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

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

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

Poem “Next to of Course God America I”

“Next to of course god America i” is one of the greatest poems in the history of America, and every reader always defines different meanings of the story, making it multifaced and mesmerizing. It is important to read the poem several times to understand its main essence, get a different...

Destiny of Republic Novel by Candice Millard

Introduction Sometimes, fate develops in an absolutely unexpected way: a rural orphan boy managed to become the president of the USA but did not get a chance to long this position long enough. James Abram Garfield was an incredibly talented and naturally gifted person who spent his youth in poverty...

Haruki Murakami’s “What I Talk About When I Talk About Running”

As a writer, Haruki Murakami’s 2009 book, What I Talk About When I Talk About Running, has been an eye-opener for me. Reading this book in this setting has given me a deeper appreciation of the power that comes from experience, even if I have always been strong at telling...

Rhythm, Repetition, and Speaker’s Voice in Blake’s “The Tyger” and “The Lamb”

While the metric scheme of Blake’s “The Lamb” and “The Tyger” is basically the same– the six-to-seven trochee – its rhythmic application varies strongly between the poems. “The Lamb” sometimes breaks the line into two rhythmic pieces composed of stressed-unstressed-stressed syllables. For example, if “Little Lamb I’ll tell thee” was...

Analysis of “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Gilman

“The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Gilman is not simply a story of a particular unfortunate female but a depiction of what can happen to anyone who lives in isolation and faces oppression. I share Moore’s view that the image of the woman is collective, for which reason she actually remains...

Analysis of “The Little Book of Restorative Justice”

Definition of the Concept of “Restorative Justice” At the present time, there are different approaches to justice, although restorative justice is considered one of the most effective ones. In fact, this model is based on the idea that it is crucial to arrange a meeting between the victim and the...

“Nothing Like It in the World” Book by S. Ambrose

Steven E Ambrose’s Nothing Like It in the World tells the story of the first transcontinental railroad. It follows the project’s history chapter by chapter, from choosing the route for the future road to driving the last spike in Utah. Concluding with the brief assessment of the road’s importance, the...

“A Worn Path” Short Story by Eudora Welty Reviewed

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

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

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

“The Underdogs: A Novel of the Mexican Revolution” by Azuela

The primary objective that led to the emergence of the Mexican Revolution was mainly the attempt to displace or deal away with the Díaz dictatorship. However, the political movement further expanded and ventured into a tremendous economic and social disruption, which predicted the fundamental character of Mexico’s 20th-century experience. The...

Ghana Calls: The Concept of ‘Double Consciousness’ in Literary Sense

Introduction Ghana Calls is an outstanding poem not only among Ghanaians but also among people who support and believe in the idea of liberation. The literary work was composed by William Du Bois as a dedication to one of the pan-Africanists who later became the president of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah....

“Escaping Salem” Book by Richard Godbeer

Richard Godbeer’s Escaping Salem: The Other Witch Hunt of 1692 was first published in 2005 by the Oxford University Press with a total count of two hundred pages. As a historian, Godbeer gives a contextual and descriptive account of a much lesser known series of witch trials that occurred in...

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,...

Anne Bradstreet and Phillis Wheatley: The Change of Status Quo in Literature

Anne Bradstreet, born in 1612 in England, was married to Simon Bradstreet and graduated from the University of Cambridge at 16. A couple of years later, after moving to America and having eight children, she became one of the first poets in the American colonies. Phillis Wheatley Peters was a...

“A Doll’s House”: The Problem of Position of Women in Ibsen’s Play

A Doll’s House is a vivid example of the genre of analytical drama. The genre got its name due to the fact that all stage events are the result of what happened to the characters before the action begins and requires a reflexive analysis to understand everything that happens further....

“Le Morte d’Arthur” Book by Thomas Malory

Le Morte d’Arthur retells the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. The medieval setting of the literary piece is traced through the use of outdated language that describes the atmosphere, social relations, and the environment of the medieval times. However, the themes of love, friendship,...

A Man of the People by Chinua Achebe Review

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

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 Dignity of Ushers by Al Maginnes Analysis

The poem “The Dignity of Ushers” by Al Maginnes discusses the effects of modernity on the eponymous profession. In this context, the term means people who stand at a church’s doors and open them for people who attend sermons. They also direct visitors to seats to minimize confusion and ensure...

Compare and Contrast Fiction Analysis

Introduction In the short story, The Cathedral, the act of looking is connected to the physical outlook, but that of seeing needs a deeper degree of engagement. The narrator depicts that he is fully able to look. He can look at his house, his wife, and even Robert. This story...

Hemingway’s “A Clean, Well-lighted Place” and Faulkner’s “Barn Burning”: Short Stories Comparison

Hemingway’s “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place” and Faulkner’s “Barn Burning” are both 1930s stories. However, the authors’ stylistic innovations significantly differ since they address distinct themes in the early twentieth century. One of the crucial differences is evident in the compositions and literary styles the author’s highlight. Although both Hemingway and...

“A Canary for One” by Hemingway: Topic Proposal and Bibliography

Topic Proposal: The Illusion of Ideal Family Ties and Blind Prejudice in Hemingway’s Story Ernest Hemingway is an internationally renowned American novelist and short-story writer whose works are particularly striking for the peculiar moral imperatives. Therefore, the topic proposal argues that limited knowledge and interest in native and foreign cultural...

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...

The “Oedipus Trilogy” Plays by Sophocles

Introduction There are both minor and more important characters in The Three Theban Plays, and both men and women are crucial for the plot development and have the purpose of representing different sins and virtues. Male and female characters perform various meaningful and crucial actions, and most of them value...

The Outcasts of Poker Flat Short Story by Bret Harte

Human nature, as complicated and mysterious as it is, has been a subject of artists’ expression since the old days. However, frequently, the peculiarities of existence become rather modified in order to create a “wow” effect on the recipient. Driven by the idea that people’s life may be thrilling with...

“Yellow Face” by David Henry Hwang

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

Personal Effect of Hemingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants”

Summary The short story is set somewhere between Madrid and Barcelona, in the valley of the Ebro (Hemingway, “Hills,” 115). It follows the dialogue of a man and woman at the local bar with a view of the valley’s hills (Hemingway, “Hills,” 115). The pair are quarreling about the issue...

“Deaf Like Me”: A Book Report

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

“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...

The Characters in “The Tragedy of Jane Shore” by Nicholas Rowe

Unfair play is the primary motivation that started the events of this play. The chase for power can corrupt the minds of those who are in the rule, making their actions irredeemably evil. While the public acts of all the characters of the play were perceived as noble, the true...

The Meaning of Fairy Tales in Adult Life

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

“iGen” by Jean Twenge

The first chapter of Twenge’s book is titled “In no hurry: Growing up slowly.” The primary theme is that the iGen is taking longer to become adults. Essentially, Twenge is convincing the readers that, comparing to the previous groups, people who were born between 1995 and 2012 remain dependent on...

Love in Shakespeare’s Sonnets 141 to 145

William Shakespeare is one of the most prominent figures in world literature whose characters and imagery are still popular. His plays are staged and screened in many countries, while his sonnets are widely read and recited. William Shakespeare focused on diverse topics in his literary works, but his sonnets are...

Good Books for Children: “The Hobbit”

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

Rhythm in Byron’s So, We’ll Go No More a-Roving Poem

Rhythm is characterized as a poem’s beat and pace; a poem comprises patterns that stress certain words and syllables. In (So, We’ll Go No More a-Roving) George Gordon Byron’s poem, the poet uses rhythm to stress some words, the words stressed are “So” and “we’ll” in the poem from (So,...

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

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

The Theme of Physical Blindness in the Play “Oedipus the King”

One of the main plays written by the Athenian playwright and poet Sophocles is the tragedy “Oedipus the King.” Oedipus is one of the main characters of the Theban mythological cycle, the action of which is connected with the city of Thebes. The story of Oedipus is complex, even confusing,...

Who Is the Monster, or Who Are the Monsters, in Frankenstein by Mary Shelley?

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is a good representation of human evils in literature. The main question concerned is who should be considered a monster: creative insane scientists or people around us. It is difficult to emphasize black and white characters because the situation differs from the classical villain-hero scenario. Each character...

Those Winter Sundays Poem by Robert Hayden

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

Review of “Young Goodman Brown” Story by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Introduction The story Young Goodman Brown by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a fascinating piece that focuses on guilty conscience and different issues faced by people in the community. The story involves Brown, who leaves his wife, Faith, to meet a man in the dark forest he identifies as the devil. Authors...

Walt Whitman as a Democratic Symbol

Introduction Walt Whitman was a poet that changed it all for the field of poetry across the United States and beyond its borders. He did not identify himself with any other poet while also conveying the idea that an ideal poet should never stay above anyone else. Walt Whitman’s audacity...

Song of the Hummingbird by Graciela Limon

Introduction: Summary and Major Themes The book, Song of a Hummingbird by Graciela Limon, describes the story of an indigenous woman named Huitzitzilin who narrates her experience to a Spanish monk. The setting is in 1582, when Huitzitzilin, the 82-year-old protagonist, talks about her encounter during the Spanish conquest and...

Edwin Arlington’s “Richard Cory” Poem Analysis

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

West-African Traditions in “The Epic of Son-Jara”

The Epic of Son-Jara is an epic set in West Africa in the thirteenth century. It describes the rise to power of Son-Jara, also spelled as Sundiata, who founded the Mali Empire, which was the largest and the most influential state in the region and existed for more than four...

“I Am Malala” by Malala Yousafzai: Review

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

The Quest for Freedom: William Blake and Fredrick Douglass

Romantic poets such as William Blake believed human imagination could counter scientific principles that defined reality using material objects. Blake believes that this view of the world is limiting, seeing as happiness depends on an individual’s ability to recreate their environment in their mind. People shape their understanding of events...

Explication of “Diving Into the Wreck” by Adrienne Rich

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

Analysis of “The Lifted Veil” by George Eliot

The Lifted Veil is a novella by George Eliot. At the center of the story is Latimer, who is a dying man with an assumed ability to see the future. However, the text allows different interpretations, which imply that he is not a reliable narrator. Understanding how Eliot portrays the...

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 Justice in “The Oresteia”

Justice is a concept studied by all the ancient peoples: Scandinavians, Goths, Europeans, and Greeks. The nature of revenge and whether it is just to kill somebody as an act of vengeance is a central issue of the trilogy The Oresteia. Throughout the novels, the concept of fairness evolves onto...

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

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

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 Man to Send Rain Clouds” by Silko

This narration is told in past tense by a third person by storyteller who knows everything. As a result, the readers can understand the point of view of the Catholics and the Native Americans. The narration’s title explains the belief of Pueblo that the dead people come back as rain...

Love and Tragedy in the Play Oklahoma!

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

Dahl’s “Lamb to Slaughter” and de Maupassant’s “The Necklace”

Since the very genesis of humankind, people have been trying in vain to ease their existence with the beliefs they build around their lives. Some people, in desperate need of support, find salvation in religion and blind trust for the superpowers above. The other ones, having chosen a sophisticated and...

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

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

“Homage to My Hips” by Clifton

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

What You Pawn I Will Redeem: Annotated Bibliography

The What You Pawn I Will Redeem presents the message of cultural identity through the setting, symbolism, and historical context of the story. Skwiot, E., & Clugston, W. (2019). Journey into literature (3rd ed.). Web. First, the essential reference for this literary analysis is the primary source. What You Pawn...

Marquez’s “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” Story

Gabriel Garcia Marquez is one of the most prominent writers of contemporary time, whose works masterfully combine elements of reality and fantasy, modern philosophical achievements and folk motives, and mythology. Moreover, the author presents all this to the reader in the form of a parable and succinct, precise writing manner....

Character Analysis Papi Behavioral Traits

Introduction Autobiographical works often cause public resonance and critics’ interest due to the personal nature of such stories and unique plots that took place in authors’ lives. Junot Díaz can be cited as an example of a writer whose books are largely imbued with the narration of personal experiences. His...

The Play “The Merchant of Venice” by W. Shakespeare

Introduction The play The Merchant of Venice by Shakespeare contains distinct elements of comedy although it depicts issues of grave importance in the society today. For this reason, some scholars consider it a tragedy while others regard it as a tragic-comedy. However, the comic aspects present in the play are...

Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” & “The Yellow Wall-Paper” by Perkins-Gillman

Introduction The short horror stories “A Rose for Emily” and “The Yellow Wall-Paper” have similar and different features, which are manifested through the authors’ use of the elements of gothic literature. “A Rose for Emily” is a short story by William Faulkner that was first published in 1930. The story...

“Who Moved My Cheese?” by Johnson

In his book, “Who moved my cheese?” Johnson (1998) explores change by narrating the story of four characters searching for cheese. He also depicts how each of the four characters goes about finding cheese. All four characters live in a maze where they are searching for cheese. According to Johnson...

Grief and Mourning in ‘Big Fish’ by Danielle Wallace

It is evident that people have mortal bodies, and life is not internal; thus, passing away is a normal and unavoidable process. Nevertheless, such biological and philosophical ideas would be clueless to comfort people experiencing the loss of loved ones. Bereaved individuals usually undergo a hard time of distress, and...

The Sound of the Trees, and the Noise of the People

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

Ursula Le Guin: Science Fiction Genre Writer Career

Introduction As one of the most prolific and innovative science fiction writers, Ursula K. Le Guin has definitely left her mark on the landscape of science fiction as a genre. Adding humanity to it and placing the emphasis on societal issues, she revolutionized the sci-fi realm and introduced a range...

Io: Tragic Figure and Unsung Hero of “Prometheus Bound”

Introduction Prometheus Bound contains a plethora of colorful characters, exemplifying the inimitable nature of Greek mythology, where polytheism combines with a very human-centered perspective on the intentions and desires of the gods of the Greek Pantheon. Specifically, the play features a character that readers often barely notice, even though it...

Praise, Blame and Interpretation in Literature

Description and analysis are the initial stages of learning the content of a literary work. Notional selection for analysis of one side of the whole text and identification of its place and meaning in the system allows an understanding of its general meaning in a new way. However, singling out...

“Twelve Years a Slave” Book by Solomon Northup

Slavery and racial discrimination are the two ugliest forms of human interaction. Unfortunately, for a long period in history, they had been an integral part of society and determined relations between different groups of people. However, the evolution of human thought and the rise of humanistic values created the basis...

The Elements That Achieve Realism in Moore’s Poem

Most literary writers try to achieve realism in their work to reach the hearts of their readers. They use different tools, such as similes, metaphors, characterization, and imagery that may help them sound more realistic. On the contrary, these techniques can create an unrealistic tale depending on the author’s intention....

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

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

Montresor’s Trial Case

The Prosecuting Attorney’s Closing Argument Your Honor, the case presented to the court today is one of paramount malice and sadism. It is obvious that the defendant has planned the cold-blooded murder of the plaintiff conscientiously and thoughtfully. Firstly, Mr. Montresor exploited the victim’s proneness to enjoy high-quality alcoholic beverages....

The Norton Anthology of American Literature

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

“A Raisin in the Sun” Play by Lorraine Hansberry

In the play “A Raisin in the Sun,” several important themes are explored. George Murchison strives towards assimilationism as a way of addressing consistent racial discrimination, while Beneatha sees assimilation as a manifestation of George’s fear of his heritage. Moreover, George sees heritage as “raggedy-assed spirituals and some grass huts!”...

The Main Theme of Hawthorne’s The House of the Seven Gables

The House of the Seven Gables is a romance by Nathaniel Hawthorne, an American novelist of the first half of the XIX century. The romance tells the story of the Pyncheon family and the life of the family members in the mansion in the small town in New England. This...

“Mother Tongue” by Tan and “Learning to Read and Write” by Douglass

Introduction Mother Tongue by Amy Tan, and Learning to Read and Write by Frederick Douglass are examples of the genre of literacy narrative. In the articles, both authors describe their relations with reading and writing, and their role of them, as well as education in general, in their lives. The...

Phoenix and Cycle of Struggle

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

The Role of Christianity in Slavery: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Human rights are a multifaceted concept that requires subjective respect and documentation of relationships. In other words, the individual has that set of possibilities and freedoms that are generally accepted. Nonetheless, the times of slavery are a notorious period in social existence in which injustice and cruelty were models for...

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

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

Inspiration by Robert Frost’s Poetry

Introduction Inspiration is a normal process in art creation, moreover, one can argue that all art pieces were created as a result of the artist being inspired by other works or by the world around them. The inspiration for the poem “Autumn” was a poem by Robert Frost titled “Nothing...

Personality in Williams’s “A Streetcar Named Desire”

“A Streetcar Named Desire” is written by Tennessee Williams and first presented in Broadway Theatre in December 1947. The play is focused on the tense relationship between two sisters, where one is a spoiled young woman who is driven by her desires, and another is desperately in love with her...

The Charge of Light Brigade

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

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

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

The Short Story “White Hills Like Elephants” by Earnest Hemingway

If there is one universal quality that describes humans, it is the unwillingness to confront or accept harsh realities like death, terminal illness, and loss. This human nature is seen in humankind’s attempt to downplay the seriousness of issues through the use of euphemisms, ignoring painful truths, and the use...

Post-WWI America in “Soldier’s Home” by Ernest Hemingway

The history of literature has seen renowned masters of short stories, and Ernest Hemingway is one of them. “Soldier’s Home” is a classic example of such a story, as it depicts the United States of America in the fallout of the First World War (WWI) through the prism of a...

“Maus: A Survivor’s Tale” by Art Spiegelman: Characters Analysis

Art Spiegelman made his book sound very human, and his characters are real and complicated. Vladek causes controversial feelings during the course of the story. First words about Anja’s personality in his narrative include that she was from a rich family (Spiegelman, 1987). One may assume that if not for...

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

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

“Beggars in Spain” by Nancy Kress

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

“Gentle Ben” by Walt Morey: Review

Gentle Ben is a novel by Walt Morey set in the Alaskan wilderness. The main character, Mark Andersen, experiences loneliness after the death of his older brother Jamie; however, he finds comfort in Ben – an Alaskan brown bear. A family-oriented adventurous story of a boy’s friendship with a terrifying...

Differences Between Poetry and Prose

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

Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis”: Empathy as the Key

Introduction Change is one of the concepts that appear both thrilling and frightening to people at the same time. However, even during the most drastic change, those who can keep their humanity intact are capable of surviving the challenge of transformation and even turning it into something beautiful. Examining the...

Inspiration by Elizabeth Browning’s Love Poetry

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

Symbols and Motifs in Short Stories

“The Birth-Mark” by Nathaniel Hawthorne The main symbol around which the story develops is certainly the birthmark on Georgiana’s left cheek. Initially, the girl seems to be the perfect creation of nature – she is smart, kind, and gorgeous but the mark becomes a trouble for her husband. The birthmark...

Blood Symbolism in “Macbeth” by Shakespeare

Authors often utilize symbols to signify the importance of events, objects, or relationships in their works. Indeed, the majority of the great poetic or literature works use some degree of symbolism to allow readers to visualize the writers’ messages. Correspondingly, in the play Macbeth, Shakespeare uses symbolism to portray the...

“The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne

“The Scarlet Letter” was written by American author Nathaniel Hawthorne at the end of the nineteenth century. An enormously popular work of fiction, it has been reproduced numerous times as a movie, an opera, and other forms of entertainment. Probably the most famous screen adaptation is “The Scarlet Letter” by...

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

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

The Novel “Hoot” by Carl Hiaasen: Domestic and Adventure Fiction Traits

American fiction has a plethora of notable representatives whose works left a significant mark in the genre. It would be reasonable to claim that Carl Hiaasen is among these writers. Hence, his books might always be considered as a relevant and pertinent theme to discuss. Plenty of scholars have recognized...

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

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

“The Coming” by Daniel Black

Introduction Little attention has been devoted to the captured Africans’ experiences during the Middle Passage when they were shipped across the Atlantic to be sold into slavery. More importantly, few texts have attempted to capture the African spirit of resistance during the long journey from the shores of West Africa...

The Chicano Movement in Films and Literature

The discussion of the history of Mexican identity in the US is not possible without the mentioning of the Chicano movement. A series “Chicano! A History of the Mexican American Civil Rights Movement” provides an extensive overview of the movement, and the current paper will address the first episode of...

Imagery in “Richard Cory” Poem by Robinson

In the poem “Richard Cory,” Robinson consistently uses words and phrases that imply royal connotations. A connotation is defined as an implicit meaning contained in words, although not mentioned in the dictionary. For example, Richard meets other people when he goes “downtown” (1), which could be understood that he lowers...

Washburn’s “What the Ocean Eats” and Stevenson’s “The High Road”

Introduction Both of the selected stories, Kawai Strong Washburn’s “What the Ocean Eats” and Bryan Stevenson’s “The High Road,” are interesting to read and focus on important topics resorting to one’s emotions and feelings. However, a detailed analysis of the two pieces allows noticing structural differences and making conclusions as...

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

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

Pursuit of Daisy Buchanan in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”

Reasons Why The Pursuit of Daisy Buchanan Was Justified “Great Gatsby” is a novel written by F.S. Fitzerald and published in 1925. The book follows the narrator as he enters the world of the American socialite after returning from war and meets the eponymous main character. Jay Gatsby gained his...

Odyssey. Influence on World Literature

The Odyssey is a world literature masterpiece, one of the two epic poems written by Homer. It was composed around the 8th century BC, and its plot focuses on Odysseus’s journey home after the Troy’s fall. This essay aims at analyzing several peculiarities of The Odyssey that show its significance...

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

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

The Book “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe

Introduction Chinua Achebe is a renowned author not just in Africa but also in international literature. With the help of his writings, Chinua Achebe thrills readers across the globe with the creative application of language, structure, form, and precise insider accounts of modern African history and way of life. With...

The Children of Odin: Sigurd and the Hero’s Journey

In today’s rational and pragmatic world, interest in mythology is growing and becoming more profound. Myths, like centuries ago, enchant and fascinate, and ancient tales become relevant. Campbell’s work is dedicated to the most frequently encountered mythological plot – the story of a hero, his miraculous birth, deeds, marriage to...

Marriage in Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House Play

A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen is an interesting play that considers a variety of themes, including morality, law, social standing, and gender equality. However, the central theme of the play – and the one reflected in its name – is marriage. Torvald and Nora appear to be a happy...

A Farewell to Arms Novel by Ernest Hemingway

War is an essential topic in A Farewell to Arms due to the novel’s setting at the time of World War I. While reading the book, it is particularly interesting to monitor the growth of the main character and the change in his attitudes towards war. In this essay, I...

Opposing Ideas in Play Antigone by Sophocles

Antigone by Sophocles describes the aftermath of a war in which two brothers, Polyneices and Eteocles, murder each other. The author centers the main conflict on individual conscience and the obligations to the state. The play depicts the clash between human and divine law in which Antigone and Creon deny...

Connie and Arnold in “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol Oates

The fascination with death, darkness, and moral corruption seems intrinsic to the human experience. Macabre areas of life attract substantial attention, especially in works of fiction – Joyce Carol Oates’s “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” belong to this category. The explanations for the phenomenon could be found...

A Driving Conflict in Wilson’s Fences Play

The events of August Wilson’s play Fences revolve around the Maxson family. Troy Maxson, a 53-year-old African American man, struggles to provide for his family. He has experienced racial inequalities throughout his life, which has shaped his bitter and skeptical character. One of his most unfortunate experiences was that, although...

Sarah Hall’s Short Story “Theatre 6”

The narrative is set in a hospital operating room and in-house chapel, perpetuating the atmosphere of democratic conformity that defies morality. The setting serves as the display of the conflict between individual choice and procedures. The author writes, “The on-call room is never dark enough, even with your eye-mask,” indicating...

“Quicksand” by Nella Larsen: The Theme of Happiness

The theme of happiness is derived from the life of Helga Crane, a protagonist whose journey to seek happiness has been disrupted by racial discrimination. Helga’s life is full of phenomenal shifts that leave her unhappy and disgruntled. Nonetheless, the novel conveys that one should act persistently and attempt to...

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

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

“The Old Man and the Sea” by Ernest Hemmingway

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

The Snake in Hurston’s Short Story “Sweat”

Introduction The Sweat transitions enormously when Bertha is introduced in the story. Sykes is committed to having her put up with Della as a concubine. Delia is not ready to allow another woman to have the resources she has labored to buy. She resists, and in the event, the two...

The Short Story “Cathedral” by Raymond Carver

Brief and simple in its language, Raymond Carver’s short story Cathedral is packed with imagery and themes that vividly and powerfully depict real life issues. The immediate impressions of the text were that Carver successfully uses an unlikely scenario- a casual interaction between the narrator and a blind man- to...

Axe and Bermuda Triangle Overview

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

“Under the Skirt of Liberty” by Giannina Braschi

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

Dumbledore and Odin: Comparison

Introduction Mythology is a critically important element of any culture. It represents values and ideas that attract people and contribute to the creation of inspiring stories. Myths also reveal the current state of society’s evolution and issues that are important at the moment. At the same time, there are still...

“Mother Tongue” of A.Tan Analysis Review

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

Kreon in “Oedipus the King”: Analysis of the Character

The embodiment of the rival for Oedipus is Creon who does not represent the same interpretation that takes place in Sophocles’ Antigone. In Oedipus the King, this character does not want to obtain power and aspires rather a share of it. The chorus reaffirms the reliability of Creon’s words, as...

“A Lesson Before Dying” by Ernest J. Gaines

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

Oedipus and Hamlet Characters’ Comparison

The plays, Oedipus Rex by Sophocles and Hamlet by William Shakespeare was written centuries apart but they share common themes, specifically that of a tragic hero, as shown by the protagonists in these two chefs-oeuvres. Both Oedipus and Hamlet seek to avenge the death of their fathers, but in the...

William Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Gertrude

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

“Shell Games” by Craig Welch: Summary and Evaluation

Summary In the prologue, Craig Welch tells a story about two detectives, Ed Volz and his partner Bill Jarmon, of the Washington department of fish and wildlife trying to track down smugglers of a geoduck, the world’s largest burrowing clam consumed as seafood. One night, they meet dealers with information...

“Endgame” by Samuel Beckett

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

Because I Could Not Stop for Death Analysis

The work of the American writer Emily Dickinson determines the significant contribution to the world poetry of the second half of the nineteenth century. It coincides with a turning point in the history of American literature, as Dickinson’s poetry reflects the destruction of the Puritan worldview and the search for...

“Young Goodman Brown” by Nathaniel Hawthorne and “Araby” by James Joyce

The main characters in “Young Goodman Brown” by Nathaniel Hawthorne and “Araby” by James Joyce are people of different ages and backgrounds. However, there is a certain similarity between the events that happened to them as well as their reaction that was triggered by the need for readjustment. Both characters...

Youth and Adulthood: A Comparative Analysis

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

Othello Versus Shakuntala: Ultimate Lessons

The importance of love and affection in literature is permanently reinforced by secondary ideas that emphasize the eternal influence of higher feelings on the human race. The idea of pure love has been investigated by many authors, and Shakespeare’s Othello and Kalidasa’s Shakuntala may be considered rather similar in terms...

“Those Winter Sundays” by Hayden

Love of the parents tends to be appreciated after a long period of time, sometimes when it is too late. Those Winter Sundays is a poem by Robert Hayden, in which he describes the relationship between a father and his son. The writing is made from the son’s perspective, where...