Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley

Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley was first published in 1818. It is now referred to as one of the first pieces of science fiction. The reception of the book was somewhat controversial, and literary critics’ views were mixed. John Wilson Croker’s review, published right after the novel...

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...

Attitudes Toward Death: Thomas vs. Whitman

Introduction As well as the theme of love, the theme of life and death is frequently preferred by many poets for their great works. The main challenge is the impossibility to avoid death or prolong life, and authors try to find out additional ways to calm down, motivate, and support...

“Frankenstein” Story Retold by Anna Meriano

“Frankenstein,” the book by Anna Meriano, is a fancy, captivating retelling of the worldwide known legend. The story of a creature seeking love began in the writings of Mary Shelly in the 19th century. Masterful illustrations by Katy Wu make the book look like a personal diary. Victor, the main...

“Trifles” Play by Susan Glaspell: Deductive Analysis

Trifles by Susan Glaspell highlights perceptions, thought processes, labels, and stereotypes surrounding the inferior perception of women during the early 19th century. The play illustrates repeated neglect and alienation of three females by male colleagues, symbolizing their suffrage at the time of the play. Although the female gender was regarded...

“We Need New Names” by Bulawayo

The main character of We Need New Names is called Darling. The first half of the book follows her in a post-colonial Zimbabwe. Even though the country is officially independent, it is going through dramatic changes and is economically unstable. Later, Darling moves to her aunt living in the U....

“My Almighty Grandmother” by Gabriela Roy

In the story “My Almighty Grandmother” by Gabriela Roy, the narrator is a six-year-old girl who unwillingly spends time with her grandmother in the summer. Through her eyes, I can see an old lady with failing memory. Also, the story revolves around three women who are separated by belonging to...

“The Life and Culture of the Gebusi” by Bruce Knauft

Introduction In his book, Bruce Knauft describes the life and culture of the Gebusi, a people living in Papua New Guinea. His anthropological research is deep and covers various aspects of the development of this unique culture. The evaluation of life, religion, social relations, spirituality, and other features of the...

Bidpai’s “The Camel and His Friends” Story Analysis

Lying at the crossroads between a children’s story and a part of the folklore-related legacy of a specific ethnicity, fables have a very special place in literature. With recurring characters and basic yet important life lessons to offer to their readers, fables serve as a shorthand for conveying important messages...

“Murder on the Orient Express” by Agatha Christie: Interpretation

Setting The first part of the book focuses mainly on the theme of identity and introducing the characters. The identity of the main character, Poirot, is not presented in the first chapters. Perhaps, the author used this method to emphasize his detective capabilities instead of merely stating his talent. Poirot...

“Fleabag”: A British Novel by Phoebe Waller-Bridge

Fleabag is a British novel that was written by Phoebe Waller-Bridge in 2013. Subsequently, the book was screened in the film of the same name, in which the writer played the primary role. The plot describes Fleabag’s daily life, whose non-trivial behavioral pattern leads to dramatic and comic episodes. A...

Frost’s “The Road Not Taken” and the Importance of Decision-Making

Many people do not even imagine how they are dependent on decisions they make, either it is a necessity to wear a new suit or an intention to get married. Decision-making may be a serious topic for discussion at a different age, and Robert Frost was one of the American...

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...

Jamel Brinkley’s “A Family” Short Story

Introduction Jamel Brinkley’s “A Family” starts on a note that immediately raises concerns in the reader. Curtis, a convict who spent twelve years in prison, is discreetly following what appears to be a single mother with a teenage son under the pretext of being interested in the son. The two...

“A Lesson Before Dying” by Ernest J. Gaines

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

William Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Gertrude

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

“One Today” by Richard Blanco

Introduction Reading the poem One Today, I think that the most important phrases start with the word “one.” One sun, one ground, one sky. These lines mean that all people in the USA live in one state, and they are all united by this fact. The author also refers to...

“Understand This” by Jervey Tervalon

Introduction Within the past few weeks, the United States has experienced one of the most turbulent times in its history following the death of George Floyd. This intentional murder of the African American forced many citizens across the country to stand up against the mistreatment of black people, a malpractice...

Migration and Industrialization in Sinclair’s “The Jungle”

Facing lack of opportunities to earn money and good standing in their homelands due to political and economic crises, 20th century European citizens thought of migrating to America as a quintessential success. The overseas country promised wealth and stability to any person or family who was willing to dedicate their...

The Theme of Transitioning into Adulthood in “Spirited Away” by Hayao Miyazaki and “Spring Awakening” by Frank Wedekind

Introduction Contrary to popular belief, childhood is definitely not an easy period in human life. This time is characterized by many qualitative changes in the child’s physiology and consciousness, and their worldview’s serious reconstruction. In other words, in late childhood, the individual unconsciously prepares for adult life to become part...

“Mr. Fox” by Helen Oyeyemi: Violence Against Women

Introduction Mr. Fox is one of the many novels written by Helen Oyeyemi. Through a set of short stories, the author explores a variety of different topics; however, the subject of violence against women seems to be the most prevalent. The issue is identified in the very beginning with the...

Marshall Berman’s Views in “All That Is Solid Melts Into Air”

Introduction The book All That Is Solid Melts Into Air is about Marshall Berman’s views on the relationship between different manifestations of modernity, and the concept of modernism as an approach to understanding the world. This academic text talks about the changes that the world is constantly experiencing and the...

‘Sacagawea’ by Liselotte Erdrich

‘Sacagawea’ is an excellent biography book intended for children. Liselotte Erdrich is a Native American writer, so she shows a deep understanding of the life and values of a Native American woman, Sacagawea, who has become a part of history. This book is marvelously written and reads like a legend...

“The Spellman Files” by Lisa Lutz

Lisa Lutz’s The Spellman Files is a novel with disordered episodes which combine some genres. It combines literary work with comedy and mystery in a 300-plus-page book. Despite the problems found in the structure of the book, Lutz’s choice of characters, humor and adept narration makes the book an interesting...

“The Glass Castle” by Jeannette Walls: Impression of Jeanette’s Parents

The first impression of Jeannette’s mother is very conflicting. It is hard to believe that she is describing her mother. When she describes her emotions and the way she sees her mother going through garbage, one wonders if she is talking about her mother or someone she just calls “Mom”....

Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley

Introduction Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley’s novel Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus addresses conventional romantic themes like isolation and beauty of the nature and one can find that the novel discusses the ultimate pain of lose. It is often considered as a humanistic critique of technological development or new scientific inventions. Personal...

Juxtaposing Fences and Girl

In his famous play Fences, August Wilson reveals one of the central themes that were of great importance for African American citizens in the 1950s, and during the whole history of the country as well – the theme of racial discrimination. The short story Girl by Jamaica Kincaid also touches...

Themes Raised in Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Frankenstein is a novel written by British author Mary Shelley in 1818. The novel describes the story of a young gifted scientist, Victor Frankenstein, who created a living creature as an unorthodox experiment. Frankensteins creation occurred to be hideous and, therefore, rejected by the scientist and humanity (Shelley 28). This...

“King Leopold’s Ghost” by Adam Hochschild

The world history is incredibly rich with dreadful outrageous events that loom through centuries and make us wonder whether limits to human brutality exist. In his best-selling novel King Leopold’s Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror and Heroism in Colonial Africa Adam Hochschild depicts the flawlessly elaborate atrocities of a...

Hamlet as an Enjoyable and Exuberant Play

Introduction William Shakespeare was a renowned English writer, poet and dramatist. Shakespeare had a number of plays to his credit. Also, his works influenced quite a number of writers such as Charles Dickens, Herman Melville and a host of others. (Charles 602) This essay will focus on pointing out how...

Lucy Lurie Character in the “Disgrace” by John Maxwell Coetzee

“Disgrace” is one of the most significant works of J. M. Coetzee, which brought him the Booker Prize and worldwide recognition. The action takes place in post-apartheid South Africa. In “Disgrace,” J.M. Coetzee’s creates a complex character, Lucy Lurie, which faces the shameful and disgraceful acts of her father, the...

Gregor is a Symbol in the Metamorphosis by Kafka

“One morning, as Gregor Samsa was waking up from anxious dreams, he discovered that in bed hr had been changed into a monstrous verminous bug” (Kafka 1). This is nonsensical! Kafka uses this ‘metamorphosis’ scene symbolically to achieve some assorted themes of the story. To understand why Kafka uses Gregor...

Main Characteristics of a Knight

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

Two Passages From ‘The Devil on the Cross’ by Ngugi

First passage In this passage Wariinga who is the main protagonist in this play talks about her material and emotional problems. In this case, it can be argued that Wariinga had been abandoned by her lover, which resulted in her emotional problems. From the passage, it can be argued that...

“Recovering the Sacred” by Winona Laduke

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

Beowulf, a Never Forgotten Hero

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

Fathers in Faulkner’s Barn Burning and Barreca’s Nighttime Fires Comparison

In the story Barn Burning by William Faulkner and in the poem Nighttime Fires By Regina Barreca we encounter fathers who react to their situation using fires. Their need for revenge against society affects their families as they become involved. The fathers are disappointed by society and fire helps them...

Critical Analysis of James N. Gregory’s American Exodus

Introduction The book, American Exodus: the Dust Bowl Migration and Okie Culture in California, is written by James N. Gregory and it depicts the great dust bowl times which caused major agricultural and subsequent economical damage in American agricultural lands from the years 1930 to 1936. Canadian prairie lands were...

Love and Death in Poetry by Emily Dickinson

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

“The Myth of Latin Women” by Judith Ortiz

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

Character’s Identity in Hardy’s Tess of the D’Urbervilles

Literature has often been described as the representation of human life and his social, cultural, religious and ethical backgrounds. One can consider Macbeth, as a Shakespearean play and Tess of the D’Urbervilles, as a Hadrian novel. Literary works of most of the writers demonstrate various identity based concepts such as...

Bonny George Campbell Ballade Review

Bonnie George Campbell is a very good child ballade that you actually do not understand when at childhood so deeply and thoroughly as you do when being a grown-up. Partially, because there are those words you do not understand and partially because adults apply more personal life experience. Overall, it...

‘The Right Stuff’ Book by Tom Wolfe

Tom Wolf in his book ‘The Right Stuff’ 1979 attempts to talk about the commitment of the pilots in US postwar research with the experimental speed-planes. The title, The Right Stuff dwells around the idea of having the right stuff. Wolfe also documents the tales of the initial development of...

Ambrose Bierce and Henry James Works Comparison

“An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” by Ambrose Bierce is rather a short story originally published in 1890. The primary characteristic of the story is irregular time spacing and unclear ending. By the end of the story, the reader does not have an understanding of what has really happened with...

Bailey Jon and Burch Mary “How Dogs Learn”

There is much written on the issue of “how to train Dogs”; but there are questions and problems addressed better in this book than in any other book on the same. This review is an analysis of how useful this book is in the practice of Dog training. The book...

Ernest Hemingway and Shirley Jackson Writing Style

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

J. Austen’s “Sense and Sensibility” Review

The novel Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austin depicts love relations through the lens of the 19th-century ideology and social philosophy of life. To some extent, Austin idealizes love and romantic feelings portraying passion and pre-marriage arrangements. The plot of Sense and Sensibility develops through a set of sub-elements, both...

Time Machine in The Olive Tree by Aldous Huxley

Introduction Aldous Leonard Huxley was born in the year 1824 and died in the year 1963 at the age of 69 years. He was born in England but spent several years in United States in his latter life from 1937 till his death. He was a humanist and in later...

Traditions of Magical Realism in Juan Rulfo’s Short Novel Pedro Paramo

Juan Rulfo’s short novel Pedro Paramo is one of the most eminent Latin American works in literature along with novels by Marquez and Borges. In this respect, the analysis of the novel gives a specific evaluation of it in terms of the traditions of magical realism. The reality which is...

“Cultural Literacy and Critical Literacy” by Donald Lazere

Donald Lazere has devoted his numerous works to the matter of critical thinking in the modern culture. In his Cultural Literacy and Critical Literacy (1992), Lazere focuses on the notion of the critical literacy, which, in his opinion, is rather important for the intellectual potential of an individual. He has...

“The Storm” by Kate Chopin

On 18th July 1898, Kate Chopin wrote a short story titled “The Storm” which played around the events happening in the life of a woman (Calixta) over a stormy afternoon. Calixta was a typical traditional housewife bundled with the task of taking care of the home while her husband (Bobinôt)...

‘Girl Powdering Her Neck’, Poem by Cathy Song and Painting by Kitagawa Utamaro

Introduction Every poem expresses a certain idea presented by the poet. It could be a personal thought or a story. Sometimes a poem describes a certain scene with certain events. In this case, the poet draws an image. Many poems have paintings to describe their events. The painting helps the...

“The Difference of Being Human” by Francisco Ayala: Arguing

Ever since the application of the notion of political correctness to theoretical and empirical research, in various fields of science, began to undermine its intellectual soundness, we can no longer assume the results of such research as being objective by definition. Reading Francisco Ayala’s article “The Difference of Being Human”...

Breaking Free of Tradition. Poetry

Early American Poetry Poetic tradition in America followed that in Britain for nearly 200 years. The Puritan poets, like Anne Bradstreet and Edward Taylor, likened their work to the British metaphysical poets, and followed in the footsteps of Milton, Spenser and Donne, among others. Their poetry was highly didactic, mostly...

“A Streetcar Named Desire” by Tennessee Williams

Tennessee Williams, is the author of the play ‘A Streetcar Named Desire,’ which was produced on Broadway in the year 1947. The play won many awards and was adapted to a film in 1951. The theme of the play is the decaying South and its arrogance, inability to accept truth...

“The Life You Save May Be Your Own” by O’Connor

Author’s name: Flannery O’Connor This author has published a number of short stories apart from two novels. Her writing slants towards a compulsive Southern Gothic tradition with a strong narrative pace and most of her writings are based on old Southern styling. The readability of her works derives from the...

The Use of Eerie and Bizarre of Edgar Alan Poe

This paper is an analysis of how the literal tools of eerie and bizarre; settings, characters, and images are used in developing the effect of horror. The literal works to be analyses in this case as an effort to analyze the use of these literal tools in the development of...

Jane Austen’s and Her Works’ Influences

Have you ever thought where the works of imaginative literature come from? The writers create them when inspired, but what is inspiration? It is nothing less than the genius that enables people to commit their thoughts to paper in such a way that these thoughts are embodied in words in...

The Theme of Change in Poetry

“Omnia mutabantur, mutantur, mutabuntur” as the Latin proverb has it. Antiquity has supplied us with perfect food for reflection since ancient literary sources are the treasury of wisdom, just as the sayings that have lived during centuries to supply humanity of the present with eternal wisdom. Everything changes. It is...

Anouilh and Levi: Dehumanization and Degradation

Introduction Literature is one of the types of art which charm everybody. Literature may entertain and give some food for thoughts, especially if we take into consideration some serious pieces of writing. Every work of any writer is called to deliver some important information to the reader, any writer inserts...

Gettysburg Battle. “Lost Triumph” by Tom Carhart

There are many books on history written by different historians and scholars, and even by those people who are of little touch with the discussed issue. Some historical events have contradictory nature because of a lack of information that was not properly documented. Such events are doomed to provoke different...

“Hills like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway: Problem of Choice

Introduction People usually appear before the choice: whether to do this or not, whether to go there or not, whether to stay with the person or to leave him/her. Analyzing the story “Hills like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway and imagining the conclusion of the story, three main developments may...

“The Beggar’s Opera” by John Gay

This essay will analyze the character of Captain Macheath from John Gay’s The Beggar’s Opera. The character analysis will pay particular attention to the multi-faceted nature of Macheath. Rather than adopting one position or another in plot and circumstance, Macheath drives the action of The Beggar’s Opera specifically by showing...

“Ordinary People” and “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”: Book Report

Fault and Responsibility Taking People apart in the Ordinary People The major theme of the book by Judith Ann Guest in 1976 is education and upbringing conflicts that follow both parents, Cal and Beth Jarrett. The reason for such discrepancies is first of all their background – Cal is the...

“Nice Guys Can Get the Corner Office” by Edelman Russ

The Book, “Nice Guys Can Get the Corner Office” is a conflicting view of why being a nice guy in business and life has more benefits than what the conservative believes. Being a nice person is a fashioned thing in the modern world contrary to what the conservative has believed...

“Crimes Against Logic” by Jamie Whyte

Jamie Whyte is considered to be the author of the book Crimes against Logic reflecting the bogus arguments of journalists, politicians, priests, and many other offenders. The author tried to represent a number of logical fallacies faced in everyday life; he managed to provide a cutting and witty guide to...

Socrates’ Belief About the Pursuit of Truths

Socrates was a Greek Philosopher who has been credited with founding Western Philosophy. He exists in history as a mysterious figure that is only known through the accounts of other people. There are no philosophical texts written by Socrates himself. His life, knowledge, and philosophy are found in the writings...

Characteristics and Similarities Between Realistic and Historical Fiction

Realistic fiction Similarities between the Realistic and Historic Historical fiction Realistic fiction is the outcome of the real situation which happens in one’s life. Both in realistic and historical fiction the characters and settings resemble the real life Historical fiction is the outcome of the story which happened in the...

Human Behavior Depicted in Science Fiction Works

Science fiction is successful enough to convey the message that human behavior changes under political and scientific changes. It is important to note that most of these changes are not very encouraging. Human beings lose all the considerate thoughts for their fellow beings and turn into inhuman beasts ready to...

Ahab from Moby Dick and Prospero from the Tempest

First of all, there is the necessity to explain the choice of the form of the essay and the choice of the characters that present nontrivial development of the comparative analysis of their characters. The work has the form of the panel discussion with two main participants, Ahab and Prospero....

Bildungsroman Novel: Satire in Voltaire’s “Candide”

Bildungsroman is a German word/term which refers to a coming-of age novel. Coined by famous German philologist, Johann Carl Simon Morgenstern, the bildungsroman novel traverses the psychological, moral and social molding of the main, character/protagonist from childhood to adulthood. In most cases the impetus for such a journey is sparked...

Francois Voltaire’s “Candide, or Optimism”: Analysis of Satire

In the scope of classical literature, the writings of Francois Voltaire occupy a prominent position. Voltaire’s renowned shrewd outlook and sober judgment found reflection in his famous satire Candide, or Optimism – a book which, met with a scandal immediately after publication, has enjoyed great popularity for centuries due to...

Review and Analysis of ‘A Good Man Is Hard To Find’

Flannery O’Connor is best known for her obscure, but thought-provoking short stories unlike most of the other 20th century American writers. She makes use of tragedy and brutality in her works to create an atmosphere of terror to deal with the subject of spirituality. The theme of ‘A Good Man...

Willy Loman as a Protagonist in Death of a Salesman

Arthur Miller, the author of Death of a Salesman, is a well-known American playwright of the twentieth century. Through his works, he depicted characters that showed certain personal weaknesses due to their awareness of social realities. Death of a Salesman (1949) is considered one of his best works. It presents...

“Death of a Salesman,” Misinterpreting the Concept of the American Dream

The essence of human life consists in achieving something that others do not have, though most people are quite persistent in denying this fact. It is hard to argue with the conviction that striving to achieve more than the others gives hope which sustains life in a dreamer. This is...

Success in Death of a Salesman

The modern world is full of different points of view about failure and success. Different people think that success is a big family with ten children, the others consider success as a financial part of life, and some people think that it is a success when they have achieved something,...

The Soul Never Dies: John Donne’s “Death, Be Not Proud”

Among the cornerstone issues of human existence is the aspect of relations between man and Death. In the circle of life Death is the ultimate destination and the greatest mystery to solve; unknown and enigmatic, Death both draws people’s attention and scares them, since it takes away the most precious...

“The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte P. Gilman

Charlotte Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper” depicts the inner struggle of a woman unbalanced by post-partum depression, a problem for which even today’s doctors have no treatment. Her husband and brother are both doctors who have her best interest at heart but whose recommended rest cure is based on the accepted...

“On Bullshit” by Harry Gordon Frankfurt

On Bullshit is a 2005 nonfiction bestseller by acclaimed American philosopher, Dr. Harry Gordon Frankfurt. A compact 67-page philosophical investigation, and emanating his distinguishable blend of philosophical acuity, wry humor, and psychological insight, Frankfurt sketches/develops a revolutionary theory of bullshit – defining the concept and analyzing its application, effect, and...

‘The Complete Pompeii’ Book by Joanne Berry

The book ‘The Complete Pompeii’ by Joanne Berry brings to light the different archeological treasures of the city in terms of its civilization, and antiquities which have been left preserved for us to see. While many a research has been conducted on the city and the lives of the people...

“The Necklace” vs. “Paste”: Character Comparison

Comparing characters of Mathilde and Charlotte In these two short stories, Mathilde is portrayed as the pretty and charming wife of Mr. Loisel, a minor clerk in the Ministry of Education. She is disillusioned with her small time life, with no grandeur or high living. Charlotte Prime is a governess...

“The Knight’s Tale” by Geoffrey Chaucer

In the history of the English literature Geoffrey Chaucer is undoubtedly the biggest poetic name up to Shakespeare, where the best of his works — “The Canterbury Tales” is certainly one of the greatest literary works of the English Middle Ages in which Renaissance features are clearly breaking through. The...

“Beowulf” & “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” Comparison

As for epics of the oral tradition, Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight never appeared in writing until many years after the story originated. Through the many retellings of the tale, it probably changed significantly over time; however, the essences of the society and the culture of each...

The Iliad and The Odyssey – Homeric Epics Analysis

There is a great deal of different methods and techniques to introduce the main characters of the story, to organize the text and to make the reader interested in the book from the very beginning. Authors usually use various methodologies in their work, as they want to be unique and...

Relationships and Dialogues. “The Awakening” by Kate Chopin

Edna Pontellier, the heroine of “The Awakening” by Kate Chopin, lives in the United States during the 1800s. During those days, men dominated U.S. society while women were considered inferior to them. The Feminism movement that demanded women should be treated equally as men, having the same political, economic, and...

Gender Roles Within Greek Society

Introduction Gender roles in Greek society were determined by social and cultural traditions, position of women in society and their significance as citizens. The position of women in society was determined by absence of political rights acquired by men. Many Greek plays portray women as canny and jealous. The play...

“Columbus and Western Civilization” by Howard Zinn

“Who controls the past controls the future. And who controls the present controls the past.” By the above quote, it is meant that Orwell claims those historians to be in power who govern our society. Only such historians who lead the society through their deeds or words are in a...

“Age of Turbulence” by Alan Greenspan

Introduction Alan Greenspan’s Age of Turbulence is a personal memoir combined with the description of his role as Federal Reserve Chairman for the last 18 years. In this book, he traces his evolution from the life of an academic to the post of the Federal Reserve chairman. In this book,...

Cullen’s and Milton’s Poems Review

Introduction The Afro American poets Countee Cullen and John Milton are closely connected with the so-called Renaissance of the African literature. The best known poem “yet, do I marvel” by Cullen is often been misinterpreted and consequently, it was regarded as just one more lament of a defeated soul as...

“The Sun Also Rises” by Ernest Hemingway

The book ‘The Sun Also Rises was published in 1926 and was the first novel published by the renowned Novelist Ernest Hemmingway. The book is also known as Fiesta in some countries because this was the original title that Hemmingway chose for the novel. The Sun Also Rises expounds upon...

A Damned Piece of Rascality: The Business of Slave Trading in Southern Appalachia

Slave trading in southern Appalachia Aaron Purcell is the author of the article, “A Damned Piece of Rascality: The business of slave trading in Southern Appalachia” The article has laid focus on Meek, Hayne, and Company, a firm that dealt with slave trading in Southern Appalachia. The article, which was...

Death of a Salesman: Imagery & Sumbolism

Introduction The Death of a Salesman was a tale of broken dreams, aspirations of the characters and unfulfilled promises. The Loman family is portrayed in the play as a dysfunctional family, each member with his or her issues. Willy Loman is sixty-three and nearing retirement, his wife, his two sons,...

Society in The Great Gatsby

Introduction The novel “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald can be called a bitter satire to the American dream, which according to the ideas of the majority implies the heap of the happiness, which is missing to many, and in reality gold outer shell is converted into the empty...

Matthew Arnold. Arguing From Experience

The great poet and critic Mathew Arnold belongs to the Victorian period of English literature. He was very much influenced by the age he lived in. He was a staunch believer of religion. The religious disillusionment of his time pained him too much. His fear and anxiety in people’s loss...

“Brutal Imagination” Poem by Cornelius Eady

As a form of literature, poetry is quite difficult to define and even more challenging to analyze, especially when attempting to decipher its original meaning and defining the author’s original intent. Expected to elicit an emotional response first and at the same time leaving enough place for thoughtful contemplations, poetry...

Future in American Science Fiction Short Stories

More than any modern genre of fiction, science fiction is predominantly written with a social purpose. Such a goal is rarely to explicitly to predict the future, especially since in many cases the predictive features of science fiction are at best mediocre. While in hindsight, it is easy to select...

The Analysis of “The Philosopher” by Sherwood Anderson

“The Philosopher” by Sherwood Anderson is constructed to portray a certain multitude of paradoxical and unexpected contradictions as well implicitly as explicitly. This story has the ironic contrasts that illustrate the various emotions which are introduced by the philosopher – Doctor Parcival. That is why I would like to analyze...

“Gulliver’s Travels” Novel by Jonathan Swift

Gulliver’s Travels is the novel that became extremely fashionable as soon as it was issued (John Gay said in a 1726 letter to Swift that “it is universally read, from the cabinet council to the nursery”), and it is probable that it has never been out of print since then....

Women in Traditional and Totalitarian Societies

Looking into the history of the cultures at large, it becomes evident that all human societies, from the most primitive to the most modern, have been divided into different groups, communities and strata. This stratification is on the basis of caste, class, clan, community, race, region, religion, ethnicity, gender, age...

Sarty Snopes Character Analysis

Faulkner’s Barn Burning is a story reflecting such crucial issues as class conflict and loyalty. The main one is an internal conflict in the mind of the child-protagonist. Despite the conditions in which the character finds himself, he embodies truly noble features, such as sympathy and compassion. He is eager...

The Symbolism of Blood in Barn Burning by William Faulkner

It is generally agreed that different symbols tend to be used as the way of the author’s ideas’ interpretation. In case of Faulkner’s “Barn Burning”, blood might be one of the metaphors which is reclaimed as a reference for either genetic relationships or committed crimes and their consequences. That is...

Women in Barn Burning by William Faulkner

At first glance, Faulkner’s artistic world appears to be emphatically masculine. It is filled with sullen, stern male characters doing rough and hard work, but at the same time, there is a certain place for female characters in his prose. “Barn Burning,” Faulkner’s short story of a mendicant American family...

Father-Son Relationships in William Faulkner’s Novels

Introduction William Faulkner is a master craftsman in the history of novel tradition who spins the masterful artistic pieces by conjoining very similar parts of the whole tied together to form the strong webs in the form of novels that attract the readers to rule their fictional world with the...

Analysis of “The Miller’s Tale” from The Canterbury Tales

Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales exemplify a precious immersion opportunity into not only the Middle Age’s world but into the nature of human redundancy as well. The customs, surrounding realia, and occasional mishaps of various strata of society living in the 14th century are presented in a facetious manner: in the form...

Sir Gawain Character Analysis

As portrayed in the first two parts of Sir Gawain and The Green Knight, Sir Gawain, a legendary member of Arthur’s knight, is a paragon of virtue and modesty. He describes himself as the least of the knights both in mental and physical prowess, and at the first glance appears...

‘A Rose for Emily’ by Faulkner: Narration & Psychological Depth

Introduction Widely considered to be one of the most significant American writers of the 20th century, Faulkner concentrates on themes that are universal. His novels, The Sound and the Fury, Absalom! Absalom! are experiments with shifts in time and narrative. A Rose for Emily is the strange story of love,...

Women in “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a 14th century poem by an unknown author, describing the adventures of the knight Sir Gawain, nephew of King Arthur. The work continues the tradition of Arthurian chivalric romances and most fully reveals Gawain as a character (Florschuetz 158). In addition to the...

Nora in “The Doll’s House” by Henrik Ibsen

Introduction Women in the Victorian period lived very different lives from women today. During this period, women began to question their allotted place in society as more and more opportunities opened for them in the urban centers of the country, providing them with a means of supporting themselves and freeing...

Ibsen’s A Doll’s House: Plot Analysis Essay

Introduction The play A Doll’s House by Henry Ibsen depicts a class conflict and accumulation of wealth, family relations, and the role of marriage. The events reflect the economic and social problems of society and the role of money in the life of the characters. From the very beginning, A...

The Role of Women in A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen

“A Doll’s House” by Henrik Ibsen is one of the most influential plays of Victorian times which not only opened new dimensions to the English Drama but also left an indelible impact on the future writers and dramatists at large. The theme of the play seems to revolt against the...

Sophocles’ Antigone: Critical Analysis Essay

The classic Antigone by Sophocles is one of three plays about Oedipus and his family. It tells of the daughter of Oedipus Antigone, who fights to bring her brother’s corpse home to a proper burial when the new king, Creon, rules against it for his “betrayal” of Thebes. Sophocles uses...

Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery: Imagery, Foreshadowing, & Symbolism

Introduction Shirley Jackson possesses a well-known reputation for dark fiction writing. She specializes in imparting fear by mixing the rational with the irrational and the unfamiliar with the familiar. Some of her famous works include “Just an Ordinary Day” and “The Haunting of Hill House.” Her masterpiece, however, remains the...

Penelope’s Resilience in Homer’s ‘The Odyssey’

Introduction In Homer’s epic story of Odysseus, the character that stands out most to me is the character, Penelope. Although she has been left behind to run her husband’s kingdom and raise his son with little or no help, she still manages to find a way of keeping her family...

Importance of Self-Serve Kiosks

Modern technological developments are transforming human activities, processes, and behaviors. The proliferation of handheld devices and smartphones is discouraging more people from visiting libraries physically. The traditional reading culture in this community has also been affected negatively. Many people are currently busy focusing on their career goals and aims. Long...

The Role of Money in “The Forged Coupon” by Leo Tolstoy

Introduction When one hears the name of Leo Tolstoy, the first thing that comes to mind is his great novels War and Peace or Anna Karenina. However, this famous Russian writer created more than 150 works, including short stories, autobiographical novels, and novellas. The Forged Coupon is one of the...

Class and Family in Victorian Literature

Introduction The Victorian era in English literature coincided with great reformations in society due to changes brought upon by the Industrial Revolution. Traditional agrarian communities were dissolved, family units became smaller, and the degree of economic instability grew. The expansion of cities and the creation of factories in major English...

Analyzing Female Voices in Chinese Literature: Themes and Impact

Introduction Many recent studies have focused on female representation in art and literature. Researchers are turning their interest toward the fleeting female identity to be found in literary works of the past and the present. Women’s writing is often inseparable from the concept of gender. Each era in human history...

Women’s Position in Kate Chopin’s Short Stories

Introduction Kate Chopin is an outstanding American author of novels and short stories. She is currently recognized as one of the first feminist writers of the 19th century as in her works, she focuses on women and their controversial position in marriage, and social oppression. For this essay, two works...

Symbol of Liberation in Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour”

Introduction The Story of an Hour, which is a short literary work about a woman who thinks that she has become a widow, was written by Kate Chopin in the 1890s. In her short story, the author describes the metamorphoses and the inner dialogue of Louise, whose husband, as far...

“Epilogue” Poem by Robert Lowell

Analysis It is worth noting that Robert Lowell was a poet who did not use rhyme and rhythmic units to give his writings traditional sounding. Many of his works can be regarded as experimental poetry, and the author resorted to his creative method to produce the necessary impression on the...

Anne Moody’s Coming of Age: Segregation and Civil Rights

Introduction The problem of discrimination and biased attitude towards the representatives of particular groups of society has always been an ongoing issue. Even today, despite significant progress in this sphere, some manifestations of this remnant of the past can be observed. The situation was even more complex a half-century ago...

Fools Crow: James Welch’s Insight on Aboriginal Struggles

The theme of aboriginal people and their relations with people from the Western world has always been topical. The existence of multiple disputable issues, extremely sophisticated relations, many cases of discrimination, violence, and the clash of cultures create the basis for vigorous debates about the behavior of one or another...

Metamorphosis in “A White Heron” by S. O. Jewett

The idea of personal change as an unavoidable aspect of growing up and coming of age is one of the core themes in Sarah Orne Jewett’s “A White Heron.” The story follows Sylvia, a young girl who moves to the country and meets an ornithologist who wants to capture a...

“The Lottery” the Story by Shirley Jackson

Children learn about morality while being educated by their parents and teachers in the contexts of certain communities and cultures. Depending on what they see and perceive as ethical and normal, children form their own views and behavior. In her short story “The Lottery,” Shirley Jackson discusses numerous provocative themes...

Punctuation in E. E. Cummings’ “Anyone Lived in a Pretty How Town”

E.E. Cummings’ poem “Anyone Lived in a Pretty How Town” consists of nine four-line stanzas characterized by a dynamic rhythm and frivolous punctuation. The main theme of the literary piece is the survival of individuality in a hostile world that is biased against uniqueness. The inhabitants of a “pretty how...

Maureen Sherry at Harvard Association for Law and Business

Introduction A meeting with Maureen Sherry took place at Harvard Association for Law and Business. Maureen Sherry is a famous writer, a former successful business lady, and a mother of four. During the conversation, she answered questions about her career, the role of women on Wall Street and in business,...

Orgon and Candide from Moliere’s “Tartuffe” and Voltaire’s “Candide”

Introduction The wisdom of classical literary works is a valuable legacy that the authors of past eras left to posterity. The images of many characters, their experiences, thoughts, and actions make one think about the serious aspects of human life and the process of cognition. In order to better understand...

Taboos in James Joyce’s “The Boarding House”

James Joyce’s “The Boarding House” is a short story published in 1914 that focuses on the life of Mrs. Mooney, a butcher’s daughter. After divorcing her husband because of his alcoholism, Mrs. Mooney sets up a boarding house, where her daughter engages in a premarital relationship with one of the...

Female Identity in Ortiz Cofer’s “Quinceanera”

Judith Ortiz Cofer Judith Ortiz Cofer (1952-2016), who wrote Quinceañera, was a Puerto Rican American author critically acclaimed for her poetry, short stories, essays, fiction, and autobiography. She was born in Hormigueros, Puerto Rico, in the family with a military father, J. M. Ortiz Lugo, who took his closest relatives,...

Injustice. “Letter from Birmingham Jail” by Dr. King

Introduction Martin Luther King is regarded as one of the most influential thinkers and fighters for Civil Rights in the USA. His “Letter from Birmingham Jail” is one of the numerous examples of this activist’s effective addresses to people. In this piece, Dr. King responds to white religious leaders who...

Nora’s Decision in H. Ibsen’s “The Doll’s House”

The power of classic literature and dramaturgy is in their ability to withstand the influence of time and remain relevant for society even after years since creation. This assumption might be applied to Henrik Ibsen’s play titled “The Doll’s House.” It was written at the end of the 19th century...

Religion & Hypocrisy: “The Summoning of Everyman”

Introduction The Summoning of Everyman is a medieval morality play that is more often referred to as Everyman. When called by Death, Everyman cannot persuade anyone, Beauty, Kindred, or Worldly Goods, to go with him. Only Good Deeds agree to accompany Everyman to his grave. The present paper discusses the...

Gender Discrimination in “Disgrace” by J.M Coetzee

Introduction Coetzee is regarded as the first South African novelist who had the courage to cover the miseries that people went through, particularly during the post-apartheid period. This book appeared after the country enacted a new constitution that gave people equal rights regardless of their gender or race. His novel...

Themes in Shakespeare’s “The Tragedy of Hamlet”

Hamlet is one of the most significant works by Shakespeare. More so, this is one of the most famous plays in the world literature. The author considers various important issues and this makes the play so influential. This play makes people think of some of the most meaningful issues. Some...

Race and Slavery in the “Clotel” Novel by Brown

Home/family The entire family is brought down by the slave trade. Clotel, Currer, and Althea are completely separated from each other. Currer later dies of yellow fever while Althea is left to suffer under the ruthless hands of slave traders. Even after being married to Henry Morton, her life is...

“For You Mom, Finally” a Book by Ruth Reichl

Ruth Reichl felt a need to re-title her book from “Not Becoming My Mother” to “For You Mom, Finally” because she finally came to an understanding about who her mother really was and that she had actually grown into the independent and self-reliant woman that her mother had always wanted...

“I Cross Till I am Weary” by Emily Dickinson

Introduction In this work of poetry, the persona describes the struggles that she goes through, and what awaits her as she makes her journey to the place of grace (heaven) (Stanza five). As the persona nears the end of her narration, it is not clear whether her goal (place of...

Amory Blaine in “This Side of Paradise” by Fitzgerald

Introduction One of the reasons why Fitzgerald’s novel This Side of Paradise is being commonly referred to as such that represents a high literary value is that despite having been written in 1920, it contains a number of themes and motifs that relate to the discursive realities of a contemporary...

“The Disinherited” by Jack Conroy

“The Disinherited” by Jack Conroy mixed an early version of social commentary and fiction into a compelling informant narrative that delved into the life of a poor low wage worker within the U.S. during the early 1900s. The book delves into how non-skilled workers within the U.S. attempt to live...

Trauma of Internment for the Nikkei Family in No-No Boy

Introduction John Okada’s No-No Boy recounts the story of challenging cultural identity of a Japanese American young man named Ichiro. In the midst of a bloody conflict with the Japanese, the United States undertook a radical move of creating concentration camps for those of Japanese origin, whilst still requiring these...