Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. Review

“Harrison Bergeron,” a short story written by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. in 1961, presents the world 120 years later when the government has complete control over freedom of thought and full equality has finally been achieved – at a price, obviously. The story is interesting in many ways, especially in analyzing...

Examination of the Heroes Beowulf and The Knight

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

“The Story of the Stone” by Cao Xueqin

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

“Americanizing the White Man” by Felix S. Cohen

In Americanizing the White Man, Felix S. Cohen uses the term “Americanizing” to mean transforming immigrants from Europe into the American people. The author uses this term to raise a question about what kind of traditions and culture America heritages. For example, traditional American food and products such as corn,...

William Blake’s Influence on Modern Counterculture

An accomplished painter and poet, William Blake, is an influential figure of the Romantic age, which was characterized by people’s reactions to the changes occurring in Europe. His two prominently famous publications, The Marriage of Heaven and Hell and Songs of Innocence and Experience, are among the artistic endeavors espousing...

“How to Talk to Girls at Parties” Story by Neil Gaiman

How to Talk to Girls at Parties is a fantasy story by Naiman, set in 1970s London. Enn, the main character, narrates it after thirty years from the action. He and his friend, Vic, in their teenage years decided to meet young ladies. They study at the school for boys...

The Tale of The Ox and the Donkey in Modern Society

Writers have used tales to convey a particular message to the audience. Tales are stories where one is creative, and they can either be factual or fictional. For instance, One Thousand and One Nights was compiled in Arabic during the Islamic Golden Age and focuses on what people experience in...

Three Waves of Feminism in Cunningham’s “The Hours” Novel

Introduction The Hours by Michael Cunningham is a novel, which follows and describes a day from three women’s lives. The main characters are Virginia Woolf, Laura Brown, and Clarissa Vaughn. The actions of these women take place during different timelines and locations. Virginia Woolf is an author who is writing...

Antagonistic Objects in the Short Stories

An antagonist is a character who opposes the main one on the way to achieve goals. The antagonist-protagonist opposition is one of the possible driving forces of the central conflict of literature work. The actions of the antagonist not only create obstacles that the protagonist must overcome but can also...

Values in Qur’an and “Thousand and One Nights”

By comparing several passages from the Qur’an and the story of “Thousand and One Nights”, it becomes possible to determine what values they share. These morals and instructions are passed down from generation to generation, showing believers the right way of life. The story of Prince Behram and the Princess...

Modern Meets Ancient in A. E. Stallings

Death took me by the hand and took me to the underground. Did it not know that I still had life to live and more to explore? It was the second chaotic, unpleasing home it placed me on. Never did death feel a little sorry for me. Dealing with the...

Analysis of “Ozymandias” and “My Last Duchess”

Literary devices are intended to give the text various expressive qualities and originality, reveal the author’s attitude to what is written, and convey some hidden meanings. A detailed description of the sculpture of Ozymandias and word choice, including such imageries as “Two vast and trunkless legs,” “shattered visage,” and “wrinkled...

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...

Iliad and Odyssey: Hector and Menelaus Comparison

Introduction Two epic poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey have great significance due to the poetic content they encompass. It is essential to consider two characters in these readings – Hector from the Iliad and Menelaus from the Odyssey. The former is the oldest descendant of the Trojan king Priam...

“Philip Seymour Hoffman” by Nick Flynn: Poem Analysis

In “Philip Seymour Hoffman” by Nick Flynn, the narrative sets the former addict in front of a box with Vicodin, which he had put away for an emergency when he decided to stop using drugs. The author describes the thoughts and feelings of a person who struggles with addiction, demonstrating...

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...

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

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

“Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” by T. Williams

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof is a classical Tennessee Williams’ play that examines the themes of an unhappy marriage, social hypocrisy, sexual repression, and masculinity crisis. It follows an unhappily married couple, Brick and Maggie, as they attempt to navigate the rocky phase of their union, Brick’s alcoholism, and...

Realism and Naturalism in Spanish and French Literature

Introduction It might be stated that both realism and naturalism played a substantial role in the history of Spanish literature. Hence, the approaches of the founders of these genres are an appropriate theme to discover. It should be mentioned that French authors – such as Balzac and Zola – affected...

“Matteo Ricci and the Catholic Mission to China” by Hsia

The book Matteo Ricci and the Catholic Mission to China written by Ronnie Po-Chia Hsia at first seems to be a story about a missionary’s life and achievements. However, as one becomes more acquainted with it, a deeper meaning behind the narrative is revealed. This relates to the uniqueness of...

Friendship in “The Epic of Gilgamesh”

In “The Epic of Gilgamesh,” the theme of friendship may be regarded as one of the central themes of the poem. The main heroes, Gilgamesh and Enkidu, were completely different persons before they meet each other. Gilgamesh is primarily described as a tyrannical king that does not respect his people....

Comparing “The Egg” by Weir and “Other People” by Gaiman

The Overview In Neil Gaiman’s short story Other People, a person finds himself in Hell, and his greatest torture is to relive his life through the eyes of those he hurt. It is a circular narrative in the sense that it ends just like it began: an arrogant person enters...

Role of Religion in “Moby Dick” by Herman Melville

The adventure novel “Moby Dick,” written by Herman Melville, is an excellent example of a literary work full of symbols transmitting the secret message behind the narrative. Most of these symbols are somehow related to religion, and this fact conditions the central place of the religious theme in the book....

War in Ernest Hemingway and Tim O’Brien’s Stories

Soldier’s Home and How to Tell a True War Story are short stories written about the wars. In the Soldier’s House, Hemingway narrates the time after the First World War, and O’Brien connects the events with the Vietnam War. In a comparison of O’Brien’s description of war with Hemingway, it...

Review of Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour”

The short story written by Kate Chopin in 1894 raises essential feminist issues. Despite the short form of the literary work, it successfully and powerfully conveys the deprivations American women of the end of the nineteenth century experienced due to the dominantly patriarchal society in which they lived. Meticulously using...

“Airframe” by Michael Crichton

The plot of the story is focused around Casey Singleton who is a single mom and the quality assurance vice-president of Norton Aircraft, a company that deals with the manufacture of airplanes. Casey is called in to investigate the crash of one of Norton’s wide-body aircraft, the Norton N-22 after...

Bridging the Romantic and the Modern in Poetry

Romantic poetry started during the Victorian period and was characterized by a more plain language than previously, though still more formal and flowery than in twentieth century poetry. It was more conversational and emphasized high ideals. The poetry choose country over city and tried to reconcile animals and humans. It...

Poem Analysis William Shakespeare

Sonnet 18 by William Shakespeare can be viewed as a message from a man to his beloved women. The speaker talks to a girl describing her beauty and her importance to him. For this reason, the tone is solemn, inspirational, and at the same time, it is full of warmth...

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...

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...

Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land” Analysis

Woody Guthrie composed “This Land Is Your Land” in 1940 with the hope of proving the Americans to diverse views. The poem is well known, and it is considered the nation’s patriotic anthem. While the composition is supposed to promote patriotism, some of the song’s stanzas contradict the tune’s intended...

“The Five Languages of Love” by Gary Chapman

Introduction to Chapters 1, 2, 3 Many fiction works and films are built on the same plot: the heroes love each other but cannot show it. Based on misunderstanding, many stories unfold: sometimes funny, sometimes sad and tragic. Often, a couple’s life is full of misunderstandings and difficulties in developing...

Man-Nature Resistance in Faulkner’s “The Bear” and Frost’s “Mending Wall”

Introduction In literature, the theme of man-nature relationships is common and delivered in a variety of ways. In the majority of cases, people see nature as a protagonist because, despite multiple intentions, it is hard for a person to gain control over natural processes and changes. It is also important...

Cultural Identity in Yamauchi’s And the Soul Shall Dance and Tan’s Two Kinds Plays

In the play And the Soul Shall Dance, Yamauchi provides an overview of the life of Japanese-immigrants in the United States. The author presents the conflict between the American and Japanese cultures as the immigrants long for their home country. The characters struggle to assimilate into the American culture as...

“Order of Things: An Archaeology of Human Sciences” by Foucault

Argument The central argument that Michel Foucault puts forward in the Order of Things: An Archaeology of Human Sciences is that relevant points of history, knowledge, and humankind come in a specific order. By discussing the order, the author points to a series of assumptions that make up the relevant...

“A Clockwork Orange” by Anthony Burgess

Introduction Every book ever published was written for a reason – to convey a specific idea to the readers. However, most published works do not state their central topics on the first page, opting for a more allegorical presentation. This review will examine Anthony Burgess’s most infamous novel, A Clockwork...

Jack Updike: Biography and Writings

Brief Biography John Updike was born on March 18, 1932, in Reading, Pennsylvania. He spent his early childhood in Shillington, Pennsylvania, where his father taught math to high school students. Updike’s mother was a novelist, from whom he inherited such passion for writing. During their high school years, John Updike...

“Theatre 6” by Sarah Hall

Introduction It might be difficult for people to openly discuss the moral dilemmas that can cause one to choose between abiding by the law and helping others. The story that is described in this essay discusses this issue by placing the reader out of his or her comfort zone and...

“The Little Black Boy” by William Blake

The rhythmic picture of the poem aims to convey the words of a little black boy as if it were a direct speech. For this purpose, William Blake constructed the stanzas of the poem as quatrains with the rhyme pattern “ABAB,” and most importantly, used the iambic pentameter. According to...

Reflection of Livy’s Ideas in Aeschylus’s Book

Individual ancient literary texts reveal specific stories in detail and serve as useful guidelines to interpret other works. As an example, one can discuss the role of Livy’s The History of Rome as an epic that contains important historical notes. Comparing his individual ideas with those of Aeschylus in Prometheus...

Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet: Play Analysis

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

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

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

Animal Themes in Mythology: The Fox

Introduction Animals often have a prominent role in the world’s mythologies and folklore. The fox is a common figure in many traditions, representing a cunning trickster or, sometimes, messenger, figure (Ashkenazi 148; Lihui and An 239). This figure is not necessarily negative or malevolent but is often described as dangerous...

Frankenstein: A Child in the Form of the Monster

Introduction Frankenstein is the most famous piece of literature by Mary Shelley. The novel tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a scientist, who decided to make a living creature on his own. He successfully coped with the task, but the obtained result was terrible, which made Frankenstein reject his artificially...

Greek Heroic Motifs in “The Iliad”: Agamemnon and Priam

Introduction Greek history is frequently discussed in many literary works, and Homer’s Iliad is probably the most famous and successful story about the Trojan War and its participants. In this epic poem, heroic motifs are determined by harsh social obligations and definite cultural beliefs, underlining the role of gods and...

“A Raisin in the Sun” Drama by Lorraine Hansberry

The play opened on Broadway in 1959 was a success. Despite the mixed reviews it had received before the opening, the primarily white audiences enjoyed it. “A Raisin in the Sun” was the first play by a black female author performed on Broadway and also the first one there directed...

The Tragedy of “A Streetcar Named Desire” by T. Williams

Tragedy, as a form of drama, is defined not necessarily by the overall sorrowful atmosphere of a literary piece, but by the comeuppance that the protagonist receives due to their faults. With this distinction, the calamity of the situation is achieved using having no one to blame for the ending...

Jane Austen and Her Accomplishments

Jane Austen was born on 16th December 1775 and died on 18th July 1817 at the age of 41. She is considered to be among the world’s greatest novelists and she is mainly known for her six major novels which portray the British manners, customs, and beliefs of landowners near...

Inspiration by Rudyard Kipling’s Poetry

Art Creation It is impossible to overestimate the necessity of inspirational poems for people of all ages. Thanks to the works of the greatest writers of all times, persons can find meaning in their lives, strength to hold on, and motivation to continue whatever they are doing. After reading such...

Tennyson’s “Charge of the Light Brigade” and Wilmot’s “The Disabled Debauchee”

Alfred Lord Tennyson’s “Charge of the Light Brigade” and John Wilmot’s “The Disabled Debauchee” are two pieces of poetry belonging to different eras and styles. The poems have little in common, diverging in the most fundamental aspects. The first text is written in the nineteenth century to celebrate heroic deeds,...

“The Plague” by Albert Camus Critique

The biggest problem of our life is its ending. However, this can happen either when the time comes or undesirable due to some disease. The Plague is a perfect representation of a horror that took many people’s lives. The book represents the circumstances that a town in Algeria had to...

Analyzing ‘Out, Out—’: A Deep Dive into Robert Frost’s Poem

Robert Frost’s poem “Out, Out—” (1916) is a single stanza poem describing the accidental death of a young boy who cuts his hand off when sawing wood. The poem has powerful imagery and rhythmical structure that creates a vivid picture of the accident. When describing the scene, the author uses...

“Romeo and Juliet” by Shakespeare

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

“The Fires of Jubilee” by Stephen Oates

The four-day slave rebellion organized by Nat Turner in Virginia is among the most remembered events in African-American history. In his book titled The Fires of Jubilee: Nat Turner’s Fierce Rebellion, Stephen Oates, who is an expert in 19th century America, explores the biography of “the most famous slave” (p....

“Joyas Voladoras” by Brian Doyle: How to Achieve Life Goals

Introduction Writers and artists employ different tools, techniques, and literary devices to pass the intended message to the readers. Individuals should follow such works in an effort to acquire additional insights and relate them to some of the challenges they might encounter in their lives. While analysts and scholars will...

“The Wrysons” Story by John Cheever

The story “The Wrysons” written by John Cheever is a typical narrative about an American couple that preferred everything familiar to the unusual that they distrusted. The life of these people revolved around their comfort zone, and they were incredibly unwilling to welcome any change in their well-organized existence (Cheever...

Ernest H. Griffin’s “The Oasis: Africa”

Throughout world history, wartime has always been considered as the darkest and most dooming time for the world community. However, modern textbooks are not capable of expressing the actual feeling of terror and trembling fear people lived through during those years. To bring modern generations closer to their ancestors’ history,...

The Importance of Friendship Between Arnold and Rowdy

The book “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” by Sherman Alexie tells a story of a boy named Arnold (nicknamed Junior) with a disability that made him an easy target for his peers. However, there was one person who was not being aggressive towards Arnold due to his...

“Parable of the Sower” by Octavia E. Review

Introduction Within the current state of government and society order, it is difficult to predict the future regarding the abundance of current issues that can jeopardize a better future. The current civilization should consider the specific laws and ways of living in order to set to ensure a bright future...

Phoenix in “A Worn Path” Story by Eudora Welty

“A Worn Path” is a story about the self-sacrifice and courage of vulnerable people in the name of a loved one. Written almost 80 years ago, the narrative remains relevant until now. The current paper claims that “A Worn Path” describes a feat that is minor in the context of...

Robert Burns the Scottish Poet

Biography Burns’ family was relatively poor, and he had to work at the farm as a child. His father, William Burnes, taught him writing, reading, and arithmetic at home (Crawford 50). Later, he received lessons in French, Latin, and mathematics from John Murdoch, a student hired by his father (Carswell...

The Role of the Supernatural

Introduction The term “supernatural” has several meanings and is used in both everyday speech and scholarly works on philosophy, psychology, and literature. In its most general meaning, the adjective “supernatural” means something not explained naturally, which is not subject to the laws of nature. In the field of fiction, the...

Oedipus and Hamlet: Review

Oedipus the King by Sophocles and Hamlet by William Shakespeare belong to the most famous tragedies in the world. Even though the creations belong to different historical periods, they have a few common concepts. The ground for this is that both works explore human feelings, actions, and desires and the...

Maus: A Survivor’s Tale by Art Spiegelman

This paper will analyze the graphic strategies used by Art Spiegelman on page 13 of his graphic novel, Maus: A Survivor’s Tale. This page represents a part of the narration when a father tells his son about his past, so it includes both the current timeline of the story and...

Analysis of “Girl in Translation, Chapter 11 and 12” by Kwok

One of the most key characteristics of chapter eleven revolves around relationship dynamics between various characters. The first major event takes place when some boys, who surrounded Vivian as the center of their attention, show disrespect towards Park. At this moment, Kim observes such behavior and steps to defend him,...

The Concept of World Literature

Introduction Literature is an important tool in people’s lives because it plays a central role in connecting individuals with larger truths and societal ideologies. It allows people to document their experiences and thoughts, which are then shared with other individuals, and passed from one generation to another; hence, it is...

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 Philosophy of the Middle Path in the “If”

Introduction The poem “If” by Rudyard Kipling develops the theme of resilience, manhood, and middle path utilizing devices of rhythm, rhyme, repetition, and symbolism. This didactic poem presents the author’s advice to his son John and consists of one compound sentence. In this sentence, Rudyard Kipling describes paradoxical life situations...

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...

A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Literature has always been a tool used by authors to attract people’s attention to a particular aspect of their lives of problems topical for society. At the same time, some issues have always been topical for communities because of their universal character. These include love, relations, faith, morals, and values...

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...

“Illness in Literature: “Nightmare Begins Responsibility“ and “The Metamorphosis““

The Importance of Literature For every reader, literature opens up the marvelous world of human relationships and experiences. Different epochs and cultures would describe the term literature differently. In its simplest definition, literature refers to a set of written and printed works of a certain people and period. At the...

Mont Blanc: Lines Written in the Vale of Chamouni

Percy Bysshe Shelley wrote this first-person poem inspired by the Chamonix Valley landscapes near Geneva. The Romantic style of William Wordsworth significantly influenced Shelley’s poetry. The former applied a similar writing style by describing feelings and emotions with physical objects. The young Englishman visited the Arve Valley by Mont Blanc,...

White Slave Owners and the Tyranny of Slavery in Phillis Wheatley’s Poetry

Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral is the first published volume of poetry written by an African-American author Phillis Wheatley (Mulder et al.). Published in 1773, Wheatley had an opportunity to speak out on the tyranny she and her race faced from day to day. Without any fear, she...

Allen Ginsberg’s “Howl” Summary and Analysis

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

“Know Your Why” by Ken Costa

This book has comprised several simple truths that help an individual to figure out their main purpose in life. It is addressed to those who burn out at work spending numerous hours doing things they do not enjoy. Those activities do not bring them closer to the desired future. The...

Crane’s “The Open Boat”: The Central Idea and Language

Central Idea The narration centers around the correspondent, the captain, the cook, and the oiler, who are lost in a boat in the middle of the sea after a shipwreck. The central idea of the story is to show the place of a man in the world and to demonstrate...

Chaucer’s Book of the Duchess and the Gawain Poet’s Pearl: A Critical Essay

Introduction The feeling of a personal loss is one of the emotional experiences that transcend all cultures and are easily understood by the members of any cultural environment. Moreover, the concepts of love and loss, as well as those of life and death, transcend not only cultures but time as...

The Book “A Vindication of the Rights of Woman” by Mary Wollstonecraft

Introduction Mary Wollstonecraft, an 18th-century British author and philosopher, was among the first people who openly drew the public’s attention to women’s rights in society. Her fundamental work, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, explores several important topics, and education is one of them. The situation in this regard...

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...

The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Tempest: Being “Civilized” or “Uncivilized”

Introduction Civilization is one of the most significant achievements of the whole world. However, is it indeed rational to consider people who fail to meet local norms uncivilized? When it comes to a postcolonial analysis, the concepts of “civilized” and “uncivilized” are interpreted differently from their modern meanings. It refers...

Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in the Wonderland”

It is difficult to imagine a person in the world who has never heard about the famous story of Alice in the Wonderland. The address to this fascinating plot about a little girl who appears in miraculous surroundings seems to have its reflection both direct and indirect one in a...

“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...

“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...

“Fences” by August Wilson – Drama Analysis

In his compelling masterpiece, the fence, August Wilson describes the lifestyle of blacks amid a foreign land. He focuses on the social life of African-Americans who struggle to improve their status in a country controlled by racism. Troy and Cory are the main characters in Wilson’s story. As a father...

Traditional European Society in Voltaire’s Candide

Introduction Candide, ou l’Optimisme is an 18th-century novel written by Voltaire, the French philosopher of the Age of Enlightenment. Focused on the story of a young man named Candide who was taught by his tutor, Professor Pangloss, in the spirit of Leibnizian optimism, it satirizes religion, the optimistic beliefs of...

Walt Whitman: Famous American Author

Walter “Walt” Whitman (May 31, 1819 – March 26, 1892) was one of the most famous American authors. Furthermore his legacy has been still a matter of controversy for the manner it was written in as well as for its outward sexuality. The poet was born to a carpenter who...

The Necessity of Self-Contemplation

Introduction While modern technology and social media have done wonders in terms of connecting people, it can be argued that this integration has come at the price of one of our least celebrated necessities. Time strictly devoted to oneself is time spent analyzing beliefs, values, and the purpose one takes...

Similarities Between Norse and Indian Myths

Introduction A comparative study of mythology is essential for understanding the specifics of cultural and historical areas in the ancient world. Mythology was not only an arsenal for literature but also a direct predecessor of religious and philosophical thought. Moreover, the evolution of myth-making reflected the main stages of ancient...

Language in Paul Auster’s The New York Trilogy

Word and language act as essential criteria for human self-awareness and self-identification. The word as the main character is a feature of postmodern prose; it not only reflects reality but also creates it, causing it to be discursive practices. This feature also applies fully to the work of the famous...

“What We Talk About When We Talk About Love” by Raymond Carver

Introduction What We Talk About When We Talk About Love is a concluding story in a self-titled collection of short stories written by Raymond Carver. It sets to explores various notions humans have about love. The title itself suggests that there are different perceptions people can have about this concept,...

The Mayflower Voyage Analysis

The decision to depart on a dangerous voyage to the new land with the Pilgrims was not an easy one for me, Mrs. Hopkins since I was pregnant at the time of the trip. In order be ready for a journey that would last for over sixty days, I had...

Craig Welch’s Shell Games Prologue & Chapter 1: Summary and Evaluation

Summary On November 13, 2001, a group of three police officers, Ed Volz, Bill Jarmon, and Charlie Pudwill, watch a well-concealed scuba diving boat at the Puget Sound in the Pacific Northwest. All there are serving in the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, mainly investigating the cases of sea...

Byron, Keats, and Shelley: The Era of Romanticism

The poetry of the Romanticism era shares quite a few characteristics defined by the time in which it was produced, yet each author also left their own unique imprint on the poems created at the time. Three of the most prolific Romantic poets of the time, namely, Byron, Keats, and...

“Hidden Intellectualism” by Gerald Graff

Introduction Gerald Graff is a specialist in English language studies and a researcher in the sphere of education. He wrote more than five books covering controversial and complicated topics, such as conflicts between a pupil and a teacher, the problem of diversification of cultural backgrounds, and the negative consequences of...

The Story “The Jilting of Granny Weatherall” by Katherine Anne Porter

“The Jilting of Granny Weatherall” is a story about an octogenarian lady named Granny Weatherall. The woman suffers from a fatal disease and the whole narrative describes the process of her dying. The author of the story, Katherine Anne Porter, covers the topics of the strength of women, the dichotomy...

Encountering the Landscapes of Life and Death: Literature Review

This essay examines two stories – “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman and “Death by Landscape” by Margaret Atwood. In the paper, attention will be given to the comparison and the contrast of the protagonists’ isolation from the world and the people around them. Despite the difference in their...

“A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner Analysis

William Faulkner’s choice of a perspective as a faceless voice of the crowd serves as a viewpoint that is presented to the reader for a number of reasons. Due to the inconsistent timeline, the story shows reflections of the past from the present point of view. The following essay discusses...

Euhemerism Theory and Myths Across Cultures

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

The Poem Howl by Allen Ginsberg Review

The poem Howl by Allen Ginsberg was written in a highly peculiar period of the Beat Generation. The latter was comprised of a number of authors who reevaluated the established norms of society and adhered to non-conformism. Allen himself was highly opposed to repression, exploitation, and capitalism because he perceived...

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...

Women in Homer’s World

The society in Homer’s world is patriarchal. The men are the ones who rule. However, the women do appear and they can be categorized into three groups. The first group is that of the women who serve the male heroes, or are sacrificed for the sake of the men. These...

The Struggle From Faith To Faith In Night By Elie Wiesel

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

‘The Friar’ in Canterbury Tales

Introduction The Friar, one of Chaucer’s portraits of what he perceived as a corrupt clergy, can simply be described as a fraud. At a glance The Friar is a religious and pious figure. But a close scrutiny reveals a character different from what he presents to the naked eye. Infact,...

The Lais of Marie de France: Idiosyncratic Perspective on Love in Medieval Literature

Critical History The ‘Lais of Marie de France’ is an omnibus edition of works by a medieval female writer. The collection consists of twelve narrative poems, among which are Bisclavert, Cheverfoil, and Lanval. Glyn Burgess, who studied her works, notices, that ‘the theme of love is certainly the fundamental preoccupation’...

The American Dream in “Two Kinds” by Amy Tan

Introduction Literature is one of the greatest ways through which important messages are passed to millions of people all over the world. The audience may be fascinated by the title of a story or novel and decide to buy it while another may be interested in reading anything that will...

The Habit of “Disgrace” by John Maxwell Coetzee

John Maxwell Coetzee is considered one of the most prominent contemporary novelists. His literary talent facilitated the South African writer’s worldwide recognition and won him the Booker Prize and Nobel Prize in literature. Coetzee is the author of numerous remarkable novels such as “Life and Times of Michael T”, “Waiting...

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...

Native Americans in the United States: Literature Review

What you Pawn I Will Redeem The narrator of the story by Sherman Alexie is a homeless man Jackson Jackson, a very unusual person with a generous heart, an “After Columbus Arrived Indian” (Perkins 402). He is a heavy drinking homeless Indian man, with bad health, leading a destructive lifestyle;...

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

When under serious pressure of life whoever is not broken? Whoever is not shaken, embarrassed and confused? Who will be able to save one’s spiritual heart from a “shipwreck of faith” which is described by Apostle Paul in his writings to the first century Christians? Sort of a “shipwreck of...

Shakespeare’s Othello’s and O. J. Simpson’s Tragedies

Shakespeare provides very many examples that can be used for comparing O.J and Othello: the juice and the fish. They are all stars in different ways, champions, combatants, and gladiators. Therefore, having all these ideas in place it is possible to get down to comparing and contrasting the two. Othello...

The Bus Driver Who Wanted to Be God

A metaphor of journey has been an important tool for many writers to explore characters, themes, and story of a work of fiction. Mark Twain’s “Tom Sawyer” is a vivid example of the journey structure as a way to explore society with all of its flaws. Etgar Keret uses a...

Oban on Native American Indian Culture and Values

Overview This story revolves around a beautiful girl from a native Indian American village and her encounter with the bear people. Throughout the story, the traditional believes that native Indians held about bears are clearly articulated. The bear has always been part of Native American Indian culture and mythology. Native...

Barn Burning by Faulkner: Symbols & Setting Analysis

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

Poetry of Seamus Heaney and Sinéad Morrissey

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

Recent Carnival of Crime in Connecticut

Introduction Conscience functions as a judge in one’s mind and thus plays a great role in defining individuals’ behavior. It also helps one to differentiate what is right and wrong. Conscience is a universal inner feeling that shows one the standards of laws required of them, which gets embedded in...

Playing Steve in “A Streetcar Named Desire” by T. Williams

Premiering in 1947, Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire is a play set in the late 1940s about the downfall of Blanche DuBois and the relationship between Stanley Kowalski and his wife Stella. Blanche and Stella come from an upper-class background in Mississippi, where Blanche lived and worked as a...

Writing About the Past

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

Language of “Everyday Use” Story by Alice Walker

The short story Everyday Use (1974) by Alice Walker is a representation of earlier works by the author. In fact, the story is about the hardships of African American women in everyday life. It is about the milestones of heritage and ancestry that is implied in terms of African American...

Jung Chang’s “Wild Swans”

Jung Chang is now viewed by many literary critics as one of the most prominent Chinese writers. Her autobiographical book “Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China” several social, cultural, and psychological problems. It should be taken into account that this novel is officially banned in China mostly because it unmasks...

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...

Life of Charles Dickens

Introduction Born in February 7, 1812 in Portsmouth, Charles Dickens lived to become a prolific 19th century writer of fiction novels, short stories and plays. His father worked as a pay clerk in the navy office, with a salary hardly enough to support the family (Sanders p.1). Charles was as...

“The Bustle in a House” by Emily Dickinson

It is hard to lose a loved one. My father passed away 15 years ago and he died in front of me. What can a person do to cope? No one is prepared for an event as tragic as that. No amount of study and knowledge acquisition can steel the...

Latina Females in Sandra Cisneros’ “The House on Mango Street”

Introduction Sandra Cisneros’ “The House on Mango Street” is an illustration of the problems faced by Latin women in a culture laden with racism, prejudice, and discrimination. Society as depicted in the book is being dominated by men, while the Latin women are treated without equality, akin to second-rate beings....

Values and Conflicts in The Oresteia by Aeschylus

Values are actions that society universally qualifies as good; therefore, the wider community sets them as their goals in life. The play revolves around Atreus’s house in which it seemed there was a revenge cycle. Haunting in the Atreus house by ancient crimes began with the patriarch, Pelops. Atreus invited...

“The Red Convertible” by Louise Erdrich: Symbolism

As the title shows, “The Red Convertible” is the main fulcrum of the story and the entire plot is built around it. It is used as a symbol of happiness with its color ‘red’ denoting passion and life. At the beginning of the story, the car belongs to both Lyman...

Analyzing the Short Story: A Rose for Emily

William Faulkner is often considered as one of the most widely accepted writers in English literature. Faulkner’s story ‘A Rose for Emily’ explains the story of Emily Grierson. Emily Grierson is a strong woman with a great sense of tradition and a very dynamic character. The final paragraph of Faulkner’s...

“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...

“Mimsy Were the Borogoves” by Lewis Padgett

The short story Mimsy Were the Borogoves, written by Henry Cutter and Catherine Moore, has always been considered as one of the most prominent examples of American science fiction. The main reason, why this novella attracts so much attention of critics is its deep symbolism, and intricate ideas, which the...

Anna’s Sacrifice in My Sister’s Keeper by Jodie Picolt

This paper analyses the role of Anna Fitzgerald and her character traits in the novel “My sister’s keeper” which was written by Jodi Picoult became the best-selling novel in the United States of America in 2004. “My sister’s keeper” novel is basically about a thirteen-year-old young lady Anna Fitzgerald who...

Myth About the Selkies Narrates About the Seal People

The Ireland is a country of ancient myths and traditions whose magical stories are emotional and appealing. Those narrations are always a mixture of love and hate, sufferings and pleasure, joy and grief. The myth about the Selkies narrates about the seal people who have all the qualities of the...

“Origins of Nazi Violence” by Traverso

“Origins of the Nazi violence” is an attempt by the author to offer an explanation on one of the most horrendous events of the twentieth century i.e. the Holocaust. Generally speaking the book is quite analytical and draws on several schools of thought. It then uses these previous philosophies to...

“Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” by Lewis Carroll

Introduction Lewis Carroll, the author of the book Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, managed to illustrate the fantasy world being full of anthropomorphic creatures through the depiction of morality themes; the tale is considered to be a gradual way to self-recognition and values perception. It is necessary to underline the fact...

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 “Substance of Things Hoped For” by Samuel Dewitt Proctor

A crucial mechanism for survival in the black community’s struggle The “substance of things hoped for” is a crucial mechanism for survival in the black community’s struggle because it is extremely important not only to dream about freedom and prosperity but to follow the dream and embody the plans and...

Metafiction on the Example of Works of Literature

Introduction Analyzing postmodernism, its description is often examined through such literary phenomenon as metafiction. Metafiction can be defined as a fiction that makes the readers realize and acknowledge the nature and the meaning of the process of creating the fiction. Self-reflectiveness makes the reality of the texts, the author, and...

“Nathan the Wise” Play by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing

Nathan the Wise is a dramatic work by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing which is outstanding for its close relation to the epoch of the Enlightenment. It is an outstanding German play in five acts that discloses most of the ideals of the era. The theme of rationality in relation to religion...

The Strange, Dark World of Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”

“Macbeth” is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare in 1605 or 1606 and published in 1628. The story of the play is no figment of the author’s imagination. Macbeth was a real king – a king of Scotland, nephew of Molom II, and ruler of Moray. He married Grunch, granddaughter...

Hemingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants” and Tan’s “Two Kinds”

Outline This paper will compare the style and point of view of the two stories “Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway and “Two Kinds” by Amy Tan. The two different perspectives will be examined in the context of their respective stories and symbols to understand the viewpoints and the...

“Girl With a Pearl Earring” by Tracy Chevalier

As we can see in “Girl with a Pearl Earring”, written by Tracy Chevalier, the author can be free in selection of facts and settings. The novel is a kind of composition on a free topic or the description of one’s feelings at the time of looking at the picture....

“The Deserted Village” by Oliver Goldsmith

Introduction During the course of the last two centuries, the semantic meaning of Oliver Goldsmith’s poem “The Deserted Village” has been assessed from a variety of different perspectives. Whereas, some literary critics used to suggest that it was namely Goldsmith’s “pastoral idealism”, which served him as an inspiration, while he...

The Analysis of the Story of Oedipus

The American College Encyclopedic Dictionary defines the adjective “blind” as: 1. lacking the sense of sight; 2. unwilling, or unable to try or understand; 3. not controlled by reason: (blind tenacity); 4. not possessing or proceeding from intelligence; 5. lacking all awareness: ( a blind stupor); 6. drunk – hard...

William Faulkner’s World Revealed in “A Rose for Emily”

Introduction William Faulkner (1897-1962) is one of America’s favorite authors. Before his death in 1962, he was able to produce 26 books and a difficult to count number of short stories. His tales were full of such character and artistry that he has become recognized as a giant in world...

“Travels With Herodotus” and “Marco Polo Didn’t Go There”

Traveling as the Core problem in the Compared Books Traveling notes have always been interesting and exciting for both, the writer of them and the reader. Different people, visiting the same countries may write absolutely different works about these countries as personal perception in traveling is one of the main...