Aspects of Sophocles Oedipus’s Cycle

Introduction Sophocles is a contemporary of the golden age of Athens; his writings reflect the ideals of polis democracy. These are the political equality and freedom of all full-fledged citizens, selfless service to the motherland, respect for the gods, and the nobility of people’s aspirations. Independence in their decisions and...

The “Blissfully Blended Bullshit” Book by Ecker

While “Blissfully Blended Bullshit” by Rebecca Ecker may be divisive for several reasons, it is still an exciting voyage into the author’s experience of family mixing because of its ruthless honesty. Some important themes throughout Ecker’s life are discrimination, favouritism, and romanticized views of relationships. The author’s unfiltered, raw writing...

Evil in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by O’Connor

Introduction A Good Man is Hard to Find is one of the most outstanding works by Flannery O’Connor, a writer whose blood-chilling stories confront the usual stereotypes about religion, the good, and the evil. Indeed, in A Good Man is Hard to Find, O’Connor condemns the conventionalism of faith and...

Lee’s Doc Hata vs. Spiegelman’s Vladek Comparison

Experiences define personality and view of life. The trials people go through in their lives help carve them into who they are and will be in the future. Large-scale events have a high impact on a person’s life, evidenced by the lives of Doc Hata from Lee’s A Gesture Life...

The Heroic Quest in “Sundiata” and “The Popol Vuh”

Introduction A heroic quest is when the protagonist of a story travels to faraway lands to pursue vital life goals that will benefit them individually or a group of people. One of the literary works that share the theme of the heroic quest is Sundiata by Djibril Tamsir, originally published...

“Always Running” by Luis Rodriguez

Introduction The history of crime in Los Angeles (L.A.) is not a matter of class or race alone; instead, it connects both issues. Rodriguez holds this true in his account of La Vida Loca. In America, Los Angeles is considered one of the most culturally diverse states, with a large...

“The Death of Ivan Ilyich” by Leo Tolstoy

The story The Death of Ivan Ilyich was first published in 1886. It, like The Confessions, reflects Tolstoy’s spiritual quest. It is one of the first works where death is shown so realistically, “with all the terrible clarity” (Tolstoy 45). In the story, it is not so much the death...

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline Novel Review

Gamification ideas have been applied in daily life, marketing strategies, and stories for many decades. The novel Ready Player One by Ernest Cline is about a journey through the life of James Halliday and his unique creation; the virtual reality game referred to as the OASIS. The story is set...

The Myth and History Relationship in Homer’s Iliad

Notably, Homer’s Iliad is the oldest extant work of Greek literature. Schein (2022) emphasizes that the artifact is most likely the outcome of extraordinarily sophisticated procedures that involved both orality and writing, resulting in the creation of a fixed manuscript in the late eighth century. In historical terms, the heroic...

Epics Reading Logs: Odysseus, Heracles, King Arthur

This epic story about the life and wanderings of King Ithaca impressed me greatly and made me reevaluate some aspects of my own personality. First, it was easier for me to associate myself with Odysseus. Since he goes through severe development, Odysseus overcomes himself and fights, becoming a true hero....

“Ordinary Men” by Christopher R. Browning: Analysis

Introduction Ordinary Men, written by Christopher R. Browning, is a book about actual past events. It is a story about Reserve Police Battalion 101 of the German Order Police, responsible for round-ups and mass extermination of Jewish people. Peer pressure and obedience to authority are the most well-known reasons for...

Racial Issues in the “Fences” Play by August Wilson

My favorite play from this course’s reading is Fences by the playwright August Wilson. The drama relates the story of Troy Maxson, a former player in the Negro basketball league trying to provide for his family. Because of his race and the color barriers in sports, he was prevented from...

Themes in “Two Ways to Belong in America” Book by Mukherjee

Bharati Mukherjee is an author of Indian descent who immigrated to America in 1961. She was born in 1940 and was raised in Calcutta, India. She earned an M.F.A and a Ph.D. in literature. Bharati Mukherjee has authored several books that have gained her worldwide fame and recognition. Two Ways...

Two Religions in “Yellow Woman” Story by Silko

The two religious traditions are approached in Silko’s story from the point where differences between people serve as the key contributor to issues within any given community. The author explained it by dwelling more on how there could be people looking forward to demoting another person based on perception and...

Eclipse of Civility in Poe’s The Cask of Amontillado

In the short story “The Cask of Amontillado,” Edgar Allan Poe writes about how a man named Montresor exacted revenge on his enemy, Fortunato. The story is told by Montresor, who narrates that Fortunato had caused him a thousand injuries and insults (Poe 1). The narrator vows to avenge himself...

Analysis of John Updike’s Short Story “A&P”

Introduction The tragicomic short story written by famous American novelist John Updike describes the social boundaries of society and how people create and follow their made-up rules. The author focuses on the topic of choice and its consequences. This essay analyses the meaning of the short story, its central and...

The God-King Odin Myth on the Hindustan Times Site

Hindustan Times defines myth as an individual’s truth; it may be a “cultural, religious, and national” fact that provides society with a similar perspective to operate inside and binds them. The myth chosen to be written about is the tale of the Aesir tribe’s God-King Odin, who sacrificed greatly to...

Love in “Lay of Guigemar” Book by Marie de France

Marie de France devotes a special place to the disclosure of the concept of love and how it happens. Her works often feature selfish love, as well as love sincere and genuine. Such a true love occurs between Guigemar and the Queen. Their love is presented as an external force...

Arguments in the “Fortress America” Book by May

Introduction Fear has been an influential factor in America throughout its history and has manifested itself in a variety of ways. Fear may have never been more pervasive than during the tremendous political, social, and cultural transformations that followed World War II (Spears). Fears of atomic attack, communist subversion, crime,...

William Faulkner’s Life and Rise to Fame

American writer and Nobel Prize winner William Cuthbert Faulkner was born on September 25, 1897. He was regarded as one of the 20th century’s most influential authors. His novels, short tales, and novellas are the foundation of his reputation. Faulkner was a scriptwriter on occasion and a published poet as...

Play vs. Come and Go by Samuel Beckett

The novelty of Samuel Beckett’s vision of performance art continues to affect the American scene. Postmodernism is apparent in the author’s works, which are thoughtful and complicated in their writing, acting, lighting, and other aspects (McNaughton, 2018). Beckett’s Come and Go is a short play with only a few lines...

The Significance of Place in Japanese Literature

Place refers to the environment in which people or animals live. In literature, living in a good place is one of the essential features that living things cannot survive without. In literature, place is mainly connected with activating the reader’s senses and evoking emotional responses (Shiga and Lane 1982, 47)....

Themes in How I Learned to Drive Play by Paula Vogel

Introduction Literature is one of the important kinds of art, causing a strong impact on people and making them think about certain things. It also helps writers to convey their messages and speak about problems that are topical for them. At the same time, as against other arts, literature does...

Critical Thinking Applied to Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk

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

A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen: A Play Review

A Doll’s House is a play by Henrik Ibsen about a married woman Nora Helmer. This piece of art tells a story about morality, money, women, and their worth. Like many other plays, this work should not be perceived entirely literally because it is filled with different symbols. The symbols...

Edna in The Awakening Novel by Kate Chopin

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

Nature in the Poetry of A. R. Ammons

While A. R. Ammons is a prolific poet who has addressed many topics in his work, nature and various forms of life are among the themes that take a unique place in his poetry. From his early works to the late ones, Ammons managed to depict nature by using subtle...

Assessment of Emily Dickinson’s Poetry

Emily Dickinson is an influential poet of American literature of the XIXth century. Unlike most renowned authors and poets, she did not live to see her writing published. Therefore, her poems are minimally affected by editorial input and can show the author’s original semantic as well as stylistic intention. The...

The Portrayal of Enslaved Women in Literature

Introduction Female enslavement, in many cases, was much worse than male. In addition to the horrors and brutalities that enslaved men suffered, mothers also had the additional pain of being separated from their children. Enslaved women were frequently employed as breeders, compelled to have children to increase their master’s amount...

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: The Chivalric Novel

Introduction Medieval literature reflects the cultural, religious, and social background that was dominant in that period. “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” is an example of a 14th-century chivalric novel (Anonymous). Sir Gawain was one of the renowned knights of the Round Table who served the legendary King Arthur and...

“Cinderella” and “In the Land of Small Dragon”

Introduction The most read genres of literature are fairy tales. Folktales and fairy tales discuss the dualism of good and evil. They rely on a struggle between the forces of good and evil. The conclusion is derived from human ambitions to attain justice. Ancient literature had no identified writers or...

Behavioral Genetics in “Harry Potter” Books

Introduction In the Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling entraps her audience into the wizarding world with the many different details instilled in each book. People who read the series always ask about how this insane plot came across her mind naturally, so descriptive and creative to no end, including the...

The Poem “The Iliad” by Homer: Achilles’ Motivation in Ransoming Hector

Internal motivation is to engage in an activity for its intrinsic satisfaction rather than seeking a separate benefit. When people are intrinsically driven, they are inspired to act by the impacts involved rather than by outside pressures. Achilles’ anger is fueled by his sadness and grief for Patroclus’ death before...

Kabbalistic Poetry and the Divine

The Kabbalists have a different view of the language which addresses the paradox expressed by Gershom Sholem. His concerns include the impossibility and inability of the language to deliver something such as connection between the person and the God, or the Divine. The tradition of Kabbalist ports to write about...

The Non-Greek Mythology Discussion

The relationship between God or Gods and people stands at the center of the concepts of religion. For many religious people, it is highly important to understand their Gods in order to understand themselves and see their role in the world. Various cultures have their own religions and myths that...

“Bear Came Along” by Richard Morris, Illustrated by LeUyen Pham

Introduction Bear Came Along is a 2019 book by Richard T. Morris, illustrated by LeUyen Pham. It tells the story of a group of animals on a river adventure. Published June 1, 2019, Bear Came Along is based on Morris’ memories of his first overnight camping trip. Pham’s illustrations in...

The Nordic Kitchen: One Year of Family Cooking

Klaus Meyer is the author of the cookbook The Nordic kitchen: One year of family cooking. From the title of the book, it can be understood that it will include elements of family cooking and biographical stories from life. The author is authoritative, as his philosophy of the new Scandinavian...

The Short Story “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gillman

“The Yellow Wallpaper” is a short story by Charlotte Perkins Gillman first published in 1892. This is a story about a woman who is undergoing a course of rest therapy due to postpartum depression. The heroine faces completely objective hormonal changes in the body and their psychological consequences, but her...

The Poem “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”

Introduction In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the chivalric quest is undoubtedly the literary type most closely identified with medieval literature. It includes themes of the feudal system, heroic fighting, courtship, brave sacrifice, and religious meditation. A literary masterpiece from the Anglo-Saxon era called Beowulf depicts the mythological and...

About Acts I and II Othello: Analysis

In the tragedy, Iago is presented as an ambitious person, ready for any action for his own benefit. The ambitiousness of this character is expressed in the first verses of the tragedy: “I know my price, I am worth no worse a place. / But he, as loving his own...

“A Different Pond” by Thi Bui: Book Analysis

The book A Different Pond is written by Bao Phi, a renowned poet, and illustrated by Thi Bui, a graphic novelist. It is a lyrical, stirring story revolving around the story of a father and his son who are on a fishing trip in the wee morning hours. The story...

The Story “Sweat” by Zora Neale Hurston

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

Unconditional Fatherly Love in Hayden’s “Those Winter Sundays”

Introduction Differences in the perception of life values, manifested in the context of a generation gap, are a common problem raised in literary works. In Hayden’s poem “Those Winter Days,” the poet demonstrates such an assessment by presenting himself as the narrator. In this short poem, he faithfully captures the...

The “Oil” Play by Ella Hickson

Essay Summary In the essay under analysis, the author examines the play Oil by Ella Hickson through the lens of postcolonial ecocriticism and such concepts as environmental activism, place, and borrowed time. The writer introduces the playwright and briefly describes the play, its structure, and style, giving an example of...

Understanding Historical Context in Lodge’s Article

For the correct interpretation of historical sources, it is always essential to understand the context of the time to which they refer. Lodge wrote his article at the end of the nineteenth century, when the First World War had not yet taken place, European imperialism was still strong, and there...

“Talking Tombstones and Other Tales of the Media Age” by Gary Gumpert

While discussing the case of horses of San Marco, Gumpert brings up the idea of art scarcity. The discussion revolves around comparing paintings created only once and books for which such a restriction seems illogical (Gumpert 20). Books are usually reprinted, and this process does not seem to lower one’s...

Violence in Stories by Crèvecoeur, Poe, Melville

Introduction Violence has been used to advance stories by different authors. William Wilson is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe that talks about a man with split personalities who attempts to run away from his different personalities. Benito Cereno is a narration by Herman Melville about an encounter between...

“The Wife of Bath” by Geoffrey Chaucer

Introduction In The Wife of Bath, Geoffrey Chaucer uses the technique of confronting a male-dominated reality with a woman who is unwilling to accept it. The most critical social problem that Chaucer raises is the total disregard for women’s desires by men who are in power and have their way....

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

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

The Lottery by Shirley Jackson: Literally Analysis

The short story “The Lottery” can be perceived ambiguously, seeming overly cruel. Shirley Jackson masterfully plays with the reader, leaving a lot of understatement and confusion. The bleakness of this short story has given Jackson a reputation as a disturbing and elegant fiction writer (Jackson 19). The plot of the...

Rama and David as Heroes in “The Ramayana”

The stories of heroes have been broadly presented in literature since ancient times. Heroic characters tend to display various human traits focusing on their strengths and abilities to conquer enemies and overcome difficulties. In Indian literature, prince Rama from the book of The Ramayana appears as a particular example of...

Concept of Power in Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Henry IV Plays

Introduction Shakespeare’s plays present complex narratives where power is not a stable construct that defines one characteristic. Instead, as many authors argue, it is tied to the appearance of order and the expulsion of evil. It generally implies that people with political power must protect their citizens, albeit it is...

Literature Notebook Entry for “Dracula” by Bram Stoker

Introduction Dracula is a major character in the story because the novel has the same name. Jonathan Harker and Mina Murray are also important characters due to the way they contribute to the advancement of the novel. Dr. Abraham Van Helsing is another major character who is involved in the...

Modern Literary Techniques in Frost’s and Williams’ Poetry

Two short poems are discussed to examine and prove Robert Frost’s and William Williams’ membership in the modernist poetic movement. Frost’s work The Road Not Taken is chosen as the first example. In this work, it is possible to observe ambiguity and possible subtext. To a certain extent, there is...

Chapter 4 of Douglass’ Narrative of the Life

Slavery optimally attributes to social injustice and inhumanity across society. In chapter four, Douglass (1845) narrates one of the core issues the enslaved people encountered. While working on Colonel Lloyd’s farm, he witnesses Mr. Gore, the overseer murder Demby. Mr. Gore affirms his actions to the colonel by articulating that...

The Play “The Glass Menagerie” by Tennessee Williams

The Glass Menagerie is a memory play since memory molds and inspires both its structure and its substance. The play is narrated by Tom and is based on his memories (Williams and Walker 59). The writer has exceptional flexibility of tradition in a memory play. Tom says that the writer...

Adolescence in “Dangerous Laughter” by Millhauser

Introduction In the short story “Dangerous Laughter,” a group of adolescents engages in a trendy habit. Teenagers congregate at gatherings and laugh irrationally until the laughing obscures prudence and rationality. One girl, Clara Schuler, breaks out of her shell of shyness thanks to the laughing craze and would not let...

The Exemplary Man and Woman in Homerian Odyssey

Introduction The oldest surviving monuments of Greek literature are the two great poems, Iliad and Odyssey, the author of which antiquity considered Homer. The aggregate concerns connected with these poems constitute a complex and far from resolved Homeric question. They raise numerous themes, but one of the most significant interests...

Appearance and Reality in “Du Tenth Sinks…” by Feng Meng-Long

Introduction Appearance is a subjective notion regarding structural ideologies, such as perceived respect among the wealthy while the reality enshrines incongruent personality traits among individuals on ethical virtues. The short story, ‘Du Tenth Sinks the Jewelry Box in Anger,’ fosters an apt evaluation of the contrast in the human behavioral...

Character Portrayal in Faulkner’s A Rose for Emily

The story’s main character is Emily Grierson, a lady who lived with her father until his death. Before the demise of her father, she was asked not to marry. The event breaks her heart since she understands she does not have anyone else with whom to share life. When she...

“The Divine Comedy” Poem by Dante Alighieri

Dante Alighieri’s “Divine Comedy” as the quintessential work of the early Renaissance period marking the transition to humanism renders a range of crucial themes that would, later on, become the focal point of and source of inspiration for other essential works of art. Among the key themes that “The Divine...

Compare and Contrast Essay: Magical Realism

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

“The Comedy of Errors” Performance by Phillip Breen

One of the most well-known pieces by the venerable author William Shakespeare is The Comedy of Errors. The Comedy of Errors narrates about two sets of identical twins, one pair of which are servants and the other pair masters. Due to circumstances that are too unbelievable to imagine, twins who...

The “Slave Narratives…” Book by Rudisel & Blaisdell

Introduction The stories of Abraham Galloway, Richard Eden, and Harriet Jacobs described in Slave Narratives of the Underground Railroad illustrate the enslaved individuals’ unwillingness to accept their fate. The stories’ main idea is an escape and the major methods for such dangerous escapes. At the same time, an important aspect...

“Girl” by Kincaid vs. “Why I Live in P.O.” by Welty

Introduction The stories describe the theme of the mother-daughter relationship, which is relevant in today’s world. Both writers try to convey that the mother is not just an important character in a child’s life. The entire human psyche is formed in the early relationship with the mother. The mother is...

The Story “What You Pawn I Will Redeem” by Sherman Alexie

The name of the protagonist from Sherman Alexie’s story “What You Pawn I Will Redeem” is Jackson Jackson. His family nickname is Jackson Squared. He is an Indian man who grew up in Spokane and moved to Seattle. He describes himself as “an effective homeless man” (Alexie 2). The protagonist’s...

The Plays “Oedipus Tyrannus” by Sophocles and “Hamlet” by Shakespeare

Characters enhance the storyline of a story in literature in a crucial way. People do this through their deeds, behaviors, connections, and other facets of personality. Furthermore, within the framework of a plot, their mannerisms characterize who they are. In “Oedipus Tyrannus” by Sophocles, the events of Oedipus the King...

The Poem “The Aeneid” by Virgil: Roman Empiric Ideal

Virgil believed that loyalty to the state and devotion to family represented the essential Roman virtues. Thus, he portrayed Aeneas as the dutiful servant of the gods who contributed to the construction of Rome’s ideal. Augustus ordered Virgil to continue Homer’s works and glorify Augustus. Thus, the reworks aimed to...

The Novel “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe

The cultural critique of the indigenous African community depicted in the novel is significant for its analysis. For Okonkwo, the traditions and culture of the Igbo community became one of the principal determinants of his character, including the perception of the role of a man. As Nyeenenwa (2022) points out,...

The Tempest by Shakespeare: A Play Review

Act 3, Scene 2 The poems of William Shakespeare are filled with words that might be confusing for modern readers. For example, in one line of Act 3, scene 2, the author writes: “Thou liest most ignorant monster, / I am in case to justle a constable” (Shakespeare 82). Here,...

Critical Reaction to Hong Kong Stories by Eva Hung

The book by Eva Hung contains stories written by contemporary Hong Kong writers that were carefully selected to comprise a new literary work. The stories Tied Together by Fate and Plenty and Sorrow from the book tell the lives of people from Hong Kong and Shanghai and deliver important messages....

The “Of Grammatology” Book by Jacques Derrida

Basic Knowledge Jacques Derrida’s most eminent book Of Grammatology suggested a broad understanding of numerous concepts to me; however, I extracted three pivotal tenets that affected my knowledge repository. Primarily, the idea that writing derives from speech changed my opinion since I thought differently. This statement presupposes that to access...

Crime in Falkner’s “Barn Burning” and Poe’s “Cask of Amontillado”

Crime and punishment are popular topics for literary works, under which many issues may be raised. These include relationships within the family, strangers, superiors, and subordinates, racial issues, infatuation, and jealousy. In this case, William Faulkner’s Barn Burning and Edgar Allan Poe’s Cask of Amantillado raise the topic of crimes...

Racial Dynamics in “Recitatif” by Toni Morrison

The short story “Recitatif” is the only published story by Morrison. “It was one thing to be taken out of your own bed early in the morning-it was something else to be stuck in a strange place with a girl from a whole other race (Morrison 1)”. The two main...

Gender Roles in Glaspell’s “Trifles” Play

Introduction Susan Glaspell’s Trifles reveals the struggles of women in the society of the early twentieth century. The author’s presentation of genders and their expected behaviors sheds light on the oppressive nature of marital relationships. This paper will discuss the gender roles and the oppression of women in Glaspell’s Trifles....

Abundance by Beth Henley: A Play Review

The romanticism of Henley’s play Abundance is largely revealed through the image of Bess, one of the main characters. The fate of the girl can be partly called tragic, although in general, as the ending of the story shows, while looking back at her past, Bess does not regret what...

The Short Story “What You Pawn I Will Redeem” by Sherman Alexie

Introduction In the short story “What You Pawn I Will Redeem” by Sherman Alexie, cultural imperialism is one of the central themes. This term generally refers to the process when one dominant culture spreads and absorbs the values, beliefs, and lifestyles of smaller communities. For instance, when the prevailing American...

Gender and Race in Langston Hughes’ Poetry of the Spanish Civil War

Langston Hughes was a crucial figure in the 1920s Harlem Renaissance, which blossomed black intellectual, literary, and creative life in several American cities, particularly Harlem. In the times of the Spanish Civil War, he was a press correspondent. This encounter made a mark on his writing, particularly in his poetry,...

Lust in the Context of the “Divine Comedy” and the Modern World

Introduction The second circle of hell, described by Dante in the Divine Comedy, is lust and describes the sinners who fell from it. Traitor spouses and libertines personify what the Middle Ages literature represents as a bright germ. Still, in the New Age, it will become the key to European...

Selected Poems of Langston Hughes Book Annotation

The book with the selected poems of Langston Hughes contains the chapter “Afro-American Fragments”. The chapter is illustrated as a multitude of poems describing the black experience at the time the poet was publishing his work, hence, in the 1930s. The narrator’s personal approach to expressing raw emotions and perception...

The Book “Coming of Age in Mississippi” by Anne Moody

Autobiographical literature and memoirs can be efficient in teaching history. The strict difference between history and literature is not vital when the situation is related to autobiographical resources. For example, the Coming off Age in Mississippi, written by Anne Moody, represent the detailed process of the identity formation of the...

“Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl” by Harriet Jacobs

Introduction Free choice and free will did not exist for slaves, and the difference between “good” and “bad” owners was nothing more than an illusion. Harriet Jacobs writes about this in her autobiographical novel Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. Telling her story of slavery and escape, the...

“Les Misérablesby” by Victor Hugo: Analysis

It is important to note that Les Misérables, written by Victor Hugo, is an outstanding piece of literature that explores many aspects of living in a broken society and a personal will to act. The book’s core idea is centered around one’s freedom to resist the social degradation and evil...

Langston Hughes as a Powerful Poet

Introduction Poetry is a valuable source that provides insights into how society was formed and what values were formed in it. One of the brightest representatives of the poetic community is Langston Hughes. He can be considered an influential poet, as the poet is a prominent representative of the Harlem...

Analysis of Elizabeth Bishop’s “In the Waiting Room”

Pulitzer Prize awarded and one of the most important poets of the twentieth century – Elizabeth Bishop – is the author of “In the Waiting Room”. This poem was published in 1971 and starts with setting the time and place of the story. Little Elizabeth came to a dentist’s appointment...

“Hamlet” Play and “The Mad Gardener’s Song”: Comparison

Introduction Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” and Lewis Carroll’s The Mad Gardener’s Song are two works that have had a significant literary impact. Although “Hamlet” is seen as a meaningful literary piece that focuses on problems of all time, the latter work is more controversial among readers. “Hamlet” and The Mad Gardener’s Song...

A Historical Exploration of Language, Reality, and Communication

Bizzell, Patricia, et al. The Rhetorical Tradition: Readings from Classical Times to the Present. 3rd ed., Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2020. Basic Knowledge This book is an excellent source of information that demonstrates the features of rhetoric from a historical perspective. First of all, this source allowed me to significantly expand my...

What Makes a Written Piece a Story: “Things Fall Apart” by Achebe

Naturally, the narrative element of a written piece is essential to present and describe a story from scratch. However, there are more elements that make the text more complex and exciting to the reader. For instance, a basic narrative cannot give characters their personalities, and thus, writers opt for using...

Individual Differences Matter: Maracle’s Ravensong

Have you ever wondered about how challenging it is to live in the modern world? People are now free to express themselves to the extent that was not available a few years ago. For example, individuals may participate in a child-free movement, live a secluded life, and change their sex....

Hemingway’s View in “Hills Like White Elephants”

Ernest Hemingway’s short story Hills like white Elephants was written in 1927. A man and a young woman talk, enjoy a drink and gaze out across the Ebro Valley as they wait in a Spanish train station. However, each figure in Hills Like White Elephants has hidden messages, ideas, and...

“Narrative of the Life…” by Frederick Douglass

Introduction In his Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Frederick Douglass attempts to deconstruct the stereotypes about slavery and its aspects. This book is essential because it reveals the main concepts of slavery at the time and explains aspects of people’s lives under pressure. Most of the stories presented...

The Play “A Streetcar Named Desire” by Tennessee Williams

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

Reaction to “Einstein’s Dreams” by Alan Lightman

The chapter from the novel Einstein’s Dreams by Alan Lightman presents a short story set in a world that has rejected all watches and clocks. When the first mechanical clock was built, the invention amazed and frightened people. Filled with mixed feelings, society decided to replace the device that quantified...

The Ideas and Perspectives of Literary Works About Slavery and Racism

African-American literature contributes to the discourse on slavery, racial inequality, and the search for freedom. Activists, abolitionists, poets, writers, and artists such as Frederick Douglass, Robert Hayden, Langston Hughes, Toni Morrison, Martin Luther King Jr., and The Neville Brothers addressed various themes associated with black identity and culture. This essay...

Gender Equality: Language and Literature

The universal human rights principles propound that every person must be treated equally before the law regardless of their gender. However, gender discrimination is observed every day in various social institutions. Women authors express their dissatisfaction with their societies by telling their personal stories or through narrations based on real-life...

American Culture in Literature: Mark Twain and Walt Whitman

Each time period in art has its own special zest, which distinguishes it from other times. This is especially evident in literature and other tangible art, where a person traces history. In the novels, stories and poems of different times, there are sharp features that allow you to accurately restore...

Response to Richard Louv’s “A Walk in the Woods”

Summary In the essay “A Walk in the Woods,” Richard Louv details his encounter with a fifth-grader who had an amazing relationship with nature. Readers can hear the child’s perspective on nature as she imagines herself in her mother’s shoes when in the woods. The young girl describes nature as...

Appearance and Reality in Good Country People

Her statements are so vague and evident that they are almost meaningless, except for expressing a general philosophy of resignation. The fact that she cannot recognize them as cliches show how little time she spends thinking about her beliefs. Just as Mrs. Hopewell seems to want to change the image...

A Palette of Emotions: The Lasting Impact of Janan Cain’s “The Way I Feel”

“The Way I Feel” by Janan Cain is more than just a straightforward picture book from my youth; it became a guide for navigating my emotions. The pages of Cain’s gorgeous imagery and emotional words revealed a means to comprehend and communicate interior sentiments. The book’s comprehensive investigation of emotions...

Order vs. Chaos in World Creation Stories

The common themes of order versus chaos are addressed in the stories. The differences demonstrated in stories are various Gods and ways of creating the world. For instance, the myth of Enuma Elish describes how the mighty God, Marduk created order at the beginning of the universe by defeating the...

Gender Difference in “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell

The play “Trifles”, written by Susan Glaspell in 1916, illustrates the author’s concerns about gender culture and gender roles in society. Society views women’s problems as insignificant, especially where men dominate. The author correctly raises the question of the value of female and male attitudes, which presents the reader with...

Textual Analysis of “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien Review

The Things They Carried is a literary work authored by Tim O’Brien. The book is set at a time when the American soldiers were engrossed in war in the Vietnam. Therefore, the literature focuses on the life of American society within the army. A critical analysis of the literature shows...

“Noises Off” by Frayn and “Our Town” by Wilder: Comparison

There is a distinct longing that is clear in both “Noises Off” by Michal Frayn and “Our Town” by Thornton Wilder. The overarching theme of the loss of other people permeates these plays. Wilder expresses this feeling through the words of Emily, as she mourns the deaths of her acquaintances...

Batalla’s “Mexico Profundo” Book Content Analysis

This article talks about the contents of the book Mexico Profundo. The central part of the content is how, during the time of civilization, Mexico made every effort not to change its culture and not become like European or American countries. Under the onslaught of the national system, the indigenous...

Neoliberalism: “Neuromancer” vs. “Blade Runner”

Neoliberalism in the 1980s espoused globalization and deregulation of economies, which encouraged open markets and corporate development. Consequently, the themes in popular cyberpunk literature showed the extrapolated effects of neoliberal policies, as shown in the novel “Neuromancer” and “Blade Runner” film. Themes include technological development and the idea of consciousness....

The “Their Eyes Were Watching God” Novel by Hurston

Introduction Their Eyes Were Watching God novel explores various personal relationships between the characters as a mirror of the society they live in, how the masses relate, the stereotyped relationships between men and women, and what is socially expected of every gender as per the societal norms. Through Janie’s relationships...

The Play “Fences” by Wilson and the Short Story “Cathedral” by Carver

Introduction The works of Fences and the Cathedral are unsurpassed representatives of the genre of postmodern literature, saturated with feelings and emotions. The authors of both works trace the development of relations between people, their hopes, and love. Both works deal with similar themes and can be considered together. The...

Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper”: A Psychological Approach

The novel “The yellow paper” discusses the limitations imposed on women by society and domestic life and shows what impact these limitations may have on a person’s psyche. From a psychological point of view, doing nothing can lead to all kinds of psychological deviations as the desire for self-realization is...

Moral Judgment: The Handmaid’s Tale by Atwood

Introduction I agree that we must be cautious when passing moral judgment when. Reading the novel, The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood is accurate in terms of Offred, the Commander, the Commander’s wife and the Angel, when examining the decisions and actions they take. However, universal laws of human morality...

Beowulf’s Path as a King in Beowulf by Seamus Heaney

Throughout the story, Beowulf is shown as a brave and mighty warrior who wants to protect his people. Nevertheless, he is often boasting about his achievements, as is expected in the warrior culture, which is shown in the excerpt when Beowulf and his team come looking for the dragon. Overall,...

Analysis of “Divine Comedy” by Dante

The End That It Serves from a Narrative Perspective From a narrative perspective, the Divine Comedy by Dante, as provided by John Sinclair, serves to demonstrate to be one of the greatest works of literature in the world historically and in contemporary society (Alighieri, 2014). Dante’s work is divided into...

A Transformation in “Trifles” Play by Glaspell

Glaspell’s proper dramatic debut was her second play, Trifles (published in 1916), which genuinely revealed her range as an artist. Written at the request in a short time, in cramped circumstances, it is surprisingly devoid of any traces of its forced birth. The author uses emotion manipulation technique to play...

The “City of Glass” Book by Paul Auster

The concept of Tikkun Olam refers to the notion that Jews have a responsibility to use their influence in politics and charitable work to create the world a more fair, pleasant, tolerant, and adequate place. Jewish theology’s fundamental, age-old tenet, that humans are in charge of finishing God’s creation and...

Techniques That Make Claudia Rankine Poems in “Citizen” Relatable

Introduction Claudia Rankine is politically charged prose poet, and her works, especially Citizen, have a great influence on the modern American society. Citizen is a poem conducted in prose, thus making it one of the staples of the contemporary literature. One of the important things about Rankine’s work is that...

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

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

Othello: Iago and His Self-Knowledge

Introduction Most storylines require a villain or, at the very least, an antihero. Shakespeare’s plays are a case in point in this regard. The plot is typically advanced by the antagonists, who pave the way for the protagonists to either succeed or fail. In Othello, Iago is the villain who...

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway Review

Ernest Hemingway recounts to the readers of The Old Man and the Sea a story about an older man named Santiago who loves his life as a fisherman, although he lives in terrible poverty. The novel’s main event is Santiago’s lengthy fishing trip, during which he reels in one of...

“A Raisin in the Sun” by Lorraine Hansberry Review

The quote from the play A Raisin in the Sun represents the culmination of the piece’s main idea. The play depicts a Black family struggling to find a place in the White-dominated middle class. Walter, whose words are contained in the quote, is the household’s father and main protagonist. He...

Book Report on “On Killing” by David Grossman

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

Religion in “From Uncle Tom’s Cabin; or, Life Among the Lowly” by Stowe

The novel From Uncle Tom’s Cabin; or, Life Among Lowly is an impactful piece, showing the cruelty and inhumanity of the slavery system in the United States. The novel shows many aspects of real life, from childhood, labor, motherhood, and gender to many more. Slavery being at the center of...

Emily Dickenson’s Poem “Because I Could Not Stop for Death”

Introduction Emily Dickenson’s poem Because I Could Not Stop for Death illustrates phenomena such as the circle of life, death, immortality, and the afterlife. The topic of death becomes rather welcoming as the feeling with which it is met calmness, which directly illustrates how the narrator came to terms with...

Orientalism and Perception of 1001 Nights Stories

Introduction 1001 Nights have several translations, many of which Western specialists make. The author of the collection is unknown, and it is unclear which short stories were included initially and which appeared in later versions. Most readers in Europe and the United States are familiar with Scheherazade’s tales through Western...

The Time Machine by Herbert Wells

Wells’ novel The Time Machine describes a significant problem: class divisions. This community problem is presented as an outrageous one because it transforms people into inhumane beings with distinguished biological differences rooted in social classes (Wells 2017). The author demonstrates that the issue involves and impacts all the people who...

Aliens Preeminent Literary: Character Review

The preeminent literary, Alien, sets the tone for other television phenomena in terms of creating rich plots with dynamic yet complex characters that leave the audience entertained and with powerful insights about life. With the original series comprising four films between 1979 and 1997, Alien focuses on Ellen Ripley’s struggle...

The “Steel Magnolias” Play by Robert Harling

In the play Steel Magnolias by Robert Harling, the main characters are a group of women who have been friends for almost a lifetime. Each of them has their style of friendship; they all strive to help and support each other. While they are all good in their way, the...

The Aspects of Play “Oedipus Rex”

Introduction The exposition opens with the current events in Thebes, which is one of the core elements of the narrative that is given to the audience. The city of Thebes is troubled by a plague that results in the death of many plants, which are used to feed the population...

Lightman’s “Great Clock and Temple of Time” Chapter

Human lives are inextricably linked with time measurement – people count their age, daily routine, and separate seasons and days. The chapter from Lightman’s (1993) Einstein’s dreams, dated June 18, 1905, devoted to the Great Clock and Temple of Time, raises the question of how measuring time changes human perception....

Father-Son Relationships in “Night” by Elie Wiesel

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

Gender Equality in Daily Life: Fictional Works Analysis

Kate Chopin’s “The Awakening”, Maya Angelou’s “Phenomenal Woman”, Lucille Clifton’s “Homage to my Hips”, Rebecca Fulleylove’s “The Feline Artist Whose Work You Need to Know”, RBG directed by Betsy West and Julie Cohen all discuss different aspects of gender equality. I agree with the overall message of these works, which...

The “Animal Farm” Novel by G. Orwell

Introduction The interconnectedness and the importance of the following concepts, totalitarianism, power of language, and class warfare, are hard to overestimate in “Animal Farm” novel by G. Orwell. They have become the cornerstone of the literacy techniques employed. In this respect, it will be useful to explore each of them,...

Milton’s “Paradise Lost” Poem Interpretation

Introduction John Milton’s Paradise Lost is a poem based on the Old and New Testament, about the oust of humanity from the garden of Eden and the fall of Satan from heaven. The 1667 edition of this poem was divided into ten books and was written using the blank verse...

“The Cask of Amontillado” Analysis

“The Cask of Amontillado” is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe. It narrates the tale of Montresor, a man who takes revenge on his friend, Fortunato, by luring him into a wine-tasting excursion and then trapping him in a wine barrel to die. The story is often seen as...

Peer Pressure in Perrault’s “Bluebeard”

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

Comparison of Anton Rosicky and Rip Van Winkle

The characters Anton Rosicky and Rip Van Winkle share many common traits regarding themselves and their destinies. They both go through an event that changes their life and makes them approach it differently, primarily due to them both being close to death. The primary similarity between their experiences is related...

The “Bread Givers” Novel by Anzia Yezierska

In Anzia Yezierska’s Bread Givers, the story of a woman named Sara Smolinsky is told. The latter tries to assimilate into American culture, but there are too many challenges that avert her from doing it. Due to the cultural limitations of the Jewish, Sara has to work hard in order...

The “Saving the Bones” Novel by Jesmyn Ward

Introduction The Historical Context The events in the book occur during Hurricane Katrina, the most destructive hurricane in U.S. history. The disaster killed 1,836 residents and caused $125 billion in economic damage (Stevens 158). The hurricane began forming on August 23 near the Bahamas. Before the hurricane reached the U.S....

The Impact of Technology in “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin

One of the most well-known pieces of classical literature is Kate Chopin’s The Story of an Hour. One of the most evident historical observances that could be made about the story is the telegraph, which plays a great role in the plot as well (Chopin). It is possible to interpret...

Characters in Good Country People by Flannery O’Connor

Good Country People is a short story written by an American novelist and essayist Flannery O’Connor and published in 1955. In the story, O’Connor portrays the conflicting natures of people living in the American South with irony and wit. A case can be made for three of the four main...

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

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

“The Divine Comedy” by Dante Alighieri

It is hard to argue that Dante Alighieri’s work has had a resounding influence on the cultural stratum throughout the world. Many writers have said that Dante and his Divine Comedy inspired them when working on their novels. The work itself was written a long time ago, but it has...

The Novel “To Kill a Mockingbird“ by Harper Lee

Introduction The novel To Kill a Mockingbird was written in the second half of the 20th century and has become one of the cult works of American classics. The author moved the action in the 30s of the 20th century to the provincial area of ​​the country. At the same...

“The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night” by Mark Haddon

Theme Sentence The theme of social disability: Christopher’s consciousness is reflected in the narration and identifies his cognitive features. Peer Theme Comment One theme from “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time” is bravery, facing your fears in order to feel safe. Christopher explores the world more through...

A Heroic Myth of the Harry Potter Movies

Introduction Harry Potter’s birth and childhood have various extraordinary elements beginning with the magical world’s chaos, where Harry was born. He gains a special scar that makes him famous among magical beings as the boy who survived an encounter with the most powerful wizard of his time, Lord Voldemort. The...

“Why Abortion is Immoral” by Don Marquis

Summary Don Marquis is an author of an essay that argues that abortions are immoral from a non-religious standpoint. He begins with a general discussion on why killing is wrong. According to Marquis, killing any human being is morally wrong not because it inflicts suffering on their loved ones but...

“A Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” by Tennessee Williams

Being one of the best-known plays by Tennessee Williams, “A Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” has a major potential for multiple theatrical adaptations. The Broadway one is by far the most famous reiteration of the play, yet the Broadway approach to reimagining the play might seem as unusual to...