Two Scenes in “The Tragedy of Macbeth” by Shakespeare

Written by William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Macbeth” is a play related to the story of the real Scottish king Macbeth, which is frequently presented as a tale of excessive desire for power and betrayal of friends. The motifs are repeated from scene to scene, focusing the reader’s attention on...

Edgar Allan Poe: The Concept of Punishment

Edgar Allan Poe is one of the classics of world literature. His talent is multifaceted, and the author is considered the founder of the detective genre. In the stories, supernatural events occur, many of which are associated with death. The concepts of punishment and alienation are familiar to the author...

Amy Tan’s Reflections on English Varieties in ‘Mother Tongue’

Summary of Text: In her article “Mother tongue,” Amy Tan shares her views on different forms of English and their impact on the life of people, especially immigrants. She raises the problem of the limitations of their activities connected with the language barrier (Tan, 1990). In the article, Amy describes...

“The Year of Magical Thinking” by Joan Didion

How the setting (time and place of the novel’s events) has impacted the beginning of the plot The plot and course of the story are significantly shaped by the initial events of time and place. The author, Joan Didion, and her late husband, John Didion head to the hospital to...

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

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

Satire in “The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz”

The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz is a satirical novel written by Canadian writer Mordecai Richler, which describes Duddy Kravitz’s life. The main character, a Jew from Montreal, Quebec, tries his best to become rich, not paying attention to all the sacrifices made for this purpose. The author of the novel...

African American Experience During the Harlem Renaissance

Prejudice and discrimination against people based on the color of their skin or belonging to a particular ethnic, cultural, or religious group continue to be a critical issue in the United States. As with any societal issues, racism and bigotry are often reflected in contemporary art, including music, photography, cinematography,...

Reflection on William Shakespeare’s Quote

“For There is Nothing Either Good or Bad, Thinking Makes it So.” William Shakespeare’s statement is partially wrong as it contradicts the possibility of either good or bad occurrences happening. There cannot be a dispute that good or bad exists because a human being can experience that they feel happy...

“The Bite of the Mango” by Mariatu and McClelland

Mariatu calls Santigie (her half-brother) her “Spirit Watching Over Me.” Who is the “Spirit Watching Over You”? Describe the person you believe or would like to believe is your guardian angel. In every person’s life, there are special people who are of great value to them. These people can be...

“Beat! Beat! Drum!” Discussion

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

“The Waste Land” Poem by Eliot

The Waste Land is considered a literary masterpiece of the twentieth century. Eliot has written a by no means an easy-to-read poem, which is full of references and other authors’ devices. In particular, the second part of the poem is especially noteworthy of the use of juxtaposition and allusion. These...

In Remembrance of Jane

Moving is always not easy for people, since they have to find themselves in a completely new place without the usual circle of friends and surroundings. When I migrated to Saint Louis, it was also difficult for me to adapt. However, when I started working in the hospital, my colleagues...

“Cathedral” Short Story by Raymond Carver

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

Dystopian Novels as Prediction of Human Future

Are dystopian novels a prediction of human being’s future communities or states? To examine this statement, this paper will use two books. These are the novel Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell and Ten with a Flag by Joseph Paul Haines. The dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four uses the character of Winston...

Literary Heritage of Virginia Woolf

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

Good Books for Children: “The Hobbit”

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

Comparing and Contrasting Sonnet 103 with Echo and Narcissus

Shakespeare permeates his lyrics with amazing metaphors and comparisons to express love and feelings. The metaphors used in Sonnet 103 and Echo and Narcissus by Shakespeare also present the reader with an indirect description of the sublime romance. On the other hand, the romance in these two works is, in...

Novels by Luis Martín-Santos and Miguel Delibes Review

Luis Martín-Santos’ novel Time of Silence and Five Hours with Mario by Miguel Delibes might be perceived as significant masterpieces in the genre of realism. Both works were substantially affected by the historical events in which Spain was involved. This paper aims to investigate the essence and peculiarities of these...

Canto XIX of The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri

Canto XIX is one of the most significant and meaningful chapters in Paradiso and the entire Divine Comedy. Here Dante Alighieri analyzes such concepts of Christian philosophy as Eternal Justice, Eternal Judgment, and Divine Design. He criticizes historical figures of the past and his time and reviews the political state...

“Boy Meets Boy” David Levithan: Using Labels

People tend to use labels to define themselves in society because of the need to conform typical for everyone without exceptions. Such attempts usually have severe consequences when applied to others, especially family members. For example, in the book “Boy Meets Boy,” written by David Levithan, one of the main...

“Let America Be America Again”: The Poem Analysis

The poem “Let America Be America Again” by Langston Hughes is highly controversial and concerns many arguable subjects. One of those subjects is the American Dream, and Hughes says it has changed (191). The author hopes the American Dream will one day become what it once was. Hughes also states...

The Concept of Morality as Portrayed in the Novel “Sula” by Toni Morrison

The novel ‘Sula’ focuses on the lives of blacks soon after they were freed from slavery. They formed a community, The Bottom, and tried to lead normal lives, struggling to meet their daily needs. The novel focuses on various themes such as black-white relations, the fear of death, deceit, slavery,...

Lies vs. Truths in Shakespeare’s “The Tragedy of Othello”

Different people may subscribe to different types and levels of beliefs due to cultural-religious or social factors. Some of these beliefs may not be straightforward altogether in terms of the meaning and truth they carry, but people may tend to stick to them. What exactly this means is that a...

“Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit” as Work of Modern Myth

The novel by Jeannette is a masterpiece. “Oranges are not the only fruit” in a book that sees the author shift from first-person narration to third-person narration. The shift uses a technique common to the ones that fables apply while telling children stories. In this essay, the similarities between Jeannette’s...

What Is the Story “A Good Man is Hard to Find” about

Flannery O’Connor’s short story is unpredictable, with a soft start but a terrible ending. Right from the beginning, grandmother depicts The Misfit as an irresponsible person and a cold murderer. O’Connor rather abrasively writes the story, but this blatant approach signals to the reader the possibility of revealing an unsettling...

Haunted City: Ghosts of Berlin

Berlin is a haunted city, and this statement is indeed true in some way. Berlin is a city in which dozens of key events in world history took place. There, important political decisions were made, and deadly battles were fought during the war. Thus, buildings, streets, and even some of...

American History: 1970s Historical Events Review

Introduction The history of the United States is quite complex and riddled with numerous events and moments that contributed to the growth of the nation. After the end of the Second World War, a new upheaval emerged that would affect the overall economic, military, and social attributes of the U.S....

Modernism: Themes and What Modernists’ Works Reflect

Modernism was a prominent period of creativity that was provoked by the grim reality of the twentieth century. The pressure from a multitude of societal issues, two World Wars, and rapid technological advances appear to have influenced modernism in a way that made many authors question the line between pessimism...

Plot of “The Secret Agent” Novel by Joseph Conrad

Introduction The purpose of literature is to be thought-provoking and to convey strong messages. Even fictional stories demonstrate a certain degree of connection to the issues present in real life. Such works of literature are often filled with profound symbolism, which invites the reader on a philosophical journey through the...

“How To Tell a True War Story” Analysis

“How To Tell a True War Story” shows the connection between storytelling and the experiences people go through while at war. This story intends to investigate the reality of war stories told by those from Vietnam. The story is narrated from O’Brien’s experience, who acts as a soldier and a...

Review of “Young Goodman Brown” Story by Nathaniel Hawthorne

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

Manifestations of Faith in 16th-Century Writers’ Famous Works

Introduction Universal ideas about life, love, and religion are evident in the works of numerous writers. Many literary pieces represent the author’s thoughts on these subjects, which might correspond or contrast depending on the professionals’ views. The topic of religion was a prominent theme for various writers of the 16th...

Wordsworth’s Ode & Keats’ Nightingale: A Visual Adaptation

Preliminary Thinking My choice for this assignment fell on two poems, both by remarkable wordsmiths: My Heart Leaps Up by William Wordsworth and Ode to a Nightingale by John Keats. I chose them over others because they had the most captivating and vivid imagery compared to the other pieces of...

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 Differences Between Conducting a Literature Review and Reviewing the Literature

Reviewing literature to solve an identified problem is different from conducting a literature review to search for a gap in knowledge. At the same time, their common features of both types of literature reviews. On the one hand, the purpose of both types of research is to discern what is...

Behavior of Witnesses in “Holocaust by Bullets” by Desbois

Desbois’ work in the book Holocaust by Bullets documents in detail the experience of witnesses to the persecution of the Jews by the Nazis. He argues that the German mass killings on the Jews lead to losses of many innocent lives and generated deep trauma across villages in Ukraine as...

Ichabod Crane and Abraham “Brom Bones” Van Brunt: Comparison

The primary theme of the story is rivalry and enmity between Ichabod Crane and Abraham “Brom Bones” Van Brunt. Both characters wished to marry Katrina in order to become wealthy and take a chunk of inheritance. However, this competition for the hand of Katrina put a great strain between Crane...

Walt Whitman as a Democratic Symbol

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

The Cultural Relevance of Post-Colonial Literature

Introduction Literature as a form of art scopes a wide array of topics that reflect personal struggles and social issues. The concepts of culture and traditions often get intertwined with the characters who are bound by various social and gender constructs. The post-colonial literature seeks to cover these topics more...

Flannery O’Connor’s “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”: The Role of The Misfit

A Goodman is Hard to Find is a short story created by Flannery O’Connor back in 1953. It should primarily be mentioned that this literature piece is very interesting to read because it makes the readers think about the main characters and their distinguishing features, and apply the identified ideas...

Literary Analysis: “Annabel Lee” by Edgar Allan Poe

Introduction From the poem, the speaker demonstrates an unmatched love and affection for Annabel Lee who died unexpectedly. This love survives considerably after the mentioned death. Poe, the poet, uses literary styles to unveil the theme of lasting love between two characters. It is possible to recognize and understand that...

Woolf’s “Orlando” & Defoe’s “Moll Flanders” Novels

Introduction The theme of clothing and its impact on people has been depicted in various novels, articles, and other publications. Clothes seem to have a significant effect on how people are perceived and even what roles they should act. The mentioned topic was raised in two notable literary works –...

Parents’ Role in Young Adult Literature

Introduction Young adult literature is a genre of fiction explicitly aimed at adolescent readers. The target audience for this category of literary works is between 12 and 18 years of age, and the novels focus on problems and issues relevant to the teenagers facing new challenges of adult life. Thus,...

Song of the Hummingbird by Graciela Limon

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

“21 Lessons for the 21st Century”: Book Review

Introduction Living in the age of rapid technological progress is challenging from various perspectives. This claim is explained by the fact that the ongoing process of creating new solutions intended to make life easier occasionally leads to the emergence of problems. They are related to numerous spheres, such as politics,...

Sedaris’ “Us and Them” and “Who Is Malala?” by Yousafzai

Both written pieces represent memoirs, which implies that those stories happened in real life, and it raises more exceptional emotions within the readers. Us and Them is a powerful piece discussing mindless beliefs and adaptation to something uncomplicated, like television. Sedaris’s purpose is to show how people are unable to...

August Wilson “Fences”: Plot and Themes

“Fences” is a Pulitzer-winning American drama play written in 1985 by August Wilson. This work tells the reader about Troy Maxson, a 53-year-old black blue-collar worker and a family leader, and his life in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the 1950s. Troy’s chaotic inner state and his relationship with those around him,...

Namwamba and the Magic Pots. Original Myth

Namwamba, a local peasant farmer with two wives and six children, was famous in the village for telling stories and fairy tales that often left listeners with more questions than answers. He was also known for his cunning ways as he often found excuses to abscond communal work like farming...

Krebs’ Portrayal in “A Soldier’s Home” by Hemingway

In Hemingway’s “A Soldier’s Home,” the main character experiences apathy for a multitude of reasons. Harold Krebs was trained in a way that made him void of any empathy. The disinterest towards maintaining normal relationships or any mundane hobbies settled in after the return to civilian life (Hemingway 2). This...

Unsettling Endings in American Short Stories “Winter Dreams” and “A Worn Path

A proper conclusion is a necessary part of any literary work, as it provides the reader with sufficient knowledge regarding the antagonists’ stories. By addressing the closing events and clarifying the outcomes of the situations portrayed, the author offers the reader a clear understanding of the narrative’s consequences. The classic...

Plot & Themes in Bidpai’s “The Camel and His Friends”

The Camel and His Friends is a short story, which was written as one of the five chapters of beast fables from India called Panchatantra. The story is attributed to a sage named Bidpai, who is thought to be the original narrator. In India, Bidpai is a legendary figure and...

The Importance of Setting for Interpretation of Stories

One of the essential components of any story is its setting helping the authors efficiently transmit the message. It is a place and time of the described events alongside the weather, cultural surrounding, climate, and physical landscape serving as the background of the narrative. Hence, the uniqueness of readers’ experience...

Themes of Religion, Sexuality: “Salvation” by Langston Hughes

In the short story “Salvation,” Langston Hughes talks about the concept of faith through a child’s lens who loses his belief in Jesus due to the compulsion of surrounding people. Young Hughes did not get up to be saved as others did, but he remained in his seat to see...

The Boston Massacre. Historical Documents

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

“Pride and Prejudice” as Austen’s Book’s Title

Pride and Prejudice is one of the popular and audience’s favorite works written by Jane Austen. The novel’s title intrigues and forces the reader to solve the mystery of who of the heroes is full of pride and who of prejudice. The plot draws attention to how such qualities affect...

The Brutal Reality of War in Poems and Art

The poem “The Man He Killed” by Thomas Hardy was published during the Second Boer War in 1902. Hardy opposed the colonial conflict between the British Empire and combined forces of the Orange Free State and the South African Republic and decided to portray the horrors the war embodied for...

The Theme of Destiny in Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

It is challenging to understand unique characteristics and shape self-identity when actions are dictated to people and there is no basic freedom. Never Let Me Go is a story about a world where humans are cloned then told to donate organs when they become adults. The main character of the...

Characterization of Beatrice and Georgiana in Hawthorne’s Works

Nathaniel Hawthorne is a renowned 19th century writer who combined romantic elements with science in his artistic works. For instance, in his stories, “Rappaccini’s Daughter” and “The Birthmark,” he emphasizes similar aspects revolving around human nature and its fascination for perfection (Resetarits, 2012). Hawthorne successfully integrates deep feelings such as...

Religion in Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman Brown” and “The Minister’s Black Veil”

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short stories “Young Goodman Brown” and “The Minister’s Black Veil” reveal a central theme of religion that has played an important role in society. Both stories are filled with dark gothic motives that create an atmosphere and help convey a message. However, the elements of the grotesque in...

The Evolution of Tragedy: From Greek to American

Drama is one of the most vital forms of art and may be considered as the heart of literature. It developed simultaneously in Ancient Greece, China, Japan, and other countries, and since then a significant number of theatres, tragedies, comedies, and dramas were created (“A brief history of tragedy,” n.d.)....

Narratives’ Comparison: Ernest Hemingway and Katherine Mansfield

Ernest Hemingway and Katherine Mansfield were increasingly influential writers of post-war stories at the beginning of the 20th century. The First World War became a source of inspiration for many authors who tried to convey the mood of those tragic events and their consequences to the public. This paper aims...

Character Traits in “The Canterbury Tales”

Literature presents a useful platform of learning morals and values required for a progressive community. Readers obtain vital knowledge and skills from written works of scholars and prominent authors. This analysis, nevertheless, discusses Chaucer’s character’s traits as the narrator of the General Prologue in The Canterbury Tales. This is part...

Building British Identity Across History in “Saint Erkenwald”

Literature addresses historical themes for a variety of purposes, especially since it often provides for fascinating plots and thought-provoking parallels. Medieval English literature was no exception to this rule, and authors of the Middle Ages utilized the topics related to the past to achieve their artistic purpose. “Saint Erkenwald,” A...

A Letter to the President: What Would It Take?

Having the attention of the US president or even his office is an outstanding achievement. The president’s schedule is hectic, and, in most times, only issues of national and global interests get to his table. You definitely would not mind telling the president your feelings regarding certain critical aspects that...

The Quest for Freedom: William Blake and Fredrick Douglass

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

Montesquieu’s Persian Letters as Orientalist Texts

Introduction “The Persian Letters” are detailed accounts of the European experiences of two young Persians named Rica and Usbek. The intellectual tourists explore French manners and morality while their people rebel against the tyrannical authorities that have been subjected to years of misery. The seraglio, as defined in the text,...

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...

“The Fires of Jubilee: Nat Turner’s Fierce Rebellion” by Oates

“The Fires of Jubilee: Nat Turner’s Fierce Rebellion” by Stephen B. Oates is a book that depicts the rebellion led by Turner in 1831. Religion and the Bible play an essential role in understanding the context of the uprising. For slaveowners, the Bible justified their actions towards African Americans. Similarly,...

Parable of the Sower Novel by Octavia Butler

The dystopian novel, Parable of the Sower, written by Octavia Butler, starts in 2024, which instantly affirmed the attitude for the setting of it. Presently, we live in 2020, which places this novel ahead of our current time. Promptly, the readers are introduced into an unruly society in which the...

Compare and Contrast “The Masque of the Red Death” and “The Raven”

In “The Masque of the Red Death” Poe uses a great symbolic work to depict fear of death and its inevitability for people. He has shown the unity of effect in the poem. According to Fletcher, he portrayed death in a form that destroys all the lifesaving plans of people...

Monologue of Hamlet by William Shakespeare

‘Tis sweet and commendable in your nature, Hamlet, To give these mourning duties to your father: But, you must know, your father lost a father; That father lost, lost his, and the survivor bound In filial obligation for some term To do obsequious sorrow: but to persever In obstinate condolement...

Don Quixote in Literature of the Western World

Introduction The term Quixotism is used to describe a form of impulsive behavior. The concept is closely related to over-idealism. Persons who exhibit this trait often lose contact with reality. In most cases, they approach romance and life in general from an ‘impractical’ and illogical perspective. As such, they make...

The Forbidden Fruit in The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin

Imagine something that makes you happy. Might it be a long-awaited meeting with a friend or an excellent mark for the exam? What about the death of the beloved husband? In “The Story of an Hour,” Kate Chopin tells about Louise Mallard, who dies of a heart attack when she...

“The Necklace” by Guy De Maupassant: Character Portrayal

Introduction Guy De Maupassant’s story, The Necklace is an example of how a writer uses various characters to develop the plot of the story leaving an everlasting memory on the reader. This essay will focus and determine Mathilde’s character as portrayed in the story The Necklace by Guy De Maupassant....

Wars’ Impact on Society in Female Writers’ Opinion

Liberation wars are common for such countries as Bangladesh and Iran, especially the conflicts that happen between the 1970s and the 1980s. Citizens were challenged by the necessity to survive, find food, and gain respect when no support was offered to them. Today, it is possible to read about those...

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...

“Oryx and Crake” Book by Margaret Atwood

Jimmy, in Atwood’s book, can hardly be called a hero, but he is an ordinary person with his virtues and weaknesses. The writer creates the narrator who is rather close to the general public. Snowman, similar to millions of modern people, has some routines and can try to relax playing...

Role and Place of Women in Bradstreet’s and Rowlandson’s Texts

Today, the role of women becomes more extended and widely interpreted compared to the views of the previous centuries. In recent decades, females acquired the rights to vote, be employed, take leading positions in organizations, and many others. Therefore, it is useful to better understand the place of women from...

A Rose for Emily Literary Analysis

A Rose for Emily integrates several different genres, particularly Southern Gothic and Realism. The literary element of Faulkner’s composed style is that he utilizes a great deal of different scholarly strategies, specifically, arrogance, defamiliarization, and revelation. He often uses bathos and allegory to translate the theme and meaning of the...

Implications of Fiction for Children

Introduction Fiction is a genre of literature that involves invented characters, they are usually in prose and are primarily novels. Children’s fiction has been used over time, and the question of what impact it had on their lives arose. The parents reading The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires to...

“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...

“House of Sand and Fog” Novel by Andre Dubus

The ending of Dubus’ novel House of Sand and Fog is a climax of the plot, which the author achieves through masterful narrative shifting. The tragic death of Behrani’s son becomes a reason for the father to act decisively and express his pain, despair, and anger. The shift from first-person...

“The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao”: The Book Review

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao is a novel that was published in 2007 and won the Pulitzer Prize. The author of this work is Juno Diaz – an American writer of Dominican origin, so the work in English contains a large number of inserts in Spanish. The book...

‘Everyday Use’: A Deep Dive into Rural Black South vs. Progressive Movement

“Everyday Use” is a short story written by Alice Walker, which depicts a family gathering where one of the two daughters comes home to visit her mother and sister. Dee studies at a University and her perspective on the African-American heritage differs from that of her relatives. Moreover, for her...

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...

Delia’s Tenacity in the Short Story “Sweat” by Hurston

“The woman was made of a rib out of the side of Adam; not made out of his head to rule over him, nor out of his feet to be trampled upon by him, but out of his side to be equal with him ” (Matthew Henry’s Commentary: Verses 21–25)....

View on Cisneros’ “Barbie-Q” and Atwood’s “Happy Endings”

Many authors have designed short stories with limited length and are characterized by plot setting and conflict. In the story, “Barbie-Q,” Cisneros tries to explain how the American society views women to be materialistic and perfect whereby, in reality, they have their flaws (Cisneros,1991). Cisneros shows that the girls’ Barbie...

“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...

Love and Tragedy in the Play Oklahoma!

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

“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...

“Wild Nights!” by Emily Dickinson

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

The Novels by Ignacio Aldecoa Analysis

A novel in Spain is an ancient and truly democratic literary genre, rooted in folklore. Therefore, it absorbs folk wisdom, cheerful mischief, and practical judgment. The novelistic tradition is still alive in Spain; evidence of this is the collections published annually and individual stories in newspapers and magazines. There are...

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....

“Neuromancer” and “Snow Crash” Comparison

Introduction It is hard to disagree that most people like specific genres of books and usually read only them. One of the reasons for that is that texts share certain elements, which make them rather similar but still different. Precisely repetitive narrative elements, including plot, theme, characters, and setting, allow...

“A Vindication of the Rights of Women” and “The Subjection of Women”

Modern people are said to live in a democratic and equal world, but it has not always been free of negative issues. It is challenging to deny that women experienced much discrimination a few centuries ago. Society considered them inferior to men, and it created numerous problems for females. Various...

Life in the Iron Mills by Davis: Realism and Sentimentalism

In Life in the Iron Mills by Davis (1861), the possible function of mixing two modes of fiction is to highlight the moral importance of the story for readers while making it very real to the audience. Being focused on the truthful representations of life, realism supports the author in...

“The Scarlet Letter” and Nathaniel Hawthorne Biography

“The Scarlet Letter”, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, is a novel about a woman named Hester who commits adultery. The setting of the story takes place in a Puritan settlement, in Boston. The year is 1642 and the community is very strict and religious. When Hester’s secret becomes known to the public...

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

Autonomy Samples of Henrietta Lacks’ cancer cells were collected and used during diagnosis and treatment at Johns Hopkins Hospital and then transferred for research without her or her family’s informed consent, which was common practice. Scientists also began investigating Henrietta’s children, who thought they were being tested for cancer that...

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...

“A Doll’s House” by Henrik Ibsen and the Role of Ladies in Society

The struggles which women have in their daily life are real and universal. Females have been perceived as the subordinate of males who control societies. The role of ladies has always been to follow what the men say, and this has trapped communities in a patriarchal system. In their education,...

Loss Is a Disaster: Bishop’s “One Art” and Kay’s “B” Poems

Emotional pain is one of the unique aspects peculiar to human beings. As social creatures with a strong devotion to people who surround them, people cannot avoid feeling sad or frustrated because of various losses. These might include the death of close people, failures, or the inability to attain success....

Shonagon’s “The Pillow Book” as Historical Document

Positive Analysis One of the main strengths of the book is the fact that it provides an invaluable insight into Heian Japan and how regular women lived at that time. It is a well-composed historical document in regards to reflecting the lifestyles and interests of both royal family members and...

“A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by O’Connor: The Role of Foreshadowing

Foreshadowing is one of the most important techniques used by O’Connor in her story A Good Man Is Hard to Find. There are two aims of using this technique namely the suspense and preparing the reader for the events which happen further on. The author gives her readers the hint...

“Royal Commentaries” by Garcilaso el Inca

By the will of fate, Inca Garcilaso de la Vega may be considered as the most famous chronicler of the New World. As the son of an Inca princess and conquistador, he had a truly unique opportunity to learn the details of the history of pre-Hispanic Peru first-hand from numerous...

Symbolism in “The Carpenter’s Gift” by Rubel

In the book The Carpenter’s Gift, the author expresses the idea that kind actions do not go unnoticed and make the world better. Rubel (2011) uses symbolism in order to illustrate this suggestion. Symbolism is a literary device when a particular element of the narrative conveys a broader message. In...

Alexander’s “The New Jim Crow” and Its Relation to Psychiatry

The New Jim Crow is a horrifying record by Michelle Alexander based on the race caste system’s return to the United States. According to the story, a large number of African Americans are imprisoned and afterward consigned to a perpetual inferior status (Alexander, 2020). The circumstance denied the rights such...

What You Pawn I Will Redeem: Annotated Bibliography

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

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

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

“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...

J.D. Vance Book “Hillbilly Elegy” Review

Family values have always been a central them in American culture and the value system of American society. However, with the changes in the economic and political background, shifts in the perception of family values, as well as the notion of family itself, have become more noticeable. In his book...

“The Red Convertible” Story by Louise Erdrich

The story The Red Convertible was written by Louise Erdrich, who makes Native Americans the main characters in her books and frequently touches upon the topic of family relationships. In this particular tale, the author describes the tragic story of brothers Lyman and Henry, who never get to reconcile after...

Inequality in “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara

Socio-economic inequality is the unfair distribution of resources and opportunities to the different groups and races in a country. In the contemporary world of capitalism, this problem is widespread in almost any society. Capitalists have secured the means of production while workers provide the labor force. Corporates and business owners...

Beowulf as a Tragic Hero of the Old English Warrior Culture

Beowulf is an old English story drawn from their native oral literature. Though the author is anonymous, its influence is still felt up to today in many of the works of contemporary writers. The protagonist exhibits all the character traits of a tragic hero as defined by Aristotle. According to...

Love Theme in “Paradise” by Toni Morrison

Introduction The novel Paradise was written in 1997, and it was Morrison’s first book after winning the Nobel Prize in literature in 1993. Paradise stresses the affection of God, and it is the author’s third novel focusing on various kinds of love. All the chapters in the book are dedicated...

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 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership”: Book Review

The book review on “The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow them and people will follow you” is a subject to criticism based on many view points. First, the title of the book stands to be questioned itself; it shows some sense of rigidity and also some form of forced...

Kafka’s Metamorphosis from a Legal Perspective: People vs. the Samsa Family

Closing Statement: The Prosecutor Your Honor, the life of a person, no matter what his or her body may look like, is sacred, which is why the Samsa Family must answer for their actions. There is clear evidence that, despite his transformation, Gregor Samsa still possessed the ability to feel,...

“Silver Linings Playbook” by Matthew Quick

The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick tells the story about Pat Peoples, the young man with psychological issues. He plays the role of the narrator but an unreliable one. According to Sarah Pinborough, the unreliable narrator only has his truth to rely on. These people usually have mental issues,...

Grief and Mourning in ‘Big Fish’ by Danielle Wallace

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

The Hymn to Demeter. Eleusinian Mysteries

The Eleusinian Mysteries played a vital role in ancient Greece. Moreover, during the Hellenic era, these initiations became a major festival that was later exported as a cultural phenomenon to various parts of the Mediterranean and even encouraged a similar celebration in Ancient Rome. The initial idea behind the initiations...

King Leopold’s Ghost by Hochschild: A Reader Response

Looking at most of the recent history from the perspective of cultural change and the key trends in it will help to discover that the legacy of colonialism is imprinted into every facet of cross-cultural interactions. Although colonialism is typically associated with the history of American and the exploitation of...

“On the Run” of Alice Goffman and Its Public Reception

Alice Goffman’s work proves to be genuinely outstanding not just because of the scrupulous ethnological research, which she has done, but also because of the rising controversy. The work’s reception was mixed mainly because of the ethical considerations of the unclear boundary between objectiveness and bias in an ethnological study....

“The Heart of a Dog”: Person and Society Conflict

With the help of sarcastic irony, Bulgakov in his book The Heart of a Dog creates a world full of large and small conflicts that arise whenever a person is not in his place. The most profound conflict in the story arises between Professor Preobrazhensky and a new Soviet society....

“The Fall of the House of Usher” by Edgar Allan Poe

In The Fall of the House of Usher, the storyteller visits a mansion, which belongs to his sick friend, Roderick Usher. The house is creepy and the narrator feels depressed upon arrival (Poe, 2003). Usher is hypersensitivity to tactile sensations, sound, light, and taste, he needed the writer’s company during...

Interpreter of Maladies: The Plot of the Story

Interpreter of Maladies is included in the collection of short stories of the same name. The plot of the story is built around the trip of the couple Das and their children – Indian immigrants of the second and third generation, who grew up in America – to the Sun...

The Novel “The Natural” by Bernard Malamud

Modern Jewish literature is very diverse, representing one of the richest layers of world literature. A large part of Jewish literature is English-language Jewish one. The Jewish diaspora of America did not suffer in World War II and could accept a number of refugees from Eastern Europe. Thus, after the...

Main Character in Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice”

The perception of who plays the protagonist’s role in Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice may differ from one reader to the other. In essence, a protagonist is a character who draws attention or acts as the center of focus. The hero can also be known as the main character or the...

Analysis of Social Issues Raised in American Literature

Any literary work raises an issue related to a political or social problem in society. An examination of a narrative’s historical context, its literary features, and plot helps identify and understand such societal issues. The poem “Ballad of Birmingham” by Dudley Randall, the poem “The Star-Spangled Banner” by Francis Scott...

Lady Crawley and Mr. Pamuk in “Downton Abbey”

The Relationship between Lady Crawley and Mr. Pamuk in “Downton Abbey” The relationship between Lady Crawley and Mr. Pamuk is purely amorous, since the two are attracted to each other sexually and not on the basis of mutual friendship. One bit of evidence in this regard is the fact that...

“Sharing Our Stories of Survival” by Native Women

Since the first discovery of the American continent, native people have suffered various instances of violence. Indigenous women, however, is the group that is more likely to experience abuse even nowadays since there the current system is not capable of protecting them. The book Sharing Our Stories of Survival is...

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

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

Ursula Le Guin: Science Fiction Genre Writer Career

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

The Uses and Modifications of Ancient Mythologies

Mythology refers to a branch of knowledge that deals with myths, especially the sacred tales and fables told by different religions, cultures, and traditions. Mythos tell various stories regarding the crucial elements of human life: the origin of humans, the meaning of life, good and evil, death, and life after...

Komunyakaa’s “Facing It” and Owen’s “Dulce Et Decorum Est” Poems

An analysis of a poetic work is a great way to appreciate and understand poetry more deeply. Qualitative literary analysis involves considering the author’s use of such elements of poems like speaker, tone, imagery, metaphors, similes, figurative language.This paper aims to discuss two poems – “Facing It” by Yusef Komunyakaa,...

“The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” by M. Twain

Despite the controversy, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has literary value to share with high school students. It is because the work uses strong messages to criticize the system of slavery during the times of racism (Chadwick, 2000). For instance, Twain (n.d.) constantly highlights that Huck Finn and Jim are...

Unconscious Irony in “Oedipus the King,” by Sophocles

Tragic heroes often embrace unconscious irony, leading to their downfall. In any literary work, it becomes fascinating when some of the characters are self-denial after engaging in different heinous actions unknowingly and later face the consequences after realizing the truth. Denotatively, unconscious irony is when various characters within the play...

“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...

Praise, Blame and Interpretation in Literature

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

“Dulce et Decorum Est” by Wilfred Owen

“Dulce et Decorum Est” is a poem written by Wilfred Owen after his experience of fighting in World War I. The title is a Latin clause meaning it is worthy to die for one’s country. However, Wilfred Owen shares the reverse opinion, implying that it is an awful death. Due...

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...

The Elements That Achieve Realism in Moore’s Poem

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

Cultural Identity and Ethnicities’ Integrity Significance in Mora’s Poetry

Pat Mora’s poetry book Chants illustrates the essentiality of heritage conservation and the relationship between different cultures. She is a Mexican American writer who is well-known for her biculturalism style. She puts emphasizes the problem of adaptation of non-acceptance of immigrants of Latin origin in the US. The writer also...

Disempowerment of Women in King Arthur’s Court

Abstract Thomas Malory’s book “Le Morte Darthur: The Winchester Manuscript” is about the life and death of King Arthur. Apart from ventures and battles, it depicts the disempowerment of women in King Arthur’s Court, an issue which is not so frequently discussed by scholars in frames of the book “Le...

Alice in “Adventure” Story by Sherwood Anderson

Introduction Winesburg, Ohio is a series of short novels written by Sherwood Anderson and published in 1919, which depicts the daily lives of ordinary citizens in small-town rural America. Throughout the book, the author offers us glimpses and snapshots into the characters’ frames of mind within specific moments in time,...

Reflection on “The Shock Doctrine” by Naomi Klein

Introduction The Shock Doctrine is a book by a Canadian social activist Naomi Klein, who advocates that free-market policies are of great popularity in various countries because of the strategy of “shock therapy.” The book itself seems to be controversial since it received both positive and negative comments from the...