Descartes’ Meditations and First Philosophy

In Meditations on First Philosophy, Rene Descartes presents a metaphysical system in which he expands his philosophical view of doubt. Descartes notes that he has been mistaken all along, even on matters he presumed to be certain. The author resolves to abandon his pre-conceptions acquired through the senses in a...

Short Story Analysis “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner

Introduction Miss Emily, the main character of Faulkner’s story “A Rose for Emily,” is a controversial figure who evokes rather mixed feelings, but pity prevails in this plethora of emotions. On the one hand, she is a mentally ill murderer who kept the body of her victim in her house...

Resilience: Oedipus and Hamlet

Ancient Greek plots and motives are commonly reflected in the European literature of the New Age, which makes the heritage of different epochs comparable. One of the plotlines – discovering the reason for the death of a protagonist’s father. One of the aspects frequently discussed in this context is resilience....

“Flying Toward Morning” by Ciera Horton Mcelroy

Contrary to expectations, life does not always give positive emotions — there are moments when it seems that everything around is destroyed, and nothing can be fixed. The streak of tragedies has a substantial impact on adults, but for children with a more developed fantasy and a naive view of...

Alienation and Isolation in the Asian-American literature

The theme of alienation is clearly expressed in the Asian-American literature of the 20th century. Asian writers who immigrated to the United States in the late 19th century lived a challenging life. Most Korean-American and Chinese-American authors were formed in cultural isolation, which influenced their worldview to find their identity....

Lincoln’s Death in “O Captain!” Poem by Walt Whitman

“O, Captain! My Captain!” was written by American poet Walt Whitman and was first published in 1865. The poem is created as an elegy in honor of Abraham Lincoln, whom the poet admired. Therefore, the work has a particular value from the historical context perspective as it refers to the...

Phoenix and Cycle of Struggle

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

Rip Van Winkle and Anton Rosicky: Similarities Between the Two Characters

Introduction The paper focuses on singling out the similarities between two famous short story characters: Washington Irving’s Rip Van Winkle from “Rip Van Winkle” and Willa Cather’s Anton Rosicky from “Neighbour Rosicky.” The main emphasis is made on such features pertaining to the two men as independence, intelligence, and life...

Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet: Play Analysis

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

Life and Dead in Poetry

Introduction The two main manifestations of human existence or two of its forms are life and death. These issues bother people during centuries because they are too complicated to understand them entirely. That is why the most intent contemplators of the world, poets, cannot ignore these categories. Reflecting life in...

Gender Roles Depiction in “Antigone” by Sophocles

The notion of gender has always been a subject for a continuous discussion, formerly claiming a distinct line between the roles of each gender. With this concept considerably expanding its semantic paradigm, people’s perception of gender started to fade. However, while gender roles in the context of society had their...

Chapter 3 of “Girl in Translation” by J. Kwok

Introduction Earlier Asian immigration to the United States was driven by dreams of a better life espoused in the American dream. Even today, America is among the most preferred destination countries by potential immigrants. For most people, the desire to migrate is to escape extreme poverty locally and build a...

Gilgamesh and Odysseus: The Semblance

Today, an Akkadian epic poem, the Epic of Gilgamesh is regarded as the earliest surviving great literary work. The poem describes the life of Gilgamesh who was an actual historical king of an ancient Sumerian city-state of Uruk, deified post-mortem by its citizens. Of special interest for scholars is the...

“The Best Laid Plans” by Terry Fallis

The novel The Best Laid Plans is a satirical book about the Canadian political system written by Terry Fallis in 2008. It has won the Stephen Leacock Award for humor and is well-known all around the world. What is precisely lovely about this novel is its language and perfect choice...

The Play “Fences” by August Wilson

As the Director The play “Fences” by August Wilson has a plethora of messages that the author wanted to share with the audience. The play was released in 1986, and it is possible that at the time, its presentation of racial inequality issues was appropriate. However, in 2020, the younger...

The Phenomenon of Allegory

The phenomenon of allegory can be defined as that one of a hidden meaning within a certain concept. In the movie under analysis, the idea of an allegory is hidden beneath a series of oats since the main character appears to be quite transparent in their general intention, as well...

Pip in “Great Expectations” by Charles Dickens

Introduction As the title suggests, the novel ‘Great Expectations’ is about the expectations of a young man as he moves into the harsh cruel world of reality outside his home. His tryst with destiny, first at the hand of a golden hearted criminal, Magwitch, and then at the hands of...

Charlotte’s Web and Hana’s Suitcase: A True Story

Children’s literature about good and evil, about various events, invented or occurred in the past, but simultaneously related to the present, allows readers to take part emotionally, empathize. Such books are an opportunity for kids to learn about many people and hear different opinions, ideas, and thoughts. Such literature is...

“Going to Meet the Man” Story by James Baldwin

Koritha Mitchell’s Living with Lynching and James Baldwin’s “Going to Meet the Man” In the book Living with Lynching, Koritha Mitchel studies the so-called “lynching drama” and the role that lynching played in the American culture. She claims that the depictions of racial violence produced by the black and white...

“Shooting an Elephant” and “Stranger in the Village”

The themes of oppression, alienation, and identity often permeate the well-known pieces of modern and classic literature. Conflicts that are understood on an instinct level are often engaging for the reader and broad with possible meanings. The basic issue at the core of a story can be expanded and turned...

Poem Analysis: Go Down, Moses

Addressing a crucial part of the biblical narrative, Go Down, Moses bears a crucial cultural meaning apart from its doubtless artistic merit. However, since the song has been popular for multiple decades, its novelty may have gradually faded, which, in turn, has led to people taking a range of unique...

The Charge of Light Brigade

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

Traditions in “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson

“The Lottery” was written by Shirley Jackson in 1948 and contains many notable themes that are significant and relevant to discuss even today. The author tells a story of a fictional village which practices a long-established custom of conducting an annual lottery. The symbolism chosen by Jackson constitutes an important...

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

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

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

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

Leitmotif of Women Empowerment in Kate Chopin’s Works

Introduction Kate Chopin was a well-known American novelist and short story writer who was born in the late 1800s. She is considered one of the founders of feminist ideas. Even though at the end of the nineteenth century, this movement was only in a state of formation and was widely...

“Liveware”: The Quote by David Eagleman: Review

“The brain is fundamentally unlike the hardware in our digital computers. Instead, it’s “liveware”. It reconfigures its circuitry. Although the adult brain isn’t quite as flexible as a child’s, it still retains an astonishing ability to adapt and change” (Eagleman, 2015, ch. 6). The quote by the book’s author David...

Jane Austen and Her Accomplishments

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

Literary Analysis of Jackson’s “The Lottery”

Shirley Jackson’s Lottery is one of the jewels of classic American literature of the twentieth century. This work made a massive contribution to the development of the genre of mysticism. Although the Lottery is a short story, it contains an amazingly detailed and colorful description of the American hinterland. Even...

Nnedi Okorafor’s “Akata Witch”: Magical Education

Sunny’s magical journey is closely related to the Harry Potter books’ plot and its character regarding the heroes and the action. However, the author excellently opens up about African ideas of magic, creating an engaging plot story, and educating on a rich cultural heritage; the following essay will discuss the...

Nickel and Dimed and The Queen of Versailles

Known as a Land of Opportunities, the US allows some people to become successful, leaving the rest to survive by themselves and support the few fortunate ones. As a model of capitalism, the country may ignore the needs of those who do not contribute much to money and resource circulation....

Inspiration by Rudyard Kipling’s Poetry

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

Oh Blanche Characteristic Analysis

The character of Blanche is not as one-sided as one might think. While the real-life stereotype on which she is based could be, the play’s representation of the Belle is nuanced. Thus, it is difficult to state whether I sympathize with her or agree that she deserves her tragic fate,...

“The Tragedy of Othello, The Moor of Venice” by Shakespeare

Shakespeare’s Othello is a play about secrets, plotting and revenge. It tells the tragic story of Othello, who is secretly married to Desdemona and how the people around them plot to end the relationship (Shakespeare 6). Rodrigo’s business with Iago involves the latter helping him to woo Desdemona. Roderigo is...

Auden, Barrett Browning and Shakespeare: Poems Comparison

“Stop All the Clocks, Cut Off the Telephone” This poem was written in 1938 by Wystan Hugh Auden, an Anglo-American poet. “Stop All the Clocks, Cut off the Telephone” is about the fact that the death of a loved person can deprive one of all the joys, hopes, and desire...

Self-Referentiality in Jorge Luis Borges’ “Blindness”

“Blindness” is an essay written by Jorge Luis Borges in 1977. In this work, much attention was paid to self-referentiality because the author’s experience is extremely important to support his writing (Block de Behar, A Rhetoric of Silence 279-281). To understand the purpose of this essay, it is critical to...

“Caesar’s Legion” Book by Stephen Dando Collins

Julius Caesar is known as one of the greatest and most influential rulers of the Roman Empire. With the proclamation of Caesar’s power, Rome quickly started to rise, which scared and simultaneously fascinated many. Before becoming the ruler of the Roman Empire, Caesar showed himself as a talented general of...

“The Tell-Tale Heart and the Yellow Wallpaper” by Perkins

Insanity in Gothic Literature Gothic authors submerge their readers into the dark and depressing atmosphere as they slowly lead the characters through the traps of their minds. In many cases, the heroes are experiencing some forms of insanity, imagining or seeing the scary phenomena while others do not. Description of...

Reconnecting With the Past: “The Namesake” by Jhumpa Lahiri

Introduction The Namesake is a debut novel by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jhumpa Lahiri. Originally, a part of the novel was published in a magazine and only later extended to a full-length novel. It investigates the themes of multiculturalism, self-discovery, and isolation common in the lives of immigrants and their...

Salvation Moment in the Story by Flannery O’Connor

Flannery O’Connor created a significant piece of writing that might be considered as one of her most famous works. A Good Man is Hard to Find is a short story that aims to address the never-ending issue of redemption – what it takes to become a good person. O’Connor might...

Review of “Dear Current Occupant” by Chelene Knight

Dear Current Occupant is a memoir by Chelene Knight, a Canadian writer, and it is a mixture of different forms. There are essays, poems, and letters, all telling the autobiographic story of her childhood. Her unique style invites the reader to get absorbed into her writing, empathizing with her experiences....

“The Space Merchants” by Hladká

Introduction The Space Merchants extrapolates the highly capitalist world of the 22 century driven by consumerism and greed. The privileged class consists of top traders, business people, and “star class” copywriters who continuously deploy tricky advertisement campaigns to manipulate others, so-called ordinary consumers. The authors mainly show and criticize the...

“The Plague” by Albert Camus Critique

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

“Addicts Who Survived” by David Courtwright: Crucial Work on Drug Addiction

Despite all the government’s measures to combat drug addiction, this problem remains relevant to this day. Unfortunately, at the moment, it is not possible to cure every drug-addicted person. There is a significant amount of research on this topic. They are dedicated to the effects of various drugs, discuss remedies,...

The Writing Poetry: Review

About Patriotism Who is a real patriot in your eyes? The one who loves his country With all his soul, Or the one who willingly arises When the anthem is playing loudly To prove his role? You can be proud of your nationality. But can you cross that thin line...

Why Self-Plagiarism Is Not a Form of Cheating

Cheating generally refers to unfair practices in whatever activity one chooses to perform. Most of the time, it would include making the work easier or faster without following the rules and laws associated with the deed. While plagiarism means using someone else’s work or ideas without proper referencing, self-plagiarism refers...

Enjoyment in Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale”

The most actively discussed topics that are related to The Handmaid’s Tale include power, freedom, identity, rebellion, gender, and the role of language among others. However, little attention is paid to analyzing the concept of enjoyment and its representation in this dystopian novel (Ostendorf, p. 59). In addition to understanding...

“Beggars in Spain” by Nancy Kress

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

Types of Dunbar’s Poetry

Paul Laurence Dunbar was born into a family of former slaves. He is considered the first African-American writer in the United States to be widely known. His poems written in dialect, a folk speech of the American South, were most popular. They reflect all the ambivalence, torment, and contradictions that...

The Play “New Ma” by Dora Dee Hunter: Review

The play “NEW MA” by Dora Dee Hunter is a modern performance covering some of the most crucial aspects of people’s lives in the current world. The play may be roughly divided into six acts, each of them including a new twist in the plot. The main characters are a...

Poets: Elizabeth Browning and Emily Dickinson

Introduction Elizabeth Browning and Emily Dickinson are the most famous poets of the 19th century. While the masculine society insisted that women were not capable of doing poetry, Browning and Dickinson emerged as the refutation of this statement. Elizabeth gained popularity with her works on the abolition of slavery and...

August Wilson and Pittsburgh Cycle of Plays

August Wilson is an American playwright awarded for his exemplary work that illuminated the struggles that African Americans faced in the U.S. He wrote the Pittsburgh Cycle of Plays, encompassing ten texts produced during different periods of time explaining the issue of racism in the U.S. Wilson was born in...

“The Ones Who Walk Away” by Ursula Le Guin

Literature is an essential means of delivering critical ideas regarding the surrounding world and the distinguishing features of society. Authors do not only aim at entertaining their readers but also focus on sharing personal views and opinions on various issues and processes happening in the communities. For instance, a philosophical...

Odyssey, the Man and Myth

Homer’s work The Odyssey has a vast number of features, which are studied from the literature point to this day. This epic poem tells about the return of Odyssey to Ithaca after the Trojan War. The analysis of Odysseus’ books allows readers to recognize the temper and change the perceptions...

“The Four Voyages of Christopher Columbus” by Edwin Williamson

Introduction This paper summarizes the plot of The Four Voyages of Christopher Columbus. It also briefly describes the main character and analyzes the main ideas of the story. The book is written from a historical point of view, so it does not focus on a specific issue. Nevertheless, this essay...

Human Destiny in the Works of Shakespeare and Nino Ricci

Introduction Human destiny has been one of the central subjects in literature at all times, and this theme can be tracked in literary pieces written in different centuries. The novel “Lives of the Saints” by Nino Ricci and the play “Othello” by William Shakespeare share a recurring idea: the destructive...

The Idea of Friendship in Literary Works

Studying the phenomenon of friendship in literary works is quite popular among authors. The writer Sherman Alexie in his story “This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona” comically approaches the description of friendship between old friends. At the same time, Borges Luis, in the short story “Funes the...

“Experiences of World War I Soldiers” Lecture by Isherwood

War stories are one of the primary sources of historical memory about the significant events of the past wars. However, they regularly contain personal exaggerations, either for dramatic effect or as simple attention grab. Despite that, they provide an insight into one of the most crucial moments of modern history....

“Gem of the Ocean”: Play Insight

Although slavery is abolished and the characters are legally free, they do not feel their freedom. The main characters are free to do what they want, but they do not let themselves do so because of their moral obligations or past experiences. The play also mentions the mill workers who...

The Idea of Carrying the Fire in Cormac McCarthy’s Novel

The plot of Cormac McCarthy’s novel focuses on two people, the father and his son having a challenging journey across the post-apocalyptic continent. Throughout the novel, there is an idea of carrying the fire. Even in the end, the boy asks a stranger, whether he has been carrying it as...

The Importance of Friendship Between Arnold and Rowdy

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

Feminist Literary Criticism: Shoshana Felman’s Ideas

Opportunities to convey one’s ideas to society through literature are effective tools that allow not only leaving a personal mark on history but also indicating an individual position on a specific topic or issue. However, when taking into account modern social norms and foundations, not all the categories of the...

Symbolism in “The Egg” and “Bernice Bobs Her Hair”

One of the most effective learning approaches is through fictional and real-life narratives. Short stories have been used in the history of humanity to offer studying materials that allow students to connect emotionally with the texts and relate them with their experiences. The Egg and Bernice Bobs Her Hair are...

Literacy Narrative: “Make a Wish”

I vividly remember the day I realized life was too short and unexpected not to wish for more. It was April, and I sweet-talked my mom to take me to the amusement park on the weekend. I was eight years old, and I had never been to the amusement park...

Analysis of a “Good Man Is Hard to Find” by O’Connor

“A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor continues to raise numerous questions. The book represents a great example of the Gothic Fiction of the American South. Nevertheless, it has some distinctive features, such as multiple references to social issues and religion. The book has a darkly menacing...

“The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” by Thomas Sterns Eliot

Introduction The poem The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock by Thomas Sterns Eliot is full of imagery that is used by the writer to create a specific atmosphere and affect a reader. The work introduces a speaker who is full of various fears and feels miserable and useless. The...

“The Tyger and The Lamb” by Blake

The literary concept of poetry is one of the most challenging aspects in terms of encoding the writer’s intentions and ideas behind the lines, especially when analyzed decades after their first publications. A prime example of such a challenge would be the poems written by Robert Frost, an American poet...

Death in Poems: “Because I Could Not Stop for Death”

Introduction One of the most mysterious concepts that has been a topic of interest for numerous poets is death. The fascination with it is explained by the desire of people to grasp the inevitable and view life through the lens of mystery (Daghamin, 2017). One of the poets known for...

“The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne

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

Shakesperian Literature: Hamlet’s Character in Act 2

Hamlet’s Character In Act 2 of his play titled Hamlet, Shakespeare depicts the protagonist Hamlet as the only gifted politician in Elsinore. Although he could read men’s minds accurately, Hamlet is reluctant to respond to other characters vengefully. He only mentions revenge in his last speech despite having the capacity...

The Theme of Patriotism and Honor: Poetry Seminar Analysis

Introduction The theme of patriotism and honor is a crucial element in understanding the literature and film created to depict World War I. The poem “The Absorption” in particular focuses on the ideas of patriotism because Sassoon contrasts the horrors of wartime with the soldier’s changing attitudes towards the battlefield...

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

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

Cedar’s Journey in “Future Home of the Living God” by Louise Erdrich

The story presented in Louise Erdrich’s novel under the title Future Home of the Living God is an example of a hero’s story. Being set in pre-apocalyptic America, the dystopian novel is written from the first-person perspective. It conveys a journey of a pregnant twenty-six-year-old Native American woman named Cedar...

A Good Man Is Hard to Find Essay Example

Flannery O’Connor’s essay discussing her own literary piece “A good man is hard to find” is a unique case. She insists as an author that people should not try to dissect stories, trying to analyze every single detail. Rather they should truly enjoy them first, find their own meaning in...

Literature. Fate and Fallibility in Human Society

Introduction One of the most amazing things about literature is the possibility of introducing a new world and taking a person out of reality, at least for a moment. Some stories make people change their opinions and discover alternatives to improve their lives. In the majority of cases, literary works...

Ways Literature Can Influence the Audience

One influential pair of works presented in class is Fleabag by Phoebe Waller-Bridge in the form of play-script and the television series. The main character of Fleabag is unquestionably flawed; she went through much personal trauma, continually doubts herself and struggles with finding self-value. However, there are various positive traits...

“The Art of War” by Sun Tzu vs. “Othello” by Shakespeare

Classics are literary works that are considered the gage and main point of reference for their era or a particular genre. Previously, this term referred to certain authors of ancient literature, and later it was used to refer to all ancient Greek and Roman literature. This concept is now used...

Ancient Poetry: Literary Study Assistance

Various literary works were published to enlarge the pool of knowledge connected to literary narrative techniques in epics. The work by Altes called Ethos and Narrative Interpretation: The Negotiation of Values in Fiction explores the interplay of ethos, character, and narrative. The book also covers literary conventions and how they...

The Yellow Wallpaper. Mrs. Spring Fragrance. Review

The compositions left a profound trace in the literature of the XX century. Even though the stories are short, they contain significant ideas. The narratives are modernist since they describe the individual’s thoughts, not the social environment. The paper below represents a brief overview of the narrations. It also explains...

“Nineteen Eighty-Four” by Orwell and the Real World

The world described by Orwell in his novel Nineteen Eighty-four seems cruel and unfair. With its totalitarian regime, full devotion to the Party, and Big Brother constantly watching everyone, the existence of such a society seems impossible in the modern world. Nowadays, although many countries are tolerant and respectful of...

The Chicano Movement in Films and Literature

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

Historical Setting. Roofy’s Book Analysis

Historical Background The book of Ruth is set during the time of the Judges, as a family from Bethlehem moves to Moab to avoid famine. The nation of Moab, along with Ammon, had its genealogical roots in Lot’s intercourse with his daughters (Gen. 19:30-38). After the Exodus, the Israelites returning...

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

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

Importance of Snow in “The Guest” by Camus

At least once in their life – and, in all likelihood, far more frequently – everyone has the reason to think that the universe is unfair. While despicable and immoral actions may yield rewards and recognition, doing the right thing not only does not guarantee those but may even bring...

The Image of a Woman in the Book by Emily Walker

Walker’s comparison of women to saints means that females have lost their natural form and meaning: they have acquired “shrines” instead of bodies and “temples” instead of minds (401). This description is bad since the writer presupposes that women cannot lead the lives they want, having to bear the status...

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

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

The Great Gatsby: Chapters’ Review

Chapter 1: Nick Carraway decides to move from Minnesota to New York. He starts his story by mentioning that his father told him not to judge others because it leads to misunderstanding and wrong interpretations. According to Carraway’s description, Gatsby represents everything for which he had “an unaffected scorn” (Fitzgerald,...

Abraham Lincoln in Eric Foner’s The Fiery Trial

Written by Eric Foner, The Fiery Trial is a historical nonfiction book with a major focus on the African Americans in the United States during the Civil War period. The author spans his story around Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the US, and his life at the height of...

The Short Story “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien

The short story “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien explores the emotional and psychological struggles which soldiers go through in the battlefield. This is evident from first person voice narration O’Brien, who relates the daily experiences of the soldiers in his Alpha Company in the jungles of Vietnam. Even...

Jamaica Kincaid’s “Girl” vs. “Sonny’s Blues”

Narrator’s View of Her Mother in Jamaica Kincaid’s Girl Girl by Jamaica Kincaid is a poem that depicts tough conversations and lessons between a Kincaid and her mother. The narrator describes the mother as a harsh person by the way the literal work is presented. The dramatic monologue provides an...

Claudia Rankine: Biography and Works

Introduction Nowadays, more and more poets are starting to experiment with the possibilities of language. For example, some of them mix prose and poetry or create new genres in literature. Undoubtedly, the genre diversity and the formation of new departments of literature is a significant part of modern writing, but...

The Philosophy of the Middle Path in the “If”

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

“Crack” by David Farber Analysis

This review dwells upon David Farber’s Crack: Rock Cocaine, Street Capitalism, and the Decade of Greed. The book sheds light on diverse aspects of the war on drugs and the crack market in the USA in the twentieth century. The author attempts to identify the major causes of the problem...

Artificial Intelligence: Science Fiction Novels

The world, where humans will coexist with machines, is coming closer every day. The fast development of artificial intelligence that was almost a miracle a hundred years ago now is considered to be a usual thing. Attempts of science to understand how the human brain works and improve the fragile...

“A Rose for Emily” by W. Faulkner and “The Yellow Wallpaper” by C. Perkin

In the current essay, two short stories will be compared and contrasted: “A rose for Emily” by William Faulkner and “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkin. Both stories are focused on female protagonists who experience some form of life-changing isolation. However, two authors use different literary elements in order to...

Universal Values: Consequences of Non-Observance

Postcolonial Theory and Its Benefits for Society The past and ongoing historic processes present invaluable information for future generations allowing them to navigate the world without repeating the mistakes of their ancestors. The combination of such processes is considered under a unified concept of postcolonial theory, which contributes to the...

Inspiration by Jessica Knight’s Poetry

Introduction A poem by Jessica Knight titled “Secrets under trees” is a reflection on how secrets should not be revealed. The author uses a metaphor of a tree and its leaves as a way of showing how secrets should be left to rot (Knight, 2016). My original art piece, a...

“Richard Cory” by Edwin Arlington Robinson

The poem Richard Cory by Edwin Arlington Robinson is one of these works which overthrow readers’ expectations. At the very beginning, the main character is presented as a successful and wealthy man who can afford anything he wants. Richard is envied by people he meets every day in the streets...

Killing Demons in “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Poe

Edgar Allan Poe is famous for his striking stories that shed light on the darkest aspects of the human mind and soul. “The Tell-Tale Heart” is one of such works that make the reader think of important topics such as the good and the bad, sanity and insanity, crime and...

Mental Health in “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe and “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Nowadays, mental health is a significant concern in the United States, as more and more people become affected by psychological conditions. However, the discourse around this topic, especially that of schizophrenia, has existed for a considerable time. The main characters of Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s The Yellow Wallpaper and Edgar Allan...

A Driving Conflict in Wilson’s Fences Play

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

Attitudes Toward Death: Thomas vs. Whitman

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

Viewpoint and Narration in Lusus Naturae by Atwood

The concept of the point of view in the narrative is useful in evaluating and critiquing stories. Each author selects it depending on different factors. This essay seeks to use the point of view to evaluate the story Lusus Naturae by Margaret Atwood, a tale of an outcast with whom...

Camus’ The Plague From the Perspective of COVID-19

In 2020, the world faced a new virus, which appeared to be a health threat to the population. The disease received the name “COVID-19”, and caused a catastrophic reaction of people, despite the deadly outcomes. Many sources refer to this phenomenon as the “social absurdity” (Banerjee et al., 2020, para....

The World State and Dystopia in “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley

The issue of finding the right balance between personal freedoms and the need for social stability and development has been a pressing one for a long time. Its urgency has further been increased by the spread of terrorism, which resulted in certain measures intended to control and protect citizens and...

American Dream in Fitzgeralds’s “The Great Gatsby”

Among the many concepts explored in Fitzgeralds’s The Great Gatsby, American Dream is one of the most notable ones. The titular character, with his extravagant lifestyle, acts like its embodiment and manifestation in the hedonistic, consumerist atmosphere of the Roaring Twenties. Yet the author questions this interpretation of the American...

Girl in Translation: An Immigration and Coming-of-Age Story

The story of young Kimberly Chang and her mother emigrating to New York from Hong Kong told in Girl in Translation crystallizes hardships that immigrants undergo. The family experiences financial troubles, exploitation, and discrimination on its way to prosperity. At first, Kimberly lives in a crummy Brooklyn flat without heating...

“Fences” by August Wilson: Troy Maxson’s Character

In Fences, the character of Troy Maxon initially seems like a representation of a hardworking man, a breadwinner, who gives up on his ideas of happiness and well-being to ensure that his family has financial security. However, Troy had dreams previously, with society pushing him into that niche once the...

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

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

“The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” and “The Bear”: Journey to Manhood

The theme of the formation of the young hero personality is not new in world literature. Most of the major writers have turned to it in their work. A real artist always seeks to penetrate the secrets of the human soul, to find motives that push a person to certain...

Cocaine. “Crack” Book by David Farber

Crack: Rock Cocaine, Street Capitalism, and the Decade of Greed, written by David Farber, is a history of destructing poor communities of the United States by cocaine. It tells the reader about the roots of crack cocaine and the political response to the drug. It also gives examples from the...

Legends of British Literature: Beowulf and Macbeth

Introduction The theme of heroes and villains has always been one of the most popular in literature. Whatever the historical period, there were narrations about brave and noble men who courageously defended their lands from enemies. However, the motives those heroes had for fighting were not always dignified. An Old...

“The Old Man and the Sea” by Ernest Hemmingway

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

Ethical Issues in “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks”

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is a research done by Rebecca Skloot to unravel the story of Henrietta and her family to know what she underwent because of her cells. Skloot reveals a scenario of one of the most significant inputs to the field of medicine in her book....

Analysis of “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor

“A Good Man Is Hard to Find,” written by Flannery O’Connor, quickly became one of the author’s most prominent pieces due to its many definitions and perceptions. First published in 1953, the writing is centered around the themes of good and evil, portraying the writer’s typical style. The following essay...

Sam Maggs Biography

Introduction Sam Maggs is one of the Master’s students who has achieved a lot in life. She won the 2014 Cineplex Entertainment’s Casting Call contest. In the following year, that is 2015; she moved to Edmonton, where she works up to now as a writer for the different best-selling video...

Shelley’s Frankenstein: The Monster’s Description

The story of Frankenstein and his creation has been popular for many years. It was a base for movies, and the monster character was included in many other stories. This is not surprising since this monster is ambiguous and arouses many feelings and emotions. Many contradictions exist in this monster,...

Death in John Donne’s and Percy Shelley’s Sonnets

Death is a controversial topic for many people since its perception varies from person to person. Some see it as liberation from earthly shackles while others dread it and try to postpone the final moment of life for as long as physically possible. Nonetheless, human lives are finite, and at...

Universal Qualities of Freedom

Freedom is the power to act, think, or speak as one wants. One universal quality of liberty is the ability to change without any constraint. Freedom allows people to make different decisions in their lives without facing any consequences. The short stories “The Bet,” “The Feather Pillow,” “Story of an...

“Bang” by Daniel Pena: Review

Daniel Inouye Pena is a Pushcart Prize winner writer of Mexican-American origin. “Bang” was his debut novel that receives major appreciation among American readers. It tells the story of an undocumented Mexican family living in South Texas. The piece addresses the problems related to the current U.S. migrant policy as...

Establishing Source’s Authority

There are various ways to establish the authority of a source. These include the author’s scope, fame, level of education, professional interests, and other personal characteristics. In addition, it is essential to consider the publisher, possible biases, sources of information studied, and other factors. When working with a source, it...

“Song of Solomon” by Toni Morrison

Song of Solomon is a novel written by Toni Morrison in 1977 and belongs to African American literature. Although this text is one of the writer’s first works, the book brought Morrison great fame. The story of a young African American Macon Dead has raised many questions about black people’s...

‘The Things They Carried’ by Tim O’Brien: Reflection

War is a central theme in books of numerous authors, and Tim O’Brien is no exception to the rule. What makes him stand out from the rest is the source of information he uses and the way he presents the war. Being a war veteran, O’Brien writes about his personal...

“We Need New Names” by Bulawayo

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

“Know Your Why” by Ken Costa

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

“My Almighty Grandmother” by Gabriela Roy

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

Characters’ Evolution in The House on Mango Street and Bullet in the Brain

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s The Little Prince raises fundamental philosophical issues about human life and its actual values. The protagonist undergoes internal evolution and gains an understanding that genuinely precious things are intangible. Instead, they can be perceived only by the heart. Subsequently, numerous other writers have adopted this narrative strategy....

Axe and Bermuda Triangle Overview

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

The Preservation of Humanism Contrary to Tradition in Story “The Lottery”

Introduction Residents of the American town gathered for the annual lottery, and as with any other venerable tradition, attitudes toward it vary depending on age. The older men cannot imagine the life of the community without it. Still, the youngers are more skeptical, and they take it without reverence. The...

“Under the Skirt of Liberty” by Giannina Braschi

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

Ambivalence in Livy’s Introductory Remarks

In “Preface”, several cases of ambivalence proved Livy’s mixed feelings towards his project. First, Livy demonstrated uncertainty about “any return for the effort” because he did not “bring some greater authenticity” or new contributions but celebrated “the memory of the past” (1). The author seemed to doubt his intent “neither...

“The Worth of Love and Human Relationships” by Oscar Wilde

Human relationships, either comic or dramatic, turn out to be a common topic for many works of literature. Oscar Wilde used a variety of literary devices to enhance sensory experiences among readers. The Importance of Being Earnest is his play about the significance of social institutions like family and marriage....

Perception and Expectation in Literature

Word logic – clear message which is delivered by grammatically correct words and sentences. The reading-writing connection – mutual influence between a person’s ability to write well-structured texts and the amount of the read books. Comparison and contrast – the ability to discuss similar and different elements in a writing....

Butler’s ‘Parable of the Sower’

Butler’s book is deemed to hold exceptional attributes in different facets, particularly structure and presentation of data and sentiments. Irrespective of being fictitious, the story is laid out in a way that appears real. Butler, the writer, develops the concern of corrupt governance portrayed by injustice and inequitable dealings (14)....

Hamlet’s Universality and Contemporary Cultural Discourse

Measuring the literary value of a text is a complex process. The worth of a piece of literature to human civilization is a notion that, for instance, the postmodernist worldview negates, as well as the need for literary idols. Nevertheless, some texts became deeply ingrained in social consciousness as those...

Ethnic Diversity in Poems by Pat Mora, Chrystos and Naomi Shihab Nye

Ethnic Diversity The issue of exile and the search for true identity is a significant topic in American culture. People with diverse nationalities and cultural backgrounds live in one country and have to defend their traditions and worldview (Schilb et al. 78). For the authors such as Pat Mora, Chrystos,...

Analysis of a Scene from ‘Fences’ by August Wilson

Fences written by August Wilson is a play that revolves around the conflict within an African American family that takes place in the year 1957 in Pennsylvania. The play’s title has a metaphorical meaning, and the unfinished fence the audience sees on stage symbolizes the uneasy relationship of the main...

The Analysis of Twain’s Novel “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Cour”

Mark Twain is the prominent American writer of the 19th century whose writings are not only witty and capturing but also address numerous social problems such as, for example, inequality. This issue is most evident in A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court. The novel tells a story about an...

“The Killer Angels” by Michael Shaara

The Killer Angels is a well-known book that is obligatory for studying in American schools because it explores one of the most significant events in the history of the United States. The novel by Michael Shaara published in 1974 was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction a year later (Gale,...

Comparative Analysis “A Rose for Emily” and “Short Days, Dog Days”

Introduction Writers Marlin Barton and William Faulkner did not pay much attention to the detailed description of their characters, which is justified by the limited scope of their work. The primary source of perception of the nature of the central figures is the author’s descriptions of their way of thinking...

“Invisible Man” by Ralph Ellison

Stylistic convergence is an essential component in any prosaic text system and serves as the most indicative means for expressing the author’s feelings and emotions. Expression with the joint use of individual stylistic devices is superimposed on the interpretation of another, and the overall stylistic effect as a result of...

“Jazz” by Toni Morrison

Introduction Any literature masterpiece is composed of numerous layers and themes, which supplement each other and give it new tones and accents. One can read a book looking for some evident events and the plot lying on the surface. However, this approach will not ensure a profound understanding of the...

The Namesake’ by Jhumpa Lahiri: Compare and Contrast

Introduction Jhumpa Lahiri’s novel The Namesake expresses a complex combination of the emotions and feelings of the main characters who are trying to understand their places in society and identify themselves. The author shows an immigrant father, Ashoke, and his son, Gogol, who, despite different upbringings and cultural affiliations, go...

Hero’s Journey Concept in Literature and Movies: The Role of a Mentor

Introduction While watching a film or reading an interesting book, it might be hard to notice a pattern that every story seems to follow. A hero is living a normal life and then experiences something that makes him or her begin an adventure, meeting new allies and enemies. Still, the...