“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...

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

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

“The 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...

Parenting in Lapine’s Play Into the Wood

Introduction Parenthood is one of the central elements of personality socialization, which lays the child’s primary skills in communication and interaction with the environment. For this reason, it is so important to provide effective and pedagogical education and training that stimulates the child’s successful and harmonious development. Otherwise, a parent...

Symbols and Motifs in Short Stories

“The Birth-Mark” by Nathaniel Hawthorne The main symbol around which the story develops is certainly the birthmark on Georgiana’s left cheek. Initially, the girl seems to be the perfect creation of nature – she is smart, kind, and gorgeous but the mark becomes a trouble for her husband. The birthmark...

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....

Interesting Review Articles Anout Picture of Dorian Gray

The Triptych of Dorian Gray (1890–91): Reading Wilde’s Novel as Three Print Objects This article provides the differences between the original version of The Portrait of Dorian Gray and the censored ones. The author analyzes three sources – the typescript, the magazine version, and the first edition of the novel....

“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...

Analysis of Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics

Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics is centered on the concept of virtue ethics, which can be approached from different perspectives depending on one’s philosophical precepts. Aristotle advances the view that ethics should be contextualized based on whether an action is informed by the pursuit of excellence. The judgment on whether one acted...

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...

“The Moldau” by Bedrich Smetana

The Moldau is the symphonic poem of the Czech composer Bedrich Smetana. The poem illustrates the flow of the Moldau river from its spring in the Bohemian forest to Prague. The Moldau theme is played five times and could be characterized as proud and playful by the character. Such an...

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 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...

Otherness in “The Color of Water” and “Country Lovers”

The concept of otherness is one of the central issues in James McBride’s autobiographical book The Color of Water and Nadine Gordimer’s story Country Lovers. However, while there are many similarities in how otherness functions in these works, some aspects are fundamentally different. This short essay argues that two authors...

Blood Symbolism in “Macbeth” by Shakespeare

Authors often utilize symbols to signify the importance of events, objects, or relationships in their works. Indeed, the majority of the great poetic or literature works use some degree of symbolism to allow readers to visualize the writers’ messages. Correspondingly, in the play Macbeth, Shakespeare uses symbolism to portray the...

“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...

“Alien” Short Story by Riley Brett

Introduction Alien presents a short science fiction regarding a strange individual being returned to Earth after supposed abduction by a UFO. Told from the perspective of a blogger that encounters and connects with the man by accident, the short story offers a lighthearted but also tragic narrative of someone being...

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...

Greek Drama. “Medea” by Euripides

There are several elements that can outright describe and reflect Greek drama. The play “Medea” by Euripides is a mythical tragedy that was written in 431 BC. One common element in such plays that is also reflected through the drama is the presence of mythical gods. The story gives relevance...

Robert Burns the Scottish Poet

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

Alexie’s “What You Pawn I Will Redeem”

Introduction Literature has a unique connection with the real world as, through literary works, writers reflect the complexity of human nature and relations. Especially through a first-person perspective, readers have an opportunity to understand a different mindset and culture better. In particular, in Alexie’s short story What You Pawn I...

“The Laughing Man” by Chief John Gedsudski

‘The Laughing Man’ is a fictitious story told by Chief John Gedsudski to the Comanche Club members, a twenty-five-member group of baseball players, in between breaks from their regular sports. The Laughing Man was an only child to a rich missionary couple, abducted in childhood by Chinese bandits. His parents...

Immortality Through Fame in the Epic of Gilgamesh

The Epic of Gilgamesh is a depositary of themes that continue to fascinate readers and make literary critics argue about their expediency. The main hero’s desire for immortality is grounded both in the fear of decay and the man’s arrogance. Anticipating the failure of his struggles to find the secret...

Oedipus and Hamlet: Review

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

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...

“The Retail Revival”: A Review

Over the last decades, the conventional retail model underwent significant changes as technological advancement, globalization, and major socioeconomic shifts occurred. Currently, traditional shopping centers yield power to the Internet, and from activity in which word of mouth was authoritative, it transformed into one where influencers impact buying decisions. Doug Stephens’s...

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...

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...

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...

Nod and Kick & Friendship and Racial Conflict in “Recitatif“ by Toni Morrison

Introduction The central idea of the Recitatif by Toni Morrison is race and racism, the “black-white” conflict. It must be noticed that the author’s approach to this subject is nonconventional, and the first sign of it is that she makes the reader guess who between the two protagonists of the...

Washburn’s “What the Ocean Eats” and Stevenson’s “The High Road”

Introduction Both of the selected stories, Kawai Strong Washburn’s “What the Ocean Eats” and Bryan Stevenson’s “The High Road,” are interesting to read and focus on important topics resorting to one’s emotions and feelings. However, a detailed analysis of the two pieces allows noticing structural differences and making conclusions as...

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...

Odyssey. Influence on World Literature

The Odyssey is a world literature masterpiece, one of the two epic poems written by Homer. It was composed around the 8th century BC, and its plot focuses on Odysseus’s journey home after the Troy’s fall. This essay aims at analyzing several peculiarities of The Odyssey that show its significance...

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...

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...

The Book “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley

Mary Shelley’s novel about Frankenstein and his Creature reveals many human vices and cruelty. There is also a place in the story for love and remorse, which opens in both characters in its strange way. However, the complex interweaving of feelings, actions, and the conditions, in which they were committed,...

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...

“The Lottery” and “The Destructors”: Conflict, Characterization and Irony

Introduction This paper will be focused on analyzing, comparing, and contrasting two short stories. The first one is “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson, and the second is “The Destructors” by Graham Greene. The pieces share some similarities in terms of their approaches and themes, making them well-suited for comparison. The...

The Children of Odin: Sigurd and the Hero’s Journey

In today’s rational and pragmatic world, interest in mythology is growing and becoming more profound. Myths, like centuries ago, enchant and fascinate, and ancient tales become relevant. Campbell’s work is dedicated to the most frequently encountered mythological plot – the story of a hero, his miraculous birth, deeds, marriage to...

The Perception of Heritage in “Everyday Use”

The story “Everyday Use,” written by Alice Walker, is a complex narrative covering a variety of psychological and cultural issues. One of the most prominent aspects of it is the attitude of the main characters, Maggie and Dee, to their family heritage. The sisters are different in their views regarding...

Sarah Hall’s Short Story “Theatre 6”

The narrative is set in a hospital operating room and in-house chapel, perpetuating the atmosphere of democratic conformity that defies morality. The setting serves as the display of the conflict between individual choice and procedures. The author writes, “The on-call room is never dark enough, even with your eye-mask,” indicating...

Plays “A Raisin in the Sun” and “Trifles”

Society’s influence on people and their way of life has two outcomes: liberating or oppressing them. It all depends on which standards one accepts at any given time. Most women live unsatisfied lives full of oppression in patriarchal societies that believe in male dominance and female inferiority in marriage. This...

“Quicksand” by Nella Larsen: The Theme of Happiness

The theme of happiness is derived from the life of Helga Crane, a protagonist whose journey to seek happiness has been disrupted by racial discrimination. Helga’s life is full of phenomenal shifts that leave her unhappy and disgruntled. Nonetheless, the novel conveys that one should act persistently and attempt to...

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...

Theme and Fiction in Poe’s The Cask of Amontillado

Introduction It is no secret that Edgar Allan Poe is an iconic representative of the Gothic literature genre. His works are important and exciting not only for researchers in the field of literary criticism but also for amateur readers. It is necessary to understand why his work has earned popularity...

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....

“Frankenstein” Story Retold by Anna Meriano

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

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...

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

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

“Trifles” Play by Susan Glaspell: Deductive Analysis

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

“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...

“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....

Mont Blanc: Lines Written in the Vale of Chamouni

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

“A Clean, Well-Lighted Place” by Ernest Hemingway: Core Elements and Themes

Introduction The limitation of short stories prompts authors to focus on the essential contents of their narrative, stripping away unnecessary descriptions and explanations. One of the best examples of such a prudent approach to writing is the short story by Ernest Hemingway, “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place,” written and published in...

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...

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...

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

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

“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...

Magic and Witchcraft in the Wizarding World

Introduction In the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, magic is described as a supernatural force that defies nature’s laws. These books are popular because they contradict the norms and beliefs that people have been raised to know. Rowling has formed a narrative logic to make these stories believable 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....

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

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

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)....

“Why I Live at the P.o.” by Eudora Welty – Story Analysis

Narrator and her Relationships with Sister The first paragraph of Why I Live at the P.O. presents the reader with the narrator’s evaluation of relationships with her sister (Stella-Rondo). The narrator appears to be female having good relationships with her elders (Mama, Papa-Daddy and Uncle Rondo). The relationships between sisters...

Love and Loss in Poem “Annabelle Lee” by Edgar Allan Poe

The poem “Annabelle Lee” is considered the last poem by Edgar Allan Poe. It is believed to be related to the love of Poe’s life, his wife Virginia, who died at an early age of tuberculosis (Syafitri & Marlinton, 2018). Since Virginia was much younger than Edgar, her image could...

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...

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...

“Women, Food, and Learning” by Claudia Setzer

Summary The issue of female representation in the Bible and its portrayal of women and womanhood, in general, are considerably controversial issues, mostly due to the perception of gender roles and sex-based prejudices that were common at the specified time slot. While there are key women in the Scripture, their...

Oedipus and Hamlet Characters’ Comparison

The plays, Oedipus Rex by Sophocles and Hamlet by William Shakespeare was written centuries apart but they share common themes, specifically that of a tragic hero, as shown by the protagonists in these two chefs-oeuvres. Both Oedipus and Hamlet seek to avenge the death of their fathers, but in the...

“I, Too” by Langston Hughes

Introduction By “I, too sing America” the author means that he also sings the anthem of America as he is a full-fledged citizen of the country, has the right to be a patriot, and can be proud of his homeland. Hughes “sings” and tries to convey the main idea of...

“Fences” by August Wilson – Drama Analysis

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

Kanjincho as an Example of Kabuki Performance

Kanjincho is one of the most famous plays of the Japanese kabuki theater. The kabuki genre is a classic dance drama; kabuki theater plots usually reveal historical events. Kanjincho story happens in the mid-to-late 12th century; the main characters are Togashi Saemon, the guardian of the gates, Yoshitsune, the emperor’s...

High Fidelity and “Lad Lit” Overview

“Lad lit” is a genre of fiction characterized by the depiction of men’s personal lives, and it is usually opposed to the so-called “chick lit.” This trend was started by Nick Hornby, and it allows attributing his works to this genre. One of them is High Fidelity, and this novel...

Human Rights and Gender Issues: “The Love Suicides at Amijima” & “Tale of Kieu”

The issue of human rights, as well as gender-related inequalities, has been on the cultural agenda of humankind for a while. Comparing “The Love Suicides at Amijima” by Chikamatsu Monzaemon and “Tale of Kieu” by Nguyễn Du, one will realize that the two works, while representing different time periods, address...

“Understand This” by Jervey Tervalon

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

Walt Whitman: Famous American Author

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

My Mistress’ Eyes are Nothing Like the Sun and No One Else

Poetry is a universal language that has always been used by people to express their feelings and emotions. Such concepts as love, devotion, and passion have also been important for all history of humanity. For this reason, regardless of the epoch and time, some similar motifs can be found both...

African-American Narration in Walker’s “Everyday Use”

Introduction The short story titled “Everyday Use” is written by Alice Walker. “Everyday Use” portrays the different understanding of African-American history. For some, it is a part of their daily lives, while for others – something they learn about from books and college lectures. The three main characters – Mama,...

“The Tragedy of Macbeth” by William Shakespeare

“The Tragedy of Macbeth” by William Shakespeare serves as a reflection of the relationship between the playwright and King James I, however, its implications stay relevant in the modern days. The portrayal of Lord Macbeth at the beginning of the play as an honorable, kind, and valorous man creates an...

“Coming of Age in Mississippi”: Inequality in a Society

Since childhood, Essie (Anne) lived with her mother Toosweet (Mama) Davis, her father Diddly (Di) Moody, younger brother Junior and younger sister Adline in a shack on a plantation. Her father left the family for another woman, which meant that Essie remained with her mother and sister. They were extremely...

The Concept of Involuntary Memory in Proust’s Overture

The concept of involuntary memory has been illustrated in Proust’s Overture by a number of figurative writing styles in the novel. The beginning of the novel is marked by a depiction of involuntary memory. The author ushers in the reader by stating that “For a long time I used to...

Longing in Literature by Rodriguez, Du Bois, Perrault

Writers, activists, public speakers, poets, and other creators tend to influence people around them and society as a whole through their unique depictions of a journey. Some individuals share their emotions and ways to understand them. Others document their political aspirations and means to achieve peace or social equality. Overall,...

Creative Analysis “The Tale of Fafnir”

Introduction The given passage is from “The Epic of Gilgamesh,” a story about the king of Mesopotamian city Uruk, Gilgamesh. He, together with his friend Enkidu, go on a quest in search of immortality. The female characters of the story hold small but significant roles. Even though they are portrayed...

Essays by Rawls and Nozick Analysis

Introduction The term justice is very controversial and, in a high manner, provocative word. This fact becomes evident after a careful reading of the essay by Rawls and answers to it by Nozick. These two of the greatest thinkers had the most significant effect on modern politics and topical debate...

Faust for Atheists: The Immortal Soul vs. the Knowledge Possessed

Throughout the history of literature, Faust is, no doubts, the greatest poem ever written. Combining the philosophic problem and the dramatic events, it grabs you by the hand and leads you the way Faust was walking. However, the question is whether the impressions about this little walk would be the...

“Wake Up, Little Stevie” by Christina Olson

Artists and poets use their experiences, observations, and encounters to create works of art that guide readers to analyze various events, challenges, or situations from different perspectives. Their competencies become a new opportunity for human beings to relate positively and change their lives for the better. In the poem “Wake...

Language in Paul Auster’s The New York Trilogy

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

Romeo and Julliet’ by W. Sheakspeare: Play Analysis

Romeo and Juliet are one of the famous tragedies by William Shakespeare. The selected performance for this analysis is the one by Douglas Booth, Paul Giamatti, Damian Lewis, and Hailee Steinfeld of 2010. The producer of this work relies on the use of a grave and balconies to stage the...

The Power of Narrative Through Time

Introduction The power of storytelling remains impressive during the whole history of humanity. It is captivating how narrative changes through time, focusing on different issues and employing other techniques to convey the ideas and engage the reader. In my presentation, I will compare two stories from different epochs, Othello by...

Othello Versus Shakuntala: Ultimate Lessons

The importance of love and affection in literature is permanently reinforced by secondary ideas that emphasize the eternal influence of higher feelings on the human race. The idea of pure love has been investigated by many authors, and Shakespeare’s Othello and Kalidasa’s Shakuntala may be considered rather similar in terms...

Critical Reading of Barbara Johnson

Phillis Wheatley is central to Barbara Johnson’s argument since Wheatley represents the exact phenomenon that Johnson describes, namely, the fact that African American poets were considered merely as ornaments in American society of the time, while the original, groundbreaking, and even revolutionary ideas in these poets’ works were ignored or...

“Lessons in Constructive Solitude from Thoreau” by Holland Cotter

Introduction The article “Lessons in Constructive Solitude from Thoreau” by Holland Cotter is a brilliant example of a critique of the case study in the context of the present situation. The author analyzes an episode of the life of writer Henry David Thoreau, who spent two years in voluntary isolation...

Laura Wexler “Fire in a Canebrake”: The Incident in the Rural Walton County

Introduction This book is characterized by a horrific mystery that makes it very fascinating and thrilling for the audience. In the book, Laura Wexler gives a detailed insight on lynching, which was so rampant in 1946. As she describes the events that took place, Wexler connects with the readers by...

Poetry and Songs as a Way to Express Emotions

Songs are often viewed as the next stage of poetry transformation, which is reasonable given the additional opportunity for emotional expression that songs offer. Likewise, when viewed through the lens of thematic development, songs may become the tools for expanding the themes and ideas conveyed in poems. The themes of...

The Process of Radicalization in “The Reluctant Fundamentalist” by Hamid

Introduction The novel The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid is the year 2007 bestseller that focuses on the tension between the American government and the people from East Asia. The book tells a story from a point of view of a professor of finance from Lahore, Pakistan. Bearing a symbolic...

Michael Welland’s Sand “The Never-Ending Story”

Written to engage an amateur as well as a trained professional, Michael Welland’s Sand: The Never-ending Story covers everything that is connected with the topic of sand. From composition and size to usage, sand is the key subject of Welland’s insightfully written book. A geologist, Welland not only scrutinizes sand...

“The Bean Trees” by Barbara Kingsolver

Barbara Kingsolver’s The Bean Trees is one of the most popular and urgent literary works nowadays. It touches upon burning issues of the modern society such as the conflict between ethical and legal, racism, adoption laws, homelessness, multiculturalism, kidnapping, depression suicide, the conflict of nature and nurture etc. We are...

Migration and Industrialization in Sinclair’s “The Jungle”

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

Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man by James Weldon Johnson

The novel of J. W. Johnson is a prime example of literature that highlights important issues related to racial discrimination. The main character is an African American, and on his way, he faces various difficulties. In chapter five, he discovers three types of black people: the desperate, the domestics, and...

The Mayflower Voyage Analysis

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

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

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

Gender Conflict in “Sweat” by Zora Neale Hurston

It is worth noting that the work of Zora Neale Hurston called “Sweat” brought up a gender conflict as the main subject for discussion. In particular, this short story reveals aggression and sexist oppression against black women by black men. In this story, the husband attempts to kill his wife...

English Introduction to Literature: “Journey Into Literature” by R. Clugston

In his book “Journey into literature”, Clugston provides an engaging and informative outlook on varied aspects of the process of reading. Clugston shows reading as an interesting and inspiring journey into the world of human wisdom. In the following paper, I aim to address particular concepts from Clugston’s text to...

The Time Bind’ by Hochschild: Book Chapter Review

Introduction The chapter presents selected information adapted from Hochschild’s 1997 book The Time Bind: When Work Becomes Home and Home Becomes Work. In this chapter, Hochschild discusses the changing relationship between work and home life based on her research of working parents. The main conclusion of the author is that,...

Works by Edgar Poe as Examples of Good Essay

Edgar Allan Poe is arguably one of the best and well-known American writers of short stories and poems. In his essay “The Philosophy of Composition” he underlines essential and crucial elements of writing good literature. Poe uses “The Raven” as an example throughout the essay in order to demonstrate how...

The History of the United States in the Book “Give Me Liberty” by Eric Foner

The book “Give Me Liberty” whiten by Eric Foner can be acclaimed as one of the best textbooks on the events of American history along with the country’s pathway to liberation existing in the current period of time. Within the book the audience will find a logical and coherent argument...

The Bell Jar: Grip of Insanity

Introduction The Bell Jar is almost entirely an autobiographical work, the only thing Plath did was that she changes the names of the characters in action. Most things that happen to the main character in the novel had happened to Silvia Plath. Esther Greenwood is 19, and she comes from...

Eliezer’s Lost Childhood in the “Night” Novel by E. Wiesel

Introduction of the author Eliezer Wiesel is an American-Jewish writer, the author of 57 books, and the Nobel Peace Prize, winner. The list of his accomplishments and achievements is long and his life is full of memorable events and experiences. The most horrible one is, without a doubt, the experience...

Conversations on the Plurality of Worlds

“Conversations on the Plurality of Worlds” is a masterpiece book, originally written in French by Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle in 1686. This book revolutionized the way the general population interacted with and consumed scientific information. During this time, scientists such as Isaac Newton used technical language to explain scientific...

A Worldwide Famous Tragedy: Othello by Shakespeare

Othello is a worldwide famous tragedy written by Shakespeare that has always been popular among theater directors interpreting it in different styles. Among the 37 plays created by Shakespeare, one of the most outstanding is the tragedy of the Moor of Venice. The BSC theater piece of Othello is seemingly...

“The Spellman Files” by Lisa Lutz

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