Thoughts in “To the Lighthouse” by Virginia Woolf

Introduction The complexity involved in the working of the human mind is beyond explanations. The flow of thoughts in an individual is Brownian at a superficial level but looking at it from the perspective of a philosopher one realizes the implicit presence of ‘The Stream of Consciousness’. Throughout the history...

“The Red Wheelbarrow” by William Carols Williams

The poem’ the red wheelbarrow’ was written by William Carols Williams and is counted amongst the modern day literature. There can be numerous reasons for this but in order to understand them; it would require careful evaluation of the poem itself. The opening sentence itself begins with the use of...

Alice Walker’s Concepts of Everyday Use

In Alice Walker’s short story “Everyday Use”, the author places two sisters side by side for an afternoon of visiting. One of these sisters, Maggie, lives with her mother in a small, poorly built shack on the edge of the country and is planning to marry a somewhat unattractive but...

Trip as the Way of Searching the Reality

Introduction The journeys all over the world, which people retort to, are generally aimed to find the new, better life. People try to find other cultures, ways of life, wisdom that will never be met in the motherland. They may simply search for adventures if life is too calm. But...

Effectiveness Techniques in Short Stories Analysis

The concise format of a short story often turns out to be an ideal way of creating sharp and concentrated narratives rich with meaning. The charm and fascination of short stories consist in their focusing intensely on one incident with a limited range of characters developing within a short period...

Uncovering the Wallpaper in Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper”

Introduction Being a wife and a mother at the same time can bestow a lot of stress to a woman who is just starting up to fill those shoes. Doing a balancing act of being a mother and wife is sometimes too much too handle for a woman, what more...

Braithwaite’s “English Gentlewoman” and Webster’s “The Duchess of Malfi”

Introduction John Webster’s works give an idea that powerful women were an anomaly in the XVI and XVII centuries. Indeed, during the early modern period, powerful women were not welcome in society, they were considered to be unnatural and dangerous. Female dominance could not be accepted as it symbolized social...

“That Evening Sun” by William Faulkner

‘That Evening Sun Go Down’, a short story written by William Faulkner, portrays the pathetic condition of African Americans in South America. One can identify the hidden hatred that the white men harbour towards the Negro community in America. A Unique Feature of the Story is that it can be...

Strong Woman in Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper”

The book The Yellow Wallpaper portrays the values and social traditions of Victorian women, their problems, and their social position in society. Gilman attempts to demonstrate care and love by freeing women from the individual home and developing a unique approach to domestic tasks, such as child-care, As a feminist...

Freiberg on Southwest Airlines’

“Nuts! Southwest Airlines’ Crazy Recipe for Business and Personal Success” is based on what can be referred to as the success story of Southwest Airlines. It is a guide towards how to achieve success in business, harsh as the business world today may appear to be. Southwest Airlines is the...

English Literature. Swift’s “A Modest Proposal”

Introduction Jonathan Swift was popularly known as a satirical writer during his era. Aside from being a poet, essayist, and a political pamphleteer, he became the dean of Saint Patrick’s in Dublin. Swift was born on the 30th of November, 1667 and died on the year 1745. Most of his...

Daisy Miller’s Personal Analysis in “Daisy Miller” by Henry James

Culture is the phenomenon that differs human beings from all other animal species in the world. However, culture is also a matter of prejudice and streotype formation against this or that nation or ethnic group. Accordingly, this paper will examine the issues of cultural differences and stereotypes discussed in the...

Symbolic Character in “Death of a Salesman” by Arthur Miller

The play by Arthur Miller Death of a Salesman demonstrates the struggle of a man in an attempt to reach success in life. It describes the life and surroundings of Willy Loman who searches for the alleged American Dream. He sees no other way for his satisfaction in life, unless...

“The Purloined Letter” by E. A. Poe and “Bartleby the Scrivener” by H. Melville

The stories “The Purloined Letter” by Edgar Allan Poe” and “Bartleby the Scrivener” by Herman Melville are absolutely different in content but what is interesting about them is the role of the narrator which is very important in these stories because namely narrators help the reader to find out more...

“Never to Be Forgotten” by Beatrice Muchman

The book Never to Be Forgotten is written by Beatrice Muchman and is an evocative and moving narration of a Jewish child’s life in Belgium while it was occupied by the Nazis. Beatrice Muchman and her family had come to Belgium from Germany after Hitler’s rise to power. In 1943,...

John Schwiebert “Reading and Writing From Literature”

Introduction The poem “The Thread of Sunlight” written by Timothy Young is included in the anthology “Reading and Writing from Literature”, the 3d edition, by John Schwiebert where he raised the most important problems of humanity. The basic theme of the poem is the consequences of the war period and...

Presentation on Ihara Saikaku

Introduction Ihara Saikaku is now viewed by many literary critics as one of the most prominent Japanese poets. He was the offspring of a prosperous merchant; when he was fifteen, he started to take interest in heikai and soon became very popular in this genre. However, the authors talent should...

Dickson’s “I’m Nobody! Who Are You?” & Pop Culture

Introduction The question of self-identity and personhood is one of the most important social issues shaped by cultural traditions and values. Self-identity defines the unique qualities of a person and his/her personal traits, life goals, and worldview. Emily Dickson vividly portrays that modern society is influenced by mass culture and...

Some Reasons Why Reading Is Important

Introduction. Books are an integral part of our life. Develop imagination, transfer to the world where magical things are possible. “Haroun and the Sea” is written for a ten-year-old boy, Rushdie’s son. Reading is not just amusement. There is a couple of reasons why reading is important. They are sources...

Mark Twain: Success, Manners and Artworks

Samuel Clemens better known by the pen name Mark Twain speaks best about the American experience through is distinctive literary voice, and through his classic writing skills. His familiarity with local culture and use of local dialect, and his life experiences in the heart of America helped make his writings...

“The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” by Mark Twain

Introduction Samuel Langhorne Clemens, born in Florida Missouri on November 30, 1835, is commonly known by his pen name or author’s alias as Mark Twain. Mark Twain is the author of the book “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”. This novel accomplished the esteemed title of “The Great American Novel”. This...

“The Gilded Six-Bits” by Hurston and “Babylon Revisited” by Fitzgerald

The stories “The Gilded Six-Bits” by Zora Neale Hurston and “Babylon Revisited” by F. Scott Fitzgerald seem to be very different at the first sight. The first one is about the life of two young Afro-Americans who lived happily before meeting a rich white person named Otis D. Slemmons who...

“Billy Budd” Novella by Herman Melville

Introduction The novella, Billy Budd depicts a unique character of Billy and his struggle. The form of the narrative is generated by the memory of the narrator. Several features of his narration contradict the closed-form of legal judgment which he tells about. Main body The narrator thereby reveals the dilemma...

Satire in Martk Twain’s Huckleberry Finn

Introduction Satire is one of the tools used by mark Twain to unveil social issues and changing values, new social relations, and self-understand of the main characters. Mark Twain’s satire can be characterized as moralistic and didactic aimed to teach readers. From a natural bent, Mark Twain is always interested...

Aesthetics. “The Bacchae” Tragedy by Euripides

The tragedy “the Bacchae” is part of Iphigenia at Aulia. The tragedy tells a story of the divine nature of Dionysiac and punishment. Following Aristotle’s view of tragedy, it is possible to say that this play meets the canon and is based on the main steps of classical tragedy. The...

Effects of Farah’s Account on Society

Among the African writers of world recognition one name that is often mentioned has been that of Nuruddin Farah. His work deals with effectively and in detail the social life and the characteristics of the culture in Somalia. All his works leave a significant impression of the life and culture...

Kate Chopin’s “The Storm” Review

In her short story “The Storm,” Kate Chopin was undoubtedly interested in presenting more to her audience than simple stories regarding simple country folk. Although there is little room in a short story for the full development of several individuals, significant insights regarding the multiple emotions of characters can often...

“The Boat” by Alistair MacLeod and “The Loons” by Margaret Laurence

Introduction While analyzing any work of literature, especially prose, it is of the crucial importance to give extra attention to the role of the narrator, because, the reader perceives the events through the eyes of this person. As a rule literary critics single out several types of story telling, like...

Chopin and Shields Literary Works Compared

The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin is a short story that particularly focuses on the feminine gender’s side of such marriage struggles. Caged in a patriarchal society, women have been rightfully fighting for a life worth living. In this story, it takes an accident, particularly her husband’s death,...

Crevecoeur’s “Immersion Journalism” and Humes’ “What Is an American”

This essay will analyze the article by J. Hector St. John Crevecoeur, “Immersion Journalism,” and the article by Edward Humes, “What is an American.” The common theme of these essays is implicit and implied. Both authors describe different topics and issues but construct their works on the opposition between the...

Family Members in “Without My Cloak” by Kate O’Brien

Introduction In different epochs and changeable cultural values, different restrictions are put by the society on its members. In that sense, absolute freedom of choice was not a term that was known for any ordinary person in any chosen time or space. The main issue of contradiction is to what...

Joseph Conrad’s Book “Heart of Darkness”

Introduction In Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, the main character Marlow continuously calls into question the modern assumptions that are made by his listeners as well as his readers, blurring the lines between inward and outward, civilized and savage and, most especially, dark and light. The bulk of the book...

William Shakespeare’s Hamlet: Is He Insane?

Introduction The issue of insanity has often been uncomfortable, for the average human being as well as for the writer. It often provides a fascinating subject for drama, as has been demonstrated brilliantly by William Shakespeare as insanity plays a key role in Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet. In this play, the...

Sylvia Plath: Biography Review

Poetry has a beautiful ability to pull ideas and emotions out from the depths of one’s being with only a few short lines and a well-chosen metaphor. Through various literary devices, poets are able to paint pictures for their readers that more concretely define the feelings and beliefs that remain,...

Literature: History of Theory and Criticism

The place of Alexander’s Pope’s An Essay on Criticism in English literature is that of Boileaur’s Art Poetique in French criticism. Keeping in line with the neoclassical tradition, Pope gives a detailed account of his views on literary writing and the art of criticism. His essay has been seriously studied...

Metaphor Is a Many-Splendored Thing

Figurative language or Metaphor encompasses almost any unusual way of expressing meaning through words. As a means of communication through careful control of diction, metaphor is most typical of poetry. “In rhetoric, a metaphor is a figure of speech in which for the purpose of emphasizing a particular quality, one...

“The House of Mirth” Novel by Edith Wharton

Introduction In the novel, The House of Mirth Lily’s development as a character is certainly not negligible to the novel, her primary role is as the means through which Wharton reads and writes this culture. Thus, The House of Mirth is not primarily the story of Lily; it is rather...

Marjane Satrapi’s “Persepolis” Autobiographical Novel

Introduction Marjane Satrapis autobiographical novel “Persepolis” explores such complicated issues as culture shock and the loss of cultural identity. The book is a unique combination of autobiographical prose and comics. The author successfully shows the world through the eyes of a young girl, the task, which is very difficult to...

Education in “Mansfield Park” by Jane Austen

Introduction In the modern world today, the term education is viewed differently than in the past centuries. This versatile word today was limited only to one aspect, which is mostly meant the process of gathering information. However, education was considered. Differently, a statement the audience can authenticate reading novels that...

The Word “Mateship” in Australian History and Literature

Introduction The term mateship as a specific Australian idiom can include various meanings in its essence. Its meaning can differ from the standard definition of friendship in a way that this form of relation or reference can be used between people who are actually not in friendship. This paper will...

Derek Walcott’s “Egypt, Tobago” Poem

The history of writing this poem is not widely known, but it is stated, that it was written in the surroundings of the Egyptian oasis, as such clear and detailed images of the scenery may be attained only after immersion into the atmosphere of the Egyptian surrounding and feel the...

“Pilgrimage to the End of the World” by Conrad Rudolpf

What do people seek when they go on a pilgrimage? I guess it might be either an edification or a strive for forgiveness. The author of the book “Pilgrimage to the End of the World” Conrad Rudolph, who origins in Poland, is going through a series of missionary journeys on...

Anton Chekhov: A Lifetime of Lovers

Anton Chekhov is one of the most talented dramatists, whose plays are included in the repertoire of theaters all over the world. The depth of the thoughts, expressed in these plays, makes readers and watchers seriously think over world history, relations among people. Chekhov himself once wrote: “We have inherited...

A Damned Piece of Rascality: The Business of Slave Trading in Southern Appalachia

Slave trading in southern Appalachia Aaron Purcell is the author of the article, “A Damned Piece of Rascality: The business of slave trading in Southern Appalachia” The article has laid focus on Meek, Hayne, and Company, a firm that dealt with slave trading in Southern Appalachia. The article, which was...

Everyday Objects in Walker’s, Allison’s, Baldwin’s Works

The three works Everyday Use by Alice Walker (Walker, 1994), This is our life by Dorothy Allison and Sonny’s Blues by Baldwin (Baldwin, 1993) bring to light certain ethereal and sublime interpretations of everyday objects. To put it simply, everyday use objects acquire a new meaning and connotations and we...

George Stroud in “The Big Clock” by Kenneth Fearing

The focal point of the paper is to present a critical response on George Stroud in the “Big Clock” by Kenneth Fearing, published in 1946. This book is a social depiction of the influence of mass media through the protagonist George Stroud, who is the editor of a popular magazine...

Woman’s Progress in “Woman Hollering Creek” by Sandra Cisneros

Introduction Most feminist literature seems to argue against the traditional conception of woman as she has been envisioned in the white, middle-class suburban ideal. However, feminist issues extend well beyond this narrowly defined world into the lives of women of color, too, although there are slight amendments as to what...

Revenge in Wuthering Heights

Since its release, Wuthering Heights has been a subject of criticism for many. The only novel by Emily Jane Bronte, written in 1847, has been put under the spotlight due to its doubtful theme, which is revenge and its causes in people’s lives. The author smartly narrates the story about...

Feminism in Antigone: Term Paper

It is difficult to identify as to who was the first feminist in the world and as to when the feminist movements had started, but majority of such movements can be traced during the last two centuries. However, there have been women feminists who have proved their abilities in this...

The Song of Roland as a Folk Epic

Introduction Epic is a significant combination of the style and the theme in the poem reproduction reflecting the flow of historical or legendary events. The world literature contains a lot of examples of famous epics covering the main features of this genre and highlighting the major moments of history. The...

Death of a Salesman: Book Review

On Theme “The man who makes an appearance in the business world, the man who creates personal interest, is the man who gets ahead. Be liked and you will never want”… – Willy Loman, Act 1 (Miller, 1998) “The American Dream” is the highlight of this story. There is a...

Death of the American Dream in Death of a Salesman

The play Death of a Salesman depicts the American dream and the inability of a person to understand the meaning of life and family happiness. The play is often seen as tragic because of the death of the main character, Willy Loman who wastes his life searching for the American...

Theme of Hatred in Wuthering Heights

The novel Wuthering Heights was published by Emily Bronte in 1847, and it is considered to be one of the best-written novels of the Victorian Age. Emily Bronte published the novel under the pseudonym of Ellis Bell. “In the century since its publication, Wuthering Heights, like the play of Shakespeare...

In the Time of the Butterflies and The Great Gatsby: Compare & Contrast Essay

Dystopia is the common setting in Julia Alvarez’s In the Time of the Butterflies and Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. The Great Gatsby paints a depressing picture of the corruption of the American Dream during the roaring 1920s. On the other hand, In the Time of the Butterflies is the...

Rita Dove: Analysis of Chosen Poems

Rita Dove was born in Ohio in 1952. Their family was neither rich nor poor and had four children. Rita’s father had a master’s degree and worked as a chemist for the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company in Akron. When she finished school she was put on the list of...

“Arabi” by James Joyce: The Overview of the Story

The story Araby is included in the series of the so-called Dubliners written by James Joyce. The series still fascinates its readers with epiphany, used in each story. The use of the device of epiphany means that the end of the story is unexpected and abrupt while the plot of...

Humanities. Shakespeare Midsummer Night’s Dream

Introduction A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a tender comedy by William Shakespeare, offered by “The Knight’s Tale” from Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, composed around 1594 to 1596. It shows the escapades of four young Athenian lovers and a grouping of amateur performers, their contacts with the Duke and Duchess...

Great Fictional Icons in the Nineteenth Century: Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus”

English Literature has witnessed the formation of four great fictional icons in the nineteenth century. They are Shelley’s Frankenstein, Melville’s Moby Dick, Stoker’s Dracula and Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein: The Modern Prometheus is rendered in opulent Gothic prose. It delves into the intricacies of the human mind...

“To the Young Wife” by Charlotte Anna Perkins Gilman.

Introduction Charlotte Anna Perkins Gilman was a staunch supporter of women’s rights and development and was really not recognized as a major author of fiction and poetry until the 1960s.She was born in 1860 in Hartford, Connecticut and wrote book length non-fiction tracts in support of women. She dies in...

Civil War Literature Review

Literature always reflects every change in society and it stands to reason that American literature of the nineteenth century was strongly influenced by the tragic events of the Civil War of 1861-1865. Many authors were involved or to some extent interested in the war events, they used their war experience...

“Cider House Rules” by John Irving.

Introduction One of the most common themes in short stories is the theme of coming of age. While this is the chief concern of several writers, John Irving expands outside of this theme just far enough to explore other elements of this critical process of maturation. Children grow not only...

Matthew Arnold. Arguing From Experience

The great poet and critic Mathew Arnold belongs to the Victorian period of English literature. He was very much influenced by the age he lived in. He was a staunch believer of religion. The religious disillusionment of his time pained him too much. His fear and anxiety in people’s loss...

“The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time” the Novel by M. Haddon

Detectives and investigators, described in the writings of the corresponding genre of mystery novel, are usually experienced and competent specialists, but modern authors introduce novice detectives increasingly more often. These young explorers are normally children, teenagers or very young adults, who are enthusiastic and determined enough to find the core...

The Problem of Faith in Parables by Kafka and Nietzsche

Introduction The problem of faith is a rather controversial one. Different people have different views on what faith is. Some consider it to be a code of moral principles without which one cannot exist; others find faith a human’s failure to explain the life around. As long as humanity goes...

Shakespeare’s King Henry VI parts 1-3 and Richard III

Introduction The War of the Roses, speaks of the period between 1455 to 1485 when two powerful dynasties in Britain fought to gain the throne of England. The two houses were the House of Lancaster with King Henry VI as the head and The House of York with King Richard...

Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare Review

The Taming of the Shrew is a very light-hearted comedy written by William Shakespeare. It depicts the social attitudes to the institution of marriage as was in existence during the Elizabethan days. The theme of the play can be approached from several angles, but at the surface level, it is...

Three Lives – Where Does the Power Lie?

Introduction To a person who is reading Gertrude Stein’s Three Lives, for the first time, there is usually a predominant question in the mind: is the book really what it is: (an account of the lives of three people) or is there some deeper meaning hidden between the lines? The...

“Life of Pi” by Yann Martel Review

Introduction The book “Life of Pi” by Canadian writer Yann Martel, winner of the 2002 Booker Prize narrates delightfully, the story of Piscine Patel, who shortens his name to Pi. An elderly man in Pondicherry, India, tells the author that he has a story that can make him believe in...

Alliteration in Thomas Hardy’s “The Darkling Thrush”

Thomas Hardy’s “The Darkling Thrush” is one of the most well-known poems written on the borderline of the 19th and the 20th centuries. The poet employs a variety of rhetoric devices in the piece, but the most prominent of them is alliteration. Hardy’s use of this rhetorical device helps to...

The Narrative of the Life of Olaudiah Equiano

Introduction The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudiah Equiano depicts personal courage a man who escapes slavery and fights for personal freedom and human rights. The narrative addresses many themes including slavery, religion, oppression, kidnapping, business relations, ideas of liberty and freedom, economic status of African countries and their...

Dr. DuBois and The Harlem Renaissance

Introduction Dr. William Edward Burghardt Du Bois lived an intense life; the ups and downs of that altruistic life and his all-prevailing personality were all conscientiously and passionately documented by him in autobiographies, essays, notes, journal articles, and lectures through several decades. The Harlem Renaissance a.k.a. The Black Renaissance or...

Flannery O’Connor Was an Epistle of Hope

Hope is an ambiguous feeling to describe. It is the shining candle in the gloom and the final sprite released from Pandora’s Box to mitigate the swarm of gloom that Pandora inadvertently released. When Flannery O’Connor makes this statement, she speaks with a conviction of a person who knows the...

Personal and Cultural Identities in “Ceremony” by Silko

Introduction Self-consciousness, as a significant part of personal identity, largely determines not only the views on certain concepts but also the ability to adapt to society within the framework of specific living conditions. Those communicative, religious, and other beliefs that a person follows are the background for the perception of...

Anil’s Ghost: Implications of Fiction on Justice

Introduction The pursuit of truth and justice is usually an essential part of the mystery novel; ‘Anil’s Ghost’ and The Lovely Bones approach the themes of truth and justice in unusual ways. The two stories have deep seated relationship regarding truth and justice. These qualities have been promoted, hidden, denied...

The Analysis of “The Philosopher” by Sherwood Anderson

“The Philosopher” by Sherwood Anderson is constructed to portray a certain multitude of paradoxical and unexpected contradictions as well implicitly as explicitly. This story has the ironic contrasts that illustrate the various emotions which are introduced by the philosopher – Doctor Parcival. That is why I would like to analyze...

Waiting for God, Not Godot: Milton’s “On His Blindness”

Coming across the line “They also serve who only stand and waited” in the well-known sonnet, a reader might wonder whether the modern tramps of Beckett’s Waiting for Godot would have been in Milton’s view the supreme servants of God. Intelligence, to prevent that murmur, would then remind the reader...

Women in British Literature and Poems

Women are an often-discussed topic in literature, not only in terms of their modern emancipation but also in terms of their previous idealized state and their ‘proper place in any given time period. As women gained more rights, more complete education, and greater freedoms, they began to respond to what...

Cultural Context of “Don Quixote” by M. de Cervantes

In the history of classical literary pieces, Don Quixote by Miguel De Cervantes enjoys one of the prominent positions among the masterpiece works and it is rightly considered as the foremost piece of fiction ever to be written by any important authors. The piece also holds the credit to be...

Drug Theme in “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin

“Don’t worry. I’m all right now and I think I’ll be all right. But I can’t forget-where I’ve been. I don’t mean just the physical place I’ve been, I mean where I’ve been. And what I’ve been.” – Sonny. Kicking the habit of taking in drugs – in this case,...

Women in Joyce’s “The Boarding House” & Glaspell’s “A Jury of Her Peers”

Introduction Literary devices constitute certain elements of the story, without which literature would make little to no sense. One of the centerpieces of any story are their characters, since they are the driving factors behind certain events as well as the eyes and ears, through which the readers are allowed...

Women in Traditional and Totalitarian Societies

Looking into the history of the cultures at large, it becomes evident that all human societies, from the most primitive to the most modern, have been divided into different groups, communities and strata. This stratification is on the basis of caste, class, clan, community, race, region, religion, ethnicity, gender, age...

Sarty Snopes Character Analysis

Faulkner’s Barn Burning is a story reflecting such crucial issues as class conflict and loyalty. The main one is an internal conflict in the mind of the child-protagonist. Despite the conditions in which the character finds himself, he embodies truly noble features, such as sympathy and compassion. He is eager...

Women in Barn Burning by William Faulkner

At first glance, Faulkner’s artistic world appears to be emphatically masculine. It is filled with sullen, stern male characters doing rough and hard work, but at the same time, there is a certain place for female characters in his prose. “Barn Burning,” Faulkner’s short story of a mendicant American family...

Father-Son Relationships in William Faulkner’s Novels

Introduction William Faulkner is a master craftsman in the history of novel tradition who spins the masterful artistic pieces by conjoining very similar parts of the whole tied together to form the strong webs in the form of novels that attract the readers to rule their fictional world with the...

Antagonists in “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”: Analysis

Introduction Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the work of the unknown poet written approximately in the late 14th century, contains multiple topics for a discussion. The poem is referred to as an alliterative verse and medieval romance. Special interest of the work is the notion of the magical creature...

Women in “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a 14th century poem by an unknown author, describing the adventures of the knight Sir Gawain, nephew of King Arthur. The work continues the tradition of Arthurian chivalric romances and most fully reveals Gawain as a character (Florschuetz 158). In addition to the...

Mateship in Australian Literature & History

Literature is rather a particular topic to write on because it presupposes that the person who writes on it has a profound knowledge not only of the topic he or she deals with but also has a great amount of background knowledge of a certain country’s history, culture customs, and...

Charlotte Gilman’s Authorial Vision of Women

Most of the stories written by modern female writers reveal their intolerance against the oppressed life of women. Male domination, for several centuries, made them mere domestic animals, denying mobility and individual freedom. The urge to free themselves from this situation, from their domestic prison, is the main thrust of...

“Because My Father Said” Short Story’s Analysis

The story “Because My Father Said He Was the Only Indian Who Saw Jimi Hendrix Play ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ at Woodstock” opens with Victor, the story narrator, recalling his father’s past life, how he was thrown to prison for assaulting a Private member of National Guards during a peaceful demonstration....

The Tempest and the Contemporary Arts

Introduction No one would deny the fact that Shakespearean works are timeless. They have survived during the centuries and continue to ask readers various questions the answers to which help them to understand the mysteries of life. Drawing parallels between the works of the great poet and playwright helps the...

A Clean, Well Lighted Place: Book Review

There are times when a person would just want to find solace in a place where they can hang out and do nothing but feel they are just drifting over their weary existence in the outside world. It is just one of the nights when depression sets in and a...

Aggression as a Theme in The Lottery by Shirley Jackson

The story compares commonplace details of current life with a barbaric ceremony known as the “lottery”. The setting is a small American town where the inhabitants display a commemorative mood as they meet on June 27 for their annual lottery. After an individual from each family draws a small piece...

Protagonist in Death of a Salesman: Character Analysis

Introduction The Death of a Salesman portrays a life story of Willy and his son Biff, their life expectations and hopes. In this play, Arthur Miller depicts contradiction between industrial society and personal values, false dreams and inability to understand and find his place in this society. Willy Loman is...

Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House as a Tragedy

Introduction Henrik Ibsen’s play A Doll’s House uncovers many unpleasant things about family life and men’s inclination to force women into submission in marriage. However, it is more than merely one of the sad stories of females’ subjugation. In the course of the plot’s development, Ibsen demonstrates the process of...

Jazz Age & American Dream in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”

The Great Gatsby is considered to be one of the most renowned books of the beginning of the XX century. Written by a famous American writer Scott Fitzerald (1925), it represents extensive chronicles of the era named “Jazz Age”. The story is set on the background of the aftermath of...

Children’s Resilience in Bible and Literature by Mukherjee and Faulkner

Introduction The renowned African American author Maya Angelou said it best as she spoke the words “Children’s talent to endure stems from their ignorance of alternatives.” I believe that this enduring resiliency of the youth comes from the fact that children are innocents who, for a major part of their...

Death of a Salesman: the Theme of a Small Man in a Big City

Introduction To some extent, the unique social and spiritual image of the United States attracts the constant attention of many people, including researchers and writers. The latter, as a rule, tend to understand and convey the originality of the American society, its past, present, and possible future scenario in their...

Comparing Characters from Odyssey, Scarlett Letter, Troy, Hamlet

The topic of this essay is the comparison of different characters from the masterpieces of world literature and movie-making. The heroes from Homer’s “Odyssey”, Hawthorne’s “Scarlett Latter” and movie characters from Hollywood hits “Troy” and “Hamlet” present a real interest for anybody as they display vividly basic features of a...

Heir of Prometheus – Jack London’s “To Build a Fire” Analysis

Greek legend has it that when it was time for men to be created, it was delegated by the gods to Prometheus, the Titan who had sided with Zeus in the war with the Titans. Prometheus whose name means forethought was very wise, wiser even than the gods. Prometheus took...

Atonement by Ian McEwan Review

Not once in my life, I was puzzled by the question: Where is the borderline between the reality we live in and the imagined world that this way or another we create every new minute of our life? The borderline is indeed rather fragile and the mystery of its existence...

Story Of A Personal Journey: “The Moviegoer” by Walker Percy

As a medium that allows one to communicate personal ideas and beliefs through different types of expression, art transforms people. “The Moviegoer” is a unique narrative in which two art forms collide, thus providing a masterfully written foil for the character development. The story of Blix Bolling, a New Orleans...

Racism Against Afro-Americans in Wilson’s “Fences” Play

Fences is a play by August Wilson, an American playwright, a Pulitzer’s laureate, who wrote about the life of African Americans in different periods of the 20th century. He chronicled the African-American experience through a series of 10 plays. In the 1950s, the South was still officially segregated, and in...

Importance of Self-Serve Kiosks

Modern technological developments are transforming human activities, processes, and behaviors. The proliferation of handheld devices and smartphones is discouraging more people from visiting libraries physically. The traditional reading culture in this community has also been affected negatively. Many people are currently busy focusing on their career goals and aims. Long...

Augustine’s Legacy: “City of Gods” as the Main Aspects of His Work

Introduction Augustine was one of the most influential philosophers in the fourth century due to his controversial prospect and his views on Christianity. Marino examines the main Augustine’s works and his thoughts on a person’s will, good and evil, faith, and God. The author demonstrates the main aspects of his...

The Influence of Religion on Ceremonial Practices in Literature and Culture

Introduction Literature is one of the ways to express thoughts related to a particular issue or discuss people’s perspectives on it. Throughout all history of humanity, individuals have been trying to express their emotions and feelings by using the power of the word. Written texts, as the first potent tool...

Heroes Portrayed in Ancient Works

Introduction The epos of ancient works is rich in vivid images and characters that embody the ideas of heroism and convey the moral character of past eras. Nevertheless, the approaches of some authors with respect to the portraits of the main characters were different, which makes their work even more...

Women’s Position in Kate Chopin’s Short Stories

Introduction Kate Chopin is an outstanding American author of novels and short stories. She is currently recognized as one of the first feminist writers of the 19th century as in her works, she focuses on women and their controversial position in marriage, and social oppression. For this essay, two works...

Passion, Persecution, and Epiphany in Early Jewish Literature

The Jew in the Modern World: A Documentary History (My Soul Desired Yiddish) The short story, “My Soul Desires Yiddish”, talks about how the Jewish society rejected its language, Yiddish. It is important to discuss the author’s relationship to his subject matter. The writer is a member of the community...

The Detective and the Criminal: “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” by Edgar Allan Poe

Introduction The genre of a detective novel always attracted a large audience with its suspenseful premise and a satisfactory and often revelatory ending. One can argue that this genre has a set of traits that were established once and had not changed significantly since then (Rosenheim 81). Many short stories...

Langston Hughes’ “Mother to Son” & “Harlem” Poems

Lorraine Hansberry’s play titled A Raisin in the Sun demonstrates readiness to challenge typical representations of minority families in theatrical pieces. The play has connections with two poems by Hughes, “Mother to Son” and “Harlem.” In his poem titled “Mother to Son,” Hughes refers to the exchange of experiences between...

Symbol of Liberation in Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour”

Introduction The Story of an Hour, which is a short literary work about a woman who thinks that she has become a widow, was written by Kate Chopin in the 1890s. In her short story, the author describes the metamorphoses and the inner dialogue of Louise, whose husband, as far...

“Parable of the Sower” Sci-Fi Novel by Octavia Butler

Introduction “Parable of the Sower” is a book written by Octavia Butler. The genre of this work is science fiction, more specifically a dystopia, or a depiction of a society that encompasses undesirable or frightening characteristics, for example, scarcity of resources, inequality, and discrimination. In the book “Parable of the...

Detective Fiction: Devil in a Blue Dress by Mosley

Introduction Detective fiction is known to focus on the figure of the detective; however, supporting roles are also of extreme importance for readers. Such characters may have several functions, including plot advancement, the introduction of subplots, developing themes, heightening the conflict, and development of the main character. In Devil in...

Patriarchal Oppression in Chopin’s Feminist Works

The works of Kate Chopin, a prominent American writer, traditionally focus on women’s biased position in marriage. The examination of “The Story of an Hour” and “A Respectable Woman” showed that these short stories addressed the disturbing issue of women’s dissatisfaction in marriage. The investigation of the concepts of patriarchy...

Socratic Philosophy in ‘Apology’: Exploring Key Themes and Ethical Insights

Apology of Socrates is a work of Plato that contains a version of Socrates’ speech delivered by him in 399 BC in his defense. This work was one of many apologies written in defense of Socrates against allegations of corruption. This speech is a reliable source of the trial of...

Analyzing Giac Duyen’s Morality in The Tale of Kieu

The Tale of Kieu is one of the most important works of Vietnamese literature, and it is an exciting object of study and analysis. Throughout the poem, Kieu faces many different circumstances, including prostitution, poverty, slavery, rape, mental health issues, and more. The focus of the story is mostly on...

“Epilogue” Poem by Robert Lowell

Analysis It is worth noting that Robert Lowell was a poet who did not use rhyme and rhythmic units to give his writings traditional sounding. Many of his works can be regarded as experimental poetry, and the author resorted to his creative method to produce the necessary impression on the...

Symbolism in “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

In her famous short story “The Yellow Wallpaper,” Charlotte Perkins Gilman explored the challenges women of the nineteenth century had to face. This literary work is still rather up-to-date and can bring insights into the life of women living in many countries. The piece is full of symbols, which makes...

Death of a Salesman Characters: Dreams, Failures, and Betrayals

The play “Death of a Salesman” by Arthur Miller is a prominent and well-known work with vivid and deep characters, and each of them had one’s own story. Willy Loman aspired to the American Dream and wanted to have the support of his loved ones. As a result, he received...

Punishment vs. Therapy: Oedipus Tyrannus & Equus Analysis

Introduction Both Oedipus Tyrannus by Sophocles and Equus by Shaffer cover tabooed and socially unacceptable behaviors, but while the Greek drama stresses punishment for breaking societal conventions, the contemporary one struggles with the impossibility of helping the perpetrator to correct his ways. Main body The crimes committed by the titular...

Gender Roles in Butler’s ‘Mr. Green’: Canaries & Vietnamese Culture

Butler uses the setting of the bird market and cages with canaries to develop the theme of gender roles in traditional Vietnamese culture. The protagonist’s grandfather had rather patriarchic views regarding gender roles as he believed that females had a specific place in the society or rather their households. He...

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

The story by Mary Flannery O’Connor, “A Good Man is Hard to Find,” is one of the examples of postmodern literature, although it still bears some traits of modern writing. The grandmother is the central character in the story to reveal these traits of two major philosophical thoughts that reigned...

Winning with Honour: Ethics and History in Singapore

Winning with Honour is a fascinating work as the authors transfer the rules of morality and ethics to the history of Singapore. This book can be interesting for many people because its chapters describe the rules and recommendations that apply to both the individual and organisations. However, Winning with Honour...

The Nature of Revenge Prior to and After the Creation of Hamlet

Introduction One of the most famous plays created by William Shakespeare is Hamlet. The play deals with multiple themes. However, the most dominant theme that overshadows everything else in the play is the theme of revenge. The issue of revenge is questioned from the point of view of violence. This...

Art Creation: Poetry as a Favorite Form of Literature

Poetry has always been my favorite form of literature due to its fascinating ability to reflect extensive ideas within several lines. One of my favorite poets is Robert Frost, whose works are considered some of the best ever written. My love for this poet was born in middle school when...

Johnson’s Analysis of Hayden’s Poem: Insights & Interpretations

In her work, Johnson analyzes the poem by Hayden in detail and resorts to evaluating both the general idea and individual thoughts expressed in specific language constructs. According to the critic, the text in question cannot be considered complete since it lacks both a univocal introduction and ending (Johnson). In...

Harry Potter and the Online Fandom: The Story Continues

The Harry Potter fandom is among the biggest ones in the world, with new fans joining every day. Since there is always the yearning for more stories, the book’s official site, Pottermore, and the original home for Harry-Potter-themed fan fiction, MuggleNet, are the most well-known sites for fans’ gathering (“Discover...

Billy Collin’s “The First Dream”: The Use of Self Expression in Poetry

Billy Collin’s poem The First Dream is clearly an expression of the feeling one has when one tries to explain an abstract experience. In Collin’s case, the abstract experience is a dream. Arguably, people tend to distance themselves from mystery as human beings tend to prefer real-world occurrences that can...

Helena’s Role in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Introduction The play, A Midsummer Night Dream by William Shakespeare examines and describes the events that surround the marriage between Hippolyta and Theseus. The playwright uses several characters in his work to make it meaningful and informative to the reader. This paper gives evidence-based ideas, reactions, and opinions about Helena...

Fools Crow: James Welch’s Insight on Aboriginal Struggles

The theme of aboriginal people and their relations with people from the Western world has always been topical. The existence of multiple disputable issues, extremely sophisticated relations, many cases of discrimination, violence, and the clash of cultures create the basis for vigorous debates about the behavior of one or another...

Othello’s Image in Shakespeare’s Tragedy

Introduction The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice is an outstanding tragedy by William Shakespeare. It focuses on highly essential issues of tragic flaws, crucial miscommunication, revenge, deep hatred, and love. One of the most significant themes of a play that reflects both the social state of the Renaissance...

Humans in Dick’s “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?”

Back in 1968, Philip K. Dick made its readers consider what it truly means to be a human being with the help of the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? The central theme of the book, the struggle between people and artificially developed androids, is relevant for showing how...

August Wilson’s “Pittsburgh Cycle”: Music and Family

The Pittsburgh Cycle The issue of race was especially problematic for the U.S. in the early 20th century due to the legacy of the rampant racism that plagued the previous era of U.S. sociocultural development. The challenges faced by African American people in fighting against oppression and promoting equality were...

Social Problems in Wilson’s “Fences” Play

In 1985, the American playwright and Pulitzer Prize winner August Wilson published the play Fences. This work was published as part of the ten-part Pittsburgh Cycle, which recounts the complexities of African-American life in different decades of the twentieth century. Fences is a theatrical play that raises acute social problems...

Willa Cather’s Nebraska Novel: A Tale of Swedish Immigrants

One of America’s greatest writers, Willa Cather, showed her talent and gained a solid reputation by writing a novel, her first book in a series about the state of Nebraska. The story of the prairies, mastered by Swedish, Czech immigrants, along with the story of how these lands experienced them...

Claudius’ Ramblings: A Night of Comedy and Confessions

In a dimly lit room, a dark figure of King Claudius occupies a large sofa. He occasionally stands up and walks across the room, his appearance disheveled, and they look exhausted. Think Dylan Moran is doing stand-up comedy at one AM after a party. Others are gathered quietly in the...

“The Lottery” the Story by Shirley Jackson

Children learn about morality while being educated by their parents and teachers in the contexts of certain communities and cultures. Depending on what they see and perceive as ethical and normal, children form their own views and behavior. In her short story “The Lottery,” Shirley Jackson discusses numerous provocative themes...

Maureen Sherry at Harvard Association for Law and Business

Introduction A meeting with Maureen Sherry took place at Harvard Association for Law and Business. Maureen Sherry is a famous writer, a former successful business lady, and a mother of four. During the conversation, she answered questions about her career, the role of women on Wall Street and in business,...

Analyzing Love and Appreciation in Shakespeare, Albom, and King’s Works

The given essay will summarize and analyze the commonalities of the message in A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare, Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom, and A Death by Stephen King. All three writings are historically separate and represent different genres, but they contain some similarities in the context....