Ethical Dilemma in Homer’s “The Odyssey”

Introduction Heroes depicted in ancient literature often face the necessity of making challenging life-and-death choices. As one example, Homer’s Odysseus faced such an ethical dilemma when he and his crew approached the area between Charybdis and Scylla as they were sailing. In the story, Circe had predicted that encountering Charybdis,...

Ancient, Medieval and Modern Literature

Introduction Literature turns out to be one of the most captivating things, any person can enjoy any time. It does not matter where this or that piece of writing came from, but its unique style, its contents, and its idea – all this can easily amaze the reader and attract...

Justice and Morality in Coetzee’s “Waiting for the Barbarians”

Where are the borders between the truth and lies, between justice and injustice? Should the world be considered being civil and civilized, if it is based on the principles of law? What is the connection between law and justice, between civilization and the barbarian world? J. M. Coetzee has discussed...

Ode on a Grecian Urn Essay: Analysis of Tone, Mood, and Meaning

John Keats’ “Ode on a Grecian Urn” is a prominent example of an ode. It tackles the theme of beauty and immortality of art. This “Ode on a Grecian Urn” essay explores the poem’s tone, mood, and meaning line by line. If you need to write a paper on this...

“I Dwell in Possibility” Poem by Emily Dickinson

Introduction Authors usually have unique personalities that make them stand out more than people from other professions. They either live controversial lives or die mysteriously and leave people wondering what makes them prefer these lifestyles. Emily Dickenson has a strange history that surpasses the mysteries of Shakespeare and other ancient...

“Nothing Gold Can Stay” by Robert Frost

Nothing Gold Can Stay is a well-known poem by Robert Frost. One of the primary outstanding features of this work is that it took the author only eight lines to express a set of thoughtful philosophical ideas and deep emotions. Apart from the captivating wisdom of the author’s lines expressed...

The Yellow Wallpaper and The Story of an Hour Comparison

Are The Story of an Hour and The Yellow Wallpaper similar stories? Their similarities include themes such as feminism and freedom, but there are also plenty of differences. Find out more in this essay!  Women’s role in society has always been a widely-discussed topic. The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins...

Themes, Literary Devices, and Relevance in Bradbury’s “A Sound of Thunder”

Introduction Bradbury wrote many short stories and books as a fiction author. Most of the author’s stories are science fiction, explaining scientific phenomena, nature, and technology. “A Sound of Thunder” is an intriguing short story involving time traveling to the past. Many people today would like to know how the...

“Suicide in the Trenches” by Siegfried Sassoon: Combat Gnosticism

Siegfried Sassoon’s Poetry Through his poems, Siegfried Sassoon demonstrates a sharp distinction in the reaction to war. In this way, his poetry is separated into two parts: before and after the war. Under the significant effect of his own military experiences, Sassoon’s perspective on the war underwent a profound shift...

A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen, Feminist Criticism

The play “The Doll’s House” illustrates Henrik Ibsen’s interest in gender inequality and women’s rights. This paper examines the literary work from a Feminist criticism perspective, which is relevant to its central theme. Despite the portrayal of the main character as stupid and dependent on men, the author at the...

Theme of Money in “A Doll’s House” by Ibsen

Introduction The play entitled A Doll’s House, written by Henrik Ibsen, shows a few days of the life of one married couple: Nora and Torvald Helmer. Several themes can be identified in this play, including love and marriage, deceit, gender roles, reputation, and money. This paper will focus on the...

“A Sorrowful Woman” Short Story by Gail Godwin

The protagonist in Gail Godwin’s short tale A Sorrowful Woman is a woman and parent who, after becoming overburdened with her spouse and kid, withdraws from them and progressively cuts them off from her existence. She tries on different roles after becoming dissatisfied with her duties as a responsible wife...

Miller’s Death of a Salesman vs. Ibsen’s A Doll’s House

Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House and Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman are successful dramas produced in 1879 and 1949, respectively. Due to their relevance to contemporary challenges, both writings have garnered high praise from critics and are debated by academics worldwide. Despite being created in various eras and nations,...

The “When Ure Hero Falls” Poem by Tupac Shakur

People often create heroes in their minds and desperately try to follow their example. However, nobody is perfect, and a heroic image usually collides with the harsh reality of our world. As a result, a person who believed in their hero may become traumatized by the experience. In the first...

Analysis of “Sonny’s Blue” by James Baldwin

Introduction Sonny’s Blue by James Baldwin, written in 1957, explores the different approaches two brothers take on the path to finding meaning in life. The narrator, a teacher, is not impressed by Sonny’s decision to venture into music and his abuse of heroin which lands him in jail. The story...

The Role and Significance of Women in “Beowulf”

Introduction Beowulf is a poetic text in English literature depicting the events of a heroic man in the 6th century. Beowulf primarily focuses on the heroic deeds of male characters. The poet characterizes male heroism with courage, strength, loyalty, and generosity. However, in-between the lines, the plot has female characters...

Morality Through the Lens of Kate Chopin’s “The Storm”

Introduction Kate Chopin’s short story “The Storm” depicts an unsuccessful union between the protagonist Calixta and her partner Bobinot. The story describes an adulterous sexual affair between Calixta and a former friend, Alcee, during a storm. Although Chopin explores these issues from a conventional perspective, she adopts a rather unbiased...

Symbolism in “A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings” by Marquez

Symbolism is often employed in literature to represent, signify, and express ideas and qualities that differ from their literal sense in real life. As a literary device, symbolism can assume various forms by using abstract ideas to give an object a more vivid and deeper meaning by the use of...

The “Old Boys, Old Girls” Story by Edward Jones

According to Rolston (2018), Edward Jones’s stories, mainly Old Boys, Old Girls, reflect how institutions and social circumstances shape the life and struggles of the African American male ex-convicts. Indeed, by portraying the life of Caesar Matthews, Edward Jones’ stories give insight into the African-American individuals’ criminal record complicate their...

“The Wall of Fire Rising” Story by Edwidge Danticat

Literature connects people and reveals the deep issues influencing people’s decisions in life. Many people find it hard to balance reality and their dreams and fantasies. Character choices, setting, symbolism, and themes in a story highlight the most important lessons intended by the author. The story The Wall of Fire...

The Story “The King of the Bingo Game” by Ralph Ellison

In “The King of the Bingo Game,” Ralph Ellison presents an unnamed protagonist, an African American man, whose life is characterized by economic and social struggles. In particular, the black man makes tireless efforts to survive, while at the same time, seeking recognition in an environment that is hostile to...

“Paper Menagerie” Stories Book by Ken Liu

Ken Liu’s paper titled Paper Menagerie has employed different themes in its story. It has deployed the theme of connection, resentment, culture, prejudice, love, and struggles. Resentment is clearly shown when Jack, who is happy in his childhood, tries to reject his tradition and embrace the American lifestyle immediately; he...

“The Sea of Trolls” by Farmer

Setting and Background Mythology is a collection of narratives, which explain the origin of the world without factual credibility. For instance, one the main characters Thorgil references the in-universe mythology: “That’s Asgard where the gods live and that’s the gate of Valhalla” (p. 360). Legends are stories of real events,...

The Poems “We Are Really Cool” and “Malcolm X” by Gwendolyn Brooks

Introduction Gwendolyn Brooks is an important and well-known figure in American poetry of the 20th century. “We are really cool” and “Malcolm X” is one of the greatest poems written by Brooks. She is the kind of author who widely employs syntactic means to express her texts’ significant meanings. In...

The Symbolic Nature of Franz Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis”

Introduction Kafka’s The Metamorphosis is oftentimes seen as an allegorical, psychological, and quintessential exploration of the author’s inner state. However, despite the core of the story centering on the physical transformation of Gregor Samsa, the real metamorphosis occurs in his family which demonstrate a dramatic shift in attitudes at his...

“Recitatif” by Tony Morrisson

Introduction This essay focuses on the analysis of Tony Morrisson’s short story “Recitatif.” The issue of race is explored throughout the story, with Morrison introducing the setting and one character as a “strange place with a girl from a whole other race” (1). Through the interactions between Twyla and Roberta,...

“Mother Tongue” by Amy Tan

Introduction Amy Tan is an English writer who grew up in a Chinese family that migrated to America. She is an author of several novels and one of her most popular ones is “The Joy Luck Club.” Mostly, her works focus on the mother-daughter relationship because Tan was brought up...

“Barn Burning” by William Faulkner

Introduction Barn Burning is a masterpiece short story by William Faulkner set in the late 19th century in the white plantations in the south. The narrative revolves around highlighting social classes characterized by a huge gap between the rich and the poor. Class conflicts in the south were relevant discussion...

‘Song of Myself’ by Whitman: Nature and Life Beliefs

Introduction “Song of myself” is written by American poet, humanist, essayist and journalist, Walt Whitman. Whitman is considered famous among American poets and his poetry collection, “leaves of grass” and many of his works were highly controversial during it’s time. (Carew 545) Furthermore, his sexuality was also unclear and it...

The Canterbury Tales: Chaucer’s Views on Social Mores

In The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer constructs a rich portrayal of medieval society and social mores. Chaucer’s world is vibrant and populated with archetypes that seem to fit neatly in social and moral categories. The knight is of high moral stature and chivalry, the prioress is “gentle” and “piteous.” The characters...

Contrast of the Blake’s Poems “Infant Joy” and “Infant Sorrow”

Introduction The poems by William Blake are vital for their contrasting value. The features in such small poems which are described in the Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience correspond directly to live. Two poems from these compilations are Infant Joy and Infant Sorrow respectively. These poems are under...

George Orwell’s “1984” Analysis

Introduction / Thesis Ever since George Orwell’s famous novel “1984” has been published in 1949, its semiotic significance was being discussed from a variety of political and sociological perspectives, with most literary critics concluding that “1984” was meant to increase people’s awareness as to the sheer wickedness of Communism, as...

How Tennessee Williams’s Life Influenced His Work

Introduction Tennessee Williams is considered one of the most successful American playwrights of the mid-1900s. Ben Brantley’s summary on ‘A Century of American Theatre’ states that “by the mid- 1950s, “the burden of American drama rested mostly on the shoulders of two men, Tennessee Williams and Arthur Miller.” In the...

Symbolism in O’Neill’s Long Day’s Journey into Night

In Eugene O’Neill’s play “Long Day’s Journey into Night”, the playwright presents the inner workings of a dysfunctional family long before the term dysfunctional became a buzzword of American psychology. The play, written in 1941 but not performed until 1957, is set in 1912 in the predominantly Irish Connecticut home...

How Sympathetic Is Heathcliff’s Character in Wuthering Heights?

The story of Heathcliff, an enigmatic and vengeful ‘Byronic hero’ of Wuthering Heights, unravels in front of the reader as the novel progresses. The gypsy-like child faces the challenges of growing up as a hated outsider within his own adopted family, developing into a bitter and, ultimately, miserable man. Heathcliff’s...

The Tempest: Prospero’s Character Analysis

Prospero’s Character Analysis: Introduction While reading William Shakespeare’s “The Tempest”, one questions himself or herself if the main character’s Prospero’s rule is just or not. To prove his or her viewpoint, one should analyze Prospero’s choices to explain his values; one should also examine and discuss the treatment and the...

Analysis of “The Hollow Men”

The Hollow Men is a soliloquy by one of the hollow men, representing a modern generation of rootless, faithless, lonely, and aimless wanderers. The hollow men are bewailing their lot in the modern Waste Land. They are in Death’s dream kingdom from which they cannot cross to Death’s other kingdom...

The Influence of Reading on Our Life

Reading of great books has, all through the ages, been recognized as the most powerful contributor to the development of an individual’s personality. The great thinkers and the philosophers of the world have often identified the role of good books as an influential reformer of personal life and attitude. One...

Characters in “The Plum in the Golden Vase” by Sheng

The book by the title The Plum in the Golden Vase is also known as Jin Ping Mei (JPM). It was originally written in Chinese but it has been translated into a number of languages for the purpose of readers to enjoy the plot and interesting characters. The Plum in...

“The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” a Novel by Mark Twain

Introduction Classical children’s literature is full of examples of outstanding works that have become a cultural treasure and are still being discussed with interest today. One of these well-known works that are known to almost everyone in the book “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” written by the famous American writer...

“Jonathan Livingston Seagull” by Richard Bach

I perfectly realize the unique mission our newspaper accomplishes, the role it plays in the formation of peoples mentality, and the impact it has on their minds. For this reason, I am sure that only worthy artworks could be published by it. Thus, considering the unique goal and a specific...

“The Canterbury Tales” by Geoffrey Chaucer

Introduction The Canterbury Tales is perhaps one of the most popular collections of tales from the 14th century. It is a collection of stories told by Geoffrey Chaucer who remains one of the significant contributors to literature in the 14th century. In this collection, Chaucer who doubles up as the...

The Themes and Relevance of Connell’s “The Most Dangerous Game” Short Story

Introduction Connell’s classic short story, The Most Dangerous Game, is a gripping account of the perils people play. The story follows Rainsford, a hunter who abandons his planned hunting trip and ends up shipwrecked on an island home to General Zaroff – an insane man who hunts humans for sport....

Analysis of “The Seagull” by Anton Chekhov

The Seagull is a famous play by Russian author Anton Chekhov who significantly influenced worldwide theater arts. The comedy was primarily performed in 1896, and the central theme it addressed was the distinction in world perception and values between generations. The play contains four acts and thirteen characters of diverse...

The Short Story “The Folded Leaf” by Segun Afolabi

Nigerian culture and literature have long been underexplored by the world academic community and society as a whole. The short story “The Folded Leaf” written by Caine Prize winner Segun Afolabi is a short story that shows the new wave in Nigerian literature heritage. It touches on the critical themes...

Analysis and Ideas of “Tess of the D’Urbervilles” by Thomas Hardy

“Tess of the D’Urbervilles” can be seen as a straightforward love tale. However, the book covers many topics that Hardy and the society of that time could view as rather debatable. It includes the humanity of people in that society, the social morals, religion, and their conflicts. Hardy only shows...

Analysis of “Room” by Emma Donoghue

Introduction Room by Emma Donoghue is a novel that reveals the essential aspects of child abuse, psychological trauma, and social adaptation through a child’s eyes. The events in this book are fictional, although the experiences that the author put in her work require a thorough examination and comprehension. Depicting such...

Teach Us to Outgrow Our Madness by Kenzaburo Oe

Kenzaburo Oe, the author of the book “Teach us to outgrow our madness,” has displayed several ways to uphold our passion and original vision for things. A fascinating account of the 1964 Christmas Eve party at Yukio Mishima’s house, where Nathan first met Oe and fellow novelist Kobo Abe, serves...

Shakespeare’s “Sonnet 116” Review

A sonnet is a special kind of poetry expression dedicated to the inner workings of the heart and mind. They explore what it implies to give love using a wide range of emotions and various tools. To define true love, William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 116 first explains what it is not...

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

A heart seeking love and burdened by traditions can open a doorway into madness. The given review and critique will be focused on a short story, “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner, written in 1930. The plot revolves around a town in the state of Mississippi with central characters...

“Désirée’s Baby” by Kate Chopin: Themes and Symbols

Désirée’s Baby, a short story written by Kate Chopin, depicts a woman’s life with unknown origins in Louisiana. The dramatic story includes her Southern husband, who exiles her from home because of her African – American origins. Chopin utilizes various symbols to raise themes of racism, hypocrisy, love, and woman’s...

Grotesque in “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka

The apparent expression of Kafka’s Metamorphosis is the battle to discover and express one’s individuality in a world of constant, all-consuming commitments. For instance, The Metamorphosis discusses a ludicrous occurrence “as Gregor awoke one morning from an uneasy dream he found himself transformed into a gigantic insect.” (Kafka 1), which...

“Drinking Coffee Elsewhere” by ZZ Packer: Plot, Key Themes, and Topics

The collection of short stories Drinking Coffee Elsewhere is, in itself, an exploration of the role of race and ethnicity in modern American society and literature. By employing the lens of a specific narrator for each story, Packer makes them more personal, filled with the experiences of a living, breathing...

Why Markus Brutus Is a Tragic Hero

Introduction William Shakespeare doubtlessly is on the list of the world’s greatest tragedy authors; for many his name is the first to associate with this genre. However, due to the depth and multidimensionality of Shakespeare’s creations, it is not necessarily possible to identify a certain character in his play as...

The Analysis of Sonnet 18 by William Shakespeare

Introduction The chosen poem for the current work is Sonnet 18 written by William Shakespeare, and it was first published after the death of the author in 1609. The cultural context around the composition is enigmatic since there is no particular person to whom the poem is devoted. Some scholars...

Beauty in The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

The idea of beauty has always been important to human society. People use specific standards to consider someone more attractive than others and provide them with privileged status. At the same time, failure to meet dominant standards might result in exclusion, isolation, and loneliness. Thus, beauty is one of the...

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott: Jo and Amy’s Analysis

Summary The novel Little Women, written by Louisa May Alcott, illustrates the struggles, difficulties, and characteristics that influence the lives of young women in society. Two characters that have been illustrated as ambitious and persuasive yet struggling to fit into the norm of society at the time are Jo and...

The Skipper in the Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer

In the book “The Canterbury tales”, Geoffrey Chaucer (1977) presents 24 stories where the author satirically portrays life in medieval England and people who belong to various professions. The narrative begins with the prologue, where the author explains how such a company of people with different social backgrounds could form....

Analysis of “Woman’s Work” by Julia Alvarez

Julia Alvarez is a distinguished Dominican-American writer and poet whose work mainly focuses on the Latinx immigration experience and bicultural identity (“Julia Alvarez Biography”). Her writing often focuses on the inherent paradoxes and contradictions of human existence, indicating that “nothing is impossible in this world”. Woman’s Work is one of...

Ray Bradbury’s Critique of the American Society in “The Veldt”

“The Veldt” is a short science fiction story by Ray Bradbury published in 1950. Concerned with rapid technological development and the spread of consumerism philosophy among Americans, the author sought to warn his readers about the possible negative impacts of these tendencies on individuals and society. The writer argues that...

What Makes William Shakespeare Relevant in the Modern-Day?

April 23 is a special day in the history of world culture. On this day, according to the few testimonies and legends, William Shakespeare, a connoisseur of history and explorer of the human soul, a wise philosopher and an intriguing playwright, was born in Stratford-upon-Avon. Philologists, art critics, directors, actors,...

Shift from Naturalism to Modernism in Literature

Literature of the early 20th century was characterized by the shift from Realism to Modernism. A number of factors shaped people’s perception of the changing world marked by the development of industrial societies and rapid urbanization. Furthermore, people were affected by the horrors of the Civil War and World War...

Puck in a “Midsummer Night’s Dream” by Shakespeare

Introduction A Midsummer Night’s Dream, written by William Shakespeare, is comprised of interwoven storylines and characters from European folklore. The presence of several distinct plots makes it challenging for readers and viewers to identify the protagonist of the play. The importance of roles is distributed evenly, which complicates the task...

Sisterhood in Susan Glaspell’s “Trifles” Play

Introduction Susan Glaspell is a celebrated American writer, and Trifles, a one-act play, is among the many works that she wrote in the early twentieth century. At the time, women in American society were facing various challenges and Glaspell used her literary skills to highlight the same, albeit dramatically. In...

Wiesel’s “Night” Reveals the Evil Inherent in Humanity

As one might expect from a book written by an eyewitness of the Holocaust who barely escaped death at concentration camps, Night by Elie Wiesel deals with the subject of evil in much detail. The teenage author’s encounters with SS soldiers and the personnel of the death camps provide more...

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

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

“Blackberries” by Ellen Hunnicutt and “Blackberries” by Leslie Norris – Comparison

The same title ‘Blackberries’ combines two stories written by Ellen Hunnicutt and Leslie Norris. The mention of berries is not accidental because the image of the berries goes through each story. The following essay will be devoted to comparison of these stories and finding the differences and similarities between them....

The Glass Menagerie and the Idea of the Escape

Topic: The Glass Menagerie and its idea of pursuing adventure or sticking to one’s duties. Thesis Statement: The Glass Menagerie suggests that a person should not make a choice between chasing one’s dreams or staying put because it is possible to find the middle ground and do both. Brainstorm: Happiness Comes at...

Leslie Knope from Parks and Recreation Analysis

The stories of popular fictional characters are often filled with adventures and challenges intended to entertain the audience. At the same time, their authors mimic real life, exploring internal and external conflicts people face. Thus, such characters are suitable candidates for practicing psychoanalysis – especially if a person displayed has...

Rewiew of “The Illegal” by Lawrence Hill

Character Growth in Three Parts The first part of the novel introduces the protagonist, Keita Ali, who has to flee his homeland to earn money for his family’s ransom. In this part, the readers learn that he feels alienated from his motherland and tries to fit in. The next section...

“Life of Pi”: Physical, Emotional and Spiritual Survival

One cannot say that the book “Life of Pi” is devoted to animals, like, for instance, the books by Seton Thomson or Gerald Durrell, who express their love of wildlife in books. In contrast to them, Martel presents a philosophic and religiously oriented account of the life of a human...

Shakespeare’s Othello’s and O. J. Simpson’s Tragedies

Shakespeare provides very many examples that can be used for comparing O.J and Othello: the juice and the fish. They are all stars in different ways, champions, combatants, and gladiators. Therefore, having all these ideas in place it is possible to get down to comparing and contrasting the two. Othello...

Self-knowledge in Oedipus, Socrates, and Achilles

Introduction The Delphic Oracle’s motto of “Know Thyself” applies to many stories from Ancient Greece. The characters of Oedipus, Socrates, and Achilles can all be examined from the point of view of the extent to which they knew themselves and the extent to which knowing or not knowing themselves led...

In His Steps: How Did Maxwell, Norman, and the Shabby Stranger View the City of Raymond?

In the novel In His Steps, Charles M. Sheldon explores the problems in society by observing the city of Raymond through the eyes of different characters. Sheldon’s goal was to “urge Christians to join forces to ameliorate social ills” (Smith 114). This essay examines the characters’ thoughts on Raymond. The...

Founding Brothers by Joseph Ellis

Author The author, Joseph John Ellis was born in 1943 and is currently professor at the Mount Holyoke College of History on the Ford Foundation. He wrote the Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation in 2000 and received the Pulitzer Prize in History in 2001 for it. He received his PhD...

Is Ibsen’s “A Doll House” a Marxist, a Feminist, or a Psychoanalytic Argument?

Henrik Ibsen’s play A Doll’s House was an influential and to a certain degree shocking literary work, as it challenged the traditional roles of men and women in society and depicted the poor outcomes of gender discrimination. The major female characters of the play are definitely bold and determined women,...

The Representation of the American Dream in Death of a Salesman

Living in a society where each person can achieve success and respect regardless of their origin, gender, or race was a general idea of the American Dream at the beginning of the 20th century. However, the American Dream is slowly fading and becoming more of an illusion after the Depression...

Nora’s Character in A Doll’s House Analysis

Introduction There are many different meanings to the concept of feminism in modern literary criticism. The most common definition of feminism is the advocacy of women’s rights on the basis of the equality of the sexes (Hannam 7). Operating this definition, the paper will examine Nora’s character from feminist perspective....

Racism: “The White Man’s Burden” by Rudyard Kipling

Social Darwinism is a sociological theory, according to which the laws of natural selection and the struggle for survival, identified by Charles Darwin in nature, apply to relationships in human society. Social Darwinism was especially popular from the end of the 19th century until the end of the Second World...

William Stafford’s “Traveling Through the Dark” Poem

Introduction William Bradford’s “Traveling through the Dark” seems to present its setting in the very title, but further analysis of the poem allows discerning that the “dark” has two shades of meaning. The direct connotation of the dark is the time of the day when the events are happening. The...

Shakespearean Double Plot in “King Lear”

Introduction Shakespeare’s use of two plots in a single play is an important literal structure that appears in several of his works. However, his play ‘King Lear’ is the most important work that provides evidence of this literal structure. Arguably, despite criticisms that Shakespeare confused his audience with more than...

“Trifles” Play by Susan Glaspell

Introduction ‘Trifles’ is a one-act play by Susan Glaspell. It was written in 1916. Glaspell tells a true story about a murder that happened in a small town in Lowa. The narrative revolves around a farmer named John Wright. The man was murdered by a person who strung a rope...

Chekhov’s “The Cherry Orchard”: Tragedy or Comedy?

Introduction It does not make sense when someone calls Anton Chekhov’s poem The Cherry Orchard a comedy, but as one progresses to analyze the book, this idea becomes a reality. The play is centered on Lyubov Andreyevna whose irresponsible mannerism leads their family into a tragedy of financial collapse and...

Fahrenheit 451 Book Review – Essay & Analysis + Topics

Fahrenheit 451 is considered Ray Bradbury’s masterpiece. The society that he depicted in the novel is so far removed from the one we live in today. At the same time, they are so similar. This is just one of the Fahrenheit 451 essay examples. You can use it as an...

Sammy’s Decision in ‘A & P’: Analyzing His Quit and Its Consequences

Introduction After reading the short story ‘A & P’, one will be forgiven for believing that Sammy quit his job as a result of his immature, childlike behavior (Uphaus 23). However, a critical analysis of the character will reveal that Sammy did not quit his job on principle grounds. On...

Henry Thoreau’s The Battle of The Ants’ and Virginia Woolf’s The Death of The Moth’

Introduction Henry Thoreau’s ‘the battle of the ants’ and Virginia Woolf’s ‘the death of the moth’ are two exceptional essays that depict the life of small creatures. The two writers humanize the life of the ants and moth in an extraordinary manner. The two writers use imagery to communicate human...

A Letter to Rosaline from Romeo in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet

A Letter to Rosaline from Romeo. Romeo is expressing his heart-ache, pledges his devotion, begs for a meeting. Dear Rosaline, This letter I write to request thee to give me a place in thy heart. Written hath I many a love poem to express my love to thee to reply...

Richard Wright’s Black Boy Narrative: Racism, Oppression, and Identity

Introduction Black Boy is one of the most prominent works of Richard Wright. The book is considered a fictional biography because the author, Wright, is both the narrator and the protagonist. The book covers his experiences throughout life, from childhood to adulthood, hence its classification as a biography. The fictional...

Exploring Trauma in “They Called Us Enemy” and “Maus” Through Visuals

Introduction “They Called Us Enemy,” co-written by George Takei, Justin Eisinger, and Steven Scott and drawn by Harmony Becker, is a crucial tribute to the dread and federal bigotry within America’s borders eight decades ago. Meanwhile, Art Spiegelman’s “Maus” depicts the horrors of the Holocaust as well as the challenges...

Resilience of Hamlet and Oedipus by W.Shakespeare

Hamlet and Oedipus are both complex characters who have struggled much and experienced many difficulties throughout their lives. Although they were created in different historical periods and settings, they had much in common, and, at some point, they both faced problems that appeared as a test of their resilience. Many...

The Book “Black Boy” by Richard Wright

Reading the Black Boy book was a moving and very emotional experience for me; it hit me with a realization that racism has been a problem among individuals in society since time immemorial as it still carries on today. The topic of discrimination and racism faced by black people is...

Aeneas’ Characteristic in Aeneid by Virgil

The epic Aeneid is the most outstanding work of the Roman poet Virgil. The poem is based on mythical accounts of the legendary ancestors of the Romans, the Trojans, and their king Aeneas. The latter, according to legends, founded a kingdom on Latin soil, which became the foundation of the...

Shakespeare’s “Othello” Play Interpretation

The play’s primary setting is in the street of Venice, a city famous for its trade, banking, and military strength. At the beginning of the play, there is an unfolding argument about romance and relationship that triggers a conflict between different people in the play. The main character in the...

“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” by W. Shakespeare

In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare brings out the theme of love basing it on two different and contrasting ideas. The first assumption is the idea that love is something very strong and it is beyond human control. Love is seen to be controlled by a divine power such as...

“Cinderella” vs. “Vasilisa the Beautiful” Folk Tales

Folk tales are an integral part of the culture of any nation. These stories were passed down from generation to generation and were constantly interpreted depending on the time period. It is essential to understand that each folk tale carried a special message, which was instructive in conception. In other...

Reflection on “Inconvenient Indian” by Thomas King

Thomas King’s “Inconvenient Indian” explores the subject of native Americans and their lives in North America. The idea of “Dead Indians” and “Live Indians” is one of the critical topics King covers. These two concepts capture the experiences of indigenous peoples and how non-indigenous societies perceive and treat them. King...

Transformation of Kurtz’s Character in “Heart of Darkness”

Introduction Characters represent the essence of the plot as their experiences and perspectives shape the attitudes of readers toward the story being told. Without characters and their development during the narrative, the story cannot progress. Thus, the characters of Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness had to be memorable with their...

Theme of Deceit in Shakespeare’s Othello

Deceit and lies can be one of the most distracting factors in human life despite one’s accomplishments. As Benjamin Franklin said, “Tricks and treachery are the practice of fools, that don’t have brains enough, to be honest,” the play Othello by Shakespeare accurately depicts his words. Othello is a storyline...

“The Martian” by Andy Weir: Critical Review

Introduction The Martian is among the greatest science fiction novels Andy Weir published on his website in 2011. The book attracted a significant audience appreciation, making it among the New York Times Best Sellers. Andy Weir’s lifelong interest in science fiction inspired him to write The Martian. The novel’s review...

The Series of “Harry Potter” by Joanne Rowling

Introduction The works of the British novelist Rowling collectively referred to as the Harry Potter series, are classified as fantasy. Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley are all enrolled at Hogwarts School in the novels. Major plot points revolve around Harry’s battle against the evil wizard Lord Voldemort, who...

Character Analysis of Nora Helmer in Ibsen’s “A Doll’s House”

Henrik Ibsen left a rich literary legacy, including several dramatic works that deal with contemporary issues and seem pretty popular. The issues that he raises in his works are timeless. Worth reading and appreciating. Many stories in Ibsen’s theatrical works are intertwined, which ultimately leads to the disclosure of the...

The Short Story “A Family Supper” by Kazuo Ishiguro

Kazuo Ishiguro’s story A Family Supper is a prime example of how the bulk of the words can hide deep meanings and subtexts. In this work, the author uses the essential components of the artwork, including setting, tone, and means of expression. All of these elements, mutually influencing each other,...

Mango in “The Gift” Short Story by R. F. Ramirez

It should be noted that in “The Gift” by Rosario Ferré, several social issues are addressed, ranging from patriarchy and racism to institutional corruption and indoctrination. Puerto Rico serves as an ideal framework to assess and analyze the vast differences between the poor and the rich, which is the result...

“Legal Alien” by Pat Mora: A Poem Analysis

Addressing the phenomenon of ethnic diversity and the problem of ethnic minorities’ underrepresentation in her poem “Legal Alien,” Pat Mora points to a complex sociocultural and sociopolitical issue of the present-ay American community. The central theme of being ostracized and alienated despite the very nature of American culture as an...

“To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee: Feminism and Gender Prejudice

Introduction Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird explores the racism and racial prejudice that negatively affected the black community and the Justice System in Maycomb. A wide range of key elements of gender criticism can be observed in the literature, where the whole notion of gender is demonstrated to...

“The Lost Letters of Pergamum” Analysis: Honor and Shame

The Lost Letters of Pergamum is a collection of letters in which prominent people from the nobility and churches of the century first communicate and discuss various matters. In general, this book shows people writing letters about how Christianity gradually and appeared influenced the world around. The plot describes the...

The Theme of Mental Illness in “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Poe

Edgar Allan Poe wrote The Tell-Tale Heart in 1843. It is a short horror story depicting the murder of an old man by an unnamed person, the story’s narrator. The narrator shows signs of paranoia, mania, and auditory hallucinations. The setting is a house where both characters live, while most...

“Poison Tree” by William Blake: The Poem Analysis

William Blake is one of the renowned English poets who enriched world literature with his rich imagery. He is one of the brightest representatives of English romanticism. The focus of the movement is on imagination, freedom, self-realization, rebellion, isolation, and “noble savage” (Canli 16). The poet paid specific attention to...

C. S. Lewis: “Course He Isn’t Safe. But He’s Good”

In chapter 8 of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis, Mr. Beaver talks about the experiences of Tumnus. He explains that Tumnus was arrested by Secret police under the White Witch’s spell (Lewis, 1950). Children, to whom Mr. Beaver was talking were scared and wanted to...

“Anansi and the Tar-Baby”: The Folklore Story

Common to many cultures around the world, folklore acts as both entertainment for the children and a way to teach them lessons. “Anansi and the Tar-baby” is one of many Jamaican folklore stories collected by Martha Warren Beckwith (1924). These stories, passed on through generations, were preserved relatively well from...

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Vladek From “Maus” by Art Spiegelman

Introduction The topic of PTSD or any other mental disorder is common among modern authors. However, some opt for not clearly stating the issue in their texts but rather inviting the reader to be a witness of the characters’ symptoms. Art Spiegelman employed such a method to present how trauma...

Dreams of Indigenous People in The Marrow Thieves Novel by Dimaline

Introduction The novel, The Marrow Thieves, was authored by Cherie Dimaline and published by Cormorant Books Incorporated on April 15th, 2017. The story focuses on a bleak future in Canada in which most people are no longer able to dream, and indigenous romantics have to escape their routine. The antagonist,...

Poem Analysis: Langston Hughes

Introduction Racial and cultural identity are among the most prominent themes of Langston Hughes’s literary works. It is important to point out that many of his poems explore different aspects of African American identity in regards to the overall culture and race as well as the intricate topics on social...

Midsummer Night’s Dream: Perspectives on Marriage

Introduction “The course of true love never did run smooth” (Shakespeare 1.1.134). This quote ironically represents the complex relationships full of romantic complications which dominate the plot of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Written as a romantic comedy where marriage is the central theme, Shakespeare presents various views on love and...

Dagoberto Gilb’s Story “Love in L.A”

Theme and Character Analysis Dagoberto Gilb’s story Love in L.A is an indication of how love in the modern society is considered. The story presents an ironic scenario of love in the modern society. Traditionally, two strangers would meet and after a short time of interaction, the strangers would fall...

Marxism and Socialism in “Mending Walls” Poem by Robert Frost

Introduction The poem “Mending Walls” by Robert Frost, written and published in 1914, narrates a story originating from rural New England and talks about a fence between two industrious farmers’ estates that separates their properties. It is worth noting that the wall is rebuilt every spring, and one of the...

“Lady Lazarus” by Sylvia Plath: The Theme of Death and Resurrection

Sylvia Plath’s “Lady Lazarus” is a poem published in 1965, two years after the poet’s suicide. It is considered to be one of the most illustrative examples of Plath’s artistic style and explores the topic of death. The purpose of this short essay is to analyze how the author develops...

Symbolism in Everyday Life, Culture, and Literature

Prewriting: Clustering Symbolism surrounds people in everyday life: it can be seen in certain colors like red for passion or aggression, culturally meaningful items such as rose as a symbol of love, etc. Symbols, as representations of certain ideas, exist to influence people’s opinions and directly or indirectly communicate a...

The Significance of the Title “Trifles”

Trifles is a 1916 one-act play by the American playwright and journalist Susan Glaspell. Penned around the first wave of the feminist movement, Trifles is a bold representation of the insidious conflict that had long existed between men and women in American society. The play revolves around the mysterious murder...

The Depiction of Tragic Love in Poe’s “Annabel Lee”

Introduction Love, especially tragic love, appears to be a common theme in Romanticist literature. As a poet of this literary movement, Edgar Allan Poe contributed to the tendency with “Annabel Lee.” Its central themes are the youthful love and death of a beloved woman. The text seemingly became one of...

Hamlet’s Letter to a Friend

Dear Cornelius, I hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirit. Alas, I cannot say so about myself at the moment. I cannot possibly explain what heartbreaking and unfortunate news awaited thy loyal friend Hamlet upon his returning home. You are my kindred spirit and the only...

“Montana 1948” Book Review and Analysis

The book ‘Montana 1948’ reflects themes of; the importance of family, loyalty, guilt, law, and order, and justice. The book is told from a third-person perspective of David Hayden, who recaps the events of his childhood Bentock, Montana in the summer of 1948. The issue of identity and decision-making are...

“A Walk in a Workhouse” by Charles Dickens

Introduction Charles Dickens is one of the most celebrated story tellers because of his unique description of existing realities. This uniqueness can be seen in the character development of the story. He uses similes, metaphors and imageries in all his writings. This story “A Walk in a Workhouse” is one...

Statuettes in “Thinking as a Hobby” by William Golding

Introduction ‘Thinking as a hobby’ is a story written by William Golding where he explained how he considered thinking as his hobby. From the study, it can be revealed that Golding was introduced into the field of thinking by his headmaster who used statuettes in his study. On this basis,...

“The Tell-Tale Heart” and “The Black Cat” by Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe was born on January 19 1809 in Boston Massachusetts. He was an American poet, writer, literary critic and editor. He was orphaned at an early age before he was even three years. He was raised as a foster child by John and Frances Allan in Richmond Virginia....

“As You Like It” by Shakespeare

The Shakespearean play ‘As You like it’ is an exploration of love and marriage presented in a comic setting. The main characters of the play are active participants in what some might classify as the typical love/hate relationship. The relationship among these characters reflects vastly on the bard’s own feelings...

“The Lamb” and “The Tyger” by William Blake

Introduction Poets often write poem with similar themes. Poetry as part of literature which can be viewed as creative reproduction of reality, socio-political and economic commentary represent strong views of the author about particular issues affecting society. Authors normally write from some sensitivity to some strong opinions. In his Poems;...

Blood in Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” Novel

Introduction The Victorian age is at once identified generally as a time of nostalgic perfection and rigid oppression. It is the age of change and social advances as well as the age of the strict social structure and a severe regard for the customs of the past. During the later...

Sassoon: Binary Vision and Repression Trench Experience

Introduction and Thesis statement Siegfried Sassoon is regarded as the preeminent war poet of the 20th Century. His works offer graphic narratives of the violence and brutality of war. What is ironic is that his background of wealth and privilege was about as far from the destitution of war that...

Okonkwo’s Exile in “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe

‘Things Fall Apart’ by Chinua Achebe narrates the story of the moving and tragic character of Okonkwo. He is one of the most respected elderlies in his village and holds enough power to influence his population. However, Okonkwo is helpless once he finds British colonization creeping in and destroying the...

Post-Modernism in Literature

The 20th-century literature in its stylistic and ideological variety is non-comparable to the literature of the 19th century, where it was possible to allocate only three or four leading movements. At the same time, modern literature has not given more great talents, than the literature of the 19th century. 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...

Narrative & Meaning in Jackson’s “The Lottery”

Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” is one of the brightest examples of how a sophisticated theme can be transferred within only a few pages of a short story. However, this is not the greatest feature of the piece. In “The Lottery,” the use of narrative techniques favored by the writer serves...

Slavery in “Parable of the Sower” by Octavia Butler

Introduction Although slavery is considered to be the issue of the past, in the novel Parable of the Sower, Octavia Butler imagines that this social phenomenon may acquire a new form soon. The extension of powers of big conglomerates may lead to the aggravation of poverty and enslavement of employees....

The Arabian Nights: Emotional Folklore and Moral Lessons

The Prologue The Arabian Nights is, perhaps, the best-known element of the Arabian folklore. However, reading the stories and especially the introduction to the book remains a thrilling adventure because of the emotional nature of the stories and the unique way of teaching moral lessons that each story offers. Still,...

Themes of Little Red Riding Hood Tale

Themes of Little Red Riding Hood: Thesis Statement Despite the fact that Little Red Riding Hood is typically viewed as a children’s story telling about the perils of the phenomenon known as stranger danger, the tale can also be viewed through the prism of transitioning from childhood to adulthood and,...

Celtic Myth and Occult Thought in Yeats’s Works

Introduction The Irish literary revival touched upon many themes of both ancient and contemporary Ireland. The prominent authors of the period, such as Synge, Yeats, and Lady Gregory used a variety of themes and topics to create a new representation of Ireland in theatre, novels, and poetry. One of the...

Quotes from “Superman and Me” by Sherman Alexie

“Inside our house, each family member existed as a separate paragraph, but still had genetics and common experiences to link us.” When Sherman Alexie began to learn reading, he discovered the usage of paragraphs in writing. He understood that it was “a fence that held words…that worked together for a...

“Man’s Search for Meaning” by Viktor Frankl

Introduction The book Man’ Search for Meaning is one of the most influential works on the psychoanalysis of the modern time. It was written by Viktor Frankl, a former Auschwitz prisoner, and the outstanding psychoanalyst. The existential vacuum is one of the most important concepts explained by Frankl in his...

Women as Property in Literature: Aristophanes, Congreve, and Wilde’s Perspectives

The position of women in society was always determined by the attitude of men to this issue. Women were never considered as the persons with the developed abilities to rule and to have much property. Moreover, the history of the social and personal relations between men and women approves the...

Race and Class in Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby and Larsen’s Passing

Introduction This essay aims to compare two novels that are significant to American culture: Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby and Nella Larsen’s Passing. In many ways, these novels share a similar story and a common range of social issues. First, these novels describe the events during the so-called “Roaring Twenties”. It...

Hidden Meaning of Woolf’s “The Death of the Moth”

Essentially, I like “The Death of the Moth” the most because this reading has a deep meaning related to the struggle of life. The story compares a moth’s insignificant fight to the daily problems of human existence. Nonetheless, I argue that the story’s hidden meaning refers to the moth as...

The Theme of Creation in “Frankenstein” by Shelley

The novel written by Mary Shelley represents a unique example of a book that raises numerous philosophical issues and covers a variety of themes extensively. The writer draws attention to the concepts of alienation, isolation, ambition, responsibility, and injustice, among others. Nevertheless, most themes are used primarily to cover the...

“The Missing Peace” Book by Edwidge Danticat

Introduction “The Missing Peace” is a novel in the book Krik? Krak! by Edwidge Danticat. She is an American writer of Haitian descent whose works tell about women’s lives and their relationships, mainly reflecting the problems of power, injustice, and poverty. “The Missing Peace” displays the story of a teenage...

Victor Frankenstein Character in Mary Shelley’s Novel

Introduction In the pursuit of knowledge, humankind devised science as an important tool for unveiling the mysteries of life. Through science, it becomes possible to generate requisite knowledge that leads to the creation of communication devices that permit people to share information in real time, provide vaccines, and/or answer any...

“The Hero’s Journey” Essay by Jessica Klein

Introduction Motherhood is the socio-psychological and biological state of a mother’s woman, arising under the influence of her physical and social relations with the child. This definition describes motherhood in scientific terms, whereas each woman can depict it differently, relying on their experience (Emecheta 3). From isolation to bustle, from...

The “Alias Grace” Novel by Margaret Atwood

Introduction Alias Grace is a historical, narrative approach to exploring themes of cruelty and redemption within the context of class distinctions and gender norms, particularly within the 1820s-1860s Canada. In Alias Grace, Margaret Atwood takes the audience back to a time when women were not seen as human beings; they...

Okonkwo’s Character Analysis in “Things Fall Apart”

In his work Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe chronicles the tale of Okonkwo, a strong and respected member of the Igbo society in Nigeria. Achebe uses language and style to develop him into a complex and multi-faceted character. He is presented as someone who is both strong and fragile, self-assured...