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...

Economics and Slavery in Frederick Douglass’ Narrative

Introduction Slavery and economics always go hand-in-hand. The state of currency, machinery, and capital which form the basis of economics determine the need of society in slavery as an economic force. Once more efficient means of them are covered, slavery loses its usefulness. Numerous historical examples show that slavery as...

Contrasts and Details of “The Cask of Amontillado“ by Edgar Allan Poe

Introduction Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” was first published in 1846, and it is widely recognized today as the best or one of the best short stories written by the author. It contains a story of revenge taken by an insidious and dark man named Montresor on his...

Pompey’ Character in the Play “Antony and Cleopatra”

Introduction The play, Antony and Cleopatra, revolves around a tragedy based on the relationship between Mark Antony and Cleopatra. The play depicts a scene that covers the events of the 15th century, which surround the wars of the Roman Empire. Remarkably, the geographical context of the play is the regions...

“Brown Girl Dreaming” a Novel by Jacqueline Woodson

Discussion Process and Questions “Brown Girl Dreaming,” the novel by Jacqueline Woodson, presents her life through a series of poems. During the discussion, the classmates revealed various themes and tensions that helped to understand the feelings and messages of the main character Jacqueline. Three themes the discussion was focused on...

“The Road Not Taken”: A Reflective Poem by Robert Frost

“The Road Not Taken” is a mostly reflective poem written by Robert Frost. This poem is primarily about the choices one makes in life. Once someone makes a choice, it is usually for better or for worse, according to this poem. The poem utilizes symbolism as a reflective tool. For...

Symbolism in The Great Gatsby

This essay sample explores the symbolism in The Great Gatsby. Some of the symbolism examples are the eyes, color, and the valley of ashes. Find out what they represent with the help of our The Great Gatsby symbolism essay sample! Most of the imposing novels have symbols that represent the...

Exploring Life’s Complexity Through “Tuesdays with Morrie” by Mitch Albom

Introduction This introduction begins with an in-depth examination of the various stages of the human experience through the entertaining “Tuesdays with Morrie” story. By immersing readers in the emotionally charged bond between Albom and Schwartz, the author’s work sheds light on the intricate nature of human existence. Through a concise...

The Cultural Significance of Mark Twain’s The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County

Introduction Mark Twain’s The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County is a classic example of American literature. Written in 1865, it is a humorous tale based on a real-life event in a small town in California. The Local Color Realism Perspective From the perspective of regional/local color realism, this work...

Swift’s “A Modest Proposal”: Satirical Critique of Anglo-Irish Relations and Poverty

Publication Year and Historical Context of “A Modest Proposal” Swift’s 1729 work, A Modest Proposal, satirized the tense Anglo-Irish relationship and the declining standard of living among ordinary people. The Norman invasion in the late 12th century marked the start of 700 years of interaction between the two islands, which...

How Themes Inform the Context: Herrera, Tafolla, and Laviera

Introduction In literature, poetry is a truly unique phenomenon since, unlike the rest of the genres, it does not seek to tell a story; instead, its purpose revolves primarily around conveying a specific message and appealing to the reader’s emotions. Therefore, the thematic richness of a poem is inevitably connected...

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 Central Theme in “The Open Boat” by Crane

Introduction The Open Boat by Stephen Crane is an endurance tale about four people who have survived a disaster and are now working as a team to locate any piece of land they can discover while only traveling in a tiny boat on the ocean. Nature is on their tail,...

“I, Too” by Langston Hughes: Historical Context

The poem I, Too was written in the year 1925, leading to a discussion of the historical background. Primarily, one of the most impactful and devastating events that took place around the time of these works was racial segregation, which started approximately around the 19th century and ended in 1964...

Argument in “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin

Kate Chopin’s The Story of an Hour is feminist and tragic. At the same time, the story is very unpredictable for both the reader and the characters. The author recounts one hour in the life of Louise Mallard after she learns of the death of her husband, Brently Mallard. Thus,...

“The Dragon Can’t Dance” by Earl Lovelace

Introduction Earl Lovelace’s The Dragon Can’t Dance is a national allegory set in the days leading up to Trinidad and Tobago’s independence from Great Britain. The novel follows the residents of a small village as they prepare for their annual carnival celebration. The main characters represent different communities within the...

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...

“How the World Was Made” Cherokee Origin Story

Native American cultures have a strong sense of connection to and unity with nature, an aspect of characterization. Like other folklore, the Cherokee story explains how the creation of the world and environment. However, what sets this origin tale of the Native Americans is that its lessons about respecting nature...

The “Borders” Short Story by Thomas King

Thomas King explores one of the many challenges of living in a world where his race has been marginalized in “Borders.” It is challenging to uphold culture and self-identity in a nation as diverse as America. The dilemma in King’s short story “Borders” is one that concerns the issue of...

The Story “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell

The theme of relations with nature has always been important for society. The attitude and understanding of this concept have been changing along with the development of society and technologies. The idea of the individual as a part of the world was replaced by the belief that human beings are...

Impact of Greek Mythology on Contemporary Literature

Greek mythology is an expansive set of fictional folklore that is one of the most prominent cultural influences in Western arts, literature, and other mediums for centuries due to its origin in Ancient Greece often viewed as the cradle of Western civilization. The rich development of the mythological stories and...

The Motif of Baggage in “The Things They Carried”

Introduction Most literary works are created by their authors not only to entertain the readers but also to serve high purposes and provide people with unique ideas. Certainly, this objective may be achieved by certain plot and plot twists that directly convey the writer’s thoughts. However, sometimes the author does...

“A Clockwork Orange”: Alex’s Character Evolution

In the novel “A Clockwork Orange” by Anthony Burgess, the narration is conducted on behalf of a difficult teenager Alex. He and his friends rob, rape, and arrange brutal reprisals. At the same time, he describes all the actions in an ordinary tone, as if nothing is happening. During one...

Analysis of “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson

Introduction Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery is a short story that tells about a fictional village where people are gathered for an annual lottery, in which all the villagers take part. The lottery has been held for many years as a tradition, and the tickets are drawn to select one person...

Male Characters in “A Doll’s House” by Henrik Ibsen

The Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen created the play A Doll’s House in 1879. The play’s central theme is the position of women in society; contemporaries perceived the drama as a feminism manifesto. However, the problems of A Doll’s House are not limited to the women’s issue: it is about the...

Feminism and Femininity in “Death by Landscape” by Atwood

Introduction The rebellion of women against the roles, characteristics, and behaviors imposed on them and expected from them by society is quite successful and popular in the modern world. Although it began centuries ago, at those times, few women saw a need for it. Most females saw specific sustainability in...

“The Double Image” by Anne Sexton: Poem Analysis

“The Double Image” is a rather significant and famous confessional poem written by Anne Sexton. This is an increasingly severe and profound literary work that can have various meanings and interpretations. The poet tells about her most intimate parts of life and her way through post-traumatic stress disorder. It is...

Responsibility in “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare

Introduction Macbeth is a play, one of the most famous tragedies by William Shakespeare, presented for the first time in 1606. It is based on the true story of the Scottish king Macbeth and reveals an excessive lust for power. In the story, General Macbeth hears the prophecy of three...

Similar Theme in “The Lottery” and “The Hunger Games”

The lottery theme unites the books “The Lottery” and The Hunger Games. In Suzanne Collins’s book, the inhabitants of Panem were forced to participate in a survival game, with teenagers engaging in such a competition (Collins). Shirley Jackson’s story tells the story of the tradition of an American city throwing...

Psychological Journey of Raskolnikov in Dostoevsky’s “Crime and Punishment”

Crime and Punishment appear to be one of the most widely spread novels of Russian writer Fyodor Dostoevsky. Despite being created at the end of the 19th century, it is extremely popular both in the author’s native country and outside its territory. All the plot is articulated on the random...

“Seven Jewish Children” by Caryl Churchill

Introduction The play, which takes approximately ten minutes, was written by Caryl Churchill as a response to the tragic events that took place at Gaza in the recent past. The play, among other issues, shows the extent to which theater is capable of reacting to the global politics. The play...

Symbol of the Cat in the Story “Black Cat” by Edgar Allan Poe

The works of Edgar Allan Poe are famous for their gothic style, the penchant for depression and melancholy, as well as sinister motives of imminent death and evil fate. So, in the “Black Cat,” the story of alcoholism, madness, and movement towards destruction unfolds. The cat is the main symbol...

The Concept of Sight in “Oedipus the King” by Sophocles

The concept of sight is one of the most complex metaphors used in the Greek tragic play “Oedipus the King” by Sophocles. As a metaphor, sight refers both to the literal meaning of seeing, as well as to the figurative sense of knowing and understanding. The relevance of this concept...

The Trauma of Enduring Racism and Ethnic Hatred: They Called Us Enemy

In the graphic novel They Called Us Enemy, George Takei provides his memoir after the presidential proclamation ordering all people of Japanese origin to be relocated to isolated camps. The title of the book and its cover page sums the struggles illustrated inside. The image of a policeman holding a...

Minor History and B. Kruger’s “I Shop Therefore I Am”

Minor History Defined by Branden Joseph Branden W. Joseph introduces the concept of minor history in the first chapter of his book Beyond the Dream Syndicate: Tony Conrad and the Arts After Cage (Joseph, 2011). He uses this concept to place Conrad’s art in a theoretical perspective grasping his endeavors...

“The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald: Beliefs and Values

Introduction Past experiences, achievements, and challenges will influence people’s lives and the decisions they make. Individuals who acquire appropriate guidance or support will eventually develop a powerful philosophy that can inform most of their actions and aims. Many authors and novelists focus on their past observations and experiences in an...

Medieval Society in The Canterbury Tales

Introduction The work and organization of the medieval society proposed in the Canterbury Tales by Charles Chaucer can be easily connected with the organization of modern society. This is a point that can be established if the two settings were to be compared. Chaucer depicts a society wherein work is...

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee Review

Introduction Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, published in 1960 and adapted for the cinema in 1962, is set in Maycomb, a small Alabama town, in the middle of the Great Depression. The story is told by Scout looking back at the time when she was the six-year old daughter...

“Up from Slavery” by Booker T. Washington Analysis

Introduction The life of Booker T. Washington can very well serve as the proof to the idea that it is namely the strength of one’s determination and his or her industriousness, which define such individual’s chances to attain social prominence, even in society hampered by racial prejudices. Therefore, Washington’s autobiographical...

Willy Loman and His American Dream: Essay on Death of a Salesman

Introduction In Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, we see a devastating portrait of a man, Willy Loman, consumed by the wrong dream. For him, the “American Dream” is the pursuit of material wealth as “the whole reason for being.” His obsession is to become a great salesman. This obsession...

Interpretation of Legend in W. S. Merwin’s “Odysseus”

In human life the idea if home occupies one of the leading positions in the hierarchy of traditional values. The famous proverb “There is no place like home” reflects the uniqueness and importance of the place to human heart. The emotional value of home becomes especially apparent in situations when...

Irony in “Of Mice and Men” Novel by John Steinbeck

John Steinbeck’s novel Of Mice and Men seems to be a simple story about the Great Depression. The story is essentially about two guys trying to make it in California as they struggle to stay employed as migrant field workers. Their dream is to earn enough money to buy a...

“How America Was Discovered” Analysis

The work of Handsome Lake How America was discovered is a fiction that bears more ideological and precaution character for a reader. The story of a white preacher who once met the Creator telling him about a country where people would be cruel and corrupt because of money greed and...

“A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings” by G. G. Marquez

The title refers to the angel in the story and how he made such a difference in the life of a small town couple. Marquez injects a great dose of whimsy by portraying his angel as an old man, frail and seemingly defenceless, except that he had very large wings....

Chaucer’s Satire in The Canterbury Tales Essay

Introduction One of the foundational principles of the courtly tradition was a particular conception of women. According to this view, women, particularly high-born women, were considered extremely delicate and require a great deal of protection and solicitation. Women were expected to be quiet, demure, easily surprised by the grosser aspects...

Heroism of Beowulf and Sir Gawain Comparison

The ancient world is often characterized as a world of evil pagan belief systems, full of multiple gods and evil supernatural adversaries. A large part of this characterization may even come from Christian perception of the Old Code as stories of demi-gods, the products of licentious gods and mortal mistresses,...

Arthur Miller’s Influences in “A View from the Bridge”

Introduction A View from the Bridge, a tale of Eddie Carbone’s life, was initially heard by Arthur Miller when he was doing research in Red Hook, Brooklyn. It is interesting that Miller was collecting information for a different project that was supposed to expose the corruption that occurred in the...

Spiritual Barrenness in “The Waste Land” Poem

Introduction T.S. Eliot is one of the most significant modernist poets, particularly due to his use of vivid imagery in the exploration of social issues pertaining to the British community of the time. The Waste Land, written in 1922, is a long poem that has captured the attention of many...

The Emotional Meaning of Home in Literature

Home has an emotional connection to each one of us: it is the place where we feel safe, where we grew up, where we go for security, and to find love. It means different things to different people, mostly sentimental and heart-warming. For example, Silas the dying old servant in...

Amanda Wingfield in Tennessee William’s “Glass Menagerie”

Amanda Wingfield is the protagonist of Tennessee William’s Glass Menagerie. She is the mother of the two other characters – Tom and Laura. She is a character with admirable qualities and her personality is beyond any sympathy. Her character is that of a dreamer who in the end turns a...

A&P John Updike Analysis – Essay on the Short Story [New Sample]

This A&P short story analysis will provide you with a plot summary, reveal where the story takes place, and analyze the characters. If you need to write an A&P by John Updike theme essay or any other paper, this sample will inspire you. Introduction A&P by John Updike is a...

Analyzing Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use”: Themes and Interpretations

Everyday use is an allegorical story that intertwines the African heritage and the modern world practices. Written by Alice Walker the story focuses on the lives of the African Americans who struggle to keep the African legacy amid a world engrossed with diverse cultures. Therefore, the narrator struggles to reveal...

Groupthink Notion in “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson

It is commonly assumed that many heads are better than one. However, the sad fact is that in a large number of cases groups fail to correct individual mistakes; on the contrary, they usually even exacerbate these mistakes or support opinions which are clearly harmful (Sunstein and Hastie 2). A...

Toni Morrison’s Novel “Beloved”: Slavery Theme

This essay sample explores the major theme in Beloved: slavery and its dehumanizing effects. Read it if you are curious about the theme of slavery in Beloved its connection to the theme of motherhood. Slavery in Beloved: Introduction Slavery is one of the major distressing issues in society bearing in...

The Animals Images in “Disgrace” by John Maxwell Coetzee

Symbolizing animals is an old practice that persists in modern literature. However, making the symbols too obvious is not considered professional. For example, attributing archetypal feline qualities to a woman or parallelizing cats and witchcraft is considered cheap (Hannah 4). Thus, we can configure that labeling a dog with the...

Literature Studies: “Blue Winds Dancing” by Tom Whitecloud

Conflict in the attitude of the narrator Tom Whitecloud presents his work by using conflict in the attitude of the narrator. Conflict is the primary element that drives the plot of this short story. It shows how the narrator struggles with both the inner self and outside forces of societies,...

“Sympathy” by Paul Laurence Dunbar

“Sympathy” is the poem written by Paul Laurence Dunbar, one of the first African-American poets, whose works gained popularity at the end of the 19th century. The son of the enslaved father, Dunbar, knew a lot about the misfortune of being a slave. “Sympathy” is the author’s narration about the...

“The Giver” by Lois Lowry

Lois Lowry is the author of the story “The Giver”. She is an American writer who has written almost forty children stories. Lowry lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Lois Lowry’s place of birth is Hawaii. She was a calm and introverted child who liked reading. During childhood, she had to live...

Holocaust Trauma, Anthropomorphism, and Visual Storytelling in Art Spiegelman’s Maus

Introduction Art Spiegelman’s Maus: A Survivor’s Tale provides a graphic depiction of the Holocaust. Spiegelman’s work on Maus describes an interview with his father, Vladek Spiegelman, who survived the onslaught. At one point, Vladek states, “To die is easy […] But you have to struggle for life!” (Spiegelman 21). There...

The Impact of Race and Identity in Kate Chopin’s Désirée’s Baby

Introduction In Kate Chopin’s Désirée’s Baby,” Désirée and Armand Aubigny undergo significant transformations as they struggle with issues of identity, love, and race. The story initially showedDésirée as a quiet lady who loved a happy marriage to Armand. However, the revelation of her child’s mixed racial heritage drastically changes her...

Taylor and Turtle’s Bond in The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver

Introduction Every person needs to grow up with a sense of belonging to a family or community, a perspective deeply supported by the nurture theory of human development. In The Bean Trees, the author explores the importance of family and emotional support systems for those who are facing hardships. A...

“The Fish” by Elizabeth Bishop: Analysis

Introduction While Elizabeth Bishop’s poem “The Fish” may seem too simple or meaningless, only describing the lyrical hero’s fishing experience, it is actually a quite deep and impactful literary work. The poem illustrates how an ordinary situation can change one’s views or intentions. All living creatures, even different kinds of...

The Horrors of War in Wilfred Owen’s ‘Dulce et Decorum Est’

Introduction The poem “Dulce et Decorum Est” by Wilfred Owen details the experiences he went through while fighting in the First World War. His main goal was to dispel the commonly held assumption that soldiers who survive in combat are heroes. He does not agree with the concept of dying...

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

Introduction The short and anthologized story A Good Man is Hard to Find by Flannery O’Connor refers to the Gothic Fiction genre. Ismail suggests that the story can be characterized as the best example of Southern Gothic Fiction. The text consists of grotesque and macabre events, eccentric characters and concentrates...

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...

The Meaning of Robert Frost’s Poem “Out, Out–”

The participation of children in labor activities in order to help their families survive was a common situation for American society in the 1910s. In his poem “Out, Out–” that was published in 1916, Robert Frost draws the readers’ attention to this aspect while telling a story about a young...

Drama: Aristotle’s “Poetics” in “Oedipus the King”

One of the scenes that exemplify Aristotle’s “Poetics” in “Oedipus the King” is the one where the citizens have congregated in the King’s court asking for his help. The citizens are concerned about the plague that has struck Thebes. The king then informs the crowd that he has already sent...

Gender in Sophocles’ Tragedy Antigone

Introduction Ancient Greek tragedies are marked by the poets’ use of moral, social, and political themes to unveil human character and relations. One such tragedy is Antigone, written by Sophocles; it features a strong female character in opposition to an oppressive, politically bound male. Since Antigone crosses the limits of...

Gloria Anzaldua’s Poem “To Live in the Borderlands Means You”

Introduction Gloria Anzaldua’s poem, “To Live in the Borderlands Means You,” explores identities, culture, and self-worth in the modern age and is intricate and profound. The borderland refers to the distinctive phenomenology and sense of identity of the individual who cannot traverse the borders yet resides within its chasm (Ortega...

The “After Apple-Picking” Poem by Robert Frost

Robert Frost’s After Apple Picking encompasses what I value in a literary work in regard to its symbolism hidden behind realism. At first glance, the poem portrays the narrator picking apples and becoming tired in “I am done with apple-picking now” (Frost, line 6). However, as the poem progresses, a...

Social Restrictions on Gender Roles in “A Doll’s House” by Ibsen

Many literary works assess various aspects of life, and Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll‘s House explores important social matters. Ibsen was born on the southeast coast of Norway, and his childhood was not particularly easy (Gundersen). His parents were relatively affluent and had five children, with Henrik being the oldest son...

The Complex Character: Hamlet From “Hamlet” by William Shakespeare

Introduction The infamous The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or simply Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare, is a powerful literary composition presenting the protagonist’s multidimensionality and complexity – Hamlet himself. The play traces Prince Hamlet and his contemplations on the topics like life, death, love, and revenge. The point...

“A Description of a City Shower” by Jonathan Swift

Written by Jonathan Swift, “A Description of a City Shower” is a poem that portrays London city experiencing heavy rain. Nonetheless, the rain is just an excuse to show the city’s underside. Swift depicts contemporary London as an overly filthy and unpleasant place, satirizing urban life. Eventually, the rain turned...

European and Russian Worlds in Dostoevsky’s “The Gambler”

Russian literature has always been focused on describing people’s deep feelings and emotions linked to particular events. Trying to make readers understand all peculiarities and nuances, the authors described the smallest details of the setting and motifs influencing the main characters. At the same time, much attention was given to...

Tobias Wolff’s Memoir “This Boy’s Life”

This Boy’s Life is a story of a young guy growing up struggling with his problems and fears, misunderstanding, and condemnation of others. Notably, Tobias Wolff stays focused on his desire to reinvent himself, to have a different kind of life compared to the one he is living, and to...

Aeneas and Gilgamesh in Mythology

Two old stories that played a significant role in fate are the Aeneid and Gilgamesh epics. In these literary works, the protagonists Aeneas and Gilgamesh are obsessed with uncertainty, so these epic stories accurately reflect the ancient culture and society. From the story of fate, we can see that the...

Literary Analysis of Jackson’s The Lottery Story

Summary Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery is one of the most well-known and culturally significant short stories in the history of American literature. It provides an insightful and horrifying look at the comfort people take in passively accepting horrifying events as long as they are part of the accepted stability. Set...

Under Fire by Henri Barbusse: Novel Analysis

Under Fire by Henri Barbusse is a masterpiece that belongs equally to literature and history. An unforgettable and immortal document of the era remains the best book of all written about the war of 1914-1918. The book received a profound response not only in France but also in almost all...

Cultural Context in the Short Story ”Everyday Use” by Alice Walker

“Everyday Use” by Alice Walker is a short story about an African American family of Mama and her two daughters, Dee and Maggie. Dee does not live with her mother and younger sister, as she is receiving an education. Upon returning home, she finds two old quilts, which seem to...

Modern and Traditional Love in Literature

Love in Literature Love is an obsession: everyone wants it, everyone is looking for it, but few will ever achieve it. True love is hard to find and hard to keep; many spend their lives looking for that one person who makes their life worth living. Novels were the basis...

How Poe’s Life Correlates With Writing Themes

Edgar Allen Poe is one of the renowned poets whose works have been used by several generations. Poe was born in Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America, when most Americans were beginning to embrace literature. He mainly focused on poems and short stories, especially tales. He is among the earliest...

“The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant

The Necklace is one of the best-known short stories by Guy de Maupassant, the French novelettist of the second half of the 19th century. Similarly to a range of his other works, this one describes the life of the middle class along with a fate of a woman. A peculiarity...

Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” Through the Historical Lens

William Shakespeare’s Hamlet is deservedly regarded as one of the most essential tragedies in human history. The play is remarkable because it stays relevant and timeless, as evidenced by the fact that it has been staged in theaters all over the globe for more than 400 years. Shakespeare, however, was...

Magid and Millat in the “White Teeth” Novel by Zadie Smith

It is important to note that White Teeth explores a wide range of themes and topics through a number of perspectives offered by different characters. Twin brothers of Samad and Alsana, Magid and Millat, are among the outstanding examples of how individual fates and parental expectations can shift the course...

Poems About War by Borden, Owen, and Others

Introduction The paper responds to poems that deal with experiences and emotions experienced by soldiers on the war front. The first poem was written by a woman who provided humanitarian and medical care to soldiers, while the rest were written by men who fought in World War 1. Each of...

“The Monkey’s Paw”: How Characters Use Deceit and Manipulation on Each Other

Introduction A manipulation is a form of influence that is neither rational nor coercion persuasion. This phenomenon can either be psychological or emotional, depending on what motivational factors are used. In most instances, it is aimed at achieving personal interests. Writers use the theme of deceit to teach the reader...

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,...

“Paper Moon” as a Symbol of the American Dream

A Streetcar Named Desire is a play written by Tennessee Williams, which premiered on Broadway in 1947. The play touches upon a variety of themes and subjects, such as masculinity and femininity, sexual desire, reality, and illusion; however, it also provides a substantial commentary on the concept of the American...

Transcendental Ideas in Frederick Douglass’ Memoirs

One of the seminal literary works revealing the theme of historical legacy is The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, written as the memoirs of a dark-skinned American slave. The book proper consists of eleven chapters describing, in chronological order, childhood, the stages of learning to write, the periods...

Ambiguity of Goodness in O’Connor’s “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”

In the chef-d’oeuvre story, “A Good Man is Hard to Find”, O’Connor presents an ambiguous definition of goodness. The characters in the story including the Grandmother and the Misfit live by different moral codes, with each insisting that he or she is good. The Misfit murders and entire family, but...

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

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

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

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

Inequality in “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara

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

Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land” Analysis

Woody Guthrie composed “This Land Is Your Land” in 1940 with the hope of proving the Americans to diverse views. The poem is well known, and it is considered the nation’s patriotic anthem. While the composition is supposed to promote patriotism, some of the song’s stanzas contradict the tune’s intended...

The Fight between Good and Evil in Harry Potter Series

Introduction The peculiarity of Rowling’s books is that, as in life’s reality, good and evil tend to penetrate each other, replace one another and intertwine so closely that it is challenging for the hero to distinguish one from the other. Consequently, the choice of his path is complicated enough as...

The Turn of the Screw through Psychoanalytical Lens

In his chef-d’oeuvre novel, The Turn of the Screw, Henry James underlines the psychoanalytical premise that the unconscious mind significantly controls and directs the conscious mind of humans. An unnamed governess, the narrative’s protagonist, qualifies Sigmund Freud’s notion that the normal human mind, in most cases, cannot rationalize its thoughts,...

Greek Heroic Motifs in “The Iliad”: Agamemnon and Priam

Introduction Greek history is frequently discussed in many literary works, and Homer’s Iliad is probably the most famous and successful story about the Trojan War and its participants. In this epic poem, heroic motifs are determined by harsh social obligations and definite cultural beliefs, underlining the role of gods and...

“Silencing the Past: Power and the Production of History” by Trouillot

Argument The key argument that Michel-Rolph Trouillot sets forward in Silencing the Past: Power and the Production of History is that history in itself is created by historians, while reality is what is produced by events and processes. History represents the human narration of reality that is viewed subjectively from...

Fools and Foolishness in King Lear by Shakespeare

Introduction King Lear is one of the most famous plays written by William Shakespeare. It is thought to be written in 1605-1606 and focuses on the character of King Lear developing madness after deciding to retire from the throne and dividing the land of Britain among two of his daughters....

Melancholy Symbols in “Death by Landscape” by Margaret Atwood

Do you know the feeling where you cannot enjoy the present and live in the past? Such a character is Lois from “Death by Landscape” by Margaret Atwood, who survived her friend Lucy’s death as a child. The girls were walking in the camp’s highlands, and one of them fell...

Oedipus Versus Hamlet: Resilience in Characters

Introduction Resilience as the ability to hold onto one’s beliefs despite the odds that the world may throw at a person is one of the traits that appeal particularly strongly to readers in characters. Of all characters that possess the specified quality, Hamlet and Oedipus seem to represent the quality...

Comparing Two Kinds and Everyday Use

The activity of civil rights activists was one of the indicative marks of the 20th century, which was largely reflected in the literature. A bias against such themes as culture and conflict appeared, and it is portrayed in Two Kinds and Everyday Use. Both of the stories focuses on culture...

Walt Whitman’s Poetry: Transcendentalism Beliefs

Walt Whitman was the American poet who represented the transcendentalist movement in the nineteenth century. Transcendentalism’s general belief is that human senses are not enough to provide the profound truth as they are limited to physical knowledge of life. Rueben concludes transcendentalism as “the intuitive faculty, instead of the rational...

“Hidden Intellectualism” by Gerald Graff

Introduction Gerald Graff is a specialist in English language studies and a researcher in the sphere of education. He wrote more than five books covering controversial and complicated topics, such as conflicts between a pupil and a teacher, the problem of diversification of cultural backgrounds, and the negative consequences of...

Browning’s “How Do I Love Thee” Poem Analysis

Introduction A poem is a piece of literature that is written to pass certain messages to people or express various emotions such as love, hate, or even anger (Glennis, 98). It is because of these reasons that poetry requires skillful selection of words and sentence structures so as to make...

Romeo and Juliet vs. Antigone: Compare & Contrast

Romeo and Juliet is perhaps one of Shakespeare’s most well known and renowned of plays. It is story of love’s attempts to unite and bring together two lovers who can fathom nothing else but their love (Shakespeare). In Romeo and Juliet, we see two lovers bent on becoming one and...

“Beowulf”: Cultural Elements of the Anglo-Saxon Piece of Literature

The literature inheritance leaves many works that reflect the history and culture of people that lived in that period. While studying the cultural and social conditions we come across some peculiar feature of each peoples and subconsciously identify them with new character traits of the modernized society. In that regard,...

The Role of Women in “The Things They Carried”

Introduction While looking at Tim O’Brien’s book and what the author implements in it according to the role of women, one can surely guess of an unfair attitudinal background represented by men being involved in Vietnam War. This point is emphasized in many episodes where women were blamed and criticized...

Nick Carraway and Tom Buchanan: Character Analysis

“The Great Gatsby” is a novel written by a famous American author F. Scott Fitzgerald. This piece of literature is believed to be a critique of the idea of the American Dream. It is a lyrical image of American lifestyle, values, an extremely romantic practicalness in which people tend to...

Hesiod’s Idea of Justice Based on His Works

Hesiod’s writings are known for discussing universal truths, such as law and justice. One of such works is Works and Days which expresses the idea that labor is an essential part of human beings’ lives, and if they are diligent enough, they will be able to handle even the hardest...

Heroine Analysis: Helen and Penelope in “The Iliad” and “The Odyssey”

Introduction The story of Helen and Penelope in both works by Homer displays different destinies of the two most eminent heroines in terms of their participation in the development of actions shown in both books. In this respect it is necessary to admit that The Odyssey and The Iliad touch...

“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...

Death of a Salesman as a Social Drama

Introduction The play, Death of a Salesman, portrays the theme of American dream and its impact on ordinary citizens like Willy Loman and his sons. Miller portrays that for Willy, the pride, the disappointment, the suffering are never so deeply felt, or so variously, as in relation to Biff, the...

The Glass Menagerie: Analysis of Relationships

The Glass Menagerie is a play about a dysfunctional family, each caught in between their feelings and dreams. The conflicts experienced in the Wingfield’s family primarily lie deep within themselves, but also intertwine with each other. This essay will analyze the complicated relationship between Amanda–the mother and Laura—the daughter and...

“The New Automaton Theater” by Steven Millhauser

Introduction It should be noted that Steven Millhauser is a writer and author of many popular works that raise important philosophical and moral questions. He uses the images familiar to every individual and creates a small world, a micro-universe, into which the reader is immersed from the first lines. The...

‘The Last Night of the World’ by Ray Bradbury

‘The Last Night of the World’ is a short story by Ray Bradbury written in a genre of speculative fiction. It presents an evening dialogue between spouses who are drinking coffee and watching their daughters play on the rug. It is an entirely ordinary evening except for the dream they...

“The Monkey’s Paw” Short Story by W. W. Jacobs

The Monkey’s Paw is a short mystical literary piece written by William Wymark Jacobs. In the story, the White family took possession of a mummified monkey paw that, in the words of their old friend, Morris, had magical properties and could make three wishes of three men true. Consistently with...

Sighet’s Doubts: Moishe the Beadle’s Warnings Ignored

Warning of the Impending Doom The people of Sighet found it hard to believe Moishe the Beadle due to certain reasons. The first is because of the status of Moishe the Beadle in the society that they lived in. He was poor, and thus was not particularly liked by the...

Lessons Learned from “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka

Welcome to our essay sample on the lessons from The Metamorphosis! Here, you’ll find The Metamorphosis summary and analysis. Keep reading to get a better understanding of Kafka’s story. The Metamorphosis: Summary The major change in Gregor’s life was the transformation from the human life to that of an insect...

Elie Wiesel’s Night: Faith and Disillusionment in the Holocaust

Thesis statement Elie Wiesel’s novel Night is being often referred to, as such that represents a high philosophical value (Fienberg 169). One of the reasons for this is that Wiesel succeeded in exposing the illusionary essence of people’s belief in God, as an omnipotent entity that is supposed to be...

Technological Singularity in Stross’s Accelerando

Introduction Humans have always been fascinated about the future. This fascination coupled together with limitless imagination led to the development of the science fiction genre, both in print and on the screen. The industrialisation period that began in the 1900s inspired a new form of science fiction that mainly dealt...

“The Waste Land” a Poem by Thomas Stearns Eliot

Introduction T. S. Eliot is one of the most significant modernist poets, particularly due to his use of vivid imagery in the exploration of social issues about the British community of the time. The Waste Land, written in 1922, is a long poem that has captured the attention of many...

African Society in “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe

Introduction Written by Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart is a captivating novel that was published in 1958. The author lived from 1930 to 2013. The novel offers a response to various European literal works that presented the African people as primitive and ones who required European enlightenment for them to...

Susan Glaspell’s ‘Trifles’ – Gender Oppression and Justice

Trifles is an early example of a feminist drama, written by Susan Glaspell in 1916. The drama revolves around the murder of John Wright, a farmer described by his peers as an honest and hard-working man. The man was found in his house, strangled with a string. His wife, Mrs....

Girl by Jamaica Kincaid Analysis

Girl by Jamaica Kincaid Analysis: Introduction The short story “Girl” by Jamaica Kincaid is a narrative about a girl between the ages of ‘innocence’ and ‘transformative entrance’ into adulthood. Her mother trains her how to be an ideal and respectable lady. She believes that she is the only person who...

Christian Values and Symbolism in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Introduction In the present day, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight may be regarded as masterpieces of Middle English literature and one of the most prominent and well-known Arthurian stories. It is a classic example of a chivalric romance based on English, Irish, and Welsh stories as long as French...

Gender and Racial Prejudices in Shakespeare’s Othello Play

Introduction William Shakespeare’s play Othello (1604) provides readers with a unique, multifaceted lens that is effective in examining life during the English Renaissance, particularly for women and Black individuals. It is important to note that Shakespeare’s portrayal of these characters challenges and illuminates the gender and racial prejudices prevalent during...

Exploring Guilt, Desire, and Love in James Baldwin’s Short Story

Introduction James Baldwin, a skilled writer, deeply explores human emotions in his work. His writing is like a battlefield where Guilt and Desire clash in a passionate dance, illuminated by the bright presence of Love. In this captivating setting of differences and conflicts, Baldwin’s writings reveal something special—a reflection of...

“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...

“Thinking as a Hobby” Book by William Golding

The three statuettes in the headmaster’s office that Golding writes about are a miniature of Rodin’s Thinker, a miniature of Venus de Milo, and a statuette of a crouching leopard. In Golding’s view, the statuette of Venus represented the third grade of thinking. While it is a symbol of beauty...

Symbolism of O’Connor’s “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”

Introduction The transformational power of human compassion and grace is demonstrated by Flannery O’Connor in her short tale “A Good Man is Hard to Find.” The story’s message is conveyed via changes in the two characters’ archetypes, which the grandmother and the Misfit symbolize. The author illustrates that everyone may...

Characters in “Journey to the West” by Wu Cheng’en

One of the main characters of the Journey to the West is the Monkey King, Sun Wukong. The book has become a famous novel in many countries and one of the most popular in China. The story plot tells about the Journey of Xuanzang, the monk, to India in order...

Analysis of “Good Country People” by Flannery O’Connor

Introduction During her short literary race, Flannery O’Connor managed to fall into the spotlight of many influential literature experts and critiques and conquer the minds of millions of people. Her status as a devout Catholic woman dwelling in the predominantly protestant South and the times of World War II and...

Creative Poem Based on “The Stranger” by Albert Camus

Poem One says: “Go find yourself in life.” But what would be the point? The other says: “Go find yourself a wife.” But what would be the point? The third one claims: “There is no sense in days” Yet life was full of pleasure. The other cries: “I want to...

Gothic Elements in “The Passion” by Jeanette Winterson

Introduction Jeanette Winterson is a postmodernist writer whose work blends history, fiction, fairy tales, and feminine romance. Postmodernism allows the combining of different writing techniques and genres. In this sense, in The Passion the author could employ parody, irony, historical rewriting, self-reflectivity, and gothic elements. Postmodernism is often characterized as...

“Enrique’s Journey” by Sonia Nazario

Enrique’s Journey chronicles the lives of a little kid from Central America who is trying to find his mother after she abandoned him when he was five years old, so she could work in the United States. The goal of Nazario’s description of Enrique’s life is to humanize and make...

“Imagine a World” by Amory Lovins

The essay starts with the parable about parachuting cats to Borneo in order to trace the idea that it is more essential to focus on solutions rather than problems. In the story, the spread of malaria was a major threat to the country’s residents back in the 1950s. The researchers...

“Under the Influence” by Scott Sanders

Scott Sanders uses various literary techniques and skillfully manipulates his vocabulary to produce the necessary conciliatory tone across his essay “Under the Influence.” Analogies and tropes are some of the most frequently utilized literary devices in “Under the Influence,” although the book contains numerous other literary devices. Sanders’ syntax plays...

“I Know Why the Caged Bird Sing” by Maya Angelou Review

Introduction Novels reflect real life and integrate different aspects of human development through figurative language that reflects human development. This paper focuses on the story I Know Why the Caged Bird Sing by Maya Angelou in general and Maya’s character in particular. Maya is the narrator and the main character...

The “Antigone” Play by Sophocles: A Short Analysis

Introduction Sophocles was a prominent tragedian who contributed to the development of Athenian drama. His Antigone shows the conflict between divine and human laws and puts unwritten rules of life above all. On the one hand, religious beliefs rooted in the traditions of a tribal community ordered people to sacredly...

Rose as a Family Leader in “Fences” by August Wilson

Introduction Fences is a play by American playwright August Wilson that was first staged in 1985. Set in Pittsburgh in the 1950s, it explores race relations and the evolution of the African-American experience. In the center of the plot is the character of Troy, the head of the household, who...

Of Man and The Stream of Time by R. Carson

Introduction In a 1962 speech at Scripps College, Rachel Carson helped kickstart mainstream environmental and conservationist movements. She focuses on how humanity has interacted with nature in historical and modern times. Carson uses her understanding of the man-nature relationship to establish the concept of the former against the latter. Carson...

The “Goblin Market” Poem by Christina Rossetti

Introduction Authors often put their ideas and ideals into their works, and Christina Rossetti’s “Goblin Market” utilizes literary devices to share her vision on religious beliefs. God is present in all Rossetti’s works, as her world views are heavily influenced by the Church (Şirket and Alban 27). The literary devices...

The Ending of the Lucy Book by Jamaica Kincaid

Jamaica Kincaid is one of the most significant Antiguan-American authors of the present day. Kincaid focuses heavily on the colonial project’s effect in all of her writings, a project from which her country has suffered much in the past (Samirah 124). This paper focuses on the evaluation of the significance...