Literature Essays

Dido's Curse
This paper examines the curse that Dido lays on Aeneas; as well as the intense sense of hatred and revenge found throughout the poem.

Arendt, Levertov and Reznikoff
Abstract: This paper briefly compares the work of the three authors with regard to the trial of Adolf Eichmann.

Plato's Ideas of Love
This paper explores ways in which Socrates’ prayer at the end of The Phaedrus reflects Plato’s ideas of love.

Castiglione The Book of the Courtier
Abstract: This paper examines Castiglione’s observations of Queen Alexandra and a peasant girl from Gazuolo, and relates them to the debate about women in Book III.

Machiavelli’s Opinions of Cesare Borgia and Agathocles
Abstract: This paper discusses Machiavelli’s reactions to Borgia and Agathocles, and concludes that he found one to be admirable and the other a criminal.

Self-Transformation in Machiavelli and St. Augustine
Abstract: This paper discusses self-transformation as described in The Prince and Confessions.

Coping with Life
This paper briefly discusses what advice Homer and Machiavelli might give us for coping with politics.

Leadership in the Aeneid and The Prince
Abstract: This paper explores the leadership styles of Aeneas and Cesare Borgia.

The Significance of the Slaughter of the Cattle of the Sun
This paper discusses the parallels and connections between the slaughter of the Sun God’s Cattle and the killing of Penelope’s suitors in “The Odyssey.”

Women in "Candide"
This paper looks briefly at the similarities and differences between the characters of Cunégonde and the old woman in Voltaire’s satire.

Desire in Madame Bovary
This paper discusses the various ways in which desire manifests itself in Flaubert’s classic novel.

Sexuality in Ulysses and Mrs. Dalloway
This paper examines some of the female characters in the two books, and discusses various aspects of their sexuality.

Machiavelli: An Analysis
This paper analyzes a passage from The Prince and relates it to the historical events in Italy at the time.

Self-Help Books
This paper compares the approaches to communication taken by two self-help authors, Stephen R. Covey and Brad Blanton.

Literature Review – Illuminated Manuscripts
This paper samples 12 sources that discuss illuminated manuscripts: four books, four journal articles and four websites.

Voltaire and the Pursuit of Happiness
This paper discusses what the “pursuit of happiness” might have meant to Voltaire.

Minorities in Picture Books
This paper discusses the portrayal of minorities in the works of Norah Dooley and Mary Hoffman.

Women of "The Awakening"
This paper examines the three main female characters in Kate Chopin’s famous novel.

Voltaire - Scene Analysis
This paper analyzes a scene from “Candide” as an example of Voltaire’s doctrine of the pursuit of happiness.

Illuminated Manuscripts
This paper discusses medieval illustrated manuscripts, tracing the development of the script, and discussing the techniques of manufacturing the parchment that was used for these works. It further...

"Mrs. Dalloway"
This paper analyzes a passage from the novel.

Giddens - Modernity and Self-Identity
This paper discusses Anthony Giddens’ book with regard to women in Modern society.

Madame Bovary
This paper discusses the classic novel.

Jay Gatsby: Idealism and Failure
This paper discusses the ideas of idealism and failure as presented in The Great Gatsby.

"Candide"
This paper examines one chapter of Voltaire’s classic satire.

"The Communist Manifesto"
This paper discusses the seminal political/philosophical work by Marx and Engels.

Chinese National Character
This paper discusses the “flaw” in the Chinese character, as seen by Chinese writers Lu Hsun and Lao She.

Sylvia Plath
This paper examines three poems by the American writer.

Ibsen and Guns
This paper describes guns generally; describes the .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol, and discusses the theme of guns in “Hedda Gabler” and “The Wild Duck.”

Illuminated Manuscripts First Paper
This paper discusses medieval illustrated manuscripts, tracing the development of the script, and discussing the techniques of manufacturing the parchment that was used for these works. It further...

Voltaire
This paper examines some of Voltaire’s writing techniques.

The First World War: "Stalemate"
This paper discusses one chapter of John Keegan’s book about WWI.

"The Arcades Project" by Walter Benjamin
The Arcades Project by Walter Benjamin Abstract: This paper explores one chapter of Benjamin’s monumental work.

Flannery O’Connor as a Christian Writer
This paper will discuss whether or not Flannery O’Connor should be considered a Christian writer, and why the Catholic critics seek to redeem her.

The Panchatantra: India’s “The Prince”
This paper will discuss the text of the stories that comprise the Panchatantra, a collection of moral-stories from India. It will compare the stories to their modern incarnations, their original...

Machiavelli’s The Prince: Who Is the Prince and Why?
This paper is a short review on Machiavelli's character The Prince and his character developement and the purpose and role that was given to the prince.

A Christmas Carol: The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come
Could Scrooge have righted his ways had it not been for this last ghost? This paper analyzes the ghosts in Dickens' A Christmas Carol and argues whether Scrooge would have changed or not if the...

Pericles’ Policy
In this paper, there will be a discussion on The Policy of Pericles, found in Book II of Thucydides’ “History of the Peloponnesian War.” A general overview will be provided.

Johan Huizinga
Johan Huizinga’s “The Waning of the Middle Ages” is a social study of the last centuries of the Middle Ages. This paper examines Huizinga's work and discusses his theory of idealism that was...

THE UNBEARABLE LIGHTNESS OF BEING
Interprets the novel The Unbearable Lightness of Being, by Milan Kudera. Examines the themes of the very existence of life, and man's need for repetition.

Last of the Mohicans
Discusses the character of Natty Bumppo (Hawkeye), and how he fits Crevecouer's definition of the "New American Man"

Mark Twain
This paper examines the life and work of the great American writer.

Naturalism in McTeague
An analysis of Norris's naturalism in the novel McTeague.

MIRROR IMAGES IN MELVILLE’S “BARTELBY THE SCRIVENER” AND POE’S “WILLIAM WILSON"
This paper compares the two characters and discusses how they are depicted with mirror imagery that illustrates extremes in the protagonists’ personalities. The characters whose chief function is...

Monroe Stahr
This paper discusses the character of Monroe Stahr, one of the great heroes of literature, created by Fitzgerald through the developement of all facets of his character, and having him stand for...

Profiles of Five Women From Literature
This paper will profile five women from five different short stories, three from Anton Chekhov and two from Somerset Maugham. It will discuss the women’s most salient attributes, their respective...

Jean Anouilh: “Becket”
This paper compares and contrasts the characters of Henry II and Thomas Becket, and their leadership styles. It briefly recounts the plot of the play, as well.

Alternative Theater: “Pentecost”
This paper summarizes the themes, issues and context of David Edgar’s play, and why it can be classified as alternative theater.

Historical Imagination in Novels
This paper discusses Horace Walpole’s novel The Castle of Otranto with regard to both Walpole’s use of history, and the book’s status as the “first gothic novel.”

Don’t Panic!
This paper explores the plot and some of the themese of Douglas Adams’ classic Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

Karl Marx Believed in Democracy (includes sentence outline)
In this paper there is a discussion on Karl Marx’s book The Capital, and how its ideas are linked to his views on democracy. Writings by Engels, Lenin, Trotsky and other writers help develop the...

Mancur Olson
This paper examines Mancur Olson’s 1982 book The Rise and Decline of Nations.

Nella Larsen and the Unknowability of Race
This paper examines Larsen’s novel Passing and the questions it raises as to race, sex and the ultimate inability to really know one another.

“Punishment” by Rabindranath Tagore
This paper analyzes the short story by Tagore.

Self-Realization in The French Lieutenant’s Woman
This paper examines the concept of self-realization and how it applies to the main characters in John Fowles’ classic novel.

Spiegelman: Maus: A Survivor’s Tale
This paper considers some of the criticism of Spiegelman’s book, and argues that it is unfounded.

The First-Person Narrator
This paper examines the first-person narration of the stories “The Triumph of the Egg” and “The Use of Force”. It discusses various types of narration, the use of tone, and what a first-person...

Transformation in Kafka and Stevenson
This paper contrasts and compares the way the authors have handled the theme of transformation in The Metamorphosis and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

Vanity Fair
This paper examines Thackery’s notion of vanity, as well as the difference between Becky and Amelia

Whiteness
This paper compares and contrasts the ways in which three authors, Ralph Ellison, Toni Morrison, and Frantz Fanon, deal with the concept of whiteness in their works.

Voltaire and Moliere
This paper compares “Candide” and “Tartuffe.”

Voltaire and the Enlightenment
This paper examines Voltaire’s novel Candide and illustrates ways in which it reflects some of the thinking characteristic of the Enlightenment.

The Military in the Skinner Utopia of Walden Two
This paper discusses the military found in the Skinner utopia – Walden Two. In the future, we learn that world peace does not need to be pursued because there is no aggression to counteract. The...

Walt Whitman: "National Bard?"
This paper attempts to answer the question of whether or not Walt Whitman should be considered America’s national bard.

Waugh: Lady Marchmain
This paper examines the character of Lady Marchmain in Waugh’s novel Brideshead Revisited.

Whitman and Emerson: “Song of Myself” and “Self-Reliance”
This paper compares and contrasts the two literary works.

Whitman, Dickinson and Death
This paper examines poems of Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman, with reference to the way in which authors personify death in their works.

William Blake
This paper examines Blake’s poem, “The Marriage of Heaven and Hell”.

William Tuttle: "Daddy's Gone to War"
This paper traces the theme of racial and ethnic prejudice on the homefront during World War II.

Winesburg, Ohio
This paper examines Sherwood Anderson’s book about life in a small Midwestern town, and draws parallels between the characters therein and Anderson’s life.

Woman as Survivor
The paper examines the concept of the New World as a place of permanent shadow in the work of Bharati Mukherjee.

Woman in White
This report discusses Wilkie Collins’ novel “The Woman in White.” The mistaken identities of Laura and Anne provide movement for the entire plot. How are the identities and secrets related, and...

"Worn Path" by Eudora Welty
In 5 pages the author gives a thoughtful response to Eudora Welty's "Worn Path," and argues that in this short story, Welty uses the stylistic techniques of simplicity, brevity, mood, strength, and...

"Wuthering Heights" -- Romance or Novel?
This paper compares The Castle of Otranto to Wuthering Heights, and asks if the latter is a Gothic novel, a Gothic romance, or Gothic at all; and argues that the Bronte should be classified as a...

Zangwill: "A Rose of the Ghetto"
This paper analyzes Israel Zangwill’s short story.

Zola's "Germinal" and 19th Century Social Philosophies
This paper mentions two of the most prominent social theories of the 19th Century and relates them to the plot of Zola’s novel.

The Raven
This poem examines Edgar Allan Poe’s classic poem.

The Right Way to Live
This paper examines the ways in which various works of literature have dealt with the question, “what is the right way to live?”

The Tain
This paper examines the Irish epic poem and discusses its common themes.

The Things They Carried with Them
This paper examines Tim O’Brien’s book The Things They Carried With Them and the psychology of American soldiers in Vietnam.

The Time Bind
This paper examines Arlie Hochschild’s book about American business.

The Topography of Hell
This paper speculates on the physical appearance of Hell as described by Dante in the “Inferno.”

The Trial of Socrates Described by Plato
This paper answers specific questions about Plato’s “Apology”, which describes Socrates’ trial.

The Wasteland
This paper examines T.S. Eliot’s classic poem.

The Wooing of Étaín
This paper examines this ancient Celtic legend and discusses themes that it has in common with other works.

"The Yellow Wallpaper"
This paper is a critical essay on the short story by Charlotte Perkins Gilman.

The Role of Women Then and Now
This paper discusses the role of women as found "then" in the nineteenth century and the role of women "now". The primary focus will be Jane Austen’s “Mansfield Park.” Women at a time were...

Three Authors
This paper looks at the importance of the writings of Truman Capote, Jamaica Kincaid and Athol Fugard.

Three Ladies: Charlotte, Cunégonde and Emma Bovary
This paper compares and contrasts the main female characters from The Sorrows of the Young Werther, Candide and Madame Bovary.

Three Tales Character Analysis
This paper analyzes two characters drawn from three stories: Melville’s “Billy Budd,” Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman Brown” and Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart.” Literary criticism will be used as the...

Trevelyan: "Clio, A Muse"
This paper answers specific questions about George Trevelyan’s essay.

"Twelfth Night" and "Top Girls"
This paper examines the way in which theater has changed over the centuries, specifically with regard to these two plays.

Blake’s “The Tyger” and “The Lamb”
This paper discusses two of William Blake’s most famous poems – “The Tyger” and “The Lamb.” From Songs of Innocence and of Experience, these poems serve as each other’s halves, creating a whole...

Until You by Judith McNaught
This paper examines the romance novel Until You, and also includes brief information about the genre itself.

Usher and Amontillado
This paper examines the theme of entombment and its effect on characters in Edgar Allan Poe’s short stories “The Cask of Amontillado” and “The Fall of the House of Usher”.

Villains
This report discusses the role of the villain within timeless stories. The three used for this paper will be “Beowulf,” “Hamlet” and “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.” In short, we will discuss what...

Violence in Hawthorne and Douglass
This paper explores the nature of the violence in the works of these authors, and concludes that it is institutionalized.

Women in John Milton's Works
This paper discusses the Renaissance writer John Milton and the role women played in his prose and poetry. Simply looking at “Paradise Lost,” it is clear that women held an important place in the...

"Jude the Obscure"
This paper examines the character of “Little Father Time” in the Hardy novel, Jude the Obscure.

July's People
This paper discusses the character Maureen Smales from Nadine Gordimer’s political novel “July’s People.” In it, a revolution in South Africa takes place that reverses roles, infusing power into...

Kafka and Darwin
This paper examines Kafka’s story “The Metamorphosis” and explores how Charles Darwin might have written it.

Laughter in "Pride and Prejudice"
This paper examines the concept of laughter in Jane Austen’s novel, and what it implies in terms of the characters who use it.

Levi and Solzhenitsyn and the Death Camps
This paper compares the two books Survival in Auschwitz and The Gulag Archipelago.

Leviathan
This paper discusses why man would willfully turn his rights over to a sovereign. The text used is “Leviathan” by Thomas Hobbes, whose philosophy was basically that man was at war with himself and...

Lewis Carroll
This paper discusses Lewis Carroll’s two Alice books – “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” and “Through the Looking-Glass.” Both works are much more than children’s tales, but social critiques as...

The Bear
This paper examines some of the characters in Faulkner’s classic novella.

The Caine Mutiny
This paper discusses “The Caine Mutiny” by Herman Wouk. Though it is a play, as well as a motion picture, the focus here will be on the novel. The main character, Willie Keith, will be the focus...

The Joy Luck Club II
This paper examines the differences between the print and film version of Amy Tan’s novel, The Joy Luck Club.

The Lady of the Fountain
This story is part of a larger collection of Welsh tales known as The Mabinogion; this paper discusses Welsh mythology in general with an emphasis on this tale.

"The Scarlet Letter"
This paper examines Hester Prynne’s attitude toward her sin, and Hawthorne’s attitude towards her.

"The Tell-Tale Heart"
This paper examines the classic story by Poe, and discusses the way in which it is enhanced by first-person narration.

"The Tin Drum" Oskar's Changing Views of War
This paper interprets Oskar’s changing viewpoint on the war in Book I and Book II of Grass’s novel.

Truth, Fiction and History in the Garden of Eden
This paper considers the Biblical story of the Garden of Eden and discusses whether it could be considered a work of fiction, a historical document, or a true account of the happenings in the Garden.

Porter: “The Jilting of Granny Weatherall”
This paper examines Katherine Anne Porter’s short story with respect to what it tells us about the roles of women in society.

Raskolnikov in Crime and Punishment
This paper gives a critical analysis of the character Raskolnikov in Dostoyevsky’s novel.

Rise of Silas Lapham
This paper examines the nature of Silas’s daughters, Penelope and Irene.

DuBois’s “Double Consciousness”
This paper examines the work of W.E.B. Dubois with regard to whether or not it can accurately be described as considering certain specific issues: self-determination, exclusion, and the conflict...

Kanthapura by Raja Rao
This paper examines the way that Gandhi and his principles of nonviolence are explored in Raja Rao’s novel Kanthapura, which also examines the nature of religious identity in India.

Knowledge in Whitman
This paper examines one of the chants in “Song of Myself” to determine what sort of knowledge can be found therein.

Krapp’s Last Tape: Analysis
This paper is an analysis of Samuel Beckett’s play Krapp’s Last Tape, and of the main character, what he does and what is revealed about him through this medium.

Language in Huck Finn
This paper discusses the use of the word “nigger” in Mark Twain’s classic novel, and how Twain uses it to condemn the bigotry of his time.

Lily Bart in The House of Mirth
This paper examines the character of Lily Bart and her final liberation from her society.

Makdisi: Beirut Fragments
This paper examines the book Beirut Fragments by Jean Said Makdisi. It discusses the content of the book and the reader’s reaction to it; the background of the author; how she presents the...

Mean Spirit
This paper is an examination of the book Mean Spirit (by Hogan).

Mist by Miguel de Unamuno
This paper examines the themes in the 1914 novel.

Pentecost by David Edgar
This paper summarizes the plot of the play and explores some of its themes.

Grand Strategy of Philip II
This paper examines Parker’s book about the Spanish ruler, and debates the merits of the biographical style of writing.

Amistad as Expressionist Art
This paper evaluates images and moments from the book Amistad as they might be transformed into Expressionist Art.

Barrie Thorne's Gender Play
This paper examines the 1993 book Gender Play: Girls and Boys in School by Barrie Thorne.

Comparing Short Stories
This paper compares Harriet Beecher Stowe’s short story “The Minister’s Housekeeper” with a much more modern story, Ann Beattie’s tale “The Infamous Fall of Howell the Clown.”

Comparing Steeltown, USSR and Dreux, France
This paper compares the similarities and differences between Stephen Kotkin's Steeltown, and Françoise Gaspard 's A Small City in France. Steeltown USSR is concerned with the day to day living in...

Du Bois: John Brown
This paper discusses the biography of the famous Abolitionist.

Narration in The Tin Drum
This paper discusses the way in which the character “Oskar” narrates the novel

Natural or Supernatural in Poe and Hawthorne
This paper argues that events in the works of Edgar Allen Poe and Nathaniel Hawthorne, though often seemingly supernatural, may also be interpreted as having logical causes

Portrait of a Lady
This paper examines Isabel Archer’s reaction to conventional societal codes in Henry James' novel Portrait of a Lady.

“Queer” in Winesburg, Ohio
This paper examines the character of Elmer Cowley (“Queer”) in Sherwood Anderson’s Winesburg, Ohio.

Praying for Sheetrock
The author discusses the social, economic, cultural, and governmental factors relating to Praying for Sheetrock by Melissa Fay Greene. This book is about a backwoods area in southern Georgia that...

Sister Carrie
This paper examines the character of Hurstwood in connection with fate and free will.

The Grand Inquisitor
This paper analyzes the Dostoevsky work and considers the Inquisitor’s arguments that Christ was wrong.

Light and Dark in “Oedipus Rex”
This paper examines Sophocles’ use of the imagery of darkness and blindness in the classic tragedy.

Lu Xun
In this paper, there will be a discussion on Lu Xun, the most well known writer and intellectual of modern China. The focus will be on his short story “A Madman’s Diary.” Lu’s iconoclastic...

Luigi Pirandello
This paper gives a brief biography of the Italian novelist and playwright, and discusses some of the themes of his work.

MAO II
This paper discusses Don DeLillo’s powerful book, MAO II.

Mark Twain: The Gilded Age
This paper examines Twain’s book about Washington, D.C.

Melville’s Confidence Man: A Response to Emerson
This paper examines Herman Melville’s book, as well as Ralph Waldo Emerson’s ideas about language, and seeks to explain the way in which Melville’s work relates to Emerson’s ideas.

Herman Melville's Bartleby
The author dissects a passage from Herman Melville's Bartleby the Scrivener A Story of Wall Street. The passage gives insight into Bartleby as well as the narrator himself.

Mill on the Floss, Jude the Obscure, Heart of Darkness
This paper examines the three novels with regard to their characters’ ambitions and the challenges they face; and the role of religion in the books.

Modernist Literature and Victorian Femininity
This paper discusses modernist literature and whether it confirms or repudiates the Victorian idea of femininity in the novels Howards End and To The Lighthouse.

David Barrett: Uncertain Warriors
This paper examines Barrett’s book about Lyndon Johnson and the American involvement in Vietnam under his administration.

Death of a Salesman
This paper analyzes the characters and themes in Arthur Miller’s classic play

Gender in A Little Princess
This paper discusses the way in which her gender impacts the title character of Hodgson’s novel.

Oleanna and Oedipus
This paper examines the two plays and discusses the destruction of the main characters.

On Civil Disobedience
This paper closely examines the issues in Thoreau’s famous essay.

Pangloss
This paper examines the character of Pangloss and the function he fulfills in Voltaire’s novel Candide.

Piri Thomas: Down These Mean Streets
This paper discusses Thomas’s book about his experiences growing up in Spanish Harlem, his struggle to find himself, and his imprisonment.

Pride and Prejudice
The paper examines the question of whether or not the Gardiners would make better parents for Elizabeth than her own parents, the Bennetts.

Race Matters
This paper examines the book Race Matters by Cornel West and analyzes its main point and supporting material; and attempts to ask three critical questions suggested by the reading.

Richard III and Sir Thomas More
This paper compares and contrasts Shakespeare’s Richard III with Robert Bolt’s Thomas More.

Gulliver’s Travels
This paper considers the methods Jonathan Swift used to satirize conditions of his time; it discusses Book III of the Travels

Mario Puzo: The Godfather
This paper examines Puzo’s classic novel and discusses its place in his overall body of work.

Medieval Women as Seen in Chaucer's "Wife of Bath" and Margery Kempe
The author discusses Chaucer's Wife of Bath, and real life medieval author, Margery Kempe in order to determine how their stories reflect the lives of medieval women. "When one considers medieval...

Mill: On Liberty
This paper discusses John Stuart Mill’s essay “On Liberty” and answers specific questions posed in regard to the work.

Milton: The Use of “Merit”
This paper examines the meaning of the word “merit” as used in “Paradise Lost.”

Moll Flanders
This paper considers Defoe’s novel in terms of its approach to the gender and social issues of his day.

Mother Courage and Her Children
This paper will discuss Bertolt Brecht’s play, Mother Courage and Her Children. First, a short biography of the playwright shall be given, followed by a brief synopsis of the plot. Afterward, the...

Nathaniel Hawthorne and the Use of Juxtaposition
This paper discusses Hawthorne’s use of the literary technique of juxtaposition in his novels The Scarlet Letter and The House of the Seven Gables.

Themes in “Oedipus the King” and “The Bacchae
In this paper, there will be a brief discussion on the themes “sight vs. blindness” and “madness vs. sanity” as portrayed in Sophocles “Oedipus the King” and Euripides’ “The Bacchae.” How does...

Oedipus the King
This paper examines Sophocles’ play as well as life in ancient Greece

Imagery in Joyce and Munro
This paper examines “Araby” by James Joyce and “Boys and Girls” by Alice Munro and explores the authors’ use of imagery in the stories.

Lewis's The Problem of Pain
This paper explores the central theological issues of C.S. Lewis’s The Problem of Pain.

Love Conquers All”: “Romeo and Juliet”
This paper examines the idea that the power of love can conquer anything, including death.

Great Expectations
This paper explicates a passage from Charles Dickens’ novel, Great Expectations

Homage to Catalonia
This paper examines George Orwell’s book, and concludes that the statement that it is “useless propaganda” is untrue.

Housekeeping (novel) What Conditions Define a Family?
This paper attempts to answer the question of whether Ruth, Lucille and Sylvie are a family, and whether or not a family can exist in chaos. The questions are almost unanswerable, but are...

How to Tell a True War Story
This paper explores a statement from Tim O’Brien’s essay, and relates it to film, television and literature.

Huck Finn, Silas Lapham and Red Badge of Courage
This paper examines these three books with regard to Nature as a refuge; and moral growth of the characters.

Huckleberry Finn
This paper explores the symbolism and values associated with the river and the shore in the novel.

The Holocaust
This paper examines the book The Holocaust by Leni Yahil and attempts to answer the question of whether the Holocaust was specifically Germanic, or could happen anywhere, and why.

The Invisible Man
This paper examines Ralph Ellison’s classic novel with regard to the theme of brotherhood.

The Last Knight
This paper discusses some of the themes in Will Eisner’s book the Last Knight.

The Last of the Mohicans
This paper discusses the character of Cora Munro as the representation of sexual passion.

The Master and Margarita
This paper discusses the use of magic in Bulgakov’s novel, and mentions some of the structural elements in the book.

The Meaning of Coming of Age in Mississippi
This paper discusses the meaning of the phrase “coming of age” as it relates to Anne Moody’s experiences in Mississippi.

“The Merchant of Venice”
This paper examines the play, and the role of contracts in it.

The Moonstone
This paper examines the effect of multiple narrators on our perception of the novel.

“The Man with the Twisted Lip”
This paper examines Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes story and identifies the scenes that comprise it.

“The Prometheus Bound"
This paper examines Aeschylus’ play and what it tells us about Greek culture and society.

The Red Badge of Courage
This paper examines the work with regard to whether or not Henry has learned anything, or remains the same as he was at the beginning of the novel.

The Short Stories of John Steinbeck
In this paper, there will be a discussion on The Long Valley by John Steinbeck, with special emphasis placed on “The Red Pony.” The paper will discuss theme and style, not necessarily content by...

“The Rose Tattoo”
This paper examines Tennessee Williams’ play and its dominant theme of passion.

The Awakening
In this paper, there will be a discussion on the character, Edna Pontellier, who awakens from her oppression to discover that she cannot live life as society dictates, and takes her own life in a...

Symbolism in The Awakening
This paper examines Kate Chopin’s use of symbolism in her classic novel.

The Bluest Eye
This paper discusses Toni Morrison’s novel and profiles its main character.

The Ex-Colored Man as a Spectator
This paper examines Johnson’s book Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man with regard to its emotional depth, and the way in which the narrator views the world.

The Glass Menagerie (Analysis)
This paper considers the Tennessee Williams’ play The Glass Menagerie and discusses its symbolism, setting and characters.

Oppression in Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale”
In this brief paper, there will be a discussion on Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” and how it deals with oppression. Set in the future, this tale centers on a new ideology, one in which...

Colonial Literature and Societal Change
This paper examines the way in which literature reflects the clash when Westerners come in contact with native cultures.

Colonial Literature and Societal Change II
This is a slightly revised version of an earlier report that examines the way in which literature reflects the clash when Westerners come in contact with native cultures.

Stereotypes in Uncle Tom’s Cabin
This paper discusses whether or not Harriet Beecher Stowe’s characters are sterotypes.

Sula
This paper examines Toni Morrison’s book Sula in regard to its symbolism, and well as the themes of friendship and forgiveness.

Cervantes: Don Quixote
This paper examines Cervantes’ classic novel in detail, with respect to its main characters, themes, and plot.

Edgar Allan Poe: Detective Stories
This paper considers the themes in two of Poe’s stories, “The Purloined Letter” and “The Murders in the Rue Morgue.” It also draws parallels between these stories and Sherlock Holmes.

E.M. Forster
This paper discusses three of Forster’s novels and the main characters of each.

Frankenstein and The Metamorphosis
This paper compares the two protagonists of these works and discusses the way in which physical appearances governs their lives.

Gender Roles in France after World War I
This paper examines gender issues in French society during the period 1917-1927, specifically as related by Mary Louise Roberts in her book.

Grapes of Wrath and Down and Out…: Women in the Depression
This paper considers women in the Depression as reflected in both fiction and fact.

Greek and Roman Mythology in Today’s Society
This paper reviews literature that demonstrates ways in which ancient Greek and Roman mythology still influences us today.

Greek Ideas about the Nature of Man
This paper uses two works of literature to try to discover some of the ideas Greeks had about mankin

Hamlet’s Misogyny
This paper examines Shakespeare’s great tragedy to determine whether or not Hamlet is misogynistic.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
This paper examines the fourth book in the Harry Potter series and discusses some of the reasons for its popularity, as well as J.K. Rowling’s style.

Frankenstein and “The Sandman”
this paper discusses both stories with respect to the ways in which they deal with forbidden knowledge, and women.

Kingship in Early Celtic Literature
This paper examines the way in which kings are portrayed in early Celtic literature.

Korean Literature
This paper considers the idea of the “figure in the city” in modern Korean literature.

Kurt Vonnegut
This paper analyzes five of Vonnegut’s short stories.

The Relation Between Reality and Literature
In this paper, there will be a discussion on the relation between reality and literature. What is the purpose of the novel? The reader is the receiver of the creation, but what does the writer...

“Lolita” and Its Transformation
In this paper, there will be a discussion on “Lolita,” Vladimir Nabokov’s controversial story that both compels and repels readers. For some, the book is written beautifully; for others, it should...

Machiavelli and Aeschylus
This paper examines the way in which leadership is described in The Prince and “The Suppliants”.

A “Mini-Poe” Anthology
This paper chooses four favorite Poe works and describes each briefly.

Achebe: No Longer At Ease
This paper discusses Chinua Achebe’s novel of culture clash and corruption in Nigeria.

Appearance and Reality in “Hamlet”
This paper discusses the theme of appearance vs. reality in the play.

Charles Dickens’ London
This paper compares London as it was in the 1800’s to the London Dickens described

Crime and Punishment
This paper examines the way in which Dostoyevsky conceptualizes guilt as psychologically complex but innocence as psychologically simple in his novel Crime and Punishment.

Dante and Cervantes
This paper examines Don Quixote and The Inferno and answers specific questions about the works.

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
This paper looks briefly at the Chronicle both as a piece of literature and as a way of learning about the time at the beginnings of English national unification, an era that necessarily (given...

V. – Who is she?
In this paper, there is a discussion of V. from the novel of the same name. Who is she and what does she represent? The perspective will be that of Herbert Stencil, a man obsessed with an age-old...

Modernism in Literature
A description of the movement of Modernism in literature: its characteristics, time period, and three authors - Woolf, Joyce and Pynchon.

Reason as a Tool for Progress
: This paper examines three works, Rousseau’s Social Contract, Marx and Engel’s’ Communist Manifesto, and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein to see the way in which the authors use reason as a means of...

F. Scott Fitzgerald and Two Decades
This paper examines Fitzgerald's works, concentrating on the novels of the 1920's and 1930's.

Roots of Revolution
A review of the book Roots of Revolution: An Interpretive History of Iran, by Nikki Keddie.

Roddy Doyle’s “The Woman Who Walked Into Doors”
A discussion of the novel “The Woman Who Walked Into Doors” by Roddy Doyle. The focus of the paper includes the story's setting, characters and theme.

Source Documents - Seven Deadly Sins
This paper provides copies of direct quotations from Spenser's "Faerie Queen" and Marlowe's "Dr. Faustus."

Destiny in the Aeneid
This paper discusses the way in which the destinies of gods and men are woven together in Virgil's work.

Edgar Allen Poe's Detective Stories
This paper compares Edgar Allen Poe's three detective stories, The Murders in the Rue Morgue, The Mystery of Marie Roget, and The Purloined Letter, and examines the characters and themes present in...

Sibling Relationship between Electra and Orestes
This paper discusses the way in which Euripides portrays the sibling relationship between Electra and Orestes.

Chinese Revolutionary Cinema
This paper compares two essays about Chinese Revolutionary cinema.

A Farewell to Arms - Analysis of Criticism
This paper finds a critical source pertaining to the portrayal of women in A Farewell to Arms, and examines the criticism for perceived accuracy.

Form in The English Patient and Green Grass, Running Water
This paper examines the two novels with regard to the form (imagery, structure, narrative voice, perspectives) used.

Frankfurt - Second-Order Desires
This paper discusses Harry Frankfurt’s philosophical position in regard to free will, specifically dealing with what he calls second-order desires. It further touches on Gary Watson’s objections...

Gender Issues
This paper discusses several articles addressing the differences in genders. The articles are attached.

Characters in Flaubert's "Madame Bovary"
This paper analyzes the main and supporting characters in Flaubert's classic novel.

Women in Hemingway's Short Stories
This paper examines the female characters in three classic Hemingway short stories.

Close Reading of "The Tin Drum"
This report analyzes a passage from Gunter Grass's novel.

Clothing and Disguise in King Lear
This paper examines the use of disguises in Shakespeare’s tragedy.

D.H. Lawrence
This paper examines two of the novels of the controversial author.

Douglass and Levi: Deprived of Liberty
This paper examines the writings of Frederick Douglass and Primo Levi, and discusses the question of whether depriving a man of liberty makes him less a man.

Ralph Ellison
This paper discusses Ralph Ellison's novel, and several issues relating to it.

Emerson and Thoreau and Their Views of Nature
This paper discusses the authors’ differing views of nature as revealed in their writings.

Emerson: Self-Reliance
This paper discusses Emerson’s essay with regard to his idea that intuition, rather than logic, is a better guide to our behavior.

Evelina and Pamela
This paper compares the two heroines of the 18th Century novels that bear their names.

The Nature of Evil in Hamlet
This paper examines the various types of evil in Shakespeare’s play, “Hamlet”.

Fairy Tales 2
This paper examines the symbolism in fairy tales.

Analysis of the Final Speech in King Lear
This paper examines the last lines of Shakespeare’s tragedy, and discusses whether they were spoken by the Duke of Albany or Edgar.

Divine Destiny
This paper discusses Sophocles’ “Oedipus the King” and Gustave Flaubert’s “A Simple Heart.”

Flaubert: Madame Bovary and A Simple Heart
This paper compares two of Gustav Flaubert's works.

Free Will in Dostoyevsky
This paper explores two of Dostoyevsky’s works, and examines how the concepts of existentialism and free will are reflected in both.

Origins of the Novel
This paper discusses the origin of the literary form known as the novel.

Achilles in The Iliad
This paper examines the “heroic code” of the ancients, with respect to Achilles as he is portrayed by Homer.

Anger and Wickedness in Literature
This paper examines anger and/or wickedness as found in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler, and Swift’s A Modest Proposal.

Antigone 2
This paper examines Sophocles’ tragedy and its main characters.

Atmosphere and Setting in Short Stories
This paper examines the use of atmosphere in the stories “A Red Letter Day” and “The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky.”

"Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up to Me"
This paper examines Richard Farina's novel about what it meant to "come of age" in the 1960's.

"Belinda"
This paper examines the issues of race, gender, and domesticity in Maria Edgeworth's 1801 novel "Belinda".

Bertolt Brecht
This paper gives a brief biography of the German playwright, and discusses his method for “breaking the fourth wall.”

Black Feminist Perspectives
This paper compares the writings of three black feminists.

"Young Goodman Brown" and "The Lottery"
This paper compares and contrasts the two short stories.

Camus and the Absurd Hero
This paper discusses Camus’ book The Stranger and considers the question of whether or not Meursault is a true Absurd Hero.

Celtic Literature
This paper discusses the history and some of the characteristics of this type of literature.

John Cheever's "The Swimmer"
This paper examines the anti-heroes in Cheever’s short story.

The Writings of Emerson and Muir
A comparison of writings about nature by Ralph Waldo Emerson and John Muir.

An Analysis of "Mother Tongue"
An analysis of the book Mother Tongue, by Demetria Martinez. Discusses the ethical questions raised and the characters' actions.

Homer, The Iliad and the Polis
A discussion of The Illiad and the argument that the first two books describe a polis. The Greek forces encamped at Troy – what is it? I contend that Homer did describe a polis and perhaps the...

Graham Greene's "The Human Factor"
This paper examines Graham Greene’s book The Human Factor, written in 1978. It examines the main theme of the novel, develops that theme in relationship to the literary criticism of the work and...

Autobiography of Malcolm X
Interprets the intentions, themes, and structure of the book "The Autobiography of Malcolm X".

Examination of the Concepts of Hero and Anti-Hero in Literature
In this paper, there will be a discussion on the hero and anti-hero as found in James Thurber’s “The Greatest Man in the World” and Lord Alfred Tennyson’s “Ulysses.” The characters used will be...

Coming of Age in Mississippi
This paper examines Anne Moody’s book about growing up black in the Deep South.

An Examination of Caryl Churchill's "Cloud 9"
This paper examines Caryl Churchill’s 1979 play of gender confusion.

Similarities Among Ancient Celtic Myths
This paper examines similarities between the following four Celtic myths: “The Intoxication of the Ulstermen”, “Bricriu’s Feast”, “The Destruction of Da Dergel’s Hostel” and ”The Story of Mac...

A Comparison of the Playwrights Antonin Artaud and August Strindberg
This paper compares the work of naturalist playwright August Strindberg and surrealist playwright Antonin Artuad.

Animal Imagery in the Works of Shakespeare, Ionesco and Carpentier
Animal imagery is powerful because it’s universal. Shakespeare, Ionesco and Carpentier all use it extensively, but in very different ways.

Edgar Allen Poe, His Life and Works
This paper gives a biography of Poe’s life and explores his alleged addictions and how they may have influenced his work.

Edmund in "Long Day's Journey into Night"
This paper examines the character Edmund in the O'Neill play.

Edward Bellamy
This paper examines Bellamy’s ideal society and compares his predictions with today’s realities.

Evil in "The Scarlet Letter"
This paper examines the main characters of the novel with regard to whether or not they are evil.

Fate and Free Will in Romeo and Juliet
This paper discusses the themes of fate and free will in Shakespeare’s tragedy.

Faulkner's Modern Hero, Sam Feathers
This paper examines Faulkner’s short story “The Bear” and the role of Sam Feathers as a “modern hero”.

Fitzgerald's "The Rich Boy"
This paper examines F. Scott Fitzgerald’s short story, “The Rich Boy.”

Children as Portrayed by Frank O'Connor
This paper discusses the portrayal of children as found in the short stories of Frank O’Connor.

"Gatsby" and the Failure of the American Dream
This paper examines Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby and its most important theme, the failure of the “American Dream”.

Toni Morrison: "The Bluest Eye"
This report investigates “The Bluest Eye,” in which author Toni Morrison investigates such themes as beauty, racism, survival, and abandonment among the black community when traditional ideas and...

Chivalry in La Mort d'Arthur
This paper will analyze Knighthood and Chivalry as portrayed by Malory in La Mort d’Arthur. The paper will discuss the various definitions of Chivalry, how Malory seems to have defined it, and...

"The Essential Chuang Tzu"
This paper examines the book “The Essential Chuang Tzu” focusing on Tzu’s interpretation of Taoism and what this religious/philosophical system means within the daily life of the individual.

Close reading of "The Idiot"
This paper examines a passage from Dostoyevsky’s novel.

Coming of Age
This paper considers the maturation process as described by Philip Caputo, Frederick Douglass (both non-fiction) and Nick Carroway (in The Great Gatsby).

Conroy, "The Water is Wide"
This paper answers questions about Conroy’s book and his teaching methods.

Intertextual Criticism, Post Structuralism, and Historical Criticism
This report discusses how literature and the concept of the written word has changed over the course of time, and the manner in which literary criticism has evolved based on a number of works.

Callahan and "The Great Gatsby"
This paper discusses Fitzgerald's classic novel "The Great Gatsby," and a critical review of it by John F. Callahan. Further, it critiques Callahan's review of the book.

Dante and Dreams
This paper examines the way in which Dante uses dreams in The Divine Comedy and “La Vita Nuova.”

Dickens and the Poor in "Oliver Twist"
This paper examines Charles Dickens’ novel "Oliver Twist" with regard to his attitudes toward the poor.

Dream Analysis in Dante
This paper analyzes five dreams from Dante's works.

Dubus, "Killings"
This paper discusses Andre Dubus’s powerful short story with regard to Matt’s motivation and his stature as a tragic figure.

Beowulf & Sir Gawain
This report compares and contrasts the characters of Beowulf and Sir Gawain, as found in the epic poems "Beowulf" and "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight."

Bereavement in the "Iliad" and "Gilgamesh"
This paper considers the relationships of Patroclus and Achilles, and Gilgamesh and Enkidu, and what those relationships say about their cultures.

Bluest Eye/White Butterfly
This paper examines the social commentary in the books by Toni Morrison and Walter Mosley.

"Buy American"
This paper examines Dana Frank’s book, Buy American.

A Separate Peace
This paper examines the character of Gene in John Knowles’ novel.

Impact of African Literature on African History and Culture
African literature is a reflection of the history and culture of the African people, and has been strongly impacted by Asian and European influences.

A Passage to India
This paper examines the relationship between Dr. Aziz and Mr. Fielding in Forster’s novel.

Aristotle and the Concept of Villains
This paper addresses the problem of whether Sonny from "Dog Day Afternoon" and Clyde from "Bonnie and Clyde" are Aristotelian villains.

Hemingway and O'Brien
This paper compares and contrasts two short stories, Ernest Hemingway's "Soldier's Home" and Tim O'Brien's "How to Tell a True War Story."

James Joyce's Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is the story of Stephen Dadelus and his attempt to define himself and find his role in life. Examines some of the issues raised in Joyce's work such as at the...

Jane Eyre
Jane Eyre is a novel about a woman's determination to remain true to herself and her principles in the face of a society and class system that finds neither ambition important. This paper examines...

Jack London : Sea Wolf
This paper examines the London novel The Sea wolf and traces connections between it and the author's real life.

Imagery in The Master and Margarita
Considers what Bulgakov's fanciful "word pictures" might mean with regard to characters' true nature, intent, and so on. This paper discusses Bulgakov's use of imagery in his novel.

Henrik Ibsen as an Expressionist
This paper defines expressionism, then discusses what a production of Ibsen might be like in the expressionist style, with specific attention to A Doll's House.

The Symbolism in Ibsen's An Enemy of the People
This paper will discuss Henrik Ibsen's play An Enemy of the People, discussing how the play uses the symbolism of the polluted spa to depict the moral state of society.

Ibsen's Personal Belief in Individual Authenticity
This paper will examine Henrik Ibsen's statement that "there is little hope for mankind unless every individual becomes an authentic person, all of whose acts must stem from the deeper self".

Women in Shakespearean Tragedy
The thesis of this paper is that Shakespeare's tragic female characters, though they acted within the constraints on their sex at the time, also exhibited character traits that went beyond those...

Women of King Lear
This paper examines the roles of Regan, Goneril, and Cordelia in Shakespeare's tragedy.

Wharton : Ethan Frome
This paper examines the themes of Edith Wharton's classic American novel, such as isolation and illicit love.

Plot Summary of Wuthering Heights
This paper gives a plot summary of the novel, and compares and contrasts the two great houses of the book.

The Two Cathys of Wuthering Heights
If this novel were written today it would be called an in-depth study of a truly dysfunctional family. Although the movies have played up the relationship between Cathy and Heathcliff as a sort...

Vonnegut : Essays
This paper examines five of Kurt Vonnegut's non-fiction essays. These essays, collected in the book Fates Worse than Death, have no titles, but are indicated by Roman numerals.

Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
In this paper, there will be brief question and answers in regards to "Uncle Tom's Cabin." Various aspects of the novel will be covered, including the treatment of slaves, the institution of...

Comparison of Chaucer 's Work
This paper examines sex and trickery in " The Miller's Tale " and " The Wife of Bath's Tale ."

Thomas Mann 's " Death in Venice "
This paper examines Thomas Mann's classic novella and applies the theories of Nietzsche and Freud to the work.

" Goodnight, Desdemona (Good morning, Juliet) "
In this brief paper, there will be two topics of discussion. Both will be from the drama "Goodnight Desdemona (Good morning Juliet)." The first will deal with the significance of the red toque of...

Guy de Maupassant: The Necklace
It's fast-paced, tightly structured, and has a completely unexpected twist at the end. The Necklace is also a lesson in the difference between reality and illusion. This report examines the...

Griselda Gambaro as a Latin American Playwright
Gambaro has helped Argentina to explore the difficulties of the years of the dictators and the return to a freer but in deeply rooted ways equally unstable society. Gambaro writes powerful plays...

An Examination of a Passage from Great Expectations
Looks at the passage where Pip has been told he is to receive a large sum of money from an anonymous source, and that he will be going to London. Examines how the passage fits into the novel and...

Conrad's Heart of Darkness
Heart of Darkness is a powerful novel, as relevant today as it was when it was written. It stands as one of the most relevant examinations ever conceived of the human spirit and the ways in which...

" Things Fall Apart " as the Literal Truth
This paper examines the concept of whether or not the term "things fall apart" can be applied literally to three works of literature.

Culture in Things Fall Apart
This paper critically examines the novel by Chinua Achebe with regard to its culture.

Things Fall Apart as History
This paper discussed whether or not Chinua Achebe's novel is based, wholly or in part, on actual happenings in Africa.

Thornton Wilder : Emily in "Our Town"
There are three means for analyzing character; in fact this is the way an actor builds a character: he looks at what the character says about himself, what the author says about him (both in the...

The Women in Hamlet
This paper answers questions about Gertrude and Ophelia in the play "Hamlet". The roles of the women, Ophelia and Gertrude, are extremely important, but they are sometimes overlooked, as people...

Prospero's Power
This paper examines the power of the character Prospero in "The Tempest." It touches on his relationship with Miranda, Caliban and Ariel, and speculates on the origins of Prospero's magical powers.

Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
This paper examines some of the themes and symbols in Ellison's novel.

Criticizing Shakespeare
This paper discusses the works of three Shakespearean critics, Quiller-Couch, Catherine Spurgeon, and Jan Kott. Discussion includes the messages of the plays, imagery, and psychological themes.

Great Expectations: A Passage Explication
This paper explicates a passage from Charles Dickens' novel, Great Expectations. The passage is taken from very early in the book, the first time Pip meets Joe.

Relationships in Moby Dick
This paper examines Capt. Ahab's relationship with the cabin boy, Pip. Discusses some of the characterstics the two share while being so different.

The Impact of "Uncle Tom's Cabin"
In this paper, there will be a discussion on "Uncle Tom's Cabin" and how it impacted the North, South and Europe. In it, there will be fictional letters framing the paper overall and in the end,...

Othello and Much Ado About Nothing
This paper discusses the way in which Shakespeare uses his characters to illustrate social tension in these plays.

The Themes in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
This is an examination of American society, sexuality, and racial stereotyping. This paper examines some of the main themes of Ken Kesey's classic novel.

Julian and His Mother
In this paper, there will be a discussion on Julian and his mother from “Everything That Rises Must Converge.” Their complexity will be addressed, as well as Flannery O’Connor’s perception of...

Changes in Odysseus' Personality
This paper examines some of the adventures of the classic hero, and what they illustrate about his personality.

Chaucer and the Church
This paper examines those characters of Chaucer who are regarded as "church" people, and contrasts them with the Borgia popes.

Characters as Structural Devices in Ellison's Invisible Man
This paper discusses the symbolic nature of Ellison’s foil characters and how they are more the embodiments of ideas than they are fleshed out people. It goes on to explain why this intensifies...

Peter Shaffer’s Play “Equus”
Critical discussion of the play.

The Importance of the Ghost of Jacob Marley in Dickens’ A Christmas Carol
This paper will discuss the combined effect of the four Ghosts in A Christmas Carol. It will argue that the Ghost of Jacob Marley presents the most compelling message for Scrooge’s transformation.

Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra
This paper examines the suicides of the main characters and discusses what they mean in the context of the play.

Gothic Writers: Perkins & Poe
This paper examines the differences in style and content between two Gothic writers - Charlotte Gilman Perkins (" The Yellow Wallpaper ") and Edgar Allan Poe (" The Fall of the House of Usher ").

Flannery O'Connor: " A Good Man is Hard to Find "
Flannery O'Connor was a Southern American writer. This is probably the single most important thing about her, because it defines her as a person and an artist. This paper is a critical analysis...

The Fool and the Chorus
In this paper, there will be a discussion on the Fool in Shakespeare's beautiful "King Lear" and the Chorus in Sophocles' tragic "Oedipus the King." Each serves as mediator between the play and...

Lord Byron-His Nihilistic Views and Place in the British Romantic canon
In this paper there is a brief discussion on Lord Byron's world view and his major works. The British Romantic canon is discussed along with Byron's contributions to it.

Comparison of Two Speeches in Hamlet
This essay compares two speeches from Shakespeare's Hamlet and looks at the insights they provide into Hamlet's character.

Faulkner's " Barn Burning "
The paper examines William Faulkner's short story "Barn Burning" as being a product of America's Deep South, a region unlike any other in the country. The stories that come out of it are a...

Dante's Divine Comedy / Canto XIV: Fire
Discusses the symbol of fire as seen in Canto XIV of Dante's Divine Comedy. A close look at Dante's "Inferno" reveals the work to have a magnificent theme, structure, and style. A great number...

Symbolism in Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men
In this paper, there will be a discussion on the novel "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck. The focus of the paper will be symbolism and how the author uses characters, things and places to convey...

Malamud's "The Natural"
In this paper, there will be a brief discussion on Bernard Malamud's first novel, "The Natural." Though it is better known for its film adaptation, it is clear that "The Natural" holds a magic all...

Gilgamesh, Sohrab & Rustum, Sakuntala
This paper examines the three titled works in regard to themes of friendship and love as expressed in them.

Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper" and Hemingway's "Hills Like White Elephants"
Discusses the artistic and literary rebellion against societal norms as seen through these two stories.

God in Virgil's "The Aeneid"
Introduction: In Virgil’s “The Aeneid,” gods and humans coexist, creating a direct relationship between the two, and with demigod Aeneas – we see them completely merge. His journey from Troy to...

F. Scott Fitzgerald's “The Diamond as Big as the Ritz”
Introduction: F. Scott Fitzgerald’s short story, “The Diamond as Big as the Ritz” has been described as an expression of his resentment of the rich. This paper will consider this claim and answer...

Charles Dickens’ "Hard Times" and Erich Maria Remarque’s "All Quiet on the Western Front"
This paper will compare the themes of the industrial revolution and how they play out in the two novels. It will focus upon the social, economic, and spiritual impacts and how both books deal with...

Dr. Abraham Van Helsing: A Metaphor for Good
Introduction: Bram Stoker's classic novel Dracula is one of the great horror stories ever written. Its magnetic protagonist has become the second most popular film character of all time, second...

Currer, Ellis and Acton Bell
In this paper, there will be a discussion of the three famous authors – Charlotte, Emily and Anne Brontë. Their achievements in literature and the running theme of nature that is to be found in...

Voice in Mrs. Dalloway and Mumbo Jumbo
This essay discusses the importance of tone, or voice, in these two strangely similar works by Virginia Woolf and Ishmael Reed.

The Russian Novel
In this paper, there will be a discussion on the Russian novel, as seen through the eyes of Le Vicomte E.-M. De Vogué. His vision of Russia’s contributions to world literature will be addressed,...

Hamlet and Oedipus
The mythic figures of Oedipus and Hamlet are often times compared. In Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,” there exist undertones of the Oedipus mythology and therefore, parallels are understandably drawn....

Hamlet and the Taming of the Shrew
This paper examines the issues of misogyny in “Hamlet” and “The Taming of the Shrew”.

Overview of Hamlet with a Review of Zeffirelli’s 1990 Hamlet
William Shakespeare’s masterpiece, “The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark,” is an enigmatic, poetical riddle. Today, it still intrigues, fascinates and vexes its audience, with its varying...

The Mind of Prince Hamlet
In this paper, there will be a discussion on the mental state of Hamlet in William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet.” Though perceived as mad by Claudius, Gertrude, Polonius and others, is Hamlet truly mad...

Hamlet’s Personality
This paper examines several facets of Hamlet’s personality, and his relationships with Ophelia and Gertrude.

Hamlet and his Sanity
A discussion of the mental state of Hamlet throughout Shakespeare's play of the same name. Was Hamlet mad?

King Lear's Albany
In William Shakespeare’s glorious masterpiece, “King Lear,” there are colorful portraits of characters coursing throughout. Characters undergo transformations that are spiritual, mental and...

The Spanish Tragedy and Hamlet
In this paper, there will be a discussion on the dramas “The Spanish Tragedy” and “Hamlet.” The framework will be comparative, as many believe the former drama was the inspiration for many works...

Lady Macbeth, Cleopatra, and Medea
The role of women in literature has long been the subject of discussion. Scribes have created visions of their heroines and sometimes they are weak, other times they are strong, and on occasion,...

The Truth of the Fool in Lear
This paper examines the role of the Fool in Shakespeare’s “King Lear”. It touches on the way in which Shakespeare used these comedic characters; the purpose this particular character serves; and...

The Tempest and Waiting for the Barbarians
In this paper, there will be a discussion of Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” and J.M. Coetzee’s “Waiting for the Barbarians,” comparing the similar characters. The first half will deal with Caliban...

The Bard’s Influence
In this paper, there will be a discussion on modern adaptations of Shakespeare’s great plays. Parallels will be addressed and of course, theme, plot, structure

Overview of Shakespeare's Life and Work and Examination of Hamlet and Midsummer Night's Dream
This paper explores the life of William Shakespeare and two of his plays: Hamlet and Midsummer Night's Dream.

Sonnet 138 Analyzed
There is a place deep inside each of us that desires deceit, no matter how much we outwardly profess the love of truth. This Shakespearean poem illustrates this paradox beautifully, beginning with...

Midsummer Night's Dream and Twelfth Night
In “Midsummer Night’s Dream” and “Twelfth Night,” women play very significant roles, not only in regards to the complexities of the plot, but as symbols, examples of strength, vanity, arrogance,...

Comparison of the Tempest and King Lear
“As you from crimes would pardoned by,/ Let your indulgence set me free” (Shakespeare, The Tempest, Epilogue, 20). These are Prospero’s last words in “The Tempest,” and with that, William...

Hamlet on the Holodeck
This paper examines Janet Murray’s book and suggest a novel, Lord of the Rings, that would work well in a new format.

Evil in Great Literature
In this paper, there will be a discussion on the subject of evil, as it manifests in literary masterpieces. The selected works will be from Classical Greece to Renaissance England to Nineteenth...

Charles Dickens and Satire
In this paper, there will be a discussion on Charles Dickens and his views on education. He was a brilliant writer, full of imagination and intent, and his philosophy was revealed to powerful...

Conflict in Fiction
Introduction: In fiction, conflict is the driving force behind action, creating moments of truth, of decision – existing either internally or externally. As we will see, Guy de Maupassant, Frank...

The Heart of Darkness and the Barren Land
Abstract: In this paper, there will be a discussion on two books – Joseph Conrad’s "Heart of Darkness" and Tayeb Salih’s "Season of Migration to the North." A comparison of the civilizations...

"An Outpost of Progress" by Joseph Conrad: An Analysis
Introduction: I find Joseph Conrad to be a very subtle writer. He does not comment on the action, but instead shows us what's happening and lets us figure out the motivation and relationships of...

Carpe Diem in Robert Herrick's "To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time" and Andrew Marvell's "To His Coy Mistress"
Introduction: Both Robert Herrick’s "To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time" and Andrew Marvell’s "To His Coy Mistress," deal with the concept of "carpe diem," but the motivation behind such living...

J.D. Salinger's "Catcher in the Rye"
Introduction: In J.D. Salinger’s compelling masterpiece, "Catcher in the Rye," Holden Caulfield reveals the difficulties that pervade his life, through a narration of events that take place during...

Charles Bukowski and Human Nature
Abstract: In this paper, there will be a discussion on Charles Bukowski’s "Hot Water Music." From the stories selected, a common theme is found, one in which human nature is portrayed as rotting –...

Industrialism as Portrayed in "Hard Times"
Abstract: In this paper, there will be a discussion on Charles Dickens’ novel "Hard Times," specifically addressing his opinion regarding Industrialism. Characters will be emphasized, as well as...

"Sources of the Self" by Charles Taylor
Abstract: In this paper, there will be a brief discussion on the book "Sources of the Self" by Charles Taylor. The focus of the paper will be review, with reaction and learning included.

The Voice of Charlotte Perkins by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Introduction: "But the real purpose of the story was to reach Dr. S. Weir Mitchell, and convince him of the error of his ways" (Gilman, Poupard, 103). Charlotte Perkins Gilman wrote the above in...

Chaucer and the Pardoners Tale
Summary: This paper will discuss Chaucer’s life and how it led to his becoming a writer; the theme of the Pardoner’s tale and it’s relation to modern society; the physical and moral...

CHESS IN THE BOOK OF THE DUCHESSE
Introduction: Chaucer originally wrote The Book of the Duchesse as an elegy to Blanche of Lancaster, a woman he considered remarkable. Lady Whyte and the Knight were intended to symbolize Blanche...

Voltaire's "Candide"
Introduction: Voltaire’s satire "Candide" is a powerful journey through the world and a vehicle by which the philosopher comments on hypocrisy and blind optimism. One of the aspects of life that...

Marvin Harris' "Cannibals and Kings"
Introduction: Marvin Harris’ "Cannibals and Kings" takes a maverick approach to the changing of times and provides us with food for thought – that the changes that occur in our culture are more...

Development for Women as Affected by Their Perceptions of Self
Abstract: In this paper, the subject will be "In a Different Voice" by Carol Gilligan. The central theme is women and their development as persons. Gilligan provides a different perspective on...

The Four Loves and "Like Water for Chocolate"
Abstract: In this paper, there will be a brief discussion on the four loves defined by C. S. Lewis and how they appear in Laura Esquivel’s "Like Water for Chocolate." Do they appear or fail to...

Carlos Bulosan's Autobiographical
Carlos Bulosan’s autobiographical "America is in the Heart" is a powerful account of the Filipino experience in America. As with any immigrant, myriad adjustments awaited the Filipino newcomer,...

"Honest Graft" by Brooks Jackson
Summary: This paper will provide a synopsis of the book "Honest Graft" by Brooks Jackson, along with an evaluation.

Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World"
Introduction: "Brave New World" was Aldous Huxley’s most important novel. Significant on so many levels, telling and prophetic. It set forth the idea of a Utopian society, one that was not as...

Judy Blume Books
Abstract: In this paper, there will be a simple overview of Judy Blume’s books. Summaries will be given, including plot, theme, setting, and characterization.

Sonia Semionovna Marmeladov
In this paper, there will be a discussion on the character Sonia in Fyodor Dostoevsky’s “Crime and Punishment.” The paper will review Sonia in detail, revealing the purpose of her character, the...

Dante's Divine Comedy and the Role of Virgil
In Dante’s Divine Comedy: Inferno,” he takes a journey through Hell and back, encountering famous figures from the past, and learning lessons along the way. His guide through this journey is none...

Darkness at Noon
In this paper, there will be a discussion on Arthur Koestler’s novel, psychological study, “Darkness at Noon.” The focus will rest with Rubashov and his personal confrontation, as well as those...

Biff, Happy, and Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman
Introduction: Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman” is a play about illusions and reality. The audience sees that when reality encroaches, it holds the power to heal, but it is too late. Already,...

Overview of Don Quixote de la Mancha
Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra created a world of fiction in “Don Quixote de la Mancha” that was a stinging commentary on social classes, love, and literature, utilizing irony, satire, and ridicule...

Caliban from The Tempest
Introduction: With Caliban, William Shakespeare created one of the most fascinating characters in all of literature. He is the wild savage, representative of man’s baser qualities. He contends...

The Art of Teaching Writing
Abstract: In this paper, there will be a summary of the book "The Art of Teaching Writing." Each chapter will be given a short summary, creating an overview of the book proper.

Jane Campion's "The Piano"
In Jane Campion’s "The Piano," there is a pressing theme that courses throughout. The concept of repression is prevalent in this tale, indicative of the Victorian Age in which it takes place and...

Justice and Injustice in Herman Melville's "Billy Budd"
Introduction: In Herman Melville’s "Billy Budd," the question of justice vs. injustice is raised. In this story, there exists the innocent youth, who finds himself entangled in a web of hate,...

The Exploration of Immigration in Bharati Mukherjee's Jasmine and Middleman and Other Short Stories
Introduction: Immigrating into a country is a process that can be daunting, exhilarating, nightmarish, painful, or joyous. Bharati Mukherjee’s beautiful prose and lyrical voice explore the...

Toni Morrison's "Beloved" and "Jazz"
Introduction: In Toni Morrison’s fifth and sixth novels – "Beloved" and "Jazz" – she explores the lives of her characters completely, delving into their haunted memories, and helping them to...

Comparison and Contrast of Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World and George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four
This paper will discuss similarities and differences of the two novels, in relation to futuristic realism, autobiographical influences, society and characters.

Beckett: Endgame
Brief description of Beckett's play, "Endgame", with plot summary and critique.

THE YELLOW WALLPAPER AND THE BLUEST EYE
Discusses Toni Morroson's, The Bluest Eye, and Charlotte Perkins Gilman's, The Yellow Wallpaper. Analyses the themes of repression, insanity, and finding oneself. Also discusses the use of...

Civil Rights and The Tempest
Introduction: The themes of power, betrayal, and usurpation, as seen in the The Tempest, by William Shakespeare, were themes that were also the basis for what became known as the Civil Rights...

Naturalism in Frank Norris' McTeague
An analysis of Norris's naturalism in the novel McTeague. Outlines the 5 steps used in the basic structure of a naturalist novel that Norris employed, and which is still used today.

Ethics in the Novel Mother Tongue
An analysis of the book Mother Tongue, by Demetria Martinez. The story is about a woman's search and struggle for her own identity. This report discusses one of the many themes in the book, the...

Reflections of Nature in Literature
A comparison of Ralph Waldo Emerson and John Muir's writings about nature. Both writers look at nature from a spiritual perspective.

Things Fall Apart & Sula
In this paper, there will be a discussion on Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart and Toni Morrison's Sula. In each, the main characters are inextricably tied to their communities, reflecting the...

Kundera's The Unbearable Lightness of Being
Interprets the novel The Unbearable Lightness of Being, by Milan Kudera. Examines the themes of the very existence of life, and man's need for repetition.

Relationships in The Great Gatsby
Explores the relationship between Jay and Daisy, and the differences between Tom and Jay in the novel The Great Gatsby.

Images of Nature in Pilgrim at Tinker Creek
Interprets the images of nature, such as light and fire, air, wind, and sky, used in the novel, The Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard. It is argued that these images are used as symbols to...

A Characterization of Natty Bumppo of Last of the Mohicans
Discusses the character of Natty Bumppo (Hawkeye) in John Fenimore Cooper's Last of the Mohicans, and how he fits Crevecouer's definition of the New American Man

Images of Nature in Dillard's Pilgrim At Tinker Creek
Interprets the images of nature used in The Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard. Dillard finds evidence of God in all things. Although we may never truly know the nature of the Divine,...

The Romeo and Juliets of Shakespeare and Baz Luhrmann
Discusses the differences and similarities between Baz Luhrmann's film of Romeo and Juliet and the Shakespearean text he adapted it from. Luhrmann's methods of converting the written text into...

A Comparison of Two Books on the Environment
Compares two books on the environment, The Environment: A Revolution in Attitudes, and The World Watch Reader on Global Environmental Issues.

Who am I?
Examines how Isak Dineson and Richard Rodriguez answered the question, Who am I? in their books and their lives.

Flannery O'Connor's Wise Blood
Details the primary character, Hazel Motes', spiritual dilemma in Wise Blood, by Flannery O'Connor. Also features a discussion about literal and figurative meaning of Motes' Ford Essex dilemma.

American Realism and Romanticism in Literature
Examines the emergence of Romanticism and Realism in American literature, citing works by Whitman, Melville and Twain as examples.

The Writer as Hero
Examines whether the struggles faced by Isak Dineson and Richard Rodriguez make them heroes in the books Out of Africa and Hunger if Memory.

Alexis De Tocqueville's Democracy in America
Summarizes and analyzes three chapters in Alexis de Tocqueville's Democracy in America.

The Character of Piggy in Lord of the Flies
Argues that Piggy's strengths become his weaknesses in William Golding's novel, Lord of the Flies.

Civil Disobedience and Antigone
Synthesizes the thoughts and characters of the Classic Greek Tragedy, Antigone, with the latter day writings on Civil Disobedience, as espoused by Thomas Jefferson, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and the...

A Comparison of Two Heroines
Examines the characterization of Daisy Miller from Henry James' novel and Carrie Meeban from Theodore Dreisers' novel.

Two Perspectives on Totalitarianism
This paper uses the writings of Hannah Arendt and Karl Dietrich Bracher to discuss Totalitarianism.

Profiles of Women from Maugham and Chekhov Short Stories
Profiles five women from five different short stories, three from Anton Chekhov and two from Somerset Maugham. The report discusses the women's most salient attributes, their respective attitudes,...

Machiavelli's Ruler in Today's World?
Applies the characteristics of Niccolo Machiavelli's instruction for rulers in The Prince to today and determines if these qualities are desirable or necessary in a contemporary leader....

Comparing Chekhov's Gooseberries and The Darling
Compares and contrasts two short stories by Anton Chekhov, The Darling and Gooseberries. The two stories, written only two years apart, don't show any major changes in style or artistic...

Flannery O'Connor as a Christian Writer
Discusses whether or not Flannery O'Connor should be considered a Christian writer, and why the Catholic critics seek to redeem her. She herself argued that two circumstances that gave character...

Women in A Raisin in the Sun
Discusses Lorraine Hansberry's use of female characters in the play both to define the central male character, Walter Younger, and to express what she has to say about African-American life during...

Ophelia's Mental Changes in Shakespeare's Hamlet
Ophelia, Hamlet's love in the Shakespearean play, goes mad and commits suicide at the end of the play. This report races the development of her instability and attempts to give a reason for it,...

The Clouds by Aristophanes
Examines function of the clouds in Aristophanes play of the same name; what is their function, what is it that they desire, and are they there to vindicate the traditional Olympian gods?

Jean Rhys' The Wide Sargasso Sea
In her novel, Jean Rhys comments on British Imperialism, power, race, materialism, knowledge, and isolation. Discusses the anti-imperialist stance of The Wide Sargasso Sea in terms of these...

James Thruber as a Humorist
This paper will look closely at Thurber's unique brand of humor, and determine exactly how he used his literary materials to reflect the experience of twentieth-century Americans. Includes a...

All Quiet on the Western Front
This paper discusses the novel All Quiet on the Western Front, by Erich Remarque. The focus will be how comrades come together when placed in a certain situation and how background means little...

Marriage and Sexuality in Anna Karenina and Moll Flanders
Discusses the themes of sexuality and marriage in the novels Anna Karenina, by Leo Tolstoy, and Moll Flanders, by Daniel Defoe. In the two stories we see marriage, arranged marriages, adultery,...

F. Scott Fitzgerald's Concept of Beauty
Fitzgerald comments on The American Dream as to be a pursuit of materialism based on spiritual values in his novel, The Great Gatsby. He critically depicts the American woman as a fragile,...

The Yellow Wallpaper vs. The Bluest Eye
Analyzes Toni Morrison's, The Bluest Eye, and Charlotte Perkins Gilman's, The Yellow Wallpaper with respect to the themes of repression, insanity, and finding oneself. Also discusses the use of...

Masters and Servants in Twelfth Night
Discusses the unique relationship between the masters, mistresses, and servants in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night.

The Rivers in Huckleberry Finn and Heart of Darkness
Compares the rivers in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Heart of Darkness. They both effectively use rivers to symbolically contrast life on the shore and life on the water. The rivers serve...

Binaries At Work in Melville's Benito Cereno
This paper focuses on two of Herman Melville's main binaries in his work, Benito Cereno; that of master and slave, and knowledge versus ignorance. It discusses their centrality to the theme of...

The Theme of Man's Journey into Self
Analyzes the theme of Man's journey into himself that is present in the novel, Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, Francis Ford Coppola's movie Apocalypse Now, and the poem The Hollow Men by T.S....

Man's Journey into Self in Heart of Darkness, Apocalypse Now, and The Hollow Men
Analyzes the theme of Man's journey into himself that is present in the novel, Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, Francis Coppala's movie Apocolypse Now, and T.S. Eliot's poem The Hollow Men.

Poe's Detective Stories
Compares Edgar Allen Poe's 3 detective stories, The Murders in the Rue Morgue, The Mystery of Marie Roget, and The Purloined Letter. Examines the characters and themes present in all 3 stories.

August Wilson's Play: Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
Discusses control and how it manifests itself in August Wilson's play, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. Among the subtopics addressed will be the consequences of control, the characters' desire to...

Views of Society in Cannery Row
A critical analysis of John Steinbeck's, Cannery Row with respect to his views of society. The author posits the opinion that Steinbeck has a pessimistic view of society, glorifying the people who...

Antigone's Relationship With the Audience
Throughout the course of this Greek tragedy the reader is able to observe Antigone's transformation from divine instrument to scared human being. Antigone remains such a symbolically powerful...

Antigone as Automation of Justice
Antigone serves as a mouthpiece for a set of values. She displays none of the qualities one would associate with a fallible human being. She is a messenger of justice, but the justice meted out...

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Examines the correspondence between the hunting scenes and bedroom scenes in the poem.

Celebration of Discipline
Foster identifies thirteen spiritual disciplines and suggests concrete ways for putting these disciplines to work to achieve an enriched, joyful inner life.

Chopin's The Awakening
An analysis of Chopin's depiction of women and their revolutionary role as evidenced by the character Edna.

Shakespeare's A Midsummer-Night's Dream
Explains the concrete meanings and abstract implications of a short excerpt of A Midsummer-Night's Dream, in addition to validating the excerpt as essential to the whole work.

Ring Lardner's Haircut
An analysis of the characterization and themes in Ring Lardner's satirical work, Haircut.

Character Analysis of Great Expectations
Analyzes the character of Joe Gargery, friend and father-figure to Pip, and his role in Dickens' novel.

The King vs. Warrior Relationship in Medieval Epic Poems
Details the similarities in the relationships of the king and warrior in Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

Cheever's Country Husband and Steinbeck's The Chrysanthemums
Compares and contrasts the stories Country Husband and The Chrysanthemums including the main characters of Francis Weed and Eliza.

Hawthorne's Young Goodman Brown
A brief essay on Hawthorne's element of dreaming in Young Goodman Brown.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer: A Review & Critique
A six page review of the novel followed by a four page critique of its themes and characters.

Tragedy in Arthur Miller's Works
Discusses Miller's Tragedy and the Common Man and Death of a Salesman in terms of Aristotle's definition of tragic. *Includes outline and thesis statement.

Class & Comic Relief
Argues that class and comic relief are closely related in literature by addressing such writers as Twain, Steinbeck, Shakespeare, Salinger, and others.

W.F.M. Prescott's Bloody Mary
A discussion of Prescott's work as it pertains to 16th century England.

An Examination of George Orwell
An essay on Orwell with a particular emphasis on the themes of 1984 and Animal Farm, his most famous works.

Analysis of News From Nowhere
Discusses utopian concepts in William Morris' novel and contrasts them to modern ideas. Explains principles of money, industry, and labor.

Femininity or Feminism: A Room of Ones Own by Virginia Woolf
An argumentative essay on whether Virginia Woolf tales the position in A Room of One's Own that womanhood is a symbol of femininity or feminism.

Analysis of The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli
Presents a critical analysis of the 1513 political treatise, The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli.

Nathaniel Hawthorne's In the House of Seven Gables
Discusses the imagery and the moral content of Hawthorne's work.

Alice Walker's Everyday Use and To Hell with Dying
Compares and contrasts the characters Mr. Sweet in Alice Walker's To Hell with Dying and Dee in Everyday Use.

Dmitri Gurov's Lady with a Dog
Examines how the main character in Lady With a Dog is more of a literary figure than a complete character.

Influence of Matthew Arnold on T.S. Eliot
Essay examines the influence Romantic poet Matthew Arnold had on Modernist poets of the twentieth century, namely T. S. Eliot.

French Fairy Tales
Examines uses of metaphor and cultural traditions, and the origins and technique in the fairy tales of Jean-Paul Bignon and Charles Perrault.

Female Poverty in Virginia Woolf's A Room of One's Own
Discusses how Virginia Woolf's A Room of One's Own attributes female poverty to the needs of others.

Willy Loman as a Salesman, Father, & Husband
Analyzes the character of Willy Loman in Arthur Miller's play, Death of A Salesman, as a salesman, father, and husband.

Pride and Prejudice in Jane Austen's Novel
Argues that Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice is about the effects of these vices on persons and events.

The First Blush of Love in Much Ado About Nothing
Discusses how Benedick and Beatrice's first meeting foreshadows their falling in love by examining a passage from the book.

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
Analyzes The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck and argues that its depiction of the triumph of human spirit is the reason for its importance.

Silas Marner by George Eliot
Discusses George Eliot's classic novel Silas Marner. Also illuminates the influences English poet William Wordsworth had on the novel.

Influences of Charlotte Perkins Gilman's Life on Her Fiction
Discusses personal influences on the literary works by noted feminist author, Charlotte Perkins Gilman. Two short stories are examined, The Yellow Wallpaper and With Her in Ourland.

Daisy Miller and Babylon Revisited
Compares the two different kinds of Americans in the short stories Daisy Miller and Babylon Revisited.

Coming of Age in Mississippi by Anne Moody
Analyzes Anne Moody's autobiographical book, Coming of Age in Mississippi, from the perspective of the racial tension of that era and the background of the Civil Rights movement.

Comparison of Macbeth & Othello
Analyzes the similarities between Shakespeare's characters of Macbeth and Othello and the vices that brought their downfalls.

The Influence of Impressionism on Kate Chopin's The Awakening
Critical essay examines the influence of Impressionism on the novel The Awakening, by Kate Chopin.

Catholic, Jewish, and Muslim Literature Prior to the Civil War
Discusses the little-known traditions of Catholic, Jewish, and Muslim writers in America from the beginning until the pre-civil war period.

Social Problems Illustrated by A Clockwork Orange
Discusses Anthony Burgess' 1962 novel A Clockwork Orange and how it illustrates social problems. The novel, characteristic of the literary period called modernism, takes a futuristic look at a...

Beauty in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby
Argues the thesis that beauty is a mere outer physical characteristic rather than a true inner self-defining substance as exhibited through the narrator, Nick Carroway, in Fitzgerald's work. The...

The Use of Violence in the Writings of Flannery O'Connor
Examines the use of violence which is central to most of Flannery O'Connor's writings, in particular Everything that Rises Must Converge, A Good Man Is Hard To Find and Good Country People.

The Virtue of Justice: Aristotle & Hamlet
Discusses the Greek philosopher, Aristotle, and his view of the virtue of justice. He defines justice as having two meanings, what is lawful and what is fair or equal. The focus of the report is...

An Analysis of Madame Bovary
Presents a critical analysis of Gustave Flaubert's Madame Bovary based on the characters, themes, techniques, and style.

Violence in Odysseus & Gilgamesh
In Odysseus and Gilgamesh the hero is distinguished, but not limited to, their warrior-like skills. Nevertheless, it is those qualities that give life to and illuminate their respective purposes....

Greek Historians
All historians are influenced by the experiences of their lives. These experiences shape their interests, opinions, and prejudices. This paper is concerned with the way the lives of three ancient...

Anthony Burgess' A Clockwork Orange
This paper will discuss Anthony Burgess' 1962 novel A Clockwork Orange and how it illustrates social problems. Begins with a 2 page long brief synopsis and another short section describing the...

Justice in Aeschylus' Oresteia
A discussion of justice, and how Aeschylus addressed the topic centuries ago in his trilogy Oresteia. The House of Atreus and its members are dealt with at length, but all in relation to the...

The Manifestation of Realism in Literature
This paper will discuss Realism and how it was manifested in literature during the nineteenth-century, following the Civil War. The principles of the movement will be noted, including 4 writers'...

Antigone's Chorus
In this paper, there will be a discussion of Sophocles' Antigone. The emphasis will be on the chorus and how it permits the audience to know what is going on, not only in regards to events, but in...

Machiavelli's The Prince
Argues that Machiavelli's prince is evil and acts irrespective of morality.

Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice
A discussion of the role of George Wickham, a minor character in the novel, in the plot development.

An Interpretation of These Yet to be United States by Maya Angelou
Provides a line-by-line interpretation (in couplets) of the Maya Angelou poem, These Yet to be United States.

The Hamlet by William Faulkner
Reviews the 1940 William Faulkner book, The Hamlet, that chronicles the transition from the Old South to the New South.

Was Hamlet Mad?
An argumentative paper that analyzes Hamlet's madness to determine whether it was genuine or contrived. It examines the forces which trigger Hamlet's madness, his attitude toward other characters...

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
An argumentative essay on The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald as it relates to the corruption of the American Dream.

Flannery O'Connor's The Artificial Nigger
Summarizes and evaluates Flannery O'Connor's seminal novel, The Artificial Nigger.

Compares and Contrasts News From Nowhere and Walden Two
Compares and contrasts views of labor, leisure, and creativity in News From Nowhere and Walden Two.

Tradition vs. Change in Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
Analyzes how the conflict of tradition vs. change is addressed in Chinua Achebe's 1958 classic novel of early Nigeria, Things Fall Apart.

The Iliad and The Odyssey by Homer
Compares and contrasts two classical Greek poems, The Iliad and The Odyssey by Homer.

William Faulkner's A Rose for Emily
Analysis of the William Faulkner short story, A Rose For Emily, as it parallels the decline of southern aristocracy.

Theories of Behavior in Crime and Punishment
Examines the theories of behavior presented by the characters Raskolinikov and Marmeladov to excuse their behavior.

Macbeth and Jason: Two Tragic Heroes
A critical analysis of the fall of the tragic heroes Macbeth and Jason in Medea.

The Theme of Women's Equality in Candide by Voltaire
Examines the underlying theme of equality for women prevalent in the novel Candide by Francois Marie Arouet de Voltaire.

Character Change in Candide
Discusses the end of Voltaire's Candide and how the characters of the story have changed to allow them each their individual happy endings.

The Downfall of Oedipus Rex
Examines the good and bad traits of Oedipus and how they contributed to his downfall.

Macbeth and Othello's Tragic Flaws
Discusses the characters Othello and MacBeth, and their tragic flaws that ultimately lead to their downfall.

Anna Akhmatova
Examines the life and work of the famous Russian poet, founder of modern feminine poetry and custodian of the Great Tradition, Anna Akhmatova.

Willy Loman and Medea: Tragic Heroes
An analysis of the characters Willy Loman, in Death of a Salesman, and Medea, in Medea. Examines their tragic flaws that make them tragic heroes.

A Biography of Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Examines the life cycle of Columbian author, Gabriel Garcia Marquez and looks at how his background was reflected in his books.

Joyce's Araby & Sebacher's Veronica's Poetry
This report compares James Joyce's and Neil Sebacher's respective short stories. Both stories center on adolescent infatuation and the effects it has. The experience causes both protagonists to...

Habits of the Heart
Summarizes the key points of Habits of the Hearts, an easy-to-read portrait of the isolated American, and discusses how it holds up a mirror to American traditions and values, makes us examine...

The Role of Minor Characters in Hamlet
Examines how the supporting characters in Hamlet serve to enhance Hamlet's moral stature in the play.

Burmese Days by George Orwell
Examines George Orwell's Burmese Days, which details the political evils of imperialism in a British colonial community.

Upton Sinclair's The Jungle
Analyzes Sinclair's book as a critique of industrial America and discusses how his experiences as a journalist and a socialist shaped his interpretation of life in the Chicago stockyards.

John Updike's In the Beauty of the Lilies
Critically evaluates the novel In the Beauty of Lilies by John Updike, an American tale that spans four generations.

Sinclair's The Jungle: A Critique of Capitalism in America
Discusses the economic situation in the United States at the time The Jungle was published in 1906 and draws upon primary sources to show that Sinclair's depiction of capitalism was very similar to...

Why Macbeth is a Tragedy
Defines tragedy in literature and discusses the tragic elements of Shakespeare's Macbeth.

Analysis of Am I Blue? by Alice Walker
A rhetorical analysis of Walkers' essay, focussing on how she views the relationship between humans and animals.

12th Century English Literature
Provides an overview of English literature in the twelfth century, including discussions of the Latin Chroniclers and Geoffery on Monmouth.

Comparison of Ordinary Men and Lest Innocent Blood be Shed
Examines both works' views on human behavior and discusses such behavior from a Zen Buddhism perspective as described by Thomas Kasulis.

Injustice in The Color Purple
Examines how injustice is depicted in Alice Walker's novel and concludes that the triple forces of alienation, internalization, and liberation are symbolized by the central figures in Celie's life:...

The Classical Poetic Influences of Alexander Pope and Lord Byron
Examines the influence of the Greek and Roman classical epics on the literary style of Alexander Pope and Lord Byron as well as offering a comparison and contrast between the two romantic poets.

The Bambara in Maryse Conde's Novel
Discusses how the coming of Islam to Bambar society affected that people's traditional, political, social and economic practices as well as challenging the Bambaras' religious beliefs by using...

Views of Love in The Good Morrow by John Donne and Sonnet 116 by Shakespeare
Compares the views of love in these poems, one by Donne and one by Shakespeare.

William Faulkner's Barn Burning
Illustrates how Faulkner's use of character development and narrative tone and style combine to produce a typical Faulkner work.

The Works of John Steinbeck
Uses critical analysis and interpretation of the writings of John Steinbeck to examine his work in detail, with particular emphasis paid to common themes.

Comparison of Wuthering Heights and Beloved
Compares the voice and vision of Emily Bronte in Wuthering Heights and Toni Morrison in Beloved.

Lord Byron's Don Juan
Examines the unfinished epic satire, Don Juan by Lord Byron, with a concentration on the autobiographical aspects in Cantos I through IV.

The Epic Characteristics of Paradise Lost
Discusses the epic characteristics found in John Milton's, Paradise Lost.

The Significance of Cordelia in King Lear
Examines the character of Cordelia from Shakespeare's King Lear, with concentration on the significance of her character to the play, the function of her character within the play, her contribution...

The Fool in King Lear
Discusses the role of the Fool in Shakespeare's play King Lear, comparing it to the role of Teiresias in Sophocle's Oedipus Rex.

Tragedy & Catharsis in Oedipus & Death of A Salesman
Argues that both Sophocles' Oedipus the King, and Miller's Death of a Salesman, contain all the elements necessary for a tragedy, based on Aristotle's definition of both tragedy and action.

Ismene's Compelling Forces in Antigone
The character of Ismene struggled against the two compelling forces of influence and desire from the beginning of the play. These conflicting forces highlight the theme of conflict and tragedy...

Motherhood in Four Popular Works of Literature
Discusses motherhood in Oedipus the King (Jocasta), The Bacchantes (Agave), Macbeth (Lady Macduff) and Grendel (Grendel's Mother) by John Gardner.

Candide by Voltaire
Discusses Candide, a popular satire-allegory during the Enlightenment which chronicles the struggles and ambivalence of a young man to find happiness in the world, and shows the influence of the...

Origins of Inequality by Rousseau
Examines the juxtaposition of a man and society in Origins of Inequality, by French Political Theorist, Jean Jacques Rousseau and discusses the emergence of his social character.

Utilitarian Economics in Dickens' Hard Times
Provides a discussion of Dickens' novel Hard Times from an economic perspective. Dickens blasts the philosophies of Smith, Malthus, and Jeremy Bentham.

A Good Man is Hard to Find by Flannery O'Connor
Details how this short story by Flannery O'Connor typifies and differs from the other O'Connor works, known as the O'Connor world.

Foreshadowing and Its Use in Literature
Discusses the use of foreshadowing in literature, what it is and how it is used. Five authors are examined: J.D. Salinger, Joseph Heller, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Daphne du Maurier, and Margaret...

A Comparison of Edgar Allen Poe and Stephen King
Compares and contrasts the lives and works of Edgar Allen Poe and Stephen King, both masters of the horror genre.

Jack London's The Sea Wolf
Presents a critical review of Jack London's The Sea Wolf with regard to the central themes of gender roles and nature's balancing acts.

3 Characters' Reaction to Insanity
Analysis of the characters Fletcher Christian of Mutiny on the Bounty, Lt. Steve Maryk of The Caine Mutiny, and Starbuck of Moby Dick. A comparison of how these men react to their mad captains.

Relationships in Pride and Prejudice and The Scarlet Letter
Compares and contrasts the love relationships between Arthur & Hester & Fitzwilliam & Lizzie in Pride and Prejudice and The Scarlet Letter. One of the comparisons involves that fact that both...

Technology and Justice in Franz Kafka's In The Penal Colony
Examines how the concepts of technology and justice are portrayed in the short story, In the Penal Colony by Franz Kafka.

Magic in Ragtime
Explores E.L. Doctrow's use of magic realism and the theme of magic in his 1975 work, Ragtime.

Humor and Social Content in The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
Demonstrates how Oscar Wilde used wit and language to satirize Victorian society in his 1895 masterpiece, The Importance of Being Earnest.

Social Issues Reflected in A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen
Examines the prominent social issues of Henrik Ibsen's classic play, A Doll's House and the methods he used to convey his message.

A Literary Criticism of Stephan Crane's The Open Boat
The Open Boat, a short story by Stephan Crane, details the adventures of a correspondent and three companions who find themselves adrift following a shipwreck.

King Lear and the Renaissance
Compares Shakespeare's epic tragedy King Lear with the history of the cultural and scientific Renaissance in Europe.

Crimes of the Heart
Discusses the morality of the characters in Beth Henley's 1979 play Crimes of the Heart, using Aristotle's definition of morality as defined by The Moral Choice of the Personages.

Ernest Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises
Provides a review and analysis of Hemingway's 1926 work with an emphasis on the meaning and effect of the novel.

Eugene Ionesco's The Lesson
Critically analyzes the comedy drama The Lesson which ridicules academics and people who blindly follow the leader.

Sinclair Lewis' Babbitt
Examines Sinclair Lewis' classic novel and examines Babbitt's growth, his affair, and Lewis' views of American society.

Innocence and Destruction in Golding's Lord of the Flies
A discussion of the behaviors of the characters in William Golding's novel, Lord of the Flies, from the perspective of innocent fun vs. savage destruction.

Guide to British Literature
Discusses classic British literature. The authors and works covered are Beowulf, Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, Shakespeare, Wordsworth, Shelley, Keats, Thomas More, Tennyson, Bronte, Gerard Hopkins,...

Herman Melville's Bartleby the Scrivener : A Story of Wall Street
Discusses Herman Melville's Bartleby the Scrivener : A Story of Wall Street and analyzes the conclusion of the story and how Bartleby's life can be compared to a dead letter, as well as the meaning...

Absurdism in the Work of Samuel Beckett
Absurdist drama forces the audience to contemplate the fundamental philosophical question: what is the meaning of life in a world where meaning does not appear to exist? Discusses the elements of...

James Thurber's The Night the Bed Fell
The author discusses James Thurber's The Night the Bed Fell and makes a connection between Thurber's life and the story. This tale is autobiographical.

Feminism in Walker's Everyday Use and The Color Purple
Discusses Everyday Use and The Color Purple, by Alice Walker. In order to ascertain her ideas on women, particularly feminism, one must compare and contrast two of her works. The two works that...

Ideology and Hegemony of Social Class in Animal Farm and Metropolis
Explores the relationship between class domination and ideology play out in the in the two works. At focus is the effect that business has upon the manipulations of the people and the impossibly...

Jasmine
In this paper, there will be a discussion on the short story Jasmine. In it, a young woman arrives from Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, and seizes her own path in America. She is bound by her illegal...

Kurt Vonnegut's Hocus Pocus
Explores Vonnegut's views on education and on the polarization of society in Hocus Pocus.

Hamlet's Irreconcilable Moral Dilemmas
Offers a psychological approach to Shakespeare's Hamlet and discusses Hamlet's considerable emotional stress and how he is compelled to make decisions.

A Psychological Approach to Hamlet
Illustrates Hamlet's psychological make-up through a critical analysis of the character. Also discusses other basic elements of Shakespeare's play.

William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing
A general analysis of the dark comedy which has themes that are believed to be representative of Shakespeare's own life. Also contrasts the film version of the play to Shakespeare's original.

Hamlet's Relationship to Gertrude
Discusses a few aspects regarding Shakespeare's portrayal of women in Hamlet; namely, Hamlet's actions, attitudes and motivations in his relationship with Gertrude. *Includes an outline.

An Examination of The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Discusses the short story, The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, specifically, how it typifies how women's hysteria was treated by 19th century society.

The Character of Hamlet
Discusses the psychological make-up of the character of Hamlet in Shakespeare's play by the same name. Conclusively argues that Hamlet was an avenger, obsessed with depression, dying and revenge.

The Effects of Technology in Huxley's Brave New World
Discusses technology as represented by Aldous Huxley in his book and relates it to the development of eggs, embryos, and fetuses in the birthing process. Conclusively argues that technology has...

The Versatility of John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men
Provides a historical overview of Steinbeck's life and discusses the narrative form of one of his greatest novels, Of Mice and Men.

Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
Discusses the life and writings of one of the greatest and most versatile European writers and thinkers of all the time, German poet, dramatic and novelist, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

Character Creation and Credibility in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales
Analyzes Chaucer's use of language to create credibility and character development through an examination of each of five of the pilgrim's stories in Canterbury Tales.

Native Son by Richard Wright
Details the five major themes of social injustice, political ideology, racial conflict, human freedom and violence in Wright's famous novel.

An Analysis of Jane Eyre and One Hundred Years of Solitude
Examines the narrative styles employed by Charlotte Bronte in her 1847 novel, Jane Eyre and by Gabriel Garcia Marquez in his 1967 novel, One Hundred Years of Solitude.

Joseph Conrad's Nostromo
Critically reviews Joseph Conrad's Nostromo with regard to the central theme reality, a reality that conveys again and again that we are all in this alone.

The Works of Amy Tan
Provides brief biographical information about author Amy Tan and proceeds to show how she has woven elements of her own life into her stories The Joy Luck Club, The Kitchen Gods Wife, and The...

Johnson's Preference of Dryden
Provides brief biographies of Samuel Johnson, and his three contemporaries: John Dryden, Alexander Pope, and John Milton, examining their similarities and differences and extrapolating as to why...

The Dark Wind by Tony Hillerman
Provides an analysis of the main characters, plot, and setting of The Dark Wind by Tony Hillerman.

Machiavelli's Use of History
Discusses Machiavelli's use of history and life experiences in his famous work The Prince, which was written to advise a prince of Italy on how to rule.

Cornelius Tacitus as Impartial Historian
Provides a critical analysis of The Annals of Imperial Rome by Cornelius Tacitus which tells a history of Rome.

Flannery O'Connor's A Good Man is Hard to Find
Discusses how O'Connor's story illustrates the differences between the values of new and old. Focuses on the interaction between the grandmother and The Misfit.

Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon
Discusses Milkman's evolution from being selfish to becoming selfless through his gaining and understanding of his family and their past. Argues that ultimately Milkman reaches wholeness, which...

Conformity in Marilynne Robinson's Housekeeping
Provides a critical review of the novel Housekeeping and focuses on the theme of conformity to standard values for women.

A Red Death by Walter Mosely
Reviews A Red Death by Walter Mosely, the third in his on-going series about 1950's detective Ezekial Easy Rawlins. Discusses how the blacks in Watts in the 1950's, as depicted in the novel, have...

Joyce Carol Oates
Discusses Joyce Carol Oates' life and how it is, or is not, reflected in her writing.

Snow White: A Comparison of Three Versions
Compares the story of Snow White through three different versions: the Disney Classic, the original Grimm fairy tale, and a new up-dated version by Donald Barthelme. The story is perhaps best...

Translation of Antal Szerb's Literature
Provides a Synopsis of Szerb's The Traveler and argues that the translation by Peter Hargitai alters the text considerably.

A Hemisphere in a Head of Hair by Charles Baudelaire
Discusses why this poem is not a romantic love poem, why it is considered a Symbolist poem, and identifies the symbols. Baudelaire was not known for his lilting, romantic poetry, but rather for...

Evolution of Voluntarism in America
Discusses the changes in voluntary associations in America since the writing of Alexis de Tocqueville's Democracy in America.

The Yellow Wallpaper as Fictional Horror
Discusses Charlotte Perkins Gilman's use of horror in this story and how she uses this element to illustrate personal tragedy.

Upholding Order over Nature in Billy Budd
Illustrates that Billy Budd and Captain Vere pursued the role of peacemaker in their own ways, with each experiencing a moment of crisis, where each departed from his usual non-violent philosophy.

A Comparison of Alice Walker & Maya Angelou
In I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and The Color Purple, we are taken on a journey into the depths of a person's soul, and then out again, once the answers are discovered. Both Marguerite and...

Midsummer Night's Dream in Modern Times
In this paper, there will be a discussion on William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream and Michael Hoffman's 1999 adaptation of it. The format will be that of a literary critic-review, with...

Melville's Ahab and Ishmael in Moby Dick
In this paper, there will be a discussion on the differences and similarities found in Ahab and Ishmael of Herman Melville's brilliant masterpiece, Moby Dick. Though both men appear to have...

Shakespeare's Othello as Children's Tale
In this paper, there will be a discussion on William Shakespeare's Othello, as told by Charles and Mary Lamb. The focus will be on how well the tragedy translates into a children's tale and...

The Path of American Literature
In this brief paper, there will be a discussion on American Literature. Is there a common thread to be found throughout this tradition? Using T. S. Eliot's definition of the English-language...

Adventures in Wonderland -- An Adult Story
In this paper, there will be a discussion on Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and why the novel is more appropriate for adults than children. The political, social, philosophical, and mathematical...

Orwell's Animal Farm as Allegory
In this paper, there will be a discussion on George Orwell's Animal Farm and how the novel is an allegory of the USSR. In it, we will address the rise of the socialist political movement and how...

The Character of Sethe in Morrison's Beloved
In this paper, there will be a discussion on Sethe - the proud character from Toni Morrsion's award-winning Beloved. The focus of the paper will be Sethe's character development throughout the...

Bernard Shaw's Arms and the Man
In Arms and the Man, Bernard Shaw illustrates that heroes are not all the same, and by extension, he declares that the roles individuals lock into can sometimes be destructive. By having two...

Natsume Soseki's Kokoro
Discusses the themes in Kokoro, including the meaning of life and death, and human trust.

Oedipus the King & Prince Hamlet: Literature's Tragic Figures
Defines the tragic element of Sophocles' Oedipus The King and William Shakespeare's Hamlet, Prince of Denmark.

Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis
Discusses the symmetry between Gregor's demise and Grete's accession.

An Overview of Othello
Provides an overview of the story, the major characters, and the major themes of Othello.

Perkins' The Yellow Wallpaper and Ibsen's Doll's House
Compares and contrasts the theme of women's roles in the two works, one written as a narrative and the other a play.

An Analysis of the Themes of Ibsen's The Master Builder
Provides an examination of the themes of individualism, alienation, and self in Ibsen's work. The conclusion also relates the work to Ibsen himself.

The Character of Othello
Assesses the character of Othello in depth, and relates him to other major players in Shakespeare's work.

Camus' The Stranger
Analyzes the major themes, freedom and death, of Camus' work and explains how the main character, Meursault, manifests these themes.

Herbert Marcuse's One Dimensional Man
Presents the principal ideas and themes in Marcuse's work.

Narrative Perspectives in The Lottery and The Tell-Tale Heart
Compares the narrative points of view in the two works.

A Review of Huxley's Brave New World
Presents an analysis of Brave New World, focusing on the idea of the utopia and the way Huxley introduces the themes of the book.

Moliere's The Miser
A plot summary and character analyses of Moliere's 1668 play, The Miser.

Margery Allingham's The Tiger in the Smoke
Examines the themes of time, place, setting, and spirituality in Allingham's work of her famous detective, Albert Campion.

Franz Kafka and the Marxist Rhetoric
Examines the rhetoric in the short story The Hunger-Artist by Kafka from a Marxist Materialist perspective.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: The Code of Chivalry
Provides a critical analysis of this work with respect to the element of chivalry. (*Includes outline).

A Review of A Raisin in the Sun and Huckleberry Finn
Compares and contrasts Lorraine Hansberry and Mark Twain's well known works.

Charlotte Perkins Gilman's The Yellow Wallpaper
A critical analysis and summary of Gilman's famous work.

Contrast of the Tragic Figures in Shakespeare's Hamlet and King Lear
Compares and contrasts the characters Hamlet and King Lear, two tragic figures from Shakespeare's works. Includes a number of quotes to illustrate points

A Literary Analysis of James' Portrait of a Lady
Reviews the main themes, plot, and significance of Henry James' 1881 novel. Analyzes the psychological development of the main character as well as James' styles.

The Writings of Samuel Johnson
Discusses background and writings of Samuel Johnson, including his most famous work, The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abissinia.

The Hellenistic and the Baroque
Compares and contrasts two works: The Dying Gaul and The Ecstacy of St. Teresa. Discusses style characteristics of each work.

Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms: Life Imitating Art
Examines how Ernest Hemingway incorporated his personal experiences into his novels, particularly in the classic, A Farewell to Arms.

Good and Evil in Herman Melville's Billy Bud
An analysis of Melville's classic tale with regard to the themes.

The Significance of the River in Twain's Huckleberry Finn
Argues that the river itself is an important character in Mark Twain's classic story.

Lord Byron's Don Juan
Socio-political analysis of satire's timeless consistency. Discusses stereotypes and uncovers inaccuracies in Don Juan. Examines Byron's own life as influence for Don Juan. Also discusses role...

William Blake & Isaac Newton
Discusses the move from the Romantic to the Modern world (transition from romanticism to realism). Compares and contrasts Blake and Newton and explains their differences and similarities.

Antigone
A discussion of the attitudes toward Greek law of Antigone and her sister, Ismene.

Dick Diver in Tender is the Night
A character analysis of Dick Diver from F. Scott Fitzgerald's work.

The Book of David: How Preserving Families can Cost Children's Lives
Critically analyzes The Book of David as the story of how the child welfare system goes horribly wrong. The death of 15-month-old David at the hands of his mother is indicative of how policies...

Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
Provides a critical review of Frankl's novel, Man's Search for Meaning, which details his own struggle as a prisoner in the Nazi death camps during World War II.

The Lord of the Flies
Provides a discussion of how children lost on a deserted island in William Golding's novel revert to a state of barbarism in the absence of any adult supervision or civilization and examines...

Joan Didion in the 1960's
Discusses how writer and essayist Joan Didion conveyed the era of the 1960s through detail, commentary, and a keen sense of the irony.

Guests of the Nation by Frank O'Connor
Provides a critical analysis focusing on the plot of O'Connor's story.

The Quest for the Holy Grail
Discusses how the quest for the holy grail, in some legends used by Christ at the Last Supper, has been used for centuries as symbolic of the search for perfection. Also examines its relevance in...

Character Study of Two Stories in Joyce's Dubliners
Explores the relationships of characters in Araby and The Dead, two short stories in James Joyce's Dubliners.

The Concept of Justice in Ben Jonson's The Alchemist and Bartholomew Fair
Examines these two plays by Jonson and the theme of law and order in society, as well as its implementation.

The Use of Satire in Aldous Huxley's Brave New World
Examines Brave New World as a satirical novel and analyzes how Huxley paints a grim view of the world.

Samuel Johnson and his Views on Relationships
Examines the life of Samuel Johnson, English lexicographer, writer, and philosopher, with a focus on his views of relationships between men and women and how these views were apparent in his...

John Irving's A Prayer for Owen Meany: A Comparison of Own Meany and John Wheelwright
Discusses and compares the two primary characters of the novel, with emphasis on their faith in God and their belief in destiny.

To Be or Not to Be in Hamlet
Discusses Hamlet's most revealing soliloquy and offers insight into the speech's relationship to Hamlet's actions throughout the play.

The Clergy's Reaction to Elmer Gantry
Discusses the religious commentary written by Sinclair Lewis and explains the outrage the book incited from clergymen.

Rime of the Ancient Mariner
Provides a critical analysis of Samuel Taylor Coleridge's narrative poem as well as a biographical sketch of the author.

Irony in Oedipus the King
Discusses the uses, types, and effects of irony as exhibited in Oedipus Rex by Sophocles.

Edgar Allen Poe's Cask of Amontillado
Analyzes Edgar Allen Poe's short story, Cask of Amontillado, with respect to the theme of revenge.

Edgar Allen Poe's Masque of the Red Death
Analyzes Edgar Allen Poe's short story, Masque of the Red Death, with respect to its symbolism, characterization, and use of irony.

William Faulkner's A Rose for Emily and Its Relevance to Faulkner's Life
Provides a brief biographical sketch of the author and how his own life influenced his writing, especially the short story A Rose For Emily.

Billy Budd and O Pioneers! as Standard Bearers in Identifying American Fiction
Discusses the genesis of American Literature using Herman Melville's Billy Bud and Willa Cather's O Pioneers! as paradigms in establishing its unique character.

The Works of Henry James
Analyzes three of James' stories, including The Real Thing, Portrait of a Lady, and The Turn of a Screw, in terms of theme, plot, character, and originality.

Slavery and the Creation of Uncle Tom's Cabin
Discusses how Harriet Beecher Stowe's controversial and catalytic book, Uncle Tom's Cabin, was an undeniable product at the times and confronted the issue of slavery at a time when most Americans...

Henrik Ibsen's A Doll House
Brief essay looks at the theme of secrets leading to bigger problems in Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House.

A Comparison of All's Well that Ends Well and The Winter's Tale
Provides a summary of each play and discusses common themes in both Shakespeare's works, including comparisons of the male and female characters. Includes an outline.

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
Provides a critical review of Capote's novel through an examination of its format and accuracy in depicting true events.

Randall Mcmurphy in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Analyzes the character of McMurphy from a psychological point of view, and also by looking into the life of his career.

Fairy Tales
Analyzes how fairy tales have instilled in society distinct ideas of the identity of men and women and how these roles are enforced through language.

Representations of Shakespeare in His Character Prospero
Traces the actions of the character Prospero in Shakespeare's last completed play, The Tempest, drawing comparisons to Shakespeare's own life. The writer alludes to many connections and...

Hamlet's Insanity & The Ghost of His Father
Discusses the complexity of Shakespeare's play Hamlet and the primary character by the same name. Argues that Hamlet's madness is ultimately triggered by his encounter with the ghost of his father....

A Character Analysis of Daisy Miller & Carrie Meeban
Examines the Characterization of Henry James and Theodore Dreisers' heroines in their respective novels. Neither character could be accused of feminism--they have no political agendas--but their...

Justice in Homer's Odyssey
Examines Homer's concept of justice, in which it is necessary to illuminate the relationship of the Greek to his gods. Argues that Homer's justice is very different from our own. To us, justice is...

An Analysis of As I Lay Dying
Analyzes William Faulkner's narrative As I lay Dying. Looks at the different viewpoints within the novel, finding that Darl's is the most insightful and revealing. Ultimately argues that the...

Two Decades of F. Scott Fitzgerald
This report attempts to explain how Fitzgerald's novels and other literary works reflect a shift in attitude from one decade to the next, using The Great Gatsby and Tender is the Night as two...

Monroe Stahr in Fitzgerald's The Last Tycoon
Argues that the strength behind F. Scott Fitzgerald's piece, The Last Tycoon, lies in its hero, Monroe Stahr. Draws on comparisons to Jay Gatsby, a character in Fitzgerald's work The Great Gatsby....

George Orwell's 1984
Examines the characteristics of Orwell's society, Oceania, as depicted in his story 1984. Power, love, sanity-insanity, history, thought, and conformity are each discussed. The story is one of...

Flannery O'Connor's Good Country People and Everything That Rises Must Converge
Although these stories are undeniably unique, they share O'Connor's flare for both truth and tragedy. This report looks primarily at the characterization of the two stories as being one powerful...

American Literature
In this paper, there will be a discussion on American Literature. The topics will cover a wide variety of works, from poetry to prose. Authors and works include: William Cullen Bryant, Emily...

Women in Shakespearean Theatre
Discusses the introduction of actresses into Shakespearean plays. For too long, women were denied the chance to play the female roles, those great parts like Viola or Rosalind. Instead, boys were...

The Search for Personal Truth in Joyce's The Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
Discusses Joyce's stream-of-consciousness writing technique, and how it allows the reader to see into the mind of the main character. Also discussion centers on the topic of Joyce's theory...

The Invention of the Self
Discusses the concept of the self. Found in literature throughout history, the self was believed to come into its own during the Renaissance period. What are the conceptions of selfhood and...

Religion in Literature - Blake & Hawthorne
Discusses the role of religion within literature. What purpose does it serve and is it as simple as black and white? Does it simply divide innocence and experience? In Young Goodman Brown and...

The Rights, Privileges and Relations to Land
Discusses the topic of rights, privileges and relations to the land between whites, African Americans, Native Americans, and immigrants. The works of James Fenimore Cooper, Willa Cather, Mark...

Lord Byron and Love
Examines George Gordon's (Lord Byron) conception of love as revealed in Cantos I and II of his masterwork, the poem Don Juan.

No Self-Knowledge for Willie Loman
Discusses how Willie Loman, the protagonist from Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman, never acquires self-knowledge. What does Willie not learn about himself and his life?

Salman Rushdie: Midnight's Children
Examines Rushdie's 1980 novel Midnight's Children with respect to the following: the author's style and characterization; the theme of the work; what the book tells us about Indian-Pakistani...

The Four Loves as Found in Eliot and Forster
In this brief paper, C. S. Lewis' belief that There is no safe investment... To love at all is to be vulnerable will be applied to E. M. Forster's A Passage to India and T. S. Eliot's The Love Song...

The Military in Walden Two
Discusses the military found in the Skinner utopia - Walden Two. In the future, we learn that world peace does not need to be pursued because there is no aggression to counteract. The military in...

Universal Themes in Flowering Judas
Discusses the short story Flowering Judas by Katherine Anne Porter. Critical essays will be used to support the topic, analyzing the symbolism, the power of the setting, and more - all used to...

Critical Analysis of Romeo and Juliet
Discusses the play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. It will be a critical analysis, relying on the perspective of the writer, as well as scholars. The play is about a lost love that is...

Gissing's The Odd Women
Discusses George Gissing's late nineteenth-century novel The Odd Women. In it, there are remarkable insights into the Victorian world. It is near its end in 1890 and a new world is on the rise,...

An Explication of the Achilleus and Agamemnon Debate from The Illiad
An examination of the debate between Achilleus and Agamemnon in Homer's The Iliad (Book I) from the perspective of both speakers as well as a discussion of what is the issue, what is at stake, and...

A Critical Review of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty by James Thurber
Critically reviews the five fantasies in Thurber's well-known short story, providing unique insight into the main themes of the story.

The Role of Prejudice in The Merchant of Venice
Examines the plot of Shakespeare's play, The Merchant of Venice, and discusses prejudice as a major theme.

Hamlet's Relationship to His Mother
Discusses Hamlet's relationship to his mother as a basic element in Shakespeare's play.

Shakespeare's Hamlet
A well-written critical analysis of Shakespeare's play, with emphasis on the character of its hero, Hamlet.

William Shakespeare's Othello
A review of 21 lines of Shakespeare's play, Othello, by putting the short excerpt in the context of the entire play.

Female Friendship in Sula
Addresses the theme of female friendship in Toni Morrison's novel and discusses its use as a survival tool under patriarchy.

Jack Kerouac
Discusses Kerouac's life and writings, emphasizing how the unconventional lifestyle of this American author is thematic in his works, such as On the Road and The Tribe.

John Locke and John Keats
Contrasts the views of land between John Locke's Second Treatise of Government and John Keats' On First Looking into Capman's Homer.

Mary Shelly's Frankenstein
Critical analysis which discusses themes, imagery, and interpretations in Frankenstein, including a brief biography of the author. *Includes free outline.

Eudora Welty
Discusses Eudora Welty as a humanist who uses place as foundation for her vivid character work. It is her character work, and not her use of place that makes Welty a unique and successful writer....

James Joyce's The Dubliners
Analyzes the theme, plot, and characters of the short stories compiled in James Joyce's 1914 novel, The Dubliners, and features a closer examination of A Little Cloud.

Shakespeare's & Olivier's King Lear: An Examination
Analyzes the original Shakespeare play, King Lear, and the interpretation of the TV film version staring Laurence Olivier.

Name of the Rose: Ideology, the Movie and the Novel
Discusses the intellectual novel in comparison with the movie and how the Name of the Rose was a veiled ideology about forms of governments and class.

The Old Regime and The French Revolution & Dependent Development
Critically evaluates the novels by Alexis De Tocqueville and Peter Evans and offers an opinionated response.

An Examination of the Life and Writings of Margery Allingham
Analyzes the life and career of British novelist, Margery Allingham, through a biographical profile as well as a synopsis and comparison of two of her novels. Also examines the familiar themes in...

William Faulkner's Wash
Discusses the theme of the short story Wash and analyzes the relationship between Wash and Sutpen.

Women of Hollering Creek by Sandra Cisneros
Analyzes Women of Hollering Creek as it relates to the Chicano world, and in particular female Chicanas. Also looks at fatalism and honor among Chicano women.

Machiavelli and the Essence of Evil
Analyzes a passage from Machiavelli in the Prince and discusses its application in three works: Chaucer's The Miller's Tale, Sophocles' Antigone, and Homer's The Odyssey.

A Comparison of Manipulation in I'm Not Stupid and The Lottery
Compares Margaret Fletcher, the antagonist in the play, I'm not Stupid by David E. Rodriquez, and Mr. Summers of The Lottery. Discusses how each of these characters manipulate to achieve dominance.

Control in The Catbird Seat and I'm not Stupid
Compares the characters Mr. Martin, of The Catbird Seat by James Thurber, and Margaret Fletcher, of the play I'm not Stupid, with regard to their quest for control and the dimension control...

Literature and Life
Discusses the role of literature in life, using as examples John Berger's Ways of Seeing and Toni Morrison's Beloved.

Narrative Approach in Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye
Examines the narrative approach of Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye and explains why it succeeds.

Nadine Gordimer's My Son's Story
Presents a critical review of Nadine Gordimer's My Son's Story and argues that the novel falls far short of what we expect from a prize-winning author.

Rip Van Winkle
Provides a critical analysis of Washington Irving's tale, Rip Van Winkle, including a discussion of themes, plot, and characters.

The Beat Generation
Discusses the history of the Beat movement from it's inception, the primary Beat authors, the affect of the Beat Generation on literature and how music influenced the Beat writers.

Adam & Eve in Milton's Paradise Lost
Provides an analysis of the characters Adam and Eve from John Milton's Paradise Lost. Argues that Eve's character lacks depth as compared to her counterpart Adam. This depth of character is what...

The Characters in George Eliot's Adam Bede
Examines various characters in George Eliot's Adam Bede and discusses how Eliot provides a pastoral depiction of England, brilliantly juxtaposing the intensity of the characters. The writer...

Aldous Huxley and Technology
Brave New World, the science fiction classic by Aldous Huxley, has been the subject of considerable criticism since it was published in 1932. This satire on modern life expresses Huxley's deep...

Billy Budd's Innocence
In this very brief paper, there will be a defense of Billy Budd - the innocent victim of conspiracy, the martyr during wartime. His innocence is simple to establish, but the action that evolves...

The Roles of Oedipus & Job
Discusses the roles of Oedipus Rex and Job. Both characters are important to literature and basic human understanding. The relationships developed over time, between generations and between...

Human Nature and Government
Examines some of the writings of John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, James Madison and Alexander Hamilton, in which they formulated their theories of human nature and the nature of government. The works...

The Individual and Society in Memoirs of a Nun
Discusses the conflict that exists between individual and society, using Denis Diderot's novel Memoirs of a Nun as the framework. The trials of Sister Susan will be the driving force behind the...

Prophecy and the Present in Literature
Discusses the connections seen between the imagined futures of several works of fiction and the reality of today. The Brave New World of Aldous Huxley, the utopian nightmare of H.G. Wells and...

Health and Welfare in More's Utopia
Discusses the health and welfare found in Thomas More's Utopia. In such a perfect world, how is this problem taken care of? And is the solution good for society and the individual him-herself?...

John Milton's Samson Agonistes
Critical analysis of Milton's Samson Agonistes, with respect to his use of Puritan ideology in the adaptation of the biblical story.

Invisible Man & Gathering of Old Men
Comparison of Ralph Ellison's and Ernest Gaines' novels emphasizing themes of racism and its effect on the sense of manhood of Black men.

Hsuan-Tsang & Monkey
Commentary on Wu'cheng-en's novel Monkey, a story loosely based on actual Buddhist monk, Hsuan-Tsang.

Narrative Irony
Demonstrates that narrative irony can be thought of as a parody of narrative romance, using novels such as Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Heart of Darkness, and others.

Symbolism and the Unconscious in Young Goodman Brown
Discusses Hawthorne's use of symbolism in this short story which bypasses the conscious mind to explore the dream like processes of the unconscious.

Evil in Dante and Chaucer's Work
Looks at evil as it is portrayed in Dante's Divine Comedy and Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, and analyzes what the nature of evil meant to each of the authors.

Sir Francis Bacon's New Atlantis
Critically analyzes Bacon's New Atlantis, including a discussion of the philosophical notion of a utopia. Also provides brief biographical information on Bacon.

Stories of Lawrence, Mansfield, Joyce, & James
Presents critical analysis of Odour of Chrysanthemums by D.H. Lawrence, Her First Ball by Katherine Mansfield, Eveline by James Joyce, and The Real Thing by Henry James.

Aeneas' Journey in Virgil's The Aenied
Examines Book VI of The Aenied by Virgil. Prior to it, Aeneas was often sidetracked, even though he was well aware of his destiny. However, he regains his focus in Book VI, his faith is...

A River Runs Through It: Film vs. Book
This paper compares and contrasts two versions of A River Runs Through It, the film version and the book version. Central to the discussion will be how the film version, adapted by Robert Redford...

A Character Analysis of Nabokov's Ada or Ador: A Family Chronicle
This paper offers an examination of the character Ada in Vladimir Nabokov's Ada of Ador: A Family Chronicle, by providing a summation of her personality traits as well as the system of thought she...

The Living Ghosts of William Faulkner's Absalom, Absalom
Discusses the repeated references to ghosts and similar spiritual notions employed by Faulkner in Absalom, Absalom; references that Faulkner does not restrict to the prebellum or antebellum South....

Shakespeare's Sonnet 73
A discussion of the meaning and significance of Shakespeare's Sonnet 73.

Chernyshevsky's What is to be Done
A critical analysis of Chernyshevsky's 1863 novel What is to Be Done.

Crimes of the Heart
Review of Beth Henley's novel focusing on the themes of pain and hurt, crime and punishment, and suicide.

Justice in The Republic
Details the principle of justice in Plato's Republic.

Toni Morrison's Sula
Analyzes themes in Toni Morrison's novel Sula, particularly the significance of Sula's birthmark.

The Lottery
Critically analyzes Jackson's narrative with regard to her style and tone. Also illustrates the types of responses the story may illicit from the reader.

Toni Morrison's Representation of the Past
Discusses how Morrison writes about the past through her use of language and narrative.

Critical Analysis of WIlliam Golding's Works
Provides literary analysis of Golding's works Lord of the Flies, Darkness Visible, Free Fall, and the Inheritors.

Death and Duality in Mrs. Dalloway
Discusses the theme of death in Virginia Woolf's novel, Mrs. Dalloway, through an examination of the plot and characters.

Oedipus and Antigone: A Character Comparison
Discusses the two main characters of the plays by Sophocles and argues that each of these individuals held a position of power in one form or another and each used their power differently with a...

Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire & Walker's Everyday Use
In both Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire and Alice Walker's Everyday Use, there exists two sisters, whose relationship reaches a turning point. In each, one sister is required to make...