Free American Literature Essay Examples & Topics. Page 4

1,955 samples

Key Points in “Hard Core” by Linda Williams

In the first chapter of Hard Core: Power, Pleasure, and the "Frenzy of the Visible," author Linda Williams reveals the concepts of "speaking sex" as a feature of pornography and the "knowledge-pleasure" sexuality represented in [...]
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1139

Jack London’s The Call of the Wild

The purpose of the essay is to summarize the story of The Call of the Wild, describe its characters and themes, express the opinion regarding the background story behind key characters' relationship, and get an [...]
  • 3
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1239

Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller

He trained his sons on his approach to life and hoped they would follow and achieve his dream of success. Willy's life was a disappointment as he had the wrong ambitions and failed to teach [...]
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 920

The “Sylvia and Aki” Book by Winifred Conkling

The incorporation of two distinctive perspectives on the events transpiring in the book, namely, those of the Mendez and Munemitsus families, also contributes to reinforcing the powerful message that the book conveys: "Every child deserves [...]
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 650

Irony in The Ransom of the Red Chief by O. Henry

The irony is further exemplified when the two men end up paying the father to take his son back. These instances reveal how the roles of the father and the kidnappers are displayed in a [...]
  • Pages: 1
  • Words: 321

Analysis of The Naked Citadel by Susan Faludi

The cadets insist that this is an integral part of the Citadel, that promotes the lifestyle that they want the cadets to follow one of trust in one's fellow man and the sense that everyone [...]
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 947

“Cross Country Snow” by Hemingway

The hesitancy and repetition of phrases, the parallels of contrast, express and enforce the strong bound between George and Nick. In the case of George and Nick they form the basis of their relationship.
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1178

John Steinbeck’s The Pearl

As the title of the book suggests, the story is based on the enormous pearl Kino finds, and the events that took place as people tried to hunt Kino for possessing the pearl.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 585

‘Brother I’m Dying’

The main theme in her book highlights the lives of families of Haitians in the US. She believes the impact of the US stay is the cause of constant devastations and rebuilding, self governance and [...]
  • 5
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1146

Literature Analysis of Charlotte Mew Poems

Being different in their structure and stylistic devices, these three poems, however, are devoted to the exploration of the motif of death, destruction, and renewal which are integral parts of the war. It is devoted [...]
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1124

The Fall of the House of Usher

Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher is a short story which makes the reader feel fear, depression and guilt from the very first page and up to the final scene.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 585

“No Easy Day” By Mark Owen

The major strength of the book is that the raiding mission that led to the killing of Osama Bin Laden is described by a person who was part of the team conducting the operation.
  • 5
  • Pages: 6
  • Words: 1659

One Theme Represented in “Mr Green”

Green, Butler develops the theme of gender identity through the use of minor character like the narrator's Mother. In conclusion, through the minor character; mother, Butler has managed to develop the theme of gender identity.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 631

Little Red Riding Hood Revisited by Russell Baker

It is important to stress that Baker filled his new version of the story with a number of professions being popular and respected by modern generation."The purpose of this enlarged viewing capability," said the wolf, [...]
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 810

“Am I Blue” Short Story by Alice Walker

The plot of the story, therefore, becomes an argumentative platform for the author to touch on the way the animals are being discriminated upon and how that is more than likely similar to how people [...]
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1050

“Interpreter of Maladies” by Jhumpa Lahiri

The plot revolves around the trip of the Das Indian family from the USA to India itself. Kapasi to discover the difference in "interpreting" their national and personal perception.Mr.
  • Pages: 1
  • Words: 389

Reaction Paper of the Book “A Child Called It”

Likewise, his position in the family changing from a 'son', 'the boy' and finally to 'it' not only indicates the severity of torture faced by David, but also the writer's expertise in explaining it.
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 697

On Violence by Hannah Arendt

In the book, Hannah put forth a number of arguments in analyzing the issue of violence in the second part of the twentieth century.
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 837

WIT by Margaret Edson

An interpretation of the ending of the play is given with the impact that is felt as a result of the play is brought light.
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1083

In the Basement of the Ivory Tower

In his compelling masterwork, In the Basement of the Ivory Tower, Professor X laments on the poor education system among the people of low social class in America.
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1389

Sammy’s Heroism in “A&P” by John Updike

At the beginning of the story, Sammy seems like a thoughtless sexist who only admires girls because he has nothing to do, but as the story develops the readers is able to see beyond Sammy's [...]
  • 4
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 596

Charles Bukowski: A View from the Gutter

One of the most consistent criticisms hurled Bukowski's way, and one of the justifications for his bad reputation, appears as the observation that his work appeals to those who do not understand, or value, the [...]
  • Pages: 6
  • Words: 1733

“The Sandman” by E. T. A. Hoffmann

This occurs as a result of the mysterious death of his father which occurred in a manner that is consistent with the story of the Sandman, a bedtime story that he used to be told [...]
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 798

The Story “Who’s Irish” by Gish Jen

One of the main issues raised in the story is the indignation of the older woman by the behavior of her granddaughter who "is not like my daughter Natalie, or like me".
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 851

A Silent Spring by Rachel Carson

By the time of her death from cancer of the breast only 18 months after publication of this book, she had been awarded a freedom medal by the president and indeed a revolution to fight [...]
  • Pages: 7
  • Words: 1933

“Dreams From My Father” by Barack Obama

The paper comprises the advantages and limitations of the author's flow of thought, his manner of own life details description, and the effects which are seen nowadays in the political career of the author.
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1155

“The Yellow Wallpaper” Short Story by Gilman

In Gilman's short story "The Yellow Wallpaper," the unnamed female protagonist is instructed to rest in isolation and stillness in the large upper room of a remote country house that has bars on the windows [...]
  • Pages: 1
  • Words: 232

Feminism in the “The Bell Jar” by Sylvia Plath

This piece of writing reveals the concept of gender in general and "the role of female protagonists in a largely patriarchal world" in particular. In Plath's novel, the bell jar is a metaphor used to [...]
  • Pages: 7
  • Words: 1909

“Stones and Switches” by Lorne Simon

The main hero of the novel, a young man, named Megwadesk, is plagued by misfortune following him around, and struggles against it as his perceptions of right and wrong are shifting between Christianity, spiritualism, and [...]
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 681

“The Big Sleep” by Raymond Chandler

However, to understand this argument, it is pertinent to know the distinctive features of the social world that the author describes events in the Big Sleep.
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1217

“Desiree’s Baby” by Kate Chopin

In this story, the author examines the theme of race and identity by hiding Desiree's identity. In the story, it is evident that knowing one's identity and origin helps a person connect with the society.
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1503

The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Poe

This metaphor is necessary to show that the feeling of guilt distorts his perception of reality. This is one of the details that can be distinguished.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 577

The Grass is not Greener on the Other Side

Madame Loisel, does not value her lifestyle and heritage, and feels that she, "was by a mistake of destiny, born in a family of clerk", and yet desires to be equal to the great, rich [...]
  • 1
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 794

“The Fish” by Elizabeth Bishop

Consequently, the fish appears as a courageous fighter who has been struggling for existence and is rewarded by the gift of life it that gets from the narrator in the end of the poem.
  • 3
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 961

The “Quiet” Book by Susan Cain

Secondly, the author draws the reader to the benefits of introversion and the disadvantages of the trait within the workplace. The author traces the roots of the extrovert ideal to the spring of industrial America [...]
  • Pages: 11
  • Words: 3082

The Short Story “Two Kinds” by Amy Tan

Most prominently, this technique is used during the climactic confrontation between Jing-Mei and her mother, when the Jing-Mei's long-deceased sisters are mentioned. Over the course of the story, Jing-Mei's mother projecting her dreams on Jing-Mei [...]
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 611

“The Black Cat” Short Story by Edgar Allan Poe

The purpose of the short story has long been a subject of debate."The Black Cat," while having some characteristics of the horror genre, presents a psychoanalytical approach to the mind of a psychopath, a scrutiny [...]
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 671

“Red Harvest” by Dashiell Hammett

Red Harvest was the first detective story written by Hammett and the first crime fiction that created a new sub-genre in a crime fiction literature.
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1475

Hills Like White Elephants Analysis

Hemingway wrote 'Hills like White Elephants' in the third-person perspective that restricts the tale to the words and actions of the characters.
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 1106

Blind in Raymond Carver’s “Cathedral” Book

The narrator admits from the very beginning of the story that he is nervous about having a blind man in his house, suggesting that he himself is actually quite blind to the reality of the [...]
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 1008

“The Dead” by James Joyce

It is paramount to address the fact that this collection was written during an extremely stressful period in the life of the author, and it has reflected in the content.
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 828

“The Dead Woman” by Pablo Neruda

In the poem "the dead woman" by Pablo Neruda, the subject, states of his feeling of wanting to go back to where his loved one is lying without life, but he also clearly states that [...]
  • 3
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1100

“Cannery Row” by John Steinbeck

The main problem is that Doc is unable to find his own happiness, and at the end, he is still a lonesome individual who has to seek consolation in music and art.
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1376

Analysis of ‘Rule of the Bone’ by Russell Banks

From the onset, the author points out the importance of the family institution in inculcating the right morals to children. Besides, the author is on point to show that Chappie's theft of souvenir-coins of his [...]
  • Pages: 6
  • Words: 1666
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