Concepts in American Novels Essay Examples and Topics

Abstract In “A Rose for Emily,” William Faulkner depicts a conflict between the hopes and dreams one has and the environment that can ruin everything. In this reaction paper to one of the most prominent Faulkner’s works, I attempt to describe and analyze the strategies that the author used to make this conflict acute and […]

Narcissism is a term used to refer to a social problem or mental illness in a person and it is commonly described in terms of a personality trait. Such characteristics are selfishness, self-pity, spitefulness, having a low self esteem and self-loath. One such narcissist that I happen to know quite well is a man called […]

Introduction Happiness is a desirable characteristic to every individual who desires to live an untroubled and settled life. As much as this happiness may be important in life, most people don’t have the slightest idea on how to acquire it. The extents that some individuals go in vain efforts to be joyful are at times […]

“A Rose for Emily” was first published in 1931 by an American writer; William Faulkner.it is a fictional work that is based on a city called Jefferson in Mississippi in Yoknapatawpha County. The story is about Emily, the daughter of Mr. Grierson, a once prosperous Jefferson businessman. Due to his enormous wealth, Mr. Grierson was […]

Values in “Bread Givers” by Anzia Yezierska The aim of this essay is to detail the predicaments faced by Sara Smolinsky in Anzia Yezierska’s novel, Bread Givers, largely due to conflicts between old world values represented by her country of origin in Eastern Europe, and early 20th century, modern American values. Using the novel as […]

Introduction In the article “The Nine-mile Wolves”, Rick Bass makes the case for the continued protection of the wolf species of North America and Canada, viewing them as endangered species due to the combined forces of civilization, political necessity and even ignorance practiced by the citizens and leaders of these countries. In the article, author […]

“The Old Man and the Sea” is a story of a modest old man and his struggle for the greatness. The plot is based on life of Santiago, an elderly Cuban fisherman who is unlucky in his fishing escapades. He is so unlucky that parents of a young boy Manolin, who wanted to fish with […]

The character of Emily Grierson in William Faulkner’s short story, “A Rose for Emily”, leaves the reader in dilemma as to whether Emily is the protagonist or the antagonist. Faulkner uses an unknown narrator reveal to the reader a woman who has mixed character traits. So complex is her character that the reader is left […]

Introduction What would one do if faced with stressful encounters of forced and non-working marriage? Quitting the marriage, better known as divorce in the marriage institution, is the best answer for majority of the victims of such a situation. Imagine being exposed to mistreatments by an in-law mother at a tender age of 10! In […]

The Cask of Amontillado is one of the best known works of Edgar Allan Poe. This is a tale woven together through the use of lies and smooth words coming out from its main character and narrator. The short story is interesting in the sense that all the information about the characters and the events […]

Mark Twain, the writer of the book “The two views of the Mississippi” talks of the two sides of the Mississippi River; however, Twain uses ‘Mississippi’ symbolically to represent life. The short story underscores how individuals lose the ability to see the beauty in common place especially in the workplace; what appears as beauty to […]

The Lottery, a 1948 short story by Shirley Jackson, developed the themes of adherence to meaningless traditions, parenting and scapegoating. The broad aftermath and the negative responses of the readers who did not see the line between fiction and reality prove that the plot of the short story The Lottery by Jackson reflects the real […]

Introduction Henry David Thoreau, an American author and philosopher is known for his book, Walden which advocates for simple living. Between 1845 and 1847, he withdrew into the woods where he remained solitary for two years and two months reflecting upon his life and trying to awaken his soul. His greatest conviction was rooted in […]

The Grapes of Wrath is a perfect example of a political novel that narrates the experience of the Joad family after being evicted from their farm in Oklahoma and their discouraging journey to California. In the first few chapters, the author gives the reader an opportunity to participate in the story of the Joads by […]

True feelings and experience are offered in Their Eyes Were Watching God written by Zora Neale Hurston. The author admits that Janie Crawford has the life that is divided in accordance with the men, who enter her life. Though the central message of the story is all about the independence of the main character, it […]

The rationale behind reflection is to exhibit the learnt principles, speculations, and concept of bargaining as well as negotiation. One may desire to center on one particular passage or to react to the focal argument of the entire selection. It usually entails commenting on the content portrayed by the author (Palloff & Pratt 71). Patrick […]

It is certainly evident that life and experience occurs, and eliminates or changes the quality of human innocence. Of course, this is perfectly normal. However, frequently those undergoing such a process, can often feel suffering, loss, and perhaps confusion. This is definitely a part of human evolution. Within our text, the reading of the three […]

Introduction The play ‘Fences” by August Wilson explores the delicate issue of racism by interrogating the experiences of a black family as tracked in a number of decades. The effects of racism revealed in several instances in ‘Fences’ contradicts the national ethos of the American dream. The title of the play alludes on the boundary […]

Gladwell explores the encounters of Cesar Millan, the dog whisperer who non-verbally communicated with the dogs and mastered his expertise to tame the dogs. Cesar is described as a young short man who plays soccer. He is Mexican and loves working with dogs. Although not formally trained, Cesar Millan has the potential of taming even […]

Introduction The essay analyzes “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien. This collection of short stories is devoted to a platoon of American soldiers who fight in the Vietnam War. The book is a powerful blend of fact and fiction that leaves the reader with a lasting impression of fear, love, and gratitude for the […]

Introduction Drama is defined as a composition in verse or prose which expresses views on a critical subject through actors who take the position of the characters as they perform the action. It is a serious work of art intended for theatrical performance. There are many renowned dramatists who have produced compelling pieces of drama […]

Overview This is a novel on two sisters and their love lives. Blanche, a school teacher from Laurel, Mississippi arrives to stay with her sister, Stella in New Orleans who is married to Stanley. She has lost her family fortune and estate due to a mortgage foreclosure. She is highly critical and snobbish when she […]

In the story cathedral by Raymond Carver, the author who is also the persona introduces a blind man who is an old friend of his wife (Schneider par 1). He revealed how the old man met his wife some years back. Being the persona in the story, he unfolds how the blind man met his […]

Introduction The literal works always take different formats these include novels, novella, poems, short stories collections, and even kid’s books. The book Motorcycle ride on the sea of tranquility is set as a Kid’s book. It presents the transformation of the teens to young adults and the affection that they have to one another. However, […]

Introduction The novel “picture this” by Joseph Heller is more or less written in relation to Rembrandt’s painting the Aristotle Contemplating the Bust of Homer which in1961 was sold to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The themes that Heller actually focuses on are those of war, money and government. Another important aspect that he looks […]

Introduction Penned by a famous Minessota native and narrated by Nick Carraway, The Great Gatsby is a captivating must-read chef-d’oeuvre. Like Fitzgerald, Nick is a native of Minnesota and an advocate of Midwestern values. The novel’s setting is on the long island dominated by prosperous wealthy and poor communities of East Egg and West Egg. […]

Book Summary The Rocking-Horse Winner describes a young boy’s search for luck and love in a world with no love. Paul has a gift of picking the winning horse in horse races. His mother, Hester, in contrary, has no luck and even though she is outwardly successful, she is troubled by a feeling of failure. […]

Introduction The 10-1 approach is designed method aimed at integrating critical thinking, reading and writing about issues and scenarios in our culture. This approach mostly helps one to get well structured ideas in the process of analyzing and synthesizing a phenomenon. For the process to be a success there are some thinking skills brought into […]

Summary Authored by Jodi Picoult, The Pact is a must-read fascinating chef-d’oeuvre giving an account of three friends: Sampson Davis, George Jenkins and Rameck Hunt who met at Magnet high school where they were learning in their home town of Newark. The three make their pact while in the high school concerning how they can […]

Introduction The story “This is what it Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona” contains various symbolic elements and phrases representing the decline of the Native American culture and the gradual loss of traditions in favor of modernity. This can be seen in phrases such as “who does have money on a reservation except the cigarette and […]

Introduction Feminist criticism is the way through which literature has been used to reinforce or undermine the role played by women in the society. This includes the role of women in social, political and economical activities of the society. In most societies of the world, women and the role that they play in the society […]

Introduction That there’s a God, that there’s a Saviour too: Once I redemption neither sought nor knew. Some view our sable race with scornful eye, “Their colour is a diabolic dye.”Remember, Christians, Negroes, black as Cain, May be refin’d, and join th’ angelic train. (Wheatley, 12; Lauter, 575) Literature is a discipline that has been […]

Introduction Louis L’ Amour was a talented man: “He was a merchant seaman, miner, professional boxer, a recipient of the presidential Medal of Freedom and an author of over 90 novels” (Swaim 1). He wrote books including Crossfire, The Walking Drum, Trail, Hondo, Last of the breed and Sackette’s land. He was one of the […]

To His Coy Mistress is a poem which was written by a man to express his feelings to a lady who did not seem to see the essence of love or sex. The poem captured several themes including time, sex, mortality, freedom and confinement. This essay will discuss these themes and also the use of […]

Written by Michael Cunningham, the hour is a novel that focuses on the lifestyle, attitude, personality, and reputation of women. Although there are many characters in the novel, the author explicitly majors on three of them especially women who include, Virginia Woolf, Laura Brown, and Clarrisa Vaughn. Through description of their daily errands and activities, […]

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, which was first published in 1885, by Mark Twain is regarded by most people as one of the important American works of fiction ever written because of its artistry and evocation of major themes within the United States of America. The book received praises because of its ability to teach […]

In this essay, I argue the issue of the role of settings in the novel Passing by Nella Larson, because the resent research in the field of literature have shown that the setting makes the basis for the story that the author is telling. One of the most well-know contemporary American writers, Nella Larsen explores […]

Introduction The ‘Cask of Amontillado’ is a literary classic story, which can pass as an ordinary narrative piece of literature to the average ordinary reader. To readers with a critical eye however, the figurative speech, and the hyperbole contained in the story cannot go unnoticed. Figurative/symbolic expressions Irony – Montresor, who is committed to punishing […]

Willa Cather’s story, Paul’s Case, revolves around the life of a young man named Paul. This story brings out the life of this young boy as one that is full of desires and dreams but he cannot work to fulfill them. The author has employed the use of character, action and imagery to bring out […]

Introduction Sojourner truth was born in 1800’s America, one of the darkest period in human history characterized by slave trade and gross mistreatment of the black race. She and her parents as well as the other slaves were subject of untold torture from their masters. She was the daughter of slaves owned by Colonel Ardinburgh, […]

Introduction Henry James (1943-1916) in his book “the American” exposes the various roles assumed by both men and women in the society. The novel takes a complex approach with the theme cutting across the lifestyles in America and Europe. In this novel, James portrays an in-depth greed and selfishness that compels characters to indulge in […]

The short story “A Good Man is Hard to Find” stands as the American Southern Gothic writer Flannery O’Connor’s most disturbing work of fiction. “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” is the title work of O’Connor’s debut collection of short stories which appeared in 1955, and the piece remains her signature short story (Kinney […]

Introduction “Atlas Shrugged” refers to a novel by Ayn Rand. In this novel Rand explores the United States where there is an outcry of renowned renovators against exploitation by the government. The government expresses its spirit of relentlessness in exploitation by maintaining control over the industry. As a result, the whole society collapses amid a […]

The reading of Khaled Hosseini’s novel The Kite Runner leaves very little doubt as to the fact that the theme of loyalty plays a rather important role in defining the novel’s semiotic significance. After all – it is after having proven his loyalty to Hassan by the means of bringing his son Sohrab to the […]

Stylistic devices and themes can play the major role of a cornerstone upon which any literary work can be built on. This can help bring out the beauty that keeps the readers glued to the text and be the captivating component that puts the reader’s intellect on toes. As shown by William Faulkner in his […]

Written by Gary Shteyngart, Super, Sad, and True Love Story is a fictional novel describing the vicissitudes of two lovebirds, Lenny Abramov and Eunice Park. Both are a generation of American immigrants during its political turmoil with unstable economy. However, the only means of communication is through electronics like instant emails or electronic journals. Although […]

Elie Wiesel was a devout Jew during his childhood, just before the Holocaust wounded his soul. He survived the events of the Holocaust, but in his waiting for the Lord’s intervention, just like it was in the bible, his doubts in God and his mercy began to develop. The book ‘Night’ tells us of the […]