Literature Essay Examples and Topics. Page 16

8,616 samples

The Poem “Still, I Rise” by Maya Angelou

The person addressed by "you" in the poem is the oppressor of the Woman. The Woman tells her oppressor that she will rise like dirt despite the unfair treatment she receives.
  • Subjects: Poems
  • Pages: 1
  • Words: 113

“How I Met My Husband” by Alice Munro

The source is effective such that it helps to extract the language used in Munro's story and establish how the language is expressively used based on the contexts.
  • Subjects: American Literature
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1757

“Mrs. Sen” Short Story Analysis

It is also likely that the relationship between Eliot's mother and her neighbors is sour. Sen is a responsible person and knows how to take care of children.
  • Subjects: World Literature
  • Pages: 1
  • Words: 310

Oppressing Rules and Traditions Against Women in the Victorian Period

Therefore, this paper discusses some of the gender-oppressing rules during the Victorian era and how Bronte uses the self-realization journey of Jane Eyre in overcoming and standing against the societal traditions to become a heroine [...]
  • Subjects: Gender in Literature
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 906

Themes in Evslin’s “The Adventures of Ulysses”

However, no matter how important the physical map of the city and the wanderings of the heroes is. Nobility, loyalty to the word, decency, and dignity are the distinctive qualities of the heroes of The [...]
  • Subjects: Themes in American Novels
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 575

Oedipus: Three-Way Compare and Contrast

Sophocles used the myth of the unfortunate King Oedipus in the plot of his drama to show the clash of the will of the gods and man's choice.
  • Subjects: Comparative Literature
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 611

Lost Love of the Narrator in “The Raven” by Poe

Beginning with the first stanza of the poem, the narrator states that he is exhausted and hears a gentle tapping as he nods in a somnolent condition; however, he first concludes that the knocking on [...]
  • Subjects: Poems
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 845

“The Robber Bridegroom” by Brothers Grimm

Brothers Grimm published “The Robber Bridegroom” in 1812. The fairy tale reflects patriarchy in society where the father is the absolute authority.
  • Subjects: World Literature
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 334

“Mother Tongue” by Tan

Although the topic of the narration is language, the writer emphasizes its role in her mother's life and finishes the text underlining the value of her mother's opinion. Quoting her mother, the writer intends to [...]
  • Subjects: American Literature
  • Pages: 1
  • Words: 303

Ecopoetry: Key Features and Examples

In the era of modernism, poets tried to find a basis for the further existence of people in the world, and for some, such a basis was the strengthening of ties with nature.
  • Subjects: Poems
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1144

This Is Our Youth by Kenneth Lonergan

The exploration of the difficulties that occur during the transition from adolescence to adulthood is the key message of the play.
  • Subjects: Plays
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1313

Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird: Poem Analysis

For instance, in the seventh stanza of the poem, the author appeals to the reader by encouraging them to rediscover their fascination with a blackbird instead of drowning in dreams of a "golden bird".
  • Subjects: Poems
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1126

The Play “Death of a Salesman”

The last scene will take place on the lowest level, the garden, which will be transformed into a graveyard by the rising of gravestones and the projection of a mausoleum in the background of the [...]
  • Subjects: Plays
  • Pages: 9
  • Words: 2507

Friendship in The Old Man and The Sea

The book was the last published during the author's lifetime, and some critics believe that it was his reflection on the topics of death and the meaning of life.
  • Subjects: World Literature
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1414

“Dare to Lead” by B. Brown

Dare to Lead refers to the works devoted to psychological issues and is intended to focus on delusions in respect of the modern workplace, finding the keys to true leadership.
  • Subjects: American Literature
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 827

The Lost Daughter Novel by Elena Ferrante

Leda's personality is shaped by her childhood traumas and relationship with her mother that influence her own experience of motherhood and her relations with her daughters and other people.
  • Subjects: World Literature
  • Pages: 10
  • Words: 2758

“Under the Overpass” by M. Yankoski

The author intends to put himself and his companion to the test by traveling to six cities of the US in the conditions of uncertainty and social rejection.
  • Subjects: American Literature
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1378

The Stranger: Analysis of the Story

That evening the stranger joins the rest of the camp at the campfire where he begins to narrate his story. At the beginning of the story, the stranger proclaims that, "...you are not the first [...]
  • Subjects: World Literature
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 792

Imagery and Theme in William Blake’s Poems

Through the years the author got the new vision of his poems what was expressed by the difference between the imagery of Introductions and the Song's of Nurse in the Songs of Innocence and Songs [...]
  • Subjects: Comparative Literature
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 648

Selfish Love in the Story Reunion by John Cheever

Although it is a short story the author managed to provide a clear understanding of how quickly the son got disappointed in his father and the feeling of excitement about the meeting changed to the [...]
  • Subjects: Modernist Literature
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 584

A Turn of Events, Based on Richard Ford’s “Optimists”

In addition, the author, through the title makes the reader infer that the characters' lives are enjoyable, which is not the case, revealing the unique objective of the author, that being optimistic does not mean [...]
  • Subjects: American Literature
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 857

War Dances by Alexie Sherman

And then the novel tells as the main character gets accustomed to this news, and at the same time, it builds a lovely storyline of character's life. The episode, which tells about his father's surgical [...]
  • Subjects: Aspects of American Novels
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1364

Myths: a Very Big Impact in the Lives of Human Beings

Myths are said to provide a framework of cultures in the society and are also said to educate people in the society so that they can have a means of coping with the traditions which [...]
  • Subjects: Mythology
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1438

Adultery in Kate Chopin’s ‘The Storm’

According to Chopin, a passionless marriage coupled with adultery is consequence-free and is as powerful as 'the storm' and that it can help maintain the union, nature, and happiness of the married couple, a view [...]
  • Subjects: Modernist Literature
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 1032

Virginia Woolf and Modernism

The lack of actual historical information is a testament to the treatment accorded to women in the 16th century and this is an element of modernity that Woolf uses; the oppression of women in the [...]
  • Subjects: Modernist Literature
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 694

The Mimic Men Novel by Naipaul

The writer uses first-person narration to illustrate how Ralph is writing a memoir in response to the muddled uproar that is rampant in the setting of the novel.
  • Subjects: British Literature
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 909

E. E. Cummings Life and Poetry

Art is a not only a tool used to reflect the happenings in a society, but it also reflects the feelings of the artist towards the society and towards themselves. Through the paintings of an [...]
  • Subjects: Poems
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1154

Short Story “Ransom of Red Chief” by O. Henry

Yet, the worst was still laying ahead it is not only that Dorset had refused to pay ransom for the release of his son, but he himself demanded ransom from both kidnappers, in order to [...]
  • 5
  • Subjects: American Literature
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1469

Araby, a Short Story by James Joyce

James Joyce is considered to be one of the most outstanding writers of the Modernist literature which occupies period from the beginning of the XXth century to the end of World War II.
  • Subjects: Aspects of American Novels
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1366

How Story Telling Impacts Ishmael Beah’s Life

He dared to make this dangerous travel in order not to be swallowed by an insatiable mouth of war when it knocked on Ishmael's door for the second time."They had run so far away from [...]
  • Subjects: World Literature
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 1026

Personal Conflict of King Lear in Play by Shakespeare

From the beginning of the story, he managed to set the readers against the king, which makes the majority of them support the daughters in the conflict between them and the king, the conflict that, [...]
  • Subjects: Plays
  • Pages: 6
  • Words: 1687

Applying Intentional Fallacy to Shakespeare’s Sonnets

However, as a reaction against the extreme subjectivity of the Romantics and the social emphasis of the Victorian Age, literary criticism under the label of 'New Criticism' or the Formalists took the shape of a [...]
  • Subjects: Poems
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1413

Shakespeare’s “Othello” and Miller’s “The Crucible”

The villains in both "Othello" and "The Crucible" are unique in their proficiency in the use of language for manipulating others and their ability to use the current setting for achieving their goals; Abigail is [...]
  • Subjects: Comparative Literature
  • Pages: 6
  • Words: 1534

“The Nose” by Nikolai Gogol

Much of the satire derives from these oppositions and from the fact that it is impossible to reliably describe the difference between doubles and opposites."The Nose" treats the seriousness of life with comicality; the author [...]
  • Subjects: World Literature
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1123

“Trifles”: Mrs. Peters Character

Peters reveals and enriches itself throughout the play: initially embodying the quality of obedience, with time she demonstrates the power of observance and attention to small things and consequently achieves a triumph over the male [...]
  • Subjects: Plays
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 658

“A White Heron” by Sarah Orne Juwett

Nature is full of mystery, diversity, richness, it is a human dwelling, but one of the burning problems is the place of a human in nature.
  • Subjects: American Literature
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 625

Nella Larsen’s “Passing”: Character Comparison

Of these works, "Passing" is one of her novels that attracted the audience's special attention due to its touching upon the topic which will always be urgent- the racism."Passing" presents a race-based conflict of two [...]
  • Subjects: Aspects of American Novels
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 841

‘Ceremony’ by Leslie Marmon Silko: Theme of Healing

The journey of the protagonist that stretches from the abyss of despair and moral tortures to the final recovery of Tayo and his people, serves as a representation of the main theme of the novel, [...]
  • Subjects: American Literature
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 922

Malcolm X’s “Ballot or Bullet” Speech: An Analysis

There is nothing ethical in Malcolm's urgings in his overt and covert 'call to arms' though he cleverly covers up by giving a choice of either using the 'Ballot' or the 'Bullet' when he actually [...]
  • Subjects: Dramatic Literature
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 569

Langston Hughes’ Poems on Black People’s Suffering

The three poems written by Langston Hughes, namely "Negro Speaking of the Rivers", "Democracy" and "The Negro Mother" show the depth of black people's sufferings and the immensity of their desire to obtain freedom and [...]
  • Subjects: Poems
  • Pages: 8
  • Words: 2246

The Poem “My Last Duchess” by Robert Browning

The first four words of the poem can be used as key words for comprehending it as a whole.'That's' helps the reader understand that the style of the poem is conversational.'My' tells the reader about [...]
  • Subjects: Poems
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 919

Russian Revolution in “Cement” by Gladkov

The novel demonstrates that one of the true insights of Communism is its understanding of the manner in which all human institutions and activities become perverted to the selfish use of particular groups.
  • Subjects: Historical Literature
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1280

Beatrice From Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing”

Even though the main plot of the story is centered on challenges threatening to sabotage the union Hero and Claudio, Beatrice along with Benedick with their constant verbal jousting finds itself quite an interesting counter-plot.
  • Subjects: Plays
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 568

“Recitatif” by Toni Morrison

The main characters of the story are the two girls, Roberta and Twyla and the ambiguity of their race is what the story relies upon.
  • Subjects: American Literature
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 629

William Wordsworth: An Example of a Romantic

Occurring as it did from the middle of the 1700s to the middle of the 1800s, the Romantic Period was an age of tremendous change and upheaval.
  • Subjects: British Literature
  • Pages: 10
  • Words: 3047

Interpretation of Robert Frost’s Poems

Type: Lyric Rhyme Scheme: aababbcbccdcdddd-last two lines are the same Setting: In a sleigh in the middle of a winter's night, between the lake and the woods and not near the houses.
  • Subjects: Poems
  • Pages: 12
  • Words: 3164

Heart of Darkness and Things Fall Apart: Narrative

In the same vein, Joseph Conrad's novella "Heart of Darkness," written in 1899, is about the struggle of two civilized Europeans, Marlow and Kurtz, after they ventured in to the wouldarkness' of uncivilized Africa,' and [...]
  • Subjects: World Literature
  • Pages: 6
  • Words: 1551

Oedipus the King as a Piece of Classic Literature

This story is nothing short of a treasure in terms of the use of literary devices, and various other techniques employed by the writer to elevate this work to the status of one of the [...]
  • Subjects: World Literature
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 1012

Margot Macomber: A Victim of Hemingway’s Masculine

Throughout the story, she is described in unflattering and dominant terms such as 'hard,' 'cruel' or 'predatory.' From the beginning of the story, it is clear that Margot cannot stand the shame of her husband's [...]
  • Subjects: Writers
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 676

“Black Rain” the Novel by Masuji Ibuse

Taking it upon himself to complete Yasuko's recollections of the dark days, Shizuma must rewrite the journal to bring to the reader an unmistakable account of the injuries, the horrors and the victimization that was [...]
  • Subjects: Modernist Literature
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 626

“War and Peace” by Leo Tolstoy

Looking for the interesting topics for the evaluative essay, one may suggest the list of the literary areas one is interested in: The World Literature's masterpieces of the nineteenth twentieth century; The Native American legends [...]
  • 5
  • Subjects: World Literature
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1033

Kinship Rules by Deloria’s “Waterlily”

In defining the goals for the Dakotas in keeping the kinship rules, as stated by the author herself, "to keep the rules imposed by kinship for achieving civility, good manners, and a sense of responsibility [...]
  • Subjects: American Literature
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 675

“The Art of John Updike’s A&P” by Toni Saldivar

Sammy's decision to quit his job is therefore based both on his rejection of the conservative and restricting viewpoint of his manager as well as the free and nonconformist lechery of the butcher as he [...]
  • Subjects: American Novels Writing Style
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 1037

“Eveline” Short Story by James Joyce

Eveline's story is an irony, this is because at the beginning of the story Eveline seems to be having a flashback of the people who have already gone to the East, and inwardly she develops [...]
  • Subjects: World Literature
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 917

Parker’s Back by Flannery O’Conner

The central theme of the story is the reflection of the biblical features on the characters' actions and morality. Parker, the protagonist of the story, depicts the features of the biblical concepts burning the tree [...]
  • Subjects: British Literature
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1204

“Lord Jim” by Joseph Conrad

The life of Lord Jim seems to be surrounded by certain signs and symbols; in particular, colors have a deep and important meaning in the understanding of the nature of every character.
  • Subjects: British Literature
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1678

Pilgrim’s Progress: Allegory Internalized

The purpose of this essay is to point out, in as much detail as possible, the allegorical allusions to the Christian way of life, or in short, the biblical teachings that are vital to the [...]
  • Subjects: British Literature
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1129

Rationalism Versus Supernatural in Castle of Otranto

Much of the narrative strategy underlying the horrors and terrors of the first Gothic novel is theatrically inspired by the novel's settings and shadowy interiors, lunar menace and solar absence, lurid acoustics, peregrinating armor, mobile [...]
  • Subjects: Romantic Literature
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1406

The Age of Enlightenment: Overview and Analysis

The Age of Enlightenment centered on France and two of the major philosophers who contributed to this age of Enlightenment were Voltaire and Montesquieu. In the realm of politics, the government was the focus of [...]
  • Subjects: World Literature
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 723

Critical Response on the Play Proof by David Auburn

The play deals with the genius persons of the world and it relates genius convincingly with the world of madness. Then the development of schizophrenia in Nash, which is "a severe mental disorder that distorts [...]
  • Subjects: Plays
  • Pages: 7
  • Words: 2156

The Importance of Paintings in Hamlet

The play revolves around the two opposing forces: truth and deceit, and we see a contrast between the importance of being true to one's self and the importance of being truthful with others.
  • Subjects: British Literature
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1211

“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost: Advice for Life

As Bellah points out, the title of the poem is "The Road Not Taken" rather than "The Road Less Taken", which provides the first clue as to the author's original intentions and a different reading [...]
  • Subjects: American Novels Influences
  • Pages: 6
  • Words: 1961

Irony in Frank O’Connor’s “First Confession”

When she answered in the affirmative, Jackie became sure that he was a terrible boy and a sinner who had broken all commandments all because of his old grandmother."I was scared to death of confession".
  • Subjects: World Literature
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1066

Shakespearean Macbeth as a Tragic Hero

In addition to fighting for his king, Macbeth is quickly and well rewarded for his efforts as King Duncan makes him the new Thane of Cawdor in addition to his already holding the title of [...]
  • Subjects: Plays
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 1105

Francis Weed in “The Country Husband” by John Cheever

The short story "The Country Husband" by John Cheever reveals the darker side of Suburbia, "the side which traps its residents in a web of conformity," and the protagonist of the story Francis Weed, is [...]
  • Subjects: American Literature
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 641

The Mill on the Floss by Maggie Tulliver

The Mill on the Floss tells the story of Maggie Tulliver, the daughter of a miller in Victorian England, and reflects the values of society.
  • Subjects: World Literature
  • Pages: 14
  • Words: 3915

Shakespearean Sonnets from Critical Perspectives

The excellence of the sonnets is the excellence of parts. Although the sonnets proclaim his affection for the young man and his indulgence of him, they also disclose the attitudes which Shakespeare takes to both [...]
  • Subjects: Poems
  • Pages: 21
  • Words: 5734

Stephen Crane’s “The Open Boat”

It is humanity and collaboration that are invincible to the cruelty of nature. To Crane, nature is the uncontrollable and powerful force that is indifferent to people.
  • Subjects: American Literature
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 845

Cheikh Hamidou Kane: Ambiguous Adventure

For that reason, Samba finishes his spiritual training and enters the school, and this is the point where the main conflict in the book starts to manifest itself.
  • Subjects: World Literature
  • Pages: 6
  • Words: 1684

Poetry Comparison by Emily Dickinson and Langston Hughes

The general impression of Emily Dickinson's poems is that they are very economical with words and the message being conveyed. The general impression of these poems is that the writer feels oppressed and discriminated against [...]
  • Subjects: Comparative Literature
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 861