Literature Essay Examples and Topics. Page 57

8,712 samples

“Heart of Darkness” a Novel by Joseph Conrad

Disguising the work as an autobiographical traveler's story, the author chooses to focus on the issues of race, colonialism, and the indigenous, which become central to the author's exploration and the story in general.
  • Subjects: British Literature
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1113

Caroll’s Alice and Stevenson’s Jimmy Characters

Analysis of the Similarities portrayed between Alice and Jim and the respective applications of the authors style of literature. In addition, the author uses the different settings of the story and the character traits of [...]
  • Subjects: Comparative Literature
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1151

National Identity in “Song of Solomon” by Morrison

In this novel, Morrison, from her feminist viewpoint, depicts the successful quest for the personal and national identity of the main character Milkman, who finds the solution in African national values and the act of [...]
  • Subjects: American Literature
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 834

Racism in “The Invisible Man” by Ralph Ellison

The "Battle Royal" chapter in the novel brings rather controversial reactions and thoughts, due to its being a blend of relief for the main character, the shame for the abusive white society, and the pain [...]
  • Subjects: Themes in American Novels
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 755

R. Skloot’s “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks”

The family of Henrietta Lacks had to face the consequences of slavery and the outcomes of institutionalized racism. The formative influence of legal system on the lives of common people resulted in the number of [...]
  • Subjects: Dramatic Literature
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 954

“The Wright Brothers” by David McCullough

The purpose of this critical analysis is to explore the author's description of the targeted characters in the book. The emphasis of the book is that the brothers were always determined, focused, and intelligent.
  • Subjects: Historical Literature
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 853

“Tiny Beautiful Things” by Cheryl Strayed

Tiny Beautiful Things is also a memoir with a strong element of self-help built in it; the author is in the role of Sugar who answers questions sent to her by ordinary people for the [...]
  • Subjects: American Literature
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 559

“The Giver”: Novel by Lowry and Film by Noyce

Having the plot in common, the book and the film have some slight differences in the content, and the most significant of them can be acknowledged the theme of love which is touched upon only [...]
  • Subjects: American Literature
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 576

Taiwan Literature, Its Identity and Development

The notion of "Taiwan literature" caused debates in the 1980s and 1990s concerning the term itself, its content, and the place of the phenomenon within world literature.
  • Subjects: World Literature
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1137

Capital Punishment in Melville’s “Billy Budd, Sailor”

One of the reasons for the triumph of Billy Budd, Sailor in America and the United Kingdom, was the precision, with which the author portrayed the historical and cultural context, particularly Melville analyzed both issues [...]
  • Subjects: Themes in American Novels
  • Pages: 8
  • Words: 1947

Absence and Loss in “The Shawl” and “Afterimage”

Ozick uses the death of Magda to bring forth the feeling of loss and absence that defines mothers bereft of their children due to the Holocaust. Rosa's post-Holocaust life is filled with torment due to [...]
  • Subjects: Dramatic Literature
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1377

“Citizen: An American” by Lyric Rankine

Of the points that Rankine makes about "mistaken" identity, the social racism, and the fabric of urban and suburban life, what point hits closest to home for you?
  • Subjects: World Literature
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 609

“Aurora” by Junot Diaz

Both the dominant role and the level of authority exercised by Yunior's father and his observations of the older boys' attitudes towards the girls share the same set of characteristics and thus can be linked [...]
  • Subjects: American Literature
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1172

The 11 Book of Homer’s “The Odyssey”

The 11th book of the Odyssey tells about the trip of Odysseus to the Underworld. He expresses pity that Odysseus is also in the land of the dead and tells about his journey in Hades [...]
  • Subjects: Poems
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 558

“Faulkner and Material Culture” by Urgo et al.

The topic which was discussed in the conference was about the Faulkner and Material Culture, which demonstrated that the existence of the two worlds intermingles in a continuous manner, and must intersect, in order to [...]
  • Subjects: Writers
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1225

Byzantine in The Alexiad of Anna Comnena

Anna portrays historical accuracy in her unbiased account of the father, and her information about her background contributes to the accounts of the Byzantium events, highlighting to the readers the Byzantine way of life.
  • Subjects: Historical Literature
  • Pages: 6
  • Words: 1444

Jhumpa Lahiri, Her Life and Stories

Then in 2000 she was also awarded the Best Debut of the year in New Yolk for the same book. The story "Hell and Heaven" was one of the stories contained in the "Unaccustomed Earth" [...]
  • Subjects: Writers
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 535

“The Frontline Surgeons” by Clifford L. Graves

He tries to put into account all the activities of the surgeons, the challenges and achievements, and even highlight the specific roles of the members of the "Third Auxiliary" played during the Second World War.
  • Subjects: Historical Literature
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1135

“Bartleby, The Scrivener” by Herman Melville

Right from the start, the Lawyer admits that "Bartleby was one of those beings of whom nothing is ascertainable, except from the original sources", yet he is also the character who is central to the [...]
  • Subjects: American Literature
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 888

The Zombie Apocalypse Plot in Literature

In this work of literature, the problem is seen in the connection to the holes in the ozone layer and global warming, i.e.it is human-caused.
  • Subjects: Comparative Literature
  • Pages: 6
  • Words: 1692

“Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead” by Tom Stoppard

The first thing that comes to my mind when I recollect all the impressions after watching the performance is that the play Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead is meant for the prepared audience that regularly [...]
  • Subjects: Plays
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 586

The Japanese Traditional Tales

The reason for this has to do with the fact that the concerned epic was written by Buddhist monks over a long period and also the fact that the Tale of the Heike can be [...]
  • Subjects: World Literature
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1394

“The Tale of Heike” and “The Pillow Book”

Although the authors sometimes succumb to the traditional gender tropes, the subtle changes to the roles that men and women played in the 16th-century society, as well as the behavior norms that they were supposed [...]
  • Subjects: World Literature
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1435

“When the Emperor Was Divine” by Julie Otsuka

The title of the book, current references, tokens that children carry with them to the campsite, the killing of the dog on the eve of departure to the camp, and the experiences of the family [...]
  • Subjects: World Literature
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1425

“Native Son” a Novel by Richard Wright

Towards the end of the novel, the author could have featured or explored the life of Buddy. Since from the very beginning Buddy is portrayed as someone who wants to be like his brother, the [...]
  • Subjects: Gender in Literature
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1148

“Histories” a Work by Herodotus

The monumental work of Herodotus, the Greek historian, titled The Histories, is considered to be one of the founding historical works in the world.
  • Subjects: Historical Literature
  • Pages: 11
  • Words: 3057

Madness in “The Fall of the House of Usher” by Poe

Poe uses a wide range of tools to create an uncomfortable mood, yet it is his ability to maintain the balance between reality and madness that shines through the whole story.
  • Subjects: American Novels Writing Style
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 594

Positivism in “The Birth-Mark” by N. Hawthorne

In the novel, the conflict between nature and Positivism showcased by juxtaposing Aylmer, an aspiring Positivism scientist, and his wife Georgiana is rendered with the help of the third-person view, which sets the tone for [...]
  • Subjects: Concepts in American Novels
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1376

“Riders of the Purple Sage” Western by Zane Grey

The book "Riders of the Purple Sage" was one of the first in the genre western. Overall, storylines intertwine the fates of the main characters, which allows the audience to understand them better, and an [...]
  • Subjects: American Literature
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1111

Alexander Pope, a Poet and Translator

Pope was living with his parent in their house, but his works on some of the writings by Homer provided him with enough finances to find his own dwelling, which happened to be a villa [...]
  • Subjects: Writers
  • Pages: 1
  • Words: 309

Edgar Allan Poe’s Life, Poems, Short Stories

The recognition of his works is based mainly on the uniqueness of the themes and characters the author created, as well as his excellent command of the language and exceptional imagery and style.
  • Subjects: Writers
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1159

“The Epic of Gilgamesh” in Art Interpretation

It is imperative to mention that the analysis of ancient works is incredibly important because it enhances the understanding of the traditions and values of the people."The Epic of Gilgamesh" is regarded as one of [...]
  • Subjects: Poems
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 832

Life Meaning in “Tuesdays With Morrie” by Mitch Albom

Morrie questions the importance of spirituality and the ability of a person to love and be loved. The virtue is ridiculed by society and is considered to be a manifestation of the softness of the [...]
  • Subjects: Themes in American Novels
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 862

Search for Meaning in “The Lucky One” by Sparks

However, despite the consensus among critics, both the fate and the chance are methods that are used by the author to reveal a much deeper concept of the journey through which the protagonist searches for [...]
  • Subjects: Themes in American Novels
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1239

“Eveline” a Short Story by James Joyce

Thus, it is agreeable that Wendy's paper requires some polishing in order to bring out clarification on synthesis and analysis as well as inference of the plot.
  • Subjects: Dramatical Novel
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 575

The Damned Human Race by Mark Twain

This is a clear indication of the great distinction that exists between the higher animals and man. Despite the negative attributes of a man, he is also religious.
  • Subjects: American Literature
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 417

Dystopian Fiction for Young Readers

First of all, it must be noted that the article of the current analysis is devoted to the impact of dystopian fiction on young people.
  • Subjects: Modernist Literature
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 567

Chinua Achebe’ Book “Things Are Falling Apart”

Chinua Achebe, an African author with his origin in Nigeria mainly focuses on the colonization of African countries and the role of women in the society in the village of Umuofia in his book Things [...]
  • Subjects: World Literature
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 874

Race and Culture in Langston Hughes’ Poems

The most obvious way of assessing the extent to which Langston Hughes responded to the historical context of his race in his work is to assess his thematic concerns. Again, just like in "Cross," Hughes [...]
  • Subjects: Poems
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1229

“Barn Burning” a Story by William Faulkner

Another aspect that is worth noting is that it is entirely possible that the boy has recognized that Abner is emotionally unstable and requires the support.
  • Subjects: American Literature
  • Pages: 7
  • Words: 2015

ZZ Packer’ Stories Comparison

Dina's experiences in Japan depicted in Geese contribute to the depiction of her life at Yale from Drinking Coffee Elsewhere, offering valuable insights into the development of her character and search for personal and national [...]
  • Subjects: Comparative Literature
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 570

“To the Lighthouse” a Novel by Virginia Woolf

In such a case, it shows that Friedman perceives the imagery of water as a part of change according to which one surrenders to the process of accomplishing the wouldouble vision'.
  • Subjects: British Literature
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1131

Early American Literature: Thematic Elements

This paper explores the issue of how these people's ideas contributed to the shaping of the culture of that time. The literature portrayed the ways of life of the early dwellers of America, and it [...]
  • Subjects: American Literature
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1184

LGBT Literature: “The Picture of Dorian Gray”

The chosen book is Oscar Wilde's 1891 classic: The Picture of Dorian Gray; a story carefully fashioned to affirm the tilt youths have toward beauty, and the extent most could go to retain that unique [...]
  • Subjects: Gender in Literature
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1112

Sven Beckert and Naomi Klein’s Books Comparison

The author perceived the foundation of modern capitalism through war capitalism, which used military strength and technological advantages in order to clear land for cotton plantations and subjugate or exterminate various indigenous races that got [...]
  • Subjects: Comparative Literature
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1450

The Play “King Hedley II” by August Wilson

The play is touching and even funny at certain parts, but overall it became one of the darkest and most tragic reflections on African-American life in the 20th century's drama.
  • Subjects: Plays
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 580

20th Century Literature of the American West

The abundance of beautiful descriptions of the nature coupled with limitless opportunities that are beyond the reach of common people make the majority of literary works of the twentieth century a combination of wonderful and [...]
  • Subjects: American Literature
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1377

”Arcadian Adventures With the Idle Rich” by Leacock

The short story that is found in the second chapter of the book describes a significant flowering of the seeds of individualism and corrupt materialism that occur in Plutoria Avenue in a large city in [...]
  • Subjects: Historical Literature
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1100

Miller’s “A Doll House” and “A Sorrowful Woman”

The succeeding sections of this work give the literal evidence, which indicates the place of a woman in the society, and support the thesis on the need to radicalize the society on gender equity.
  • Subjects: Gender in Literature
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 959

“Dead Man at Grandview Point” by Edward Abbey

In this chapter, the Abbey's goal is not to clarify the reasons of death, but to explain that death is something all people have to accept one day, and the way the tourist at Grandview [...]
  • Subjects: American Literature
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 500

“Planet of Slums” a Book by Mike Davis

In his book, Mike Davis explains to the readers the mechanisms of how slums work, and puts forth an idea that the blame for slums being dangerous and miserable lies not on the inhabitants of [...]
  • Subjects: American Literature
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 920

An Exemplary Hero: Homer’s “The Odyssey”

The masterpiece describes the life of Odysseus and his journey especially after the infamous fall of Troy. One outstanding fact about Odysseus is that he is the main hero of the epic.
  • Subjects: Poems
  • Pages: 11
  • Words: 3094

“Ching Kang Shan” by Mao Tse-tung

Thus, through this poem, Mao Tse-tung describes the establishment of the Red Army in China; this poem can be considered as a 'hymn' of the revolution.
  • Subjects: Poems
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 552

“Year Zero: A History of 1945” by Ian Buruma

Through numerous examples of events happening in many countries after the end of the war, Ian explains to us that the changes in socio-political systems were made by the people who tried to make the [...]
  • Subjects: Historical Literature
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 824

“The Giver” a Novel by Lois Lowry

Before the Sameness, the world of the book was much like ours. Finally, the central box lists the emotions and sensations, probably the cause most responsible for the occurrence of the Sameness.
  • Subjects: American Literature
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 538

Elena Poniatowska and Her Feminism

Thus, the primary objective of her journalism and fiction was to break the indifference of the society and to open people's eyes to the problems of those who are silently excluded from public life.
  • Subjects: Gender in Literature
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 603

Sandra Cisneros’ Life and Work

Cisneros was the only daughter in a family of seven children, and they often traveled from Mexico to the United States, as her father was involved in upholstery, which demanded constant movement between the two [...]
  • Subjects: Writers
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 598

“The House on Mango Street” by Sandra Cisneros

The vignettes presented in The House on Mango Street describe the daily experiences of Esperanza, and they demonstrate the particular features of the Mexican Americans' life in a low-income neighborhood.
  • Subjects: American Literature
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 589

Chinese Community and External Issues in Literature

In the early 1930s to the 1940s, the war between China and Japan led to the establishment of the current communist system of government. Chuan-Sheng is an example of a man affected by patriarchal traditions [...]
  • Subjects: Historical Fiction Comparison
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 883

Jane Austen’s Novel ‘Pride and Prejudice’

The current study explores the link between romance with the natural, the supernatural, and emotion versus reality to understand romanticism characteristics in the novel.
  • Subjects: British Literature
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 897

Themes in David Auburn’s Play “Proof”

In particular, she considers her level of mathematical skills at the age of 25 as well as the confusion she endures after the death of her father as a possibility that she inherited her father's [...]
  • Subjects: Plays
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 606

Humanism in Thornton Wilder’s Play “Our Town”

Rather than invoking the idea of creation, Wilder seems to describe the role of birth to the continuation of generations and the role that physicians play in conserving human values. In this case, Wilder wanted [...]
  • Subjects: Plays
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 662

Chiew’s, Ramos’, and Chimamanda’s Short Stories

The consistency of the three works in addressing power struggles within the family as a social unit is a lesson to the society of the urgent need to restructure the family as the basic social [...]
  • Subjects: Comparative Literature
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 819

Gender Fights in “The Chrysanthemums” by Steinbeck

In this story, the author managed to challenge the traditional views on gender roles and demonstrated the tragedy of a person constrained by the existing order."The Chrysanthemums" pictures individuals in the stagnant world and identifies [...]
  • Subjects: Gender in Literature
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 855

Misjustice in Solzhenitsyn’s Work and Innocence Project

Compensating the Wrongly Convicted is intended to introduce the issue of wrongful convictions that persists in the United States today answering some of the basic questions concerning the problem and informs about the potential solutions [...]
  • Subjects: Comparative Literature
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 822

Afghani Childhood in “The Kite Runner” by Hosseini

The purpose of writing this book, on the author's part, had to do with his intention to reflect upon his childhood memories of having lived in Afghanistan through the years 1965-1980.
  • Subjects: American Literature
  • Pages: 8
  • Words: 2221

“Editha”, “Fires on the Plain”, “Old Man’s War”

The often promoted idea of nationalism that increases patriotic sentiments during a time of conflict may play a substantial role in the development of wrong ideas regarding war and its purposes, and provoke division of [...]
  • Subjects: Comparative Literature
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 619

Tales of Times Now Past and The Tale of Genji

Moreover, the difference in mentalities and perspectives peculiar to bearers of various cultures preconditioned the appearance of the unique masterpieces that could help to understand the peculiarities of peoples lives in ancient times.
  • Subjects: Mythology
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1373

Solidarity in The Waste Land and Angels in America

In his 1922 poem "The waste land", Thomas Eliot attempts to portray how social solidarity of in the modern world is affected by social and cultural changes such as the change in gender roles, dynamism [...]
  • Subjects: Comparative Literature
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1137

Characters and Setting in “The Veldt” by Bradbury

The second and the third ones are created and represented by the Veldt, which turns the reader nauseous with the eye-blinding sight of an African steppe and then lulls their vigilance by offering a background [...]
  • Subjects: American Literature
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 584

“The Story of an Hour” Plot by Kate Chopin

In this case, the duty of the person breaking the news was to appear gentle while transmitting the sensitive news. It was quite unnoticed that a sob was to hit her hard since she was [...]
  • Subjects: American Literature
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 554

Homelessness in “Light in August” and “Wise Blood”

The concept of home is commonly regarded in relation to the process of formation of individual identity, and, in almost every culture, the definition of a home serves as an indicator of a person's wholeness [...]
  • Subjects: Themes in American Novels
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1425

Racism in “To Kill Mocking Bird” by Harper Lee

The family is transformed from poverty to wealth, but it remains one of the few white families ready to accommodate and recognize the black people as a part of the society, while other Whites oppress [...]
  • Subjects: American Literature
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 833

Edgar Allan Poe, an American Romanticism Writer

Poe's three works "The fall of the house of Usher", "the Raven" and "The Masque of the Red Death" describe his dedication to literature and his negative attitudes towards aristocracy.
  • Subjects: Writers
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1203

Governance and Society in Mi’kmaq Creation Story

The ingenuity of the elders and respect of the societal culture is a critical governance issue. The governing figure in the story is Gisoolg who is the Great Spirit and creator.
  • Subjects: Mythology
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 551

“The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” by T. Elliot

Even though the poem seems to puzzle the readers and looks like a mixture of incomprehensible thoughts, Eliot showed in it how a person perceives the world, referring to the stream of consciousness and focusing [...]
  • Subjects: Poems
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1111

Autobiography in “Song of Rita” by Rita Joe

Rita uses the poems to outline her main challenges, which are reminiscent of the challenges, which faced aboriginals of her time. Rita uses the book to show her patience in an abusive marriage which she [...]
  • Subjects: Poems
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 574

“A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier” by Beah

The theme of the father is firmly connected to the central theme of war in the book: the young boy, the main character of this true story, treasures his family more than anything in the [...]
  • Subjects: Historical Literature
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 1094

Stetson’s “The Yellow Wallpaper” Criticism

Since the woman who narrates is alienated from the community and not allowed to work or be engaged in any other activity, she describes her inner thoughts and feelings, and that makes the whole story [...]
  • Subjects: American Literature
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1165

Puritans in “The Scarlet Letter” by Hawthorne

As I read through the introductory part of the novel, the statements made by the narrator reinforced the idea that the Puritans were bad people. I was surprised at the obsession they had when it [...]
  • Subjects: American Literature
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 330

The Ebers Papyrus and The Book of the Dead

Though a range of facts concerning the household and traditions of the people of Ancient Egypt remain buried under the sands of time, several facts about the culture in question can be considered relatively well-known.
  • Subjects: Comparative Literature
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1107

Ibsen’s A Doll House and Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex

Of course, the most suggestive similarity of the two plays is that recognition and reversal occur simultaneously for protagonists as they learn an important thing about themselves and this knowledge changes their life completely forcing [...]
  • Subjects: Plays
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 627

“American Negro Slave Revolts” by Herbert Aptheker

According to Marcum and Skarbek, the slavery period in the United States occurred from the 16th to the 19th century. In reference to Aptheker, the majority of the slaves lived in poor and inaccessible areas.
  • Subjects: Historical Literature
  • Pages: 10
  • Words: 2744

American Dream in Hansberry’s and Miller’s Tragedies

Hansberry's "A Raisin in the Sun" and Miller's "Death of a Salesman" tell the stories about how people can perceive and be affected by the idea of the American Dream, how they choose wrong dreams [...]
  • Subjects: Plays
  • Pages: 6
  • Words: 1694

What We Talk About When We Talk About Love by Carver

The question, therefore, concerns the ubiquitous darkness that surrounds the main characters throughout the story and the purpose of this darkness, whereas the key problem concerns the reasonability of using darkness as the basis for [...]
  • Subjects: Aspects of American Novels
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1121