Literature Essay Examples and Topics. Page 60

8,494 samples

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

“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

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

“The Story of the Stone” by Cao Xueain

The author of The Story of the Stone, Cao Xueain, integrates his own reality with the story in the novel. The theme of reality versus appearance affects Shi Xiangyun in terms of what her life [...]
  • Subjects: World Literature
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1377

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 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

“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

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

Character Building in the Reluctant Fundamentalist

By building his character, Changez, in a very original manner and displaying him as both the lover and the critic of the American traditions, the author of The Reluctant Fundamentalist makes the audience realize the [...]
  • Subjects: World Literature
  • Pages: 6
  • Words: 1666

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

“Blood Child” a Story by Octavia Butler

However, the interpretations of slavery and obligation to pay the rent are not mutually exclusive, because the obligation to pay the rent forces humans to become slaves and have to provide their bodies for incubating [...]
  • Subjects: Historical Literature
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 571

“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

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

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

“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

“Legends of the Fall” by Jim Harrison

S, the horrors of the First World War, and the atmosphere of the beginning of the 20th century America. Legends of the Fall tells the readers about the fate of the Ludlow family, consisting of [...]
  • Subjects: American Literature
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1206

“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

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

Loyalty in “The Gift” by Rosario Ferre

In general, loyalty is considered to be a state or a feeling of devotion and faithfulness that is oriented to a particular person, a group of people, cause, or country, etc. Exclusionary one presupposes that [...]
  • Subjects: World Literature
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 315

“King Lear ” by William Shakespeare

At the end of the day, the character learns the price of such a fatal mistake which is betrayal and loss of everything he loved in his life. The theme of the transformational power of [...]
  • Subjects: Plays
  • Pages: 10
  • Words: 2753

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

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

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

“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

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

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 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

Hero in “The Odysseus” and “The Epic of Gilgamesh”

This paper explores the differences and similarities between the heroes of the ancient epics such as "The Odyssey" by Homer and "The Epic of Gilgamesh" the product of the culture of ancient Mesopotamia.
  • Subjects: Comparative Literature
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 558

“Girl” Story by Jamaica Kincaid

This vision is somewhat old-fashioned, but the meaning behind this is much bigger, as the word "lady" in the context of this short story implicitly represents the depiction of the superlative human personality traits, not [...]
  • Subjects: American Literature
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 573

Tweeter-Drama: Social Media as a Theatre Platform

Jeremy Gable, who works as a teacher, explains that the world of social media is too powerful and it can not be repressed by the regular theatre plays or any other traditional activities.
  • Subjects: Plays
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 282

“Annabel Lee” Multi Rhythmic Poem by Edgar A. Poe

Therefore, the author's works created a powerful impact on the establishment of a connection between content and literary form. Thus, Poe's writings possess the power to show the links between a concept and a form [...]
  • Subjects: Poems
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 824

Rebellion in “No Name Woman” by Maxine Kingston

Rethinking and remastering her mother's talk-stories, the author bears witness to the oppression of women's bodies, minds, and spirits that they managed to withstand. The author muses that she is the only one tending to [...]
  • Subjects: Gender in Literature
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 838

Characters’ Traits in Shakespeare’s Macbeth

As weird as it might sound, Lady Macbeth is very emotional; as a matter of fact, the crimes that she committed can be attributed to her emotionality rather than her greed, though the latter has [...]
  • Subjects: Plays
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 844

Sherman Alexie: Poet’s Biography

Born and raised in the Spokane Indian Reservation region of Washington, Alexie Sherman has grown to be one of the renowned poets of his time in the United States.
  • Subjects: Writers
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 560

Jamaica Kincaid’s Biography and Works

The challenges that young Jamaica experienced during her childhood and during her time in the United States comprise one of the inspirations that led to her passion for writing.
  • Subjects: Writers
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 396

Commercialized Writing in “Erasure” by P. Everett

Everett's subjects focus on social observations of the life of African Americans, as well as how it is disruptive by the existing stereotypes on the life of the black community.
  • Subjects: Themes in American Novels
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1118

The Holocaust Effects: Books “Tzili” and “Wartime Lies”

The natural experiences of growing up are changed and twisted by the war and its horrors, but the specific developments, their perceptions, and impacts are affected by the children's personalities and circumstances of their lives, [...]
  • Subjects: Historical Literature
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1383

Relationships in The Epic of Gilgamesh

In the story of Gilgamesh, Enkidu helps the wild animals to escape traps set by people. In Catullus, the narrator shows that toiling in further lands to gain profit is worthless if it is not [...]
  • Subjects: World Literature
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 617

Literary Devices and Structure of Amenemope Text

Lichteim comes to the conclusion that the author of the book of Proverbs in the Bible was familiar with the text of the Amenemope, explaining why there is a lot of similarity in the two [...]
  • Subjects: World Literature
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 564

A Rose for Emily by Faulkner: Garrison’s Analysis

In his examination of the story "A Rose for Emily," Garrison presents an entirely different method of examination as compared to previous critiques of the story wherein he focuses on the way in which the [...]
  • Subjects: Concepts in American Novels
  • Pages: 6
  • Words: 1656

Jungian Mother Archetype in Children’s Literature

The books "Charlotte's Web", "The Root Cellar", and "The Secret Garden" explore how the restoration of the loss of the feminine ego can have nourishing implications on the lives of the affected individuals.
  • Subjects: Concepts in American Novels
  • Pages: 6
  • Words: 1656

The Grief Role in Achilles’ Name, Character and Actions

In spite of the fact that there are debates on the etymological character of Achilles' name, the role of the hero's name is significant to predict his fate and behavior because the hero's grief associated [...]
  • Subjects: Poems
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1370

Literature: The Grapes of Wrath and As I Lay Dying

This understanding forms the background of The Grapes of Wrath and As I Lay Dying analysis in this paper. The unity of structure and language in any comical genre take after carnivalistic folklore..".there is a [...]
  • Subjects: Comparative Literature
  • Pages: 11
  • Words: 3270

Nationalism and Colonialism in Arab Literature

In brief, the narrative mainly starts as a "love and romance story" that portrays the life of Muhsin, his love with Saniya and state of jealous in his family.
  • Subjects: World Literature
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 633

Hills Like White Elephants by Hemingway

The setting of the place also seems perfect for the discussion that the couple had. This demonstrates that she is comfortable with the pregnancy should it happen to be the outcome of their action.
  • Subjects: American Literature
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 571

Matthew Arnold’s and Thomas Hardy’s Poems Theme

In spite of the fact that the theme of isolation is shown in both the poems, the idea of isolation is presented in Arnold's poem "Dover Beach" with the focus on the melancholic isolation of [...]
  • Subjects: Comparative Literature
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 608

American Novel: “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee

It is also worth to mention that the novel is indeed relevant to its readership because it mirrors the nature of society affected by racism and inequality. Through the act of inclusiveness, I am in [...]
  • Subjects: American Literature
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 594

The Aryan Race in “Mein Kampf” by Adolf Hitler

The provided passage is taken from Mein Kampf, the most known work of Adolf Hitler, the infamous leader of the NSDAP since 1921 and the F hrer of Nazi Germany in 1934-1945.
  • Subjects: Historical Literature
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 873

Oedipus King vs. Macbeth: Drama Comparison

The concept reflects the foundation of the decent authority through showing the tendencies of power both in the ancient times and in the period of Renaissance.
  • Subjects: Comparative Literature
  • Pages: 6
  • Words: 1665