Themes in American Novels Essay Examples and Topics

In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald pays attention to the relationships between both Jay Gatsby and Tom Buchanan and Daisy Buchanan. Scott Fitzgerald's book is mainly focused on the relationship of Daisy with Gatsby and Tom, [...]

Perhaps that is clearly illustrated by the quote that presupposes that whoever can control the past, has power to control the future; while whoever has the ability to control the present, wields the right to [...]

The misunderstanding between An-Mei Hsu and Rose Hsu-Jordan occurs due to their differences in the views on the roles of females in the family.

The intense training depicts the importance of reward to the tributes. Further, the society is in touch with the preparedness of their tributes via media.

Also, it is a tragedy of the society the influence of which can be too devastating to heal."The Paper Menagerie" teaches the audience how ungrateful and cruel a child can become under the pressure of [...]

The story reveals a Western culture, where the narrator exhibits freedom and openness in her conversation with other characters of the story. This is depicted in the conversation of the narrator with her mother in [...]

The beliefs and norms of the people in Panem are centred on the self-interest; they are obsessed to acquire the comfort and lifestyle of the affluent people.

Through the symbolism they pertain to, both pieces of work are an undeniably true reflection of the socio-economic and political struggles in the turn of the 19th century, as well as within the New Deal [...]

By showing how the stringent moral and religious standards of Puritanism can result in hypocrisy and the restriction of human freedom, The Scarlet Letter emblem relates to the concept of Puritanism.

Judging by the way the short story handles the themes, plot, and literary tools, The Last Leaf is a literary masterpiece.

The themes of empathy and compassion are actively developed throughout the novel; at first, Lauren realizes that the world is cruel and she must learn to live in it.

Jimmy Cross, a lieutenant enlisted to take care of the other soldiers is the victim of the guilt burden. Collectively, these soldiers experienced different forms of emotional torture, which boiled down to emotional burdens as [...]

This essay discusses the rhetoric devices George Orwell uses to convince the audience of the credibility of his arguments regarding the ambiguity of political language.

The first evidence to support their ignorance of McCandless is his lack of knowledge and experience to understand and survive the wilderness.

The play shows the contrast between the representatives of American folk and Yankee on the basis of Jonathan's behavior and manners.

It is ironic in the sense that Abner is punished for his injustices to the wealthy yet the justice system does not consider the social injustices of the rich society to the poor.

After the release, Malcolm had the tools he needed to change his life and the lives of many others in America.

The population had to work hard to pay taxes to the state and various fees required by the Church that assured them of the importance of that.

A possible thesis for an essay on this topic could be: "In 'The Wars,' Timothy Findley suggests that adversity plays a crucial role in shaping an individual's identity, as it forces the person to confront [...]

The novel presents the incompatibility of the "divine law" and human law, and the protagonist's, Joseph K, inability to understand the discrepancy.

In spite of the fact that the events depicted in Beloved take place after the end of the American Civil War, Sethe, as the main character of the novel and a former slave, continues to [...]

Main idea 2: Social and historical difficulties of migration and slavery. Main idea 3: The search for the main character of identity and place in society.

This was an indication that although his faith had started to change, he still had faith in God. He was able to come out of the holocaust with a stronger faith.

Maus, through the comic, explains the Holocaust through his father's experience, and we see that it was not an easy place to come out because of the horrors and mistreatment in the concentration camps.

To begin with, the hunting practices of this native group, as well as the invasion of the European into their land, led to a great decline in the herds of the white-tailed deer in the [...]

A breakdown of the symbolic significance of the concept of "doubleness" in the short story and its exciting aspect forms the basis of this paper.

The book covers the mid-life of David bringing to the fore the events which he has contributed to himself and some he has not that are set in motion and lead to his near-total destruction.

The main conflict of the novel is built around one of the main characters' awareness of the legacy of evil that he has inherited from his mother and his hesitation about whether he is destined [...]

The present work thus seeks to elaborate the reason behind Hong's valuation of 'Bad English' as featured in the book 'Minor Feelings.' The valuation of 'bad English' by Hong partly purposes to celebrate and appreciate [...]

In the novel Joseph is introduced as the sister of “the illustrious Pamela whose virtue is at present so famous”.

I think that the protagonist of this short story became mad because of loneliness and the inability to live an independent life.

Towards the end of the story, Mathilde Loise decides to tell the truth to Madame Forestier concerning the necklace and the misery that she had undergone.

The central tempter of the story is Tom Sawyer because he is ready to give something valuable to the other boy rather than paint a thirty-yard fence. The reason for the inability to withstand temptation [...]

The narrator had ups and downs with Sonny, and through the story, there is a significant aspect of racism which is the main focus of this proposal.

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 [...]

The younger one is in a hurry to go home, the older one hesitates, he clearly does not want to leave, although it is already deep night. There are no human meanings in the world: [...]

Through symbolism, O'Connor was able to convey the characters' unique features with their names, connection to parents with Hulga's wooden leg, Joy's mindset with her glasses, and Pointer's non-religiousness with the hollow Bible.

The Back of the Bus by Mebane presents the American South during the era of racial segregation and complex black-white interactions.

Another major difference between the book and the film is the pace of the narrative account. The reason why Tris Prior turns out to be a sympathetic and relatable champion in the Divergent is because [...]

The paper will examine how Naylor manages to achieve this through an analysis of the main idea, stylistic devices and classification of the piece.

To be more specific, the consideration of actions and motivations of the protagonists of the stories so that to see what courage meant to them and to the authors.

The reason why this is important to the main theme lies in the fact that passing is a form of deception that allowed Clare to obtain higher status and more freedom.

The insensitivity in this mistreatment and dehumanization of Black people is pervasive to the extent that Jim considers himself "property" and was proud to be worth a fortune if anyone was to sell him. To [...]

Ana brings out the pains of living in exile in America for most of the Cubans, some of whom had a life in their former homes. A new beginning in Miami is the fate of [...]

Even without the name of the main character, the audience can tell how she behaves and relates with others, which brings out the imbalance of power that exists between men and women particularly when it [...]

The essence of the latter is in the opposition of a person to society and its norms. Further, the second conflict in "The Story of an Hour" is the internal struggle and confusion of Louise.

The sinister nature of the novel is inferred in the title which derives from the Hebrew word, Ba'al-zvuv which means god of the fly, host of the fly or literally the Lord of Flies a [...]

A suitable passage to illustrate the author's use of the curtain as a device symbolizing and bringing forward the separation between the main characters is the excerpt when it is first introduced.

In the memoir "The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid" Bryson advances and proves the thesis about the necessity of childhood reminiscences in everyone's life.

The story's central irony is that the protagonist is not a good boy. A passage that depicts the author viewing the character as pretentious is the one discussing Jacob's desire to rescue a dog only [...]

Various attempts by April throughout the novel reveals her desperateness as a teenager to fulfill the criteria set by white, however, as an adult, April feels and experiences the endeavor to observe the creation of [...]

The book, The Maid's Daughter: Living inside and outside the American Dream, is a historical study and it covers the history of a woman, Olivia Salazar - the daughter of Carmen - an immigrant working [...]

People are prone to hunger and starvation, the man and the boy, for instance, are at the verge of starvation when they come across an apple orchard and a well.

The beginning of the novel is quite inspiring and stimulates for reading in order to recognize the details of a true love story...

The events show that in the conditions of racism, the psychological deformation of a person occurs due to the formation of a feeling of inferiority in him or her and the cultivation of fear.

The narrative "Girl" is a piece written by Jamaica Kincaid concerning a mother's attempt to teach her daughter about a woman's role in society.

The Devil and Tom Walker depict a corrupted man named Tom Walker, who is eager to sell himself in exchange for the treasure that the devil has promised him.

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros is a novel telling the story of Esperanza, a young Latina who moves to Chicago and grows up in a community of Puerto Ricans and Chicanos.

Given the nature of family structure and power, it is not surprising that Merricat wanted to rid herself of the oppressive traditions that her family held.

As for the statement that the power of nature is the symbol of renewal, it is connected to the concept of equality and justice.

He gives the money to his brother who purchases a corsage for Sally and a new black shoe for the dance.

This phrase is heard on behalf of the author at the end of the story, in the part where the description of the murderer of the protagonist's son is given.

The surrounding atmosphere and cultural specificities influence the characters' personalities throughout the story and change their attitude towards the particular minorities and races.

He shouts his good fortune to his fellow divers, and before he reaches home, the news is already known to the inhabitants of the village and the town, including the priest and the doctor.

Through exploring the characters' lives, the author reflects on the notions of drug use, hopelessness, and escape in the context of the black community.

The girl from the new family reminded Alvarez of her own plight when she had moved to the United States and had not yet been accepted completely by the community.

There are a lot of products which cause foodborne illnesses in that time when innovative technologies allow to define the level of intoxication and the way how to destroy it, in that time when many [...]

In the literal sense, since Alaska's death reinforces the storyline, the first part of the book traces the events of her life, and the second, the aftermath of her death.

This analysis would focus on the essay's Chapter 3 dedicated to fiestas in general and the Day of the Dead in particular, which reflect many national traits of Mexicans.

The source of the conflict and the main cause of the woman's unfortunate fate is not so much the mental illness itself but, rather, the refusal to recognize it as such.

Without their knowledge, the meeting between Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey marks the beginning of a relationship that is the center of attraction in the book by EL James.

When examining the novel, it becomes clear that the writing style and the way in which the author delves into the Puritan way of life seemingly shows the double standards that existed at the time.

In the beginning, the readers are exposed to the horrifying experience of Melinda being raped by Andy Evans. The little girl feels alone and has no idea how to deal with her anguish or let [...]

Wishing to shed the fetters limited her freedom; at the beginning of the novel, Dellarobia fears not meeting the gender norms of the culture.

Paul is offered a chance to pursue the American Dream and gain huge material riches as a result of hard work in the area of business, for example.

Happiness becomes accessible through product attainment, and even the opening of the story deals with the fact that the protagonist and his wife, Tom and Betsy Rath, want to live in a better house.

The eventual fate of the rabbits serves as a metaphor for Robert's character, as their deaths reflect the loss of Robert's own moral values and the abandonment of his faith in humanity.

The present essay is dedicated to the analysis of the second book of the series, Thunderhead. It thinks about it in the following manner: "when the brutality of the dance overwhelms the beauty.the future is [...]

The aviation theme is used to show the discrimination and oppression of black people, which has a profound impact on the main character.

The story begins when the narrator, Amir, is supposedly 38 years old, and the tale he tells is essentially a flashback over the events of his life that have brought him to this point.

By tracing through Hemingway's life in conjunction with his stories such as "The Snows of Kilimanjaro", one can begin to trace some of the ideas that characterized Hemingway's life and thinking.

The main characters in Karen Russel's story The Bog Girl are situated on a mythical island somewhere in Northern Europe, where peat cut out of the bogs is the main source of fuel.

In this essay, the analysis of "Bartleby the Scrivener" helps develop a strong understanding of the culture of the modern workplace compared to the one preferred in the previous centuries and the factors that influence [...]

Regardless of the trauma and neglect caused by addiction problems in the families depicted in "The Distance Between Us" and "The Glass Castle," the only obstacles to accomplishment and happiness are inside the individual.

Kindred is the story of a strong woman from a comfortable but not ideal 1976, who travels back in time to XIX on the estate of slave owner Tom Whalen. The novel shows the reader [...]

The author intentionally uses the first-person point of view in order to reveal their thoughts and highlighting the dread of the happening.

Being the representatives of different literary genres, the chosen stories contributes to the promotion of home as the only place for hope, safety, and empowerment.

In the novel, the main character, Clare Kendry, defines herself in terms of her family; she is concerned solely with the welfare of her children and the degree to which her husband's infidelity threatens her [...]

Hosseini's natures, Mariam and Laila, are memorable; their sympathy for each other and love for their children is overwhelming."A Thousand Splendid Suns" narrates the story of two women against the backdrop of the previous forty [...]

The purpose of the present paper is to analyze the novel from several points of view. The character is a picture of savagery and primitivism.

The story begins as the narrator is on his way to his teaching job when he finds out that is the younger brother is in jail.

West Coast Mafia is a group of youths; Frankie included who are paid to commit the crime and other heinous acts in society.

The primary purpose of Gary Soto's The Afterlife is to show the significance of human life and forgiveness from the perspective of those who lose it.

The extension of borders of the tropic, the contraposition between the life in LA and the life in Mexico, the change of events is a typical technique of Magical Realism, namely, hybridity that implies extensive [...]

The play is made by the author in the way representing the memories of the main characters through the flashbacks along with the real scenes of the play.

In the book, "The Song of Solomon" such an obsessive love is found in the passionate desire of Hagar and the friendly love of Guitar.

He also shows the way people responded to the opportunities and challenges of the new times. The girls seem to rebel against the system and conventions of the society, as they dare come into the [...]

One can say that the first-person narration helps the writer to illustrate the conflicting motives that drive the behavior of the protagonist.

The Gift of the Magi tells the story of two lovers who sacrifice valuable things for themselves for the sake of their beloved. Love requires sacrifice and compromise, and the willingness to do this is [...]

To shed light on the problem of discrimination, the texts of the chapter and the essay examine cases of linguistic and tradition-based intolerance.

In the narrative, the lawyer's office is divided into two rooms by a glass folding door, one where Bartleby works and the other where the lawyer's station is.

The setting is the poverty-ridden streets of Chicago and a realistic peep into the lives of the two brothers Lafeyette and Pharaoh.

Being the brain and the intellectual reason of the family, the husband wisely guides the ship of his matrimonial unit through all the possible mishaps and traps and takes the necessary precautions in order to [...]

The novel 'The Third Life of Grange Copeland' by Alice Walker is dedicated to the highlight of economical and racist oppression suffered by the society; it is a set of lives depicting gradual formation of [...]

The author, as a mother has put a lot of her own reflection and her soul into the novel, still giving her readers the opportunity to form their own opinion about the things in the [...]

The most universal, the most difficult, and the noblest work, one for all and at the same time unique in every family, is the creation of a human.

The theme of the struggle between a man and the sea as the power of nature can be traced even in the ancient literature, drawing on the example of Odysseus challenges and Poseidon, the formidable [...]

Moses is used to this kind of life and described by one of the other characters as "world-stupid," meaning he does not know how to live in the outside world. He has a strong connection [...]

It can also be stated that the novel itself has distinct religious overtones as evidenced by Santiago's reference to the crucifixion in the scene where the sharks came to eat the body of the marlin.

The fact that it specifies whose cry it is, "of a woman", draws specific attention to the incomparable nature of a human being and the sound that is made. There is the loss of all [...]

She is beginning to personify the wallpaper in her musings. To nearly the end, she is lucid about people's roles in her life.

Such characteristic features of American Realism as the focus on the middle class and upper class characters, the author's intention to make a positive social or moral influence on his readers, the author's concentration on [...]

In the first story, the necklace is a symbol of giving; it represents the importance of being able "to give up the cheap things in our lives so that God can give us beautiful treasures".

The story's title represents the name of the conference that the main character takes part in. Instead, the story follows the main character's fictional journey across the minds of other people caught in the snowstorm.

He presents the crimes of American capitalism including the corruption of Blackhead, Dutch Robertson's returning from the prison that does not stop him from stealing money, Gus McNeil's denial of the class that he belonged [...]

The theme is very intricate and it finds its realization in different aspects of the book, such as the authorship the author's tone that can be perceived while reading, the genre, the choice of the [...]

The father and his son expect the arrival of God and they see a final destination on God's side. The old man stands near the road for a long time and he is the only [...]

Despite the fact that, throughout story's entirety, Cal is being presented to us as "progressive" educator, who seriously believed that endowing Donny with strongly defined sense of self-respect could have helped Daisy's son to straighten [...]

She is the perfect Victorian example of what Edna is expected to be, but Edna is incapable of keeping up the act, which is all her marriage and family really are to her.

Due to the revolution created by his blatant disclosures in the novel, Ellis began to be considered as the voice of the young generation and literary critics started to refer to the book as representing [...]