Themes in American Novels Essay Examples and Topics

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.

First of all, it is the mystery of a man who wants to preserve the nature of Miami and area, save it from being destroyed by tourists and other people who disrespect it.

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

This effect is reached by opposing the details and the setting of the traditional human world with the magic of the wild forest.

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.

It touches on numerous subjects, such as the opposition of communal values to those of the individual, criticizes dogmatic views and perceptions of God, and promotes art as one of the truest ways of worshipping [...]

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.

On the one hand, the majority of victims of this social vice are not willing to confront it. In such a scenario, the victims of this vice are discouraged because it appears that their feelings [...]

By incorporating a range of symbols such as the main characters' clothes, their personal belongings, and attributes of their culture, the author conveys the conflict of belonging, sense of being lost, and the problem of [...]

A Travel Writer Tell-All is a new travel writer subgenre, in which writers lists the failures that they had to face in the course of traveling because of the lack of information concerning a particular [...]

The Civil War in the 19th century was the war against slavery and for the liberation of millions of people. His novel is devoted to the American society of that period.

The use of the word Negro and the emphasis on the Negro's obedience and loyalty symbolizes the end of the last traces of slavery.

Stowe has claimed that the anti slavery groups questioned the morality of the white Christians who were at the fore front in the oppression of the Black people.

And that is where I wanted to be, at home. I understood that she was the dearest person in my life and I behaved as a stupid thing.

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 [...]

In addition, because the movie relates to the period of the Great Depression in America, all the characters of the novel are obsessed with the American Dream, a stereotype, and an illusionary vision of happiness [...]

He is in search of inspiration and all he is doing is rushing here and there to find a hint of something that would make him write at least several lines of his new novel.

In his novel Flight to Canada, Ishmael Reed blurs the boundaries between the prose and poetry as well as the past and the present to express his satirical criticism of the legacy of slavery even [...]

First of all, there is a need to point out that Reed is recognized as one of the most influential African American letters. The most interesting point I would like to highlight is related to [...]

Huck, the key character in the book, brings the collision of a sound heart and a deformed conscience, a conflict well illustrated through the theme of racism, civilized society, and slavery among others.

It is in such situations that Dagny works to keep the company in operation single-handedly even after her brother, James, the company's president, decides to overlook the troubles of the company.

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.

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

The main focus of the story is the problem of racism, particularly to African-American people in the United States. In terms of other issues that "Battle Royal" demonstrates and that are further developed in the [...]

This paper aims to explore the themes relating to the American dream and its associated emptiness and un-attainability as depicted in the two novels, The Day of the Locust and Play it as it Lays.

Although the story is told from the point of view of the girl referred to as "Snot" by the troop, Arnetta could be considered the center point of the short story.

In her short story "The Lottery," Jackson explores the problems of traditions and shows people's attachment to the established order in a negative light.

The practice of lynching could be considered one of the worst acts committed by the citizens of the United States. This date would place the events at the end of the period of extreme racism [...]

What is even more because of the story's allegorical clues, concerned with the author's portrayal of "Bacote nigger's" burning by the crowd of White Southerners, readers are hinted at what may be the ultimate consequence [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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.

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 [...]

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 [...]

To transmit the message, Faulkner uses three binary oppositions: death life, the old the new, and the North the South. In this passage, Emily is compared to the soldiers who fell in the Civil War [...]

Therefore, the evolution of the society gave rise to the reconsideration of the approach to racism and promoted the increase of the level of consciousness of the discriminated people.

In spite of the fact that Butler rejected the idea that she intended to discuss the problem of the humans' enslavement in her work, it is impossible to ignore the accentuation of the issue of [...]

The events of the stories outlined in the succeeding sections of this work justify the formulation that our mainstream culture determines the achievements that we make in life.

Another subtle aspect of the story that may contribute to better understanding of James's motivation is his relationship with his own father.

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 [...]

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.

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

For me, this piece of writing best describes participation in social decision-making, as it is highlighted that options for the wealthy and the poor differ.

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.

The work was published in 1924, and one of the reasons for its triumph in America and the United Kingdom was the precision, with which the author portrayed the historical and cultural context.

The author uses the relationship between a little boy and a tree to communicate to the children on the theme of giving.

In the case of Maya Angelou's "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings", the social-cultural factors that impede the main character's development are also the elements that contribute to her coming of age.

In both cases, it can clearly be seen that it is fear that allows unreasonable and unlawful actions to continue under the guise of lawful actions that are for the common good.

D az presents love and violence in a manner that suggests to the reader that the two go hand in hand.

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 [...]

The people in the districts forego the freedom of speech and expression so that they can live peacefully with the Capitol.

It appears that the suicide of the main character of the play "Death of a Salesman" by Arthur Miller can be described within the framework suggested by Durkheim.

The convention of the femme fatale is of great significance for the noir fiction as far as it can reveal the historical and cultural background of Los Angeles in the 1930s.

When the hunter says that he is aware of the bear and knows how the bear smells, means that he is extremely familiar with the hunting and especially, bears, as the unique scent is characteristic [...]

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.

In the book No Place of Grace, the author mentions that the worker's anti-modern reaction to the changes can also be considered a complex mixture of protest and accommodation, leading to formation of a much [...]

In this passage, close to the end of the short story A Rose for Emily, and at the end of Miss Emily's life as an eccentric figure in the life of the town, Faulkner literally [...]

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.

This is one of the main aspects that should be identified because it illustrates in the difference in the worldviews of Toby, Nell, and Eva.

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

The omission of women in history has been the cause of fictionalization that misrepresents the female gender. The ancient history of women is seen to suggest that the only role they played was in the [...]

The concept of family is predominant throughout and from the beginning of the story. When the father is ignoring the phone call and sees a man and his son on TV, it is apparent that [...]

In Ernest Hemingway's novel The Sun Also Rises, women are a ubiquitous part of the story, and even central to the plot.

This is one of the similarities in the style of these writers. This is one of the main details that be identified.

This harsh assessment is a testament to growing up in the America during the first half of the nineteenth century; Angelou might be predisposed at a young age to resent her and to admire the [...]

The story reveals the narrator's experiences as she reveals how she was confined in her room by her physician and husband after giving birth ostensibly to allow her to recuperate.

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.

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.

He was a member of the Tammany Hall that was in power in the City of New York. He was a strong opponent of the civil service law; in fact, he called it the curse [...]

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 [...]

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.

Based on an examination of the book, it is the opinion of the reader that the portrayal of the brilliance and personality of John Forbes Nash, Jr.is to a certain extent fiction mixed with a [...]

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.

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 [...]

Snow Crash almost declares the end of the world, with the powers of stopping it resting upon only the freelance hackers and the Mafia.

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.

Although it is typical to portray characters with references to their work, Dorris explores the theme of the protagonist's occupation paying attention to the role of the profession in Frank's life as the way to [...]

As a result, Kathy is ready to start the strange and disgraceful relationships with Burdon in order to find a kind of security.

The head of the family is the father, the head of the pack is the leader, and its offsprings are also the members of the pack.

The next chapter of the book explores more on the main subtopics of the piece of writing. According to the author, the increasing depression amongst the people triggered the creation of a public warfare.

As the narration continues and Katrina is wooed by Crane, Irving interrupts and expresses his imagination about the challenging and admirable nature of women.

Through Kathleen Norris' exercise, I would be able to break free of all these stress-related issues in life and be at peace not only with myself, but with the environment in general.

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 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 [...]

It is therefore likely that Sammy made the decision to quit his job so as to get the girls' attention. When the reader is first introduced to Sammy, it is apparent that he is the [...]

Therefore, in a strict play of the private incidents such as the death of her father with gangrene and his German lineage are presented in the poem to actually demonstrate Plath's abhorrence for her ancestry [...]

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, [...]

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

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

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.

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 [...]

Later on, one appreciates that although Matty lacked the physical appeal that Eugenia had, as well as the right social position, she was the one to watch in this novella. She was almost as white [...]

After marriage, the only imperfection on her body, which is her birthmark, becomes unbearable to a point that he occasionally shudders when he sees it. He sees it as the only thing that prevents the [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

Leach is convincing in the justification of his main thesis: the businesspeople of the age took advantage of the changing social and economic patterns to change people's perception of the ideal life away from an [...]

Proving the idea of the grandmother's domination, her individualism and the desire to show that her point of view should be listened to, it is important to conduct a close reading of the text.

He is so annoyed that he would like to go out and show her that he is not the hairy ape that she called him.

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.