Themes in American Novels Essay Examples and Topics

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 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.

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 [...]

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 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 [...]

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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 [...]

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 [...]

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

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

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 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 [...]

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 [...]

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.

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

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 [...]

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 [...]

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

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.

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 [...]

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

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 [...]

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

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

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 [...]

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 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.

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 [...]

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: [...]

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 [...]

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.

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.

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 [...]

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 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 [...]

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 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.

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

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 [...]

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.

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 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 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 [...]

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 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 [...]

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 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.

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 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.

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 [...]

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 [...]

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

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.

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

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

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.

Another one is more of a humorous idea that there are spores in the sunlight that are essentially converting people into self-centered zombies.

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.

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

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

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

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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.

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

Initially, in both stories, the authors emphasize the success linked to education and the necessity of school attendance. Back in time, education might create a delusion about one's intelligence, overstating the significance of existing knowledge [...]

The development of the American dream and its impact on the society of the United States is a pertinent topic of discussion for various authors.

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.

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 [...]

It is necessary to underline the fact that in the modern world the concept of racial profiling is considered to be common rather than unheard or unknown; the essay under analysis allows evaluating the author's [...]

In the novel, we see April and Frank Wheeler as a youthful, presumably flourishing couple who lives a contented life with their two offspring in a well-to-do Connecticut neighborhood in the middle of the 1950s.

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 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 [...]

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.

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.

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.

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 [...]

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.

In the short story, Faulkner portrays that the beginning of the 1900s was marked by great social and economic changes but many people fail to accommodate their life to new social relations and a new [...]

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.

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 [...]

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.

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.

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.

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 [...]

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.

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 main symbols of the story are tortoiseshell hair combs and a platinum chain for a pocket watch the symbols of sacrifice and devotion.

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

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

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.

As a consequence, the constant social pressure added to the stress of strict parental control and further exacerbated the sisters' depression. It resulted in Cecilia's suicide and the tightening of parental restrictions.

Missie May and Joe relay the themes through the roles issued to them as the protagonist and antagonist of the story, respectively.

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 diversity in the social and societal background of the United States cannot go without the trends for the historical basis of the nation.

Her response is to try her best to make up for her crime by satisfying each and every demand of Beloved to the extent of literally enslaving herself to the girl.

The latter is about a girl and her conflict with her family, which eventually leads her to leave her home and start living at the post office.

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

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

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 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.

I think that the irony, demonstrating how issues of the girl are directly related to the mother's relationship with her is, used effectively.

The image of storm is used by Kate Chopin as a metaphor to describe the romantic feelings that explode in the hearts of the two people, Alcee and Calixta.

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.