Essays and Research Papers on (All) Literature

A 5 page paper which examines the shallowness of life as presented in Jane Austen’s 1813 novel, 'Pride and Prejudice,' concentrating on marriage, which was little more than a game based on wealth and social position. No additional sources are cited.

A six page look at these two ancient stories in terms of their philosophy toward the continuity of life. The paper suggests that the Sumerians, in fact, felt that since death was the end of everything, humans’ responsibility is to live vigorously and well; the Hebrews, on the other hand, found their own “salvation” in ...

A 5 page paper which examines the theme of humiliation as presented in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel, 'The Scarlet Letter' (1850) and Henrik Ibsen’s 'An Enemy of the People' (1882). Bibliography lists 2 sources.

A 5 page analysis of the medieval morality play, 'Mankind.' The writer focuses on the scene in which Mischief holds 'court' as representative of the features of the play. The writer argues that this play is most significant, not for its content, but rather because it indicates the beginnings of professionalism in English drama. No ...

A 6 page paper on the importance of supporting characters in these two novels by Leo Tolstoy and Isabel Allende, respectively. The paper looks particularly at Anna’s husband and lover in Tolstoy’s work, and at Esteban Trueba’s wife and granddaughter in Allende’s, and suggests that these characters serve as a lens through which the main ...

An 8 page paper looking at three of Steinbeck’s most famous works -- “The Pearl,” The Grapes of Wrath, and Cannery Row -- in terms of their characters’ sense of community. The paper suggests that capitalism and a deep sense of community are incompatible, because the values needed to sustain community spirit -- generosity, compassion, ...

A 6 page paper looking at three of Thomas Hardy’s novels -- Tess of the d’Urbervilles, The Mayor of Casterbridge, and Far From the Madding Crowd -- in terms of their views on women during the late Victorian era. The paper shows Hardy’s condemnation of the restrictive social roles women were required to fill in ...

This 5 page paper provides an analysis of this short story by Raymond Carver. The author’s development of characters and setting is highlighted. No bibliography.

A 5 page paper contrasting the lives of women in 17th century China depicted in this book by Jonathan D. Spence with the lives of Chinese women today. The paper concludes that Chinese women today, regardless of class, have more options than were available to their seventeenth century counterparts. Bibliography lists one source.

An 8 page paper contrasting the protagonists of Aeschylus’ Prometheus Bound and Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex. The paper points out that both heroes fight the status quo and lose with their honor intact, but Prometheus chooses his battle deliberately and Oedipus is thrust into his by fate. Bibliography lists one source.

A 5 page paper contrasting these two classical heroes of Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey respectively. The paper observes that the Iliad, through its characterization of the volatile and later chastened Achilles, shows the tempering and maturing effects of war, and the Odyssey, through its depiction of the strategic and noble Odysseus, is more reflective of ...

A 5 page analysis of Sobel's book that gives a wider historical perspective on the significance of this fascinating story of the invention of the chronometer. First, the writer relates the essence of Sobel's account of how an uneducated woodworker, John Harrison, solved the trickiest scientific problem of his age. Then, the writer relates this ...

A 5 page paper on this science fiction novel by Robert Heinlein. The paper looks at the way Heinlein deals with conformity versus individuality and compulsion versus freedom, and concludes that for Heinlein “good” conformity is that which an individual chooses in order to benefit his fellow human beings, not something that is forced upon ...

A five page paper comparing these two novels by Daniel Defoe and Charlotte Bronte, respectively, in terms of the ways their heroines respond to a sexist, materialistic, class-conscious society. The paper argues that while Jane creates for herself her own class -- a class based on merit rather than materialism -- Moll abuses the ...

A 10 page paper which examines the Gothicism of Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley’s masterpiece, Frankenstein (1818), by first defining Gothic, then providing specific examples from the novel. Bibliography lists 6 sources.

A six page paper analyzing the way the roles of women in Homeric society are depicted in Homer’s epics. The paper concludes that Homer echoes his culture’s conception of women as being either helpers of men or hindrances to them, but essentially insubstantial in their own right. No additional sources.

A 7 page paper looking at the theme of revenge and victimization in this horror story by Edgar Allan Poe. The paper concludes that Poe deliberately left open the question of whether Fortunato was the only victim of Montresor’s diabolical revenge, or whether the ultimate revenge was on Montresor himself. Bibliography lists seven sources.

In 6 pages, the author gives an analysis of the book 'Narrative in the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave (1845).' This is the story of Frederick Douglass, a former slave. Through this narrative, the humanity of the slave, Douglass, is asserted. The narrative of Frederick Douglass tells of a chattel that ...

A 3 page analysis of Sugar and other Stories, a collection of short fiction by A.S. Byatt. In this collection, Byatt explores the ramifications of the boundaries of imagination, the dynamics of language and the purposes of art. This work particularly explores the relationship of between narration and word use that demonstrates the pull toward ...

A 5 page paper looking at this complex and poetic 1981 novel. The paper argues that because the protagonist is troubled throughout her life with prophetic dreams of a future she cannot change, she is robbed of the gift of free will. No additional sources.

5 pages in length. Without the inclusion of characterization, plot and irony, there would be little point in constructing any works of literature whatsoever, for these literary terms describe the very heart of a story's content. The people within a tale must have a sense of existence, which is what characterization gives to ...

A 3 page analysis of Anita Brookner's novel Hotel du Lac. It's the rather sad tale of a 39-year-old Englishwoman with the symbolic name of 'Edith Hope' who is sent by concerned friends to sit out a scandal at small, discreet resort in Switzerland, the Hotel du Lac. The story revolves around the central question ...

A 3 page paper pointing out that most of Poe’s Gothic stories and poems have very normal, ordinary settings. The paper argues that this reflects the uncertainty of American life as opposed to the relative stability of England during the same period. No additional sources.

A 5 page paper looking at various anecdotes concerning food or eating in Jonathan Swift’s 'Gulliver’s Travels,' and analyzing the way Swift uses them to comment satirically upon the human condition. No additional sources.

A 5 page paper on this poignant little 1878 novella. The paper concentrates on the characterizations of Daisy Miller and Frederick Winterbourne, and shows how their relationship was affected by their difference in social class. No additional sources.