Essays and Research Papers on (All) Literature

A 5 page paper analyzing the presence of anti-war and anti-imperialist sentiments in Howells’ “Editha”, Twain’s “War Prayer,” and Crane’s “The Open Boat.” The paper concludes that these authors agree that glory does not exist in killing one another in the name of patriotism, but in banding together to promote life. Bibliography lists 7 sources.

A 5 page paper looking at these two children’s books by E.B. White and Katherine Paterson, respectively, in terms of their treatment of death. The paper provides a detailed synopsis of both works, and argues that reading books such as these helps children come to terms with the presence of death in their own lives. ...

A 5 page paper analyzing the use of literary devices in this play by Henrik Ibsen. The paper asserts that his narrow cast of characters, taut structure, and use of dramatic irony created powerful but uncomfortable plays that went for the audience’s jugular. Bibliography lists 6 sources.

A 5 page paper which examines the tension that exists in John Milton’s works in regards to humanities dreams, which involve pure spirituality, and the reality, which involves the gross and decayed. For the most part, Milton provides the tension by illustrating how God is pure and man is involved in a constant struggle to exist in that purity, ...

A 5 page analysis of the Burton translation of this famous collection of Persian folktales. From the moment that the first translation of her remarkable stories appeared, the Western world has been entranced--just as much as was her king--by the stories of Shahrazad. It has been said that these stories are masterpieces of the art ...

5 pages in length. The duality of Willa Cather's portrayal of women in My Antonia represents the inherent dichotomy that exists between conventionality and unconventionality. A longstanding debate has raged ever since the author penned her account of a woman torn between traditional gender representation and that which is not considered conventional. ...

This 6 page report discusses the ancient classic “The Illiad” and focuses on the issues of revenge presented by Homer. The epic's importance, especially in “The Illiad,” lies in the fact that it advocates a certain level of consideration regarding the requirements of human interaction. Revenge is not for sale in “The Illiad” and ...

A 7 page paper which compares British author C.S. Lewis’ book, 'The Screwtape Letters,' to Plato’s 'Phaedrus' to examine the three ways in which the twentieth century Christian thinker might have revealed himself to be a Platonist. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

A 6 page paper which compares Socrates’ view of love, as interpreted by Plato in 'Symposium,' with the contemporary concept of love. After critical evaluation, the two viewpoints are then integrated into an example of an ideal of love, which is probed through supporting and opposing arguments. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

: An 8 page analysis of Cannie's book on how to 'mine' the lost riches represented by customers who defect to a competitor. Cannie asserts that most US companies are unaware of how many of their customers go elsewhere over the course of a year. Additionally, she argues that most firms are also unaware ...

A 5 page paper looking at the degree to which the salvation of a character is dependent upon whether he adapts to his natural surroundings. The paper specifically discusses Stephen Crane’s short story “The Open Boat” and Ambrose Bierce’s “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge.” No additional sources.

A 5 page paper looking at Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn, plus five other short stories and novellas, in terms of their treatment of the conflict between the demands of society and individual expression. Stories covered include Sarah Orne Jewett’s “A White Heron;” Ambrose Bierce’s “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge;” Stephen Crane’s “The Open Boat,” ...

A 6 page paper identifying the single most important issue in Sophocles’ classic play, and determining how they apply to the modern world. The paper argues that through Antigone’s handling of an impossible decision, we learn what real character means.

An 8 page paper looking at Geoffrey Chaucer’s most famous work in terms of its treatment of morality. The paper concludes that although many of the tales are wholesome and many are bawdy, the most inherently immoral are those, told by representatives of the Church, which are hurtful to one’s fellow human beings. Specific tales ...

A 6 page paper looking at Kate Chopin’s 1899 novel in terms of its inheritance from Ralph Waldo Emerson. The paper points out that Emerson felt one’s ultimate authority is oneself, and Chopin’s protagonist Edna Pontellier relied heavily on self-direction in developing her life. Bibliography lists six sources.

A 5 page paper contrasting Homer’s Odysseus (from the Odyssey) with Virgil’s Aeneas (from the Aeneid). The paper concludes that the traits each author considered admirable are very much dependent on the culture which defined them. No additional sources.

A 10 page paper looking at Arthur Miller’s classic twentieth century play in terms of its indictment of capitalist society. The paper shows how the protagonists’ illusions distort his own values and those he teaches his sons, and observes that in that respect little has changed today. Bibliography lists seven sources.

One of the great joys of The Brothers Karamazov is the passion from which they view life. Another passion seems to have been a need to understand God and Jesus Christ. The legend of the Grand Inquisitor, as well as the book, The Brothers Karamazov, tells a tale of a journey to understand ...

A 10 page research paper on Plato’s philosophy on the soul as it relates to individual and state harmony. The author explores the idea of soul as prisoner, and the progress beyond that state. Bibliography lists 6 sources.

5 pages in length. The overt implications of fear and control represent the role women play in Jane Smiley's 'A Thousand Acres.' It can be argued that the author identified women as being akin to material possessions, equating them with things that are to be used, like land and other tangible entities. ...

A 5 page overview of the importance of the work of Frederick Douglass and the stature of the man. Relates that this work and the man, while extremely important in a historical sense, is not something on which we should base our current day attitudes regarding racism. Bibliography lists 2sources.

An 8 page analysis of the nineteenth century novel by James Hogg, The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner. In this novel, the protagonist, Robert, embarks on a campaign of murder that is intended to 'do God's work' by relieving the planet of some of the wicked. Hogg takes the reader inside Robert's ...

This 5 page report discusses Golding’s 1954 “Lord of the Flies” and its underlying themes of violence and fear. The story of the boys lost on a desert island serves as an allegory for the fundamental core of violence that is buried deep within every human. As the boys become increasingly polarized, the reader ...

A 5 page paper which examines the feelings, conflicts and emotions experienced by the characters Hester Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale and Roger Chillingworth in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s 1850 novel, 'The Scarlet Letter,' discussed in contemporary English for better student understanding. 1 source is listed in the bibliography.

A 10 page research paper that analyzes the novel The Garlic Ballads by Chinese author Mo Yan. Written in the mid-1980s, the writer argues that the political themes within this realistic and gritty look at Chinese life are an accurate reflection of the widespread corruption that is characteristic of the Chinese government. Bibliography lists ...