Essays and Research Papers on (All) Literature

A six page paper looking at the importance of parties and visiting in establishing and reinforcing social contracts in Jane Austen’s novel. The paper concludes that socializing is how Austen’s characters establish the parameters by which the contracts of life are forged, and how they move in and out of these parameters to get things ...

A five page paper looking at the parallels between Billy Budd, Christ, and the Biblical Adam in Herman Melville’s novel. The paper concludes that after Billy’s unintentional sin, his resignation to his fate presents Billy as Christlike in his willingness to accept the sacrifice of his own life in order to maintain social order on ...

A five page paper looking at the relationship between Miss Jean Brodie and her students in Muriel Spark’s “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.” Particular attention is given to the question of whether Miss Brodie’s betrayal by one of her students was deserved.

A seven page paper analyzing the kind of world that produced the rebellious “Beat” poets of the 1950s and 60s, as well as the way their iconoclastic ideologies affected American attitudes in their own time and later on. The paper concludes that the Beats went a long way toward transforming our society from the smug, ...

A 3 page paper looking at the way the Roman ideals of heroism are reflected in Vergil’s Aeneid, particularly in the characters of Aeneas and Turnus. The paper argues that warfare was a means of defending and aggrandizing the state, and the role of the hero was to work toward this end, regardless of what ...

An eight page paper contrasting the philosophy behind warfare in these two classical epics. The paper argues that unlike Roman warfare which emphasizes the primacy of the state, Greek warfare cannot get past the cult of the individual; and as useful as it may be in time of peace, individuality is not a workable ideology ...

A five page exploration of this fictional religion developed by Kurt Vonnegut for the purpose of this novel. The paper argues that Bokononism, which is patently founded on platitudes and lies, is beloved by the people because it diverts their attention from their real problems. Bibliography lists two sources.

A six page paper looking at the way J.D. Salinger’s use of language brings his protagonist’s teenage angst to life. The paper looks particularly at Holden’s use of the second person “you”, and his repetitions of the words “crazy” and “phony.” Bibliography lists six sources.

A six page paper analyzing the character of the protagonist, Randle McMurphy, in this novel by Ken Kesey. The paper shows how McMurphy, by constantly bucking the system in the asylum, sacrificed his life so that his fellow inmates might be liberated. Bibliography lists three sources.

A seven page paper looking at Milan Kundera’s 1984 novel in terms of the literary devices and techniques that shape it. The paper concludes that its abundant use of symbolism and its surreal tone give Kundera’s novel the feeling of a dream.

A three page paper analyzing the important issues in Jack Henry Abbott’s book on prison life. The book contends that although the brutality of a lifetime behind bars may well have contributed to Abbott’s violent tendencies, that is no reason to let him out. No additional sources; a free one-page sentence outline follows bibliography.

A four page paper analyzing the degree to which Nietzsche and Dostoevsky are in agreement about the decline of Western Civilization. The paper concludes that although both men considered that nihilism -- the denial of values -- was at the root of what was wrong with European civilization in the nineteenth century, they simply attributed ...

A four page paper looking at the mutable nature of truth according to these three authors. Specific works covered are Dostoevsky’s “Notes from the Underground,” Nietzsche’s “The Anti-Christ,” and Camus’ “The Fall.” No additional sources.

A four page paper looking at the function of memory in this segment of the massive “Remembrance of Things Past.” The paper concludes that there is nothing particularly unusual about the fact that Proust is prompted by events as commonplace as a tea-soaked madeline to recall events of the past. What is unusual is the ...

A one-page paper on the political and social redefinition of women in Ousmanne Sembene’s novel. The paper points out that although historical records do not support Sembene’s tale of a female-led movement, even the degree of participation women did display required a significant amount of redefinition of gender roles in African society. Bibliography lists one ...

A one-page paper looking at Ousmanne Sembene’s novel from a teleological perspective. The paper defines teleology as the belief that there is a larger purpose for everything that occurs, and shows how this is the operative model for the events described in Sembene’s novel. Bibliography lists one source.

An eight page paper looking at the medieval work “The Book of Margery Kempe” in terms of the personality, and possibly the psychosis, of its marvelously entertaining narrator. The paper concludes that although Margery is completely unlike the image we normally have of a saint, her self-appointed vocation was in fact the only role other ...

A five page paper on Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.” The paper shows how the conventions of the stories expose social expectations and conflicts within the British culture in which they were produced. Bibliography lists three sources.

A five page paper analyzing the significance of these motifs in “The Odyssey,” “The Inferno,” and “Don Quixote.” The paper concludes that each hero, through his quest, has brought back to his society a dose of precisely the medicine it needs. Bibliography lists two sources.

A five page paper looking at this seminal Canadian work by Hugh MacLennan, set against the backdrop of the Halifax explosion of 1917. The paper discusses MacLennan’s feeling that if all factions of Canadian society could be brought to place their primary allegiance in Canada rather than their own small special interest groups, this ...

A five page paper looking at this short story by John Updike in terms of the author’s development of the story’s theme, a young man’s moment of self-discovery. The paper traces Updike’s use of contrast and detail to paint a picture of an oppressively narrow-minded small town and its people. No additional sources.

A five page paper analyzing Mark Twain’s classification as a realist writer on the basis of his accurate use of dialect in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The paper defines realism and briefly describes the realist movement of the late nineteenth-century, then discusses how Twain fits into this tradition. Bibliography lists two sources.

A six-page paper comparing the main male character in Thomas Hardy’s “Tess of the D’Urbervilles” with Alexander the Great. The paper asserts that both were aristocratic men with little compassion for the masses and a very inflated ego. Bibliography lists seven sources.

A five page look at this travel journal by John Steinbeck, reporting on the author’s cross-country trip in 1960. The paper shows how Steinbeck’s observations in this book are consistent with his overall philosophy of life. Bibliography lists three sources.

An eight page paper looking at the complex interrelationship between the individual and society, and reality and illusion, in these two authors. Works discussed are Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Masque of the Red Death” and Gabriel Garcia Marquez’ “A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings.” The paper concludes that in both stories an edifice is ...