Essays and Research Papers on (All) Literature

A five page look at this novel by John Steinbeck in terms of its treatment of the erosion of American morals. The paper provides a considerable amount of commentary augmented with examples from the book. Bibliography lists two sources.

A five-page paper looking at this hit play by David Henry Hwang, in the context of the questions it raises about cultural stereotypes and gender roles. The paper asserts that Gallimard’s evolution in the play is representative of the conflict between Western and Eastern philosophies. Bibliography lists three sources.

A six page paper looking at this seminal Stoic philosopher in terms of the degree to which his thought is still applicable today. The paper analyzes Epictetus’ major beliefs and concludes that although we tend to see a much wider range of life’s options than Epictetus did in the first century, many aspects of his ...

A seven page paper looking at the way our belief in hard work and respectability developed over the years into the code of the American Dream, only to disintegrate in the twentieth century. Specific books discussed are Susanna Rowson’s Charlotte Temple, Horatio Alger’s Ragged Dick, and Sinclair Lewis’ Main Street. No additional sources.

A five page paper looking at the way these two stories by William Faulkner and Ambrose Bierce, respectively, illustrate binary thinking about the relationship of North and South. The paper concludes that thinking in terms of opposites limits one’s options, both in attitudes and behavior. No additional sources.

A 20 page research paper on Kate Chopin's turn of the century novel, The Awakening, which challenged society's concepts of what a wife and mother should be. The story, which tells of a young woman's search for identity and her sexual awakening, shocked the country and seriously damaged its author's career. Bibliography lists 8 sources. ...

An 8 page analysis of The Turn of the Screw by Henry James and The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson. These two novels each present stories of the supernatural. The writer argues that Jackson's story is more of a straight forward 'ghost' story, while James' book can be interpreted on various levels and ...

A 5 page paper which discusses the narrative of “Jane Eyre,” by Charlotte Bronte, in relationship to the classic fairy tales, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, and Little Red Riding Hood. Jane Eyre is the tale of an innocent young woman who finds herself becoming a very mature woman through many struggles which can be easily assimilated to the ...

A 5 page paper which takes the stories “ Their Eyes Were Watching God” by Zora Neale Hurston and “He, She and It” by Marge Peircy, and compares and contrasts the representations of community. No additional sources cited.

A seven page paper analyzing the protagonist of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s short story in terms of whether he was modeled after Dostoevsky himself. The paper presents abundant historical evidence to show that he was, and notes how the creation of this story may have helped Dostoevsky resolve issues in his own life. Bibliography lists three sources. ...

A six page paper looking at the dissension between the upper and lower classes in Maria Edgeworth’s “Castle Rackrent” and Anthony Trollope’s “An Eye for an Eye.” The paper shows that even though the two novels present their arguments very differently, both authors assert that the lower classes are not doormats created for the ...

A six page paper comparing these two variants of the “Jekyll and Hyde” story -- the original by Robert Louis Stevenson, and the more recent update by Valerie Martin, “Mary Reilly.” The paper picks out three compelling scenes from each book and gives a little background on each author. Bibliography lists three sources.

A five page paper looking at this 1983 play by American playwright Marsha Norman. The paper suggests that the two identities of the protagonist in this play are a metaphor for the dual realities women experienced in the 1960s and 1970s. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

A five page paper analyzing Chaucer’s use of the Knight’s Tale to illustrate the courtly love genre so popular in the era immediately preceding his own. The paper defines courtly love and shows how it is manifested in Chaucer’s story. Bibliography lists five sources.

A five page paper looking at Thornton Wilder’s classic little novella in terms of its structure, setting, plot, characters, and theme. According to Wilder, the point of our lives is to love and be loved; there is no deeper meaning. No additional sources.

This is a five-page fabricated interview with the twentieth-century author Eudora Welty. The emphasis is on relating the events and background of Welty’s life to the subject matter of her fiction. Endnotes and bibliography listing two sources appended to end of paper.

A five page comparison of these two ancient texts in terms of their views of order versus disorder. Both the Greeks and the Hebrews saw a sense of “home” as synonymous with order, yet only the Greeks were actually able to achieve it. . No additional sources.

A five-page paper analyzing the dominant themes in this 1922 novel. The paper concludes that “Babbitt” represents the conformity and moral sterility of American suburban life.

A five page paper looking at the thought of these three seminal nineteenth-century American writers as expressed in their works “Nature,” “Civil Disobedience,” and “Preface to Leaves of Grass,” respectively. The paper concludes that all three of these writers relied heavily on nature and natural metaphors to define what is unique about the American experience. ...

A five page paper looking at the way Franklin’s concept of the self-created man, developed in his “Autobiography”, degenerated into the illusory persona epitomized by Fitzgerald’s “Great Gatsby”. The paper suggests that over time, Franklin’s emphasis on morality and personal values was lost, and without it, upward striving becomes purely materialistic. No additional sources. ...

A six-page paper contrasting Lewis Carroll’s original novel with the screen adaptation made of it by screenwriters for Disney Studios. The paper concludes that the screenwriter skewed Carroll’s text with many modern dramatic techniques and structures, improving it in some areas but losing wonderful segments in others. No additional sources.

A seven page paper looking at the issues raised by the “tales of two cities” in this futuristic novel by Marge Piercy. The paper shows that the development of the story of the Prague Golem raises issues applicable to the story of the cyborg of Tikva. Bibliography lists four sources.

A five page paper analyzing Virginia Woolf’s novel in terms of the way it illustrates the social changes England experienced in the years immediately following the First World War. The paper argues that Virginia Woolf shows in Mrs. Dalloway a safe, protected world that is passing away, together with the horror of those who perceive ...

A 3 page paper comparing the underworld visits of Aeneas in Virgil’s Aeneid to that of Odysseus in Homer’s Odyssey. The paper concludes that although both have elements of terror, Aeneas’ visit ends on a note of hope, while Odysseus’ does not. No additional sources.

A five-page paper looking at Marianne Wiggins’ novel about young girls cast away on a deserted island. Wiggins suggests there is no way that we can leave the problems of our world behind and create a utopia somewhere off in the blue. Although we may not have deliberately manufactured our particular social ills, they are ...