Essays and Research Papers on (All) Literature

This 4 page paper discusses the role of the gods of Greek mythology who were overwhelmingly powerful, dominating, and held an influential place in the characters of this play. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

This 5 page paper considers the role of Tom in Tennessee Williams' play The Glass Menagerie. This paper outlines the basic components of Tom's role and the importance for the play as a whole. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

A history book will tell the reader about the rise of nationalism in the Kaiserreich as a prelude to the rampant anti-Semitism of the post World War I era. These are just words that have a two dimensional meaning: time and place. If people, or the social atmosphere of both individuals and movements, is added, the depth of ...

The major theme of Edward Albee's most prominent play, Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf, seems to be that cruelty and violence are not only inherent in the nature of Man but that they also play a significant role in some relationships. This 5 page paper explores the characters of George and Martha as well as their relationship as portrayed ...

A 5 page report and analysis of the Frindle by Andrew Clements. The writer provides a literary analysis of plot and presentation through a synopsis of the book. Bibliography lists 1 source.

10 pages in length. Ernest Hemingway placed himself in all of his works; however, it can readily be argued that none were as personal as A Farewell To Arms. The poignant love story set in the backdrop of World War I is more of an autobiography of the author's own war experience than ...

A five page paper looking at the allusions to Dante, Homer, Aristotle, and the Arthurian Grail cycle in Bernard Malamud's novel about an egotistical baseball player. The paper argues that Malamud chose to use these mythological references to show that even when one has been given a gift or talent that has been denied to ...

This 5 page paper contemplates this fictitious work by Jean Craighead George. The protagonist is discussed in terms of motivation and inner development. Much of the discussion concerns coming of age in different cultures. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

In 5 pages, the author discusses the way in which sense of place was developed in "Swamp Angel" by Ethel Wilson. No other sources are cited.

An eight page paper looking at the way Bronte's title character is able to develop a sense of personal autonomy despite the restrictiveness of the class structure of Victorian society. The paper shows how Jane is able to triumph through assertiveness and a strong, distinctly unfeminine will. Bibliography lists six sources.

A five page paper looking at the way Chinua Achebe's protagonist Okonkwo in "Things Fall Apart" and Zora Neale Hurston's protagonist Janie Crawford in "Their Eyes Were Watching God" function as subversive elements within their society due to their inability to understand either its changing face (in the case of Okonkwo) or its basic realities (in the ...

This five-page-paper discusses the search for identity by the narrator in the classic tale 'Invisible Man' by Ralph Waldo Emerson. Bibliography lists one source.

An eight page paper discussing how these two very different works can be both classified as epics. The paper defines the term epic and shows how both works define the character of a nation. Bibliography lists six sources.

A five page paper on this classic American short story. The paper focuses on the characterization of the man as a creature of intellect and the dog as a creature of instinct. Bibliography lists five sources.

This 5 page report discusses “The Tenth Man” and examines the writing style and nuances of the English writer, Graham Greene. Irony is the single governing characteristic of Greene’s work and is certainly the constant theme of “The Tenth Man.” A wealthy man gives up his wealth in order to live. A poor man gives up his life ...

A 5 page paper which discusses the books "Madame Bovary" by Gustave Flaubert and "Catcher in the Rye" by J. D. Salinger and illustrates how the main characters are dissatisfied with the world around them to the point where their lives become somewhat meaningless. No additional sources cited.

A 10 page research paper that has as its focus how Betty Smith's novel A Tree Grows in Brooklyn reflects teenage depression through the character of Francie. The writer first examines Smith's novel, and then looks at how depression is reflected in Columbia University's Health Education Program's guide book, Go Ask Alice, before addressing teenage ...

3 pages in length. The writer discusses Chopin's use of simplistic symbolism as a means by which to address a more expansive underlying message in "The Storm." Bibliography lists 7 sources.

A 7 page research paper that examines the topic of heroism in J.R.R. Tolkein's 'The Hobbit.' The writer argues that while the overall pattern for this narrative fits with the typical mythical depiction of an heroic epic, Tolkien departs from this template in many important respects. Bibliography lists 4 sources.

In 7 pages, the author compares the movie and book versions of Like Water for Chocolate or Como agua para chocolate by Laura Esquivel. It is a story that is too hot to handle: forbidden love, matriarchal dominance, the supernatural, and the special Mexican recipes that become more than enticing dishes. The protagonist ...

This 5 page paper looks at the post modern novel 'White Noise' by Don Delillo. This novel's main characters are preoccupied with a fear of death and take measure to alleviate the fear which themselves may become the catalyst of death. The failure to accept death appear to aggravate and it is only with final ...

A 3 page paper which compares Phoenix Jackson from 'A Worn Path,' by Eudora Welty, and Emily Grierson from 'A Rose for Emily,' by William Faulkner. Both of these women are generally misunderstood and seen as outsiders to the rest of the society within the town they visit or are somehow a part of. They are looked at and ...

In 5 pages, the author discusses Kate Chopin's, The Awakening, and the manner in which Robert Lebrun, Léonce Pontellier, and Alcée Arobin all bring about different emotions such as excitement, rebellion, and irresponsibility within Edna, which helps one understand the complexity of her relationship with these male characters. No other sources are cited.

A 7 page paper on Margaret Atwood's book "Alias Grace." The paper discusses various aspects of the book such as gender, female sexuality and social class and addresses how these perceptions, originating from those around her, influenced Grace's ability to adequately express herself. No additional sources cited.

A 5 page paper that traces the transition of the life of Olaudah Equiano from a child of traditional African Igbo culture to an adult of strong, deep Christian faith. Discussed are the conditions that shaped Equiano's life, including his abduction into the life of slavery at the age of 11, his introduction to ...