Essays and Research Papers on (All) Literature

A 3 page paper discussing two psychiatrists' approaches to Dr. Watkins' madness and determining which of the two would gain the approval of R.D. Laing. Doris Lessing maintains that our treatment of "madness" is a blight on humanity and agrees with Laing that some can be a positive experience. Bibliography lists 4 sources.

This 5 page report uses the character of Medea and presents an argument in her behalf or an “apologia” that follows the logic and reasoning of Gorgias’ “Encomium of Helen.” To apply a persuasive apologia for Medea in a fashion similar to Gorgias’ dissertation for Helen requires that one consider the interpretation of the import of the crime and ...

An 8 page discussion of the inner characteristics of the fictional character of Frankenstein. Identifies Frankenstein's diligent efforts to learn to communicate as much of an act of heroism as the aid he renders to the blind man or in saving the crops of the poor. Bibliography lists 4 sources.

A five page paper looking at the way these two writers satirize the philosophies of the Enlightenment and their eighteenth-century world. The paper concludes that Swift epitomized the idea that if we all really operated logically, our minds would be in tune with our hearts and we would be compelled by conscience to reform ...

A five page paper looking at Mary Shelley's novel in terms of its larger social significance. The paper concludes that Shelley hints at topics as far-ranging as the ethics of men playing God, to the importance of a father's role in the rearing of children, to the tragedy of imperialism -- all within the relatively ...

(5 pp) In his novel, Room with a View, EM Forster presents a sympathetic view of the development and healthy growth of a young woman emerging from the confinement of Victorian social mores and manners.

Honore Balzac was known for his realistic reproductions of French society in the early 1800's. This 3 page paper examines the symbolic use of the house and garden as it pertains to the novel, Eugenie Granet. No additional sources are listed.

This 10 page paper looks at the criticisms of modern society through poetry. Focuses on Robert Duncan and Rachael Loden the way in which the disintegration and the representation of that decay of society through its fragmentation. The bibliography cites 4 sources.

A six page paper looking at this short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald in terms of the fated quality of the protagonist's behavior. The paper argues that throughout the story, the protagonist ignores the dictum that "to whom much is given, much is asked," and his fall results from his refusal to grow up. Bibliography lists ...

This 7 page paper looks at Mary Shelly's famous work and the science that is portrayed in that book. Some of the science seen in the book has become more possible and more likely in recent years, whilst some is still fantasy. Perhaps one of the most interesting aspects of this papers examination of Frankenstein ...

A 7 page paper which critically analyzes how New England-born Nathaniel Hawthorne rejects the values held by his fellow Puritans in his first two novels, 'The Scarlet Letter' and 'The House of the Seven Gables.' Bibliography lists 12 sources.

A five page paper on three short stories: Eudora Welty's "Why I Live at the P.O.", Joseph Conrad's "The Secret Sharer," and James Joyce's "Araby." The paper looks at different reactions to feelings of inadequacy, pointing out that it can cause us to strike out defensively; paralyze us from doing anything at all; or inspire ...

A 5 page paper which examines and analyzes the representation of the persona in the piece "Salvation" by Langston Hughes. No additional sources cited.

This 5 page report discusses two of Ernest Hemingway’s short stories in terms of how they serve as an example of an American as a rebel rather than a conformist. The writing produced by Ernest Hemingway was in itself an act of rebellion that personifies the unique character of how Americans want or believe they should be perceived -- brash, self-sufficient, ...

3 pages in length. Explores the plot and meaning of this book as it relates to marriage, the nuclear family, and loving relationships. Bibliography lists 1 source.

A twelve page paper comparing the anonymous fourteenth-century poem "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" with Miguel de Cervantes' sixteenth-century novel "Don Quixote." The paper concludes that Gawain's tale introduces us to the concept of chivalry as it was originally envisioned; "Don Quixote" shows us how far society had fallen from the chivalric ideal in ...

A 5 page paper which discusses the last few paragraphs of Amy Tan's story "Two Kinds," arguing that the last few paragraphs were perhaps quite unnecessary in presenting the story to the reader. No additional source cited.

A 5 page paper which provides a sociological analysis of Eudora Welty's 1941 short story, "A Worn Path," and considers if it remains meaningful within the context of contemporary society, what its original meaning might have been, the kind of society which produced the work, and the impact the story might still have upon society. ...

Forster's concept of balance is not what one would generally think, given the type of novel, the time it was written or a reference to other works by the author. This 5 page paper argues that in A Room With A View, Forster does not blatantly provide a philosophical argument in defense of his sense of balance. Rather, ...

Jack London, perhaps even more than Hemingway, personified the adventurer through his works and the experiences of his life. This 5 page paper argues that in Call Of The Wild, White Fang and The Sea Wolf London applies the concepts of Social Darwinism to the lives of the characters - both animal and human. No additional sources are ...

A 5 page paper. Under the pseudonym of Dr. Seuss, Theodor Geisel became the most well-known and most beloved writer of children's literature. Geisel was a man who was personally concerned about numerous world and national issues, many of which became messages in his books. This essay discusses Geisel's Dr. Seuss books in general ...

A 5 page paper. With this book, Wunderli has given the non-historian reader a glimpse and an understanding of life in 15th and 16th century Germany. The author recounts the story of Hans Behem, a peasant shepherd who claimed to have seen a vision of the Holy Mother Mary and then preached passionate sermons ...

This 5 page paper considers the way in which this well known play demonstrates the dualistic nature of society at both an individual level as well as on the wider scale. The roles of Nora, Torvald and even Krogstad emphasise that they live simultaneously in different worlds of their own making, it is the extent ...

This 4 page paper looks at three characters, hamlet, Medea and Vivian from Shakespeare, Euripides' and Edison examining the way in which these characters behave and influence the events around themselves. The bibliography cites 3 sources.

A 5 page paper which examines aspects of humanity and science as they involve the characters in Mary Shelly's "Frankenstein" and Edgar Allan Poe's "Maezel's Chess Player." No additional sources cited.