Essays and Research Papers on (All) Literature

A 3 page paper which analyzes the 1960 Harper Lee novel, "To Kill a Mockingbird," in terms of plot (15 major incidents), characters, setting, conflict, point of view, themes, and techniques.

A ten page paper looking at the influence of this South African author's consciousness of her Jewish heritage on her anti-apartheid works. The paper maintains that Gordimer, confused as a child by her mother's secularism, sought to channel her need for validation into a campaign for tolerance and equal rights for all. Bibliography lists ten ...

An 8 page paper which examines the how Medieval concepts of women's roles and marriage are revealed through the character of Griselda in Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Clerk's Tale." Bibliography lists 6 sources.

An eight page paper looking at the role satire plays in this fabliau by Geoffrey Chaucer. The paper notes that the tale is generally considered to be farce, but the serious themes which emerge on analysis of the text are much more indicative of satire. Bibliography lists six sources.

This 5 page paper explores the moral connection to family as it is presented in Anne Tyler's novel, The Accidental Tourist. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

A 5 page analysis of three science fiction novels. Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?; William Gibson's Neuromancer; and Richard Powers' Galatea all create worlds in which AI (artificial intelligence) has been perfected and incorporated into machines that are virtually indistinguishable from real human beings. By examining how a future ...

A 3 page paper which examines the insight gained from Mitch Albom's 1997 memoir, "Tuesdays With Morrie," and considers how this insight may be incorporated into nursing practice.

A six page paper looking at the recurring theme of morality that runs through the novels of John Steinbeck. The paper notes that Steinbeck tends to look at morality in a different way than most people of his era; he shows in his works that American society behaves immorally toward its poor, and the poor, ...

A 5 page paper which provides a general overview of Jacob Riis' 1890 book, "How the Other Half Lives," with particular emphasis on how it relates to the events of the time period. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

A 6 page paper which examines the differing views of what women want, as expressed in Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Wife of Bath's Tale." Specifically considered are how what the wife and other women want differ from Medieval expectations of what a "true" lady was supposed to be. Bibliography lists 4 sources.

Literary Devices and Thematic Development in A 20 page paper analyzing E.M. Forster's novel in terms of the author's use of literary devices such as metaphor, irony, tone, and symbol in developing the novel's theme. The paper asserts that meaning is not conveyed in the literal but in the figurative, and Forster uses the irrational ...

An 8 page paper which provides a critical literary analysis of Mary Shelley's 1818 novel, "Frankenstein," including plot, characters, conflict, setting and language. Bibliography lists 7 sources.

A 5 page paper which examines how the ancient tablets known as the "Epic of Gilgamesh" reveals how the early peoples of Mesopotamia viewed life and death. Specifically considered are how they regarded their leaders and women, the historical significance of Enkidu and his change, what Utnapishtim's story and other parts of the epic ...

A 5 page paper discussing the setting and the character of Tessie Hutchinson in Shirley Jackson's short story. The carnival mood of the crowd changes as the time for the annual drawing approaches, and Tessie begins to object strongly, first when it is her family selected by the lottery to satisfy local tradition, then when it becomes apparent ...

A 5 page paper which discusses various elements of Marquez' story, "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings." Elements include plot, style, setting, symbolization, and narration. Bibliography lists 5 additional sources.

A 5 page analysis of Chaim Potok's novel " The Chosen," taking into consideration how it illustrates patterns of religious observance discussed in "Habits of the Heart," edited by Robert Bellah, et al. No additional sources cited.

Blue Winds Dancing is an autobiographical account of a young man's journey into the world of cultural polarities. This 5 page paper argues that the value of the story can be found in the questioning of social orientation, the resolution of the conflict and the process that the young man takes in determining his own place within the cultural ...

An eight page paper discussing the way images introduced in the opening passage of a novel and repeated in the final paragraphs give the work a sense of closure. Specific novels mentioned are Margaret Atwood's "The Robber Bride," Anne Tyler's "The Accidental Tourist," Roddy Doyle's "The Commitments," and David Adams Richards' "Nights Below Station ...

This 22 page report discusses the writer George Eliot (1819-1880) and her remarkable ability to present the women of Victorian England to the literary world. Typically, Victorian literature presents an idealization of women as passionless and innately virtuous models of feminine behavior. Eliot came to occupy a central position in English literary circles and was thought of as bold ...

A five page paper comparing these two stories by John Updike and James Joyce. Both stories show a young man thrown into conflict, ostensibly over a girl. However, in both cases, the deepest conflict comes from the young man's encounter with life itself, and his realization that he, as an individual, is no longer willing ...

A three page paper looking at these two works by Mary Shelley and Aldous Huxley, respectively, in terms of their applications to the modern concept of genetic engineering. The paper concludes that Shelley warns against scientific tampering that will make "guinea pigs" out of human beings, and Huxley warns of scientific methods that will render ...

This 5 page paper explicates this early Milton work. Milton's use of texture is assessed. Several techniques are explored. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

A 6 page paper which compares and contrasts the dual characters of Anna and Konstantin "Kostya" Levin in Tolstoy's 1870 novel, "Anna Karenina" in terms of their love lives, religious beliefs, spiritual beliefs, and moral convictions. No additional sources are used.

A 5 page paper which examines the ways in which Edgar Allan Poe's own background, experiences, and personal beliefs are reflected in his 1839 short story, 'The Fall of the House of Usher.' Bibliography lists 5 sources.

A five page paper looking at this 1977 play by Michael Cristofer. The paper provides a brief synopsis, together with a discussion of the function of plot, theme, characterization, dialogue, setting, and ethics in the play. Bibliography lists one source.