Essays and Research Papers on (All) Literature

A five page paper looking at Robert Louis Stevenson's novel in terms of the way its structure -- the events leading to the climax, the climax itself, and finally the resolution -- make the work well-paced and keep the reader on the edge of his seat. No additional sources.

A 5 page paper which considers how the lives of Benjamin Franklin and Frederick Douglass personified the American dream that anyone is capable of success, by examining "The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin" and "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass." No additional sources are used.

A 5 page paper that discusses relationships and marriage in Austen's Pride and Prejudice. The underlying motivation for each marriage is provided with commentary about whether or not these motivations exist today. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

A five page paper looking at this satirical story by Edgar Allan Poe. The paper points out that satire is an unusual genre for Poe, although the story is typically macabre; but, in addition to being a gentle jibe at Transcendentalism, this story argues that not all fiction must have an obvious moral to have ...

A 5 page paper. Gary Soto offers some of his recollections of his youth in this book. He does so without bitterness at the negative experiences but rather, with a sense of humor. This essay discusses what this book is about and offers some quotes from the books. Bibliography lists 1 source.

This 6 page paper looks at two works, the film 'The Joy Luck Club and Nancy Millers 'Prologue; Writing a Parent's Death', from the book Bequest and Betrayal : Memoirs of a Parent's Death. The paper argues that in the death of the mothers there remained an influence on the lives of their daughters ...

An 8 page discussion of the book "Catch 22", a tongue-in-cheek novel presenting a fictional account of the horrifying bureaucratic absurdities of World War II encountered by one officer in his attempts to accomplish his job while at the same time maintaining his identity and even his life. Discusses the true-to-life characteristics presented in ...

An eight page paper looking at Ambrose Bierce's short story in terms of the way the author uses plot, characterization, and style to shock the reader in this surprising and memorable tale. The paper shows that we are trapped by Bierce's thematic artistry just as his protagonist was trapped by the Yankees. Bibliography lists 10 ...

A Comparison of Themes and Messages; This 5 page paper looks at these two epics and considers the similarities and differences, particular attentions paid to the way in which the message of the work is conveyed and the portrayal and interpretation of the gods. The bibliography cites 2 sources.

A five page paper comparing the mother-daughter relationships in Liliana Heker's "The Stolen Party" with those in Amy Tan's "Two Kinds." The paper notes the irony that in Heker's story the mother is convinced that her daughter is shooting too far above her social station, while in Tan's story the mother is convinced that her ...

A 5 page paper which analyzes Amy Tan's short story, "Two Kinds" by specifically considering the conflict between mother and daughter, the effect of the mother's broken English and occasional Chinese expressions, and the significance of the story's last paragraph. No additional sources are used.

(4 pp). A narrator, seven centuries down the road tells us of a "manuscript" he has found. "(There are not ) errors of fact, but errors of interpretation. Looking back across the seven centuries that have lapsed since Avis Everhard completed her manuscript, events, and the bearings of events, that were confused ...

This 4 page paper explores this novel that takes place during the late part of the eighteenth century. The life of one woman is exemplified through letters. The theme of love helps to reflect the sentiments of the author as found in other ways throughout the work. No additional sources cited.

7 pages in length. A market is a place where goods are put on display in order to be bought and sold; as well, it may also be classified as targeting a class of people to whom a particular commodity can readily be sold. Keeping gender and sexuality in mind, and as ...

6 pages in length. Gerald M. Stern's "The Buffalo Creek Disaster" speaks directly to the absence of social responsibility in the corporate world. Not only did the coal company initially refuse to take accountability for the dedicated lives that were lost in the collapse, but the only reason it finally settled was for ...

A five page paper looking at these two stories by Willa Cather and Thomas Wolfe, respectively. The paper argues that both are moral tales because they compel us to sympathize with characters whom in real life we might find difficult to understand, and this broadens our moral horizons. No additional sources.

This 11 page paper examines the cultural variables in A Passage To India by E. M. Forster. No additional sources are listed.

A 5 page paper discussing the violation of family ties as an anti-slavery argument. The very nature of the system of slavery was such that families rarely were able to stay together. Most slave owners viewed their slaves as "stock," to be bred in pairs that held promise of producing healthy, strong workers. Linda Brent was ...

This 5 page essay provides a tutorial on the relationship between the use of setting, character and theme, relating it to a discussion of Jack Hodgins' After The Season.

This seven-page-paper presents a detailed discussion about the book Joseph Heller wrote called, "Catch-22". It explains Heller's view that the absurdity found in war and life are merely human conditions. Bibliography lists four sources.

7 pages in length. Poet and writer Maya Angelou is as simple as she is complex. The lucid and uncomplicated images she creates with her seemingly elementary style are anything but; in fact, the complexity that resides within her characteristically unmistakable prose, which demonstrate a purity and precision like no other, is known ...

This 3 page report discusses the Algerian by birth but French by choice writer and existential philosopher, Albert Camus, and his concept of the “authentic man.” In “The Plague” (1947), he offers an allegorical literary work and something more. Most critics relate the story to World War II, however, in “The Plague” Camus actually tells a story that presents ...

This three page paper considers the similarities and differences shown between Odysseus and Telemachos in Homer's Odyssey. The bibliography cites 1 source.

This 5 page paper provides an overview of the central points and purpose of Upton Sinclair's novel The Jungle. This paper assesses the many different roles in the novel and their impact on creating a social view of the meatpacking plants in Chicago in the early 20th century. No additional sources cited. ...

This 7 page report discusses Shirley Jackson’s (1916-1965) 1948 short story “The Lottery.” Jackson’s story is of the annual lottery in a village of 300 people that takes place on June 27th. All villagers participate and the oldest man in the village has personally been a part of 77 separate lotteries. While there is not a particularly festive sense ...