Essays and Research Papers on (All) Literature

A 5 page paper which discusses personality traits of Odysseus, from Homer's "Odyssey," illustrating how he is a hero. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

A 5 page essay that analyzes Harper Lee's use of characterization in her famous novel. The writer argues that Lee shows the terrible flaws, as well as the strengths, of the townspeople, presenting a fair and accurate picture of the distorted race relations that characterized Southern life during the first half of the twentieth century. ...

A 5 page paper which examines the repercussions of the so-called “good times” of the Jazz Age of the 1920s. No additional sources are used.

This 5 page paper considers the themes, story, symbolism and parallels in this story of Timbu, an African women in her childhood. The issues in the book focus on the role of women in the community as subservient, with few rights. Colonisation, which is also considered in the book, has not improved the situation, only ...

A 5 page paper which examines the role of justice in each literary example. No additional sources are used.

A 5 page paper which examines which method of initiating change is preferable and more successful by specifically considering “The Dragon’s Village” by Yuan-tsung Chen, “I Rigoberta Menchu” by Rigoberta Menchu and “Conversations With Cuba” by C. Peter Ripley, as well as the films “Huozhe” (“To Live”), “Men With Guns” and “El Che.” Bibliography ...

This 5 page paper examines this story by Par Lagerkvist. This tale of a boy growing up and the realization of the external world and the limited protection of his father is rich in metaphor ands symbolism. The writer looks at the content and the meaning of the story as well as examining the metaphors. ...

This 3 page paper illustrates the importance of fairytales by focusing on The Secret Garden and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. The importance of the morals involved in fairytales is discussed. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

A 5 page paper which examines the changes in chivalry from the standpoint of myth in “The Song of Roland,” quest and romance plot in “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,” and realism/satire in “Don Quixote.” Bibliography lists 3 sources.

People change. That's the nature of human behavior. This 5 page paper asserts that in The Color Purple by Alice Walker, the characters of Celie and Albert grow through the experiences of the story, providing examples from the book. No additional sources are listed.

A 22 page paper which discusses different aspects of identity as is found in Athol Fugard's play, "The Blood Knot." Homi K. Bhabha's theories, regarding colonial mimicry, are also discussed as they apply to Fugard's play. Bibliography lists 5 additional sources.

Our challenge in this 5 page discussion is to compare two different heroes: one is an earthly hero in the character of Beowulf, an ancient Anglo-Saxon hero; the other is a spiritual hero in the form of Jesus, the Son of God. Although it might seem as though we are comparing a chicken with an ...

A Raisin in the Sun: This 7-page essay offers an in-depth overview of this critically acclaimed play by Lorraine Hansberry. In addition, a number of its social messages, themes, dramatic action and literary merits are discussed. For some, the ideals embodied in “The American Dream” are often reduced to “The American Nightmare.” Bibliography ...

August Wilson’s “Fences”: This 5-page essay examines Wilson’s celebrated play, “Fences” while exploring its social relevance, dramatic action, and merits as both a literary work and social commentary. In this universal piece about family values and formative life experiences, the playwright transcends the categorization of race to demonstrate yet again that although his stories ...

A 5 page paper which discusses "Brothers and Keepers" by John Edgar Wideman as it relates to the character of John, who asks of himself, why his brother is in prison and he himself is free. The paper discusses how the author answers this somewhat eternal type of question which relates to fate and one's position in life. No ...

A 5 page paper which discusses various aspects of the character of Nick Carraway in F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby." The paper examines how Nick represents the light and Gatsby the dark side of mankind, how Nick offers up an examination of American morals, and how Nick stands to present us with a look at society from various ...

A 5 page essay that examines three plays by Moliere. The writer argues that Moliere's genius took the form of comedic plays that present serious social commentary. While Moliere was commenting on his own era, human nature has not changed over the interceding centuries. Therefore, his work still has a great deal to say about ...

This 5 page report discusses how Jack Kerouac constantly offered the world a unique perception of the world through his writing and uses the example of the character of Bull Lee in “On the Road” to demonstrate how a person can live on the very edge of “normal” society. By the time the reader meets Bull Lee, ...

A 5 page paper which examines how the book portrays feminine stereotypes and the male oppression the characters’ face. Bibliography lists 4 sources.

A 6 page paper which compares and contrasts the characters of Edna, from Chopin's "The Awakening," and Nora, from Ibsen's "A Doll's House." The paper also discusses their self image as well. No additional sources cited.

This 6 page paper explores the tragic hero concept and then, after providing an overview of the Edith Wharton's Ethan Frome, evaluates the protagonist's role. The reason why he is a tragic hero is discussed in depth. Many quotes from the work are provided. No additional sources cited.

This 5 page paper evaluates the protagonist's role and contemplates his status as a tragic hero. The reason why he is a tragic hero is discussed in depth. Many quotes from the work are provided. No additional sources cited.

(5 pp) Almost all of us love mysteries. And even though we say to ourselves, I don't read mystery novels, they are often like popcorn, once we start eating, it is difficult to stop. Rozan has offered us superbly flavored popcorn, shaken in a pan, and hot off the stove. We become part ...

A 6 page paper which argues that the son, Julian, in Flannery O'Connor's "Everything That Rises Must Converge," spends a great deal of time rebelling against his mother rather than showing he loves her. This costs him a great deal in the end. No additional sources cited.

A 5 page paper which examines the character’s functions in the novel. No additional sources are used.