Essays and Research Papers on (All) Literature

A 5 page satire that is fashioned after and inspired by Voltaire's Candide. The first 4 pages of the paper tell the story of Herbert, a good-hearted lad, congenial and sociable, which were qualities that he combined with the "utmost simplicity of mind" (Voltaire 3) and who follows his father to become ruler of his ...

A 3 page paper which examines how Sophocles’ Oedipus is a tragic hero. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

This 3 page paper analyzes the character of Lyman in the short story "The Red Convertible." Bibliography lists 1 source.

A 4 page overview of George Orwell's chilling post-World War II novel 1984, which warns that the freedoms of the Western world can be easily lost to totalitarian regimes that claim that surveillance and control of a populace is essential for reasons of security in time of war. This brief summation of Orwell's novel describes ...

A 3 page review, reaction, of the book The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement by Eliyahu M. Goldratt and Jeff Cox. No additional sources cited.

3 pages in length. Exploring the common denominator that connects Hrothgar and Beowulf, one might readily point out the symbolic quest toward self-awareness inherent to each troubled individual. Hrothgar reflects upon what has occurred and - even though he professes appreciation - he nonetheless cautions Beowulf of the prideful monster that will eat ...

A 4 page paper which examines the symbolism in Yasunari Kawabata’s short story The Grasshopper and the Bell Cricket. No additional sources cited.

This 7 page paper examines Plato's Republic and explores thematic elements of justice, freedom and life. How each of these themes are used is explored. Quotes are included. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

This 3 page paper examines Plato's Apology and the Socratic method. Can Socrates both employ this method and believe in a god? This paper answers that question. No additional sources cited.

A 4 page review of Steven Pressfield’s “The Gates of Fire.” No additional sources cited.

A 3 page paper which examines the difference between journeys and goals and examines the character of Phoenix in Eudora Welty’s story A Worn Path. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

A 3 page paper which examines Ernest Hemingway’s story A Soldier’s Home as it involves his own experiences. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

This 3 page paper discusses the role women play in "The Iliad" when it comes to marriage and sexual relationships; it also discusses the ways in which they cause dissention and what we can infer about Homer's attitude towards women. Bibliography lists 1 source.

A 4 page paper which examines how and if Kurt Vonnegut predicted the future, today, in his story Player Piano. No additional sources cited.

This 10 page paper discusses the novel "Hotel" by Arthur Hailey, and the challenges faced by the fictional St. Gregory. It also discusses how those challenges relate to the real world hospitality industry. Bibliography lists 4 sources.

A 4 page paper which examines the evolution of the modern novel through addressing “Sense and Sensibility” by Jane Austen, “The Mill on the Floss” by George Eliot, and “The Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man” by James Joyce. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

A 3 page paper which examines the characters and theme in the novel “The Silence of the Lambs” by Thomas Harris. No additional sources cited.

A 4 page essay that discusses Wolfram von Eschenbach's thirteenth century German epic, in which there is an emphasis on a knight's honor that is directly associated with combat. In this epic, the hero, Parzival, is on a journey that takes him to the Holy Grail, but more importantly, he is also on a spiritual ...

A 3 page paper which examines the futuristic Boston in Bellamy’s Looking Backward. Bibliography lists 1 additional source.

A 4 page paper which examines the development of the character of Primrose from A.S. Byatt’s story The Thing in the Forest. No additional sources cited.

A 9 page paper which analyzes Raymond Carver’s short story What We Talk About When We Talk About Love. Bibliography lists 6 sources.

A 5 page paper which examines the differences in the heroic figure in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Beowulf. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

This 4 page paper discusses Henry David Thoreau's classic book "Walden" and the ways in which Thoreau sought to insure that his life was not one of "quiet desperation." Bibliography lists 1 source.

An 8 page analysis of Gloria Naylor’s novel “Mama Day.” No additional sources cited.

5 pages in length. The writer briefly summarizes two articles about Melville's Bartleby and then discusses a point upon which they disagree. No additional sources cited.