Essays and Research Papers on (All) Literature

This 7 page paper looks at both works and supports the view that one similarity is the use of gender. In both works, the authors disparage the female gender in order to elevate the male. The kings in each of these works are discussed in depth. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

A 6 page analysis of Virginia Woolf’s thematic presentation of women and their role society. Rather than resorting to the stereotypical images of women which so much predominated literature at this point in history, Woolf exposes us to a view of women which suggests independence and fortitude. Through this work we are presented ...

A 5 page paper which discusses how the character of Emily was severely controlled by the gender conditions inherently possessed in the time period and the region of the South. Mention is made of Judith Fetterly's essay titled "A Rose for "A Rose For Emily." Bibliography lists 4 additional sources.

In three pages, this paper considers how the social patriarchy of the Victorian era influenced nineteenth-century medical practices as they pertained to women with an examination of the female protagonist in Gilman’s short story with emphasis upon the so-called ‘rest cure’ and ‘neurasthenia.’ Three sources are listed in the bibliography.

A 7 page paper which examines the gender conflicts present in “Theogony” and “The Works and Days” by Hesiod. No additional sources cited.

5 pages. In numerous stories, novels and media there is very evident gender tension and conflict. In examining this occurrence as it appears in short stories, this paper will look at three examples: Hills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway; The Catbird Seat, by James Thurber and The Unicorn in the Garden, also by James Thurber. Bibliography lists ...

A 5 page research paper/analysis of gender criticism's interpretation of Kate Chopin's The Awakening. The writer argues that this position, which focuses on lesbian aspects of the novel, does not properly acknowledge the complexity of this psychologically oriented narrative. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

A 5 page paper which discusses the various uses of gender in "The Dead" by James Joyce and "A Room of One's Own" by Virginia Woolf. Problems of human relationships are discussed in the context of the stories as well. Bibliography lists 4 sources.

This 4 page paper examines Virginia Woolfe's, "To the Lighthouse" and Graham Swift's, "Waterland" in order to examine the way in which gender conflicts are handled in these works. This paper furthermore provides insight into the basic plot of each story in order to illustrate how the issue of gender manifests in each instance. ...

This 5 page paper discusses the nature of gender as it is explored and discussed in Elizabeth Bishop's poem, The Fish, and Charlotte Gilman's story, The Yellow Wallpaper. Quotes are given from the text and cited. The role of nature versus nuture is discussed as it applies to the topic. Bibliography lists 2 souces.

A five page comparison of Mary Shelley's novel "Frankenstein" and Evelyn Fox Keller's nonfiction book "Reflections on Gender and Science." Particular stress is placed on the degree to which each author believes empiricism is gendered, and how the scientific community -- both in the nineteenth century and today -- has constructed and directed its own ...

A 5 page paper which examines issues of race and gender in Toni Cade Bambara's "The Salt Eaters" and Zadie Smith's "White Teeth." No additional sources cited.

This 9 page paper examines the treatment of women in this classic tale. Several quotes are included. Dante's obsession with Beatrice is duly noted. No additional sources cited.

A five page look at the way tension between the sexes is depicted in James Thurber's two stories "The Catbird Seat" and "The Unicorn in the Garden", as well as in Ernest Hemingway's "Hills Like White Elephants." The paper suggests that Thurber tends to subvert traditional stereotypes about men and women, while Hemingway tends to ...

A 4 page discussion of how societal perceptions of gender enter into the equation of responsibility for one's actions. The author investigates responsibility in Joyce Carol Oates' "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" (a short story fictionalizing the real-life murders of Charles Schmid in the 1960s) with articles by Susan Jacoby, Ellen Goodman, and Lara ...

A 6 page essay that discusses Chinua Achebe's short story "Dead Men's Path." In this narrative, Michael and Nancy Obi represent Nigerians who have been thoroughly assimilated into the mindset and cultural values of the colonizing British. As such, their behavior is geared toward Western gender expectations rather than toward the cultural paradigm of the ...

3 pages in length. While many may look upon Toni Morrison's female characterization as being both strong and defiant in the face of patriarchy, others consider stories like Sula and Song of Solomon to reflect much more submissive women whose struggles to seek out their own identity and overcome social judgment only serve to ...

A 4 page paper which compares and contrasts the roles of men and women in these Greek classics. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

5 pages in length. The writer compares and contrasts these two stories as they relate to conformity versus rebellion and gender roles. No additional sources cited.

A five page paper looking at the roles played by male and female characters, both mortal and divine, in this ancient work. The paper argues that because no valued female viewpoint is presented in the text, it is unequivocally gendered, and its authorship is almost certainly male. No additional sources.

A 5 page paper discussing Thomas Pynchon's first novel. Pynchon writes in a free-wheeling style that breaks with the established fiction traditions of the time; it is only fitting that he should address a subject matter equally shocking. At a time when we tried to present proper appearances, regardless of what was happening outside the public view, ...

This 4 page paper considers Fitzgerald's attitude toward gender, based on what we can glean from his writing. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

A 5 page commentary on how Betty Friedan contributed to the shift in gender role identification. The writer focuses on both the negative (gender confusion) and positive aspects of her contribution (life-sharing and equal opportunity). Bibliography lists 3 sources.

This 5 page report discusses Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley’s (1797-1851) “Frankenstein” and the ways in which serves as a metaphor for the social realities regarding gender in the early 19th century. The premise is that women are rejected in their efforts to be whole as surely as the monster was. In fact, the circumstances of the early 19th century would appear ...

This 3 page paper discusses the issues of gender, not necessarily female, in the works of Alice Walker and Virginia Woolf. Bibliography lists 3 sources.