Essays and Research Papers on (All) Literature

A 5 page paper discussing the idea of civilization in the book titled, 'Waiting for the Barbarians,' by J.M. Coetzee. The civilizations discussed are essentially described through the three main characters: the girl, the Magistrate, and Colonel Joll. Each of these individuals has their own unique outer, and inner, civilization, which are the result of ...

7 pages in length (Free 1 page outline also included). A discussion of symbolism and character in Joyce's novel in which the writer hypothesizes that Araby is essentially an initiation story recounting a young romantic's first bitter taste of reality. Bibliography lists 7 sources used to support assertions.

A 5 page essay which examines the rite of passage of a boy's first crush and the religious and political symbolism that James Joyce uses in this short story. No additional sources cited.

A 5 page essay on the soul's journey in works by James Joyce and Jane Rule. The writer focuses on the idea of journey, delay and movement as the authors' means of reflecting the adoration the soul has for the ideal of quest. Bibliography cites 2 sources.

A 5 page paper analyzing Joyce's use of setting in this deeply affecting story. The paper analyzes several of Joyce's motifs, particularly romance versus realism and West versus East, to gain insight into the way Joyce contrasts his working-class protagonist's background with the vision of romance he has created for himself. Bibliography lists 4 sources.

A 5 page paper looking at these two recurrent themes in James Joyce's intense and evocative collection of short stories. The paper shows how Joyce's characters experience a sudden burst of enlightenment about their situation, coupled with a frustrating awareness of their powerlessness to do anything about it. Particular stories analyzed are 'Araby,' 'Eveline,' and ...

Approximately 5 pages in total length. A collection of three short essays on various topics pertaining to James Joyces' 'The Dubliners' and works by Graham Greene and No Bibliography.

A 6 page paper providing a plot summary of the stories that make up this collection by James Joyce. Following Joyce's lead, it breaks the book down into four sections: Childhood, Adolescence, Maturity, and Public Life, and shows how Joyce's world gives readers a better understanding of the subtle forces that shape their own. No ...

A 10 page paper looking at the life of James Joyce and showing how it is reflected in his novel Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. Particular emphasis is placed on the issues in Irish politics during Joyce's youth and the influence of Catholicism on his writing. Bibliography lists 8 sources.

A 7 page examination of Joyce's monumental work as a map for the journey of the myth of the Hero and his quest for home. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

A 4 page paper featuring James Joyce's story, 'Eveline' from his short story collection, Dubliners (1914). It is a letter from Eveline to her father, explaining her reasons for wanting to leave home, her uncertainty as to where she should go and expresses being torn between desire and familial obligation. No additional sources cited.

A 4 page paper analyzing the tendency of love to drown one's soul, and the self-preserving efforts to resist this. The paper points out that in Joyce's 'Eveline' this is accomplished through the heroine's rejection of love; in McCullers' 'A Tree. A Rock. A Cloud.' it is accomplished through the protagonist's cautious approach to loving. ...

A 6 page analysis of the theme of one's hidden self in three of Wilde's works: The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Importance of Being Earnest, and Lord Arthur Savile's Crime. The paper concludes that Wilde was desperately afraid of becoming ruined by public recognition of his homosexuality, and this fear is reflected in ...

A 6 page paper on Wilde's play in which the writer discusses the superficial vanities and prejudices of Victorian society. Important to this discussion is the meaning of 'Earnest' and in that sense, the title of this work. How Wilde uses wit and sarcasm to present relevant stereotypes and prejudices is well-explained. FREE outline included. ...

A 5 page paper which examines satirist Oscar Wilde's use of comic effects in his play, 'The Importance of Being Earnest' (1895).

A 5 page paper discussing Sir Walter Scott's novel 'Ivanhoe' and its accurate representation of the timeframe in which it takes place. Bibliography lists two sources in addition to the book 'Ivanhoe' itself.

This 5 page research paper examines the 1816 novel of historical fiction, Old Mortality, which chronicles the Covenanters, their struggle for religious freedom, as well as considers the role played by female characters. Bibliography lists 1 source.

This 5 page paper examines the 1814 novel, Waverley, by Scottish novelist Sir Walter Scott. Specifically discussed is how the novel qualifies as romantic, in terms of definition and the author's medieval concept of the term. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

This 15 page report gives an overview of the life and work of Irish dramatist J.M. Synge. The report also discusses the Aran Islands off the west coast of Ireland and the powerful impact they had on Synge. Synge is best-known for The Playboy of the Western World produced in 1906. Bibliography lists ...

A 6 page analysis of Achebe's Things Fall Apart as understood through a perspective aided by Edmund Burke's Reflections on the Revolution in France. The writer argues that although these two works deal with totally different cultures in totally different time frames, the commonality of human experience gives them quite a few points of ...

A 6 page paper that provides an overview of the major thematic components and the circumstances surrounding the original production of Ngugi and Ngugi's play. Bibliography lists 4 sources.

A 5 page paper that considers the theme of interpersonal conflict in Head's 'The Collector of Treasures' and Wa Thiong'O's 'The Return.' The writer also demonstrates the way in which gender of both the characters and the authors impacts the development of this theme. No additional sources cited.

A 5 page paper based on the play by South African playwright Athol Fugard. It contrasts Hally's relationship with his real father with his relationship with the black waiter Sam, who actually behaves much more like a father to him. The paper concludes by analyzing Hally's terrible betrayal of Sam at the play's end. Bibliography ...

A 4 page sociopolitical examination of Nadine Gordimer's 'My Son's Story'-- the tale of a Black South-African who plays hooky from school only to discover that his father is having an affair with a White woman... in the midst of Apartheid. Character, theme, and their relevance to South African politics & society are discussed. No ...

2 page discussion of central characters and society "Nectar in a Sieve" and "Crick Crack Monkey." Books are commonly used in studies relevant to general literature or to studies of the African-American struggle.