Essays and Research Papers on American Literature

A 4 page paper which examines how the story illustrates that both good and evil must exist in humanity. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

A 4 page paper which looks at Upton Sinclair’s novel “The Jungle” and examines whether the depiction of the meat packing plants in Chicago were real. bibliography lists 2 sources.

A 6 page paper which examines how these authors comment on aspects of American culture and search for deeper truths in the stories “Young Goodman Brown,” “The May-Pole of Merry Mount,” “My Kinsman, Major Molineux,” “Rip Van Winkle,” and “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” Bibliography lists 3 sources.

A 6 page paper which compares and contrasts the protagonists Mathilde Loisel and Louise Mallard in terms of each story’s theme, climax and conclusion. Bibliography lists 8 sources.

A 3 page paper which analyzes aspects of the character of Miss Brill from Katherine Mansfield’s story “Miss Brill.” No additional sources cited.

A 5 page paper which examines Jane Austen’s novel “Sense and Sensibility” in respect to two social philosophers, Schelling and Hegel. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

A 6 page paper which compares and contrasts the literary elements of each story, such as themes, settings, plots, characters, language and points of view. Bibliography lists 4 sources.

A 3 page research paper that examines lies and lying as a central theme in the American classic The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Samuel Clemens (writing under the name of Mark Twain). The writer argues that an examination of this novel shows how lies, ones told by Huck and ones perpetuated by society, propel ...

A 3 page paper which examines how the female protagonists react to their situations. The women discussed are the main characters in “The Awakening” by Kate Chopin, “Souls Belated” by Edith Wharton, and “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. No additional sources cited.

A 6 page paper which examines and analyzes the character of Lady Brett in Hemingway’s novel “The Sun Also Rises.” Annotated bibliography lists 5 sources.

This 4 page paper discusses the moral and ethical obligations each person has, as expressed by various literary greats such as: Melville, Thomas, Yeats, Lawrence, and Muir. Quotes cited from texts. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

A 4 page paper which examines the themes of good and bad, heaven and hell, in 9 of Mark Twain’s short stories. No sources cited.

This 3 page paper provides a summary of Chapter 28 and evaluates the book as a whole. A thesis is used to explore the novel. No additional sources cited.

This 4 page report discusses Willa Cather's 1918 novel and the relationships between young Jim Burden, Antonia Shimerda, and Antonia's father. Young Jim is himself is something of an immigrant, the proverbial stranger in a strange land, when he goes to live with his grandparents in Nebraska. It does not come as any surprise that he so relates ...

A 4 page paper which examines how the works of Irving, Poe, and Hawthorne offer a perfect world that somehow dismisses women through silence, death, or some other way. The works discussed are Irving’s “Rip Van Winkle” and “Sleepy Hollow,” Poe’s “Ligeia” and “To--Ulalume,” and Hawthorne’s “The Birthmark” and “Young Goodman Brown.” No additional sources cited.

This 3 page paper discusses the personal journey that Ada must make in Charles Frazier's book, Cold Mountain. Examples and Quotes given from text. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

A 4 page essay that examines the theme of isolation in Susan Glaspell's short story "A Jury of Her Peers" (1917). The writer argues that this narrative exemplifies numerous issues that relate to the genderized nature of the legal system that existed in the US until the mid-twentieth century, as well as other issues ...

This 5 page paper evaluates this infamous work that takes a look at a not so average family. Gregor's transformation is discussed as are all the changes that come about as a result of his metamorphosis. A psychological evaluation is provided. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

A 5 page paper which examines the Hemingway code hero as it relates to the character of Robert in “For Whom the Bell Tolls.” Bibliography lists 6 sources.

A 3 page overview of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s fictional glimpse into 1920s society. It is a society which is broken into the ranks of the privileged and the ranks of the working class. Gatsby represents the former and the woman that will become known as Myrtle represents the latter. The parties depicted ...

A 2.5 page paper which considers when, if ever, revenge is okay. No additional sources are used.

A 3 page paper which discusses some of the life lessons found in “My Antonia” by Willa Cather. No additional sources cited.

A 3 page personal essay that explains how reading Huckleberry Finn, as a an adolescent, affected the writer's thinking and aided the writer in overcoming ethnocentrism. The writer specifically focuses on the scene where Huck decides not to tell Miss Watson of Jim's location. No additional sources cited.

A 3 page paper which examines the theme of acceptance in the character of Billy Pilgrim in Kurt Vonnegut’s novel “Slaughterhouse Five.” One source cited.

This 6 page paper discusses/analyzes Gary Paulsens young adult novel, Hatchet. Themes, symbolism, conflict, character analysis offered. Bibliography lists 7 sources.