Essays and Research Papers on American Literature

This 4 page paper discusses the six principles of Objectivism as discussed in her work, The FountainHead. A brief synopsis is included as well as quotes from the work. Bibliography lists 1 source.

This 5 page paper discusses the themes of fate and free will as depicted in Hawthorne's short story: Young Goodman Brown. Quotes cited from sources. Bibliography lists 4 sources.

A 5 page paper which examines the use of symbolism in each work. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

A 6 page paper which examines and analyzes the beginning of chapter 30 in Herman Melville’s “Billy Budd.”

A 3 page paper which compares Mary Shelley’s novel “Frankenstein” with the film version directed by James Whale. No additional sources cited.

A 6 page paper which examines how fear motivates the characters in Poe’s poem, “The Raven” and in short stories “The Fall of the House of Usher,” “The Black Cat” and “The Tell-Tale Heart.” Bibliography lists 6 sources.

This 3 page paper gives an overview of the book, Tales of the Otori, book one. Themes are discussed. Quote cited from text. Bibliography lists 1 source.

A 3 page paper which focuses on the development of Nick in Fiztgerald’s “The Great Gatsby.” No additional sources cited.

A 6 page essay that examines the theme of good versus evil in Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya. The writer argues that the protagonist, a young Hispanic boy, has to learn to deal with the cultural dichotomies inherent in his environment. The interesting perspective that Anaya brings to this conflict is the ambiguity ...

5 pages in length. Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman possesses many important components pertaining to Willy and Biff's strained relationship that, if not taken in their direct context, will be overlooked by the average audience member. It is essential to also look beyond the author's obvious intention with regard to the story's ...

This 3 page paper compares and contrasts two of Nathaniel Hawthorne's short stories: The Minister's Black Veil and The Great Stone Face. Quotes cited from the texts. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

A 5 page paper which examines Gilman’s story “The Yellow Wallpaper” from a feminist perspective. Bibliography lists 2 additional sources.

This 3 page paper discusses the premise of Paul Tillich about the 'courage to be' and applies that to six various selections from modern film and literature. Bibliography lists 6 sources.

A 6 page paper which examines the work and contribution of F. Scoot Fitzgerald during the Jazz Age. Bibliography lists 4 sources.

A 3 page paper which analyzes modern marriage in Kate Chopin’s story “The Storm.” No additional sources cited.

5 pages in length. The relationship between Biff and Willy Loman in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman has long been the focus of close analysis, with myriad elements culminating all at once to fashion a comprehensive appreciation for and understanding of their troubled yet inextricable bond. In short, Biff is the product ...

A 6 page paper which examines Herman Melville’s “Billy Budd” in terms of its unique qualities. No additional sources cited.

A 5 page paper discussing the various methods that Annie Dillard uses to define and describe ways of seeing. “What you see is what you get” (Dillard 140). And what we see, according to Dillard, is only that which we are prepared to see. We can construct a variety of methods of ...

A 4 page essay that argues that Marsha Norman's play 'night, Mother fails to fit the definition of Greek tragedy. This examination of the play reveals that it is not Greek tragedy, merely tragic, because Jessie's final act accomplishes no purpose. It is merely her final abdication of personal responsibility. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

This 5 page paper provides an analysis of Arthur Miller's well known tale through a Marxist perspective. The plights of Willy Loman and others are evaluated with the use of Marxist concepts such as alienation. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

This 10 page paper provides an overview of the character of Dominick in Wally Lamb's I Know This Much is True. This paper considers how Dominick's personality and certain typical behaviors represent his character as a stereotypical male, and how some of his choices reflect a difference in his nature when compared to his ...

The Chicano author Sergio Troncoso is gaining a great deal of recognition. This 5 page paper considers how his work has themes of the relative nature of truth and how this is linked with core personality and identity values. The paper focuses on the book “The Nature of Truth” to look at how truth is ...

An 8 page summation of Laurence F. Peter and Raymond Hull's The Peter Principle. The writer offers a chapter by chapter brief summation of the major points of this text, arguing that this an excellent parody on several levels, as it basically castigates the entire hierarchical structure of Western civilization. As with all good satire/parody, ...

This 4 page paper applies a view of death and dying to Shreve's book. Anita Shreve’s book The Pilot’s Wife is an excellent example of the grieving process and the depiction of the grieving process begins at the onset of the novel. This book was selected as a means of applying Elisabeth Kubler-Ross’ ...

This 12 page paper provides an overview of the characterization of Holden Caulfield. Holden Caulfield, the central character of J. D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye, is a teenager who initially seems plagued by all of the same problems that many disgruntled teenagers experience: he is disillusioned, rejects his family and seems to ...