Essays and Research Papers on American Literature

An 8 page paper that begins with a short overview of Capital Crimes by Stuart Woods. The story focuses on a serial sniper targeting conservative personalities and politicians. Real life serial bombers, serial killers and serial snipers are related to the theme, which proposes that these killers are all mentally unbalanced. The paper compares Wood's ...

This 6 page paper discusses the issues of feminism raised in Miller's portrayal of women in Death of a Salesman. Bibliography lists 1 source.

A 5 page paper which examines how Raymond Carver and Kate Chopin treat the subject of love. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

A 6 page paper which examines why Emily killed Homer in Faulkner’s short story “A Rose for Emily.” Bibliography lists 4 sources.

A 2.5 page biographical consideration of one of America’s most beloved authors. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

This 3 page paper takes a look at the Enlightenment period and how Aldous Huxley's Brave New World opposes it. Both ideas are considered in terms of how they manifest in today's society. No additional sources cited.

A 5 page paper which examines how Hawthorne’s short story takes on the historical controversy, particularly in terms of the emphasis on the couple’s marriage, which turns the theme from a consideration of the ideal society into a statement of what marriage means and how it changes the people who enter into it. Bibliography ...

This 4 page paper discusses the symbolism of the Loman family as representative of the American Society. Examples given, character analysis included, as well as brief synopsis. Quotes cited from text. Bibliography lists 4 sources.

A 4 page paper which compares the stories “The Chocolate War” and “The Giver” and the film “Stand By Me.” No additional sources cited.

This 4 page paper compares and contrasts Ibsen's Dolls House to Raisin in the Sun on the issue and themes of money. Quotes cited. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

This 11 page paper provides an overview of the major elements in Ray Bradbury's book, Fahrenheit 451. This paper outlines the three specific sections in the book. Bibliography lists 1 source.

This 10 page paper provides an overview of the first 3 sections of George Orwell's 1984. No additional sources cited.

This 10 page paper provides an overview of Arthur Miller's The Crucible. This paper outlines the main characters and then provides an overview of the acts of the play. Bibliography lists 1 source.

This 8 page paper provides an overview of the central characters and major themes of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird. This paper uses the text to support the views presented. No additional sources cited.

This 8 page paper provides a comparative view of the female protagonists in a number of stories. In particular, this paper relate the fact that Willa Cather, Kate Chopin and Zora Neal Hurston all created complex female characters who were challenged both by their personal culture and by the cultural subjugation of their ...

This 4 page paper provides an overview of Neil Simon's Brighton Beach Memoirs. This paper outlines the reasons why this novel was important and the contextual elements that impacted the readersehip. No additional sources cited.

This 3 page paper discusses the motif of knowledge in All the King's Men and Ibsen's Ghosts. Quotes cited from texts. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

A 3 page paper which examines how the authors bring their characters to life. The paper examines Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour,” Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Sack of Amontillado” and William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily.” Bibliography lists 5 sources.

A 4 page paper which examines the theme and importance of dreams in John Steinbeck’s novel “Of Mice and Men.” No additional sources cited.

This 4 page report discusses O'Connor's short story and Browning's "dramatic monologue." In comparing the primary characters of each, the writer makes the assertion that the character of the grandmother is more selfish than Browning's duke. Bibliography lists only the primary sources.

This 6 page paper provides an overview of the central principles of Robert Pratt’s We Shall Not Be Moved. Robert Pratt’s We Shall Not Be Moved demonstrates the way in which these struggles are manifested. The efforts of the NAACP, Horace Ward, Charlayne Hunter and Hamilton Hughes in the desegregation of the University ...

A 3 page paper which discusses how young women and their sexuality are seen by society and by the girls in Alice Munro’s “Wild Swans” and Rosario Ferre’s “Sleeping Beauty.” Bibliography lists 1 additional source.

This 3 page report discusses Slone's book about the mountain people of Knott County, Kentucky, where her family has lived since 1790. Her intent was to dispel the myths and half-truths that exist about the people and the area. Bibliography lists only the primary source.

This 5 page paper examines the similarities and differences between the characters of the Pardoner and the Parson. While both men were preachers, their motivations, values, impact and goals were vastly different from one another. In this way, this author provides poignant religious and political commentary. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

This 5 page paper provides an analysis of the four characters that were depicted by Chaucer as 'ideal'. This paper determines why these characters were chosen above the others and analyzes their character in relation to the others as well. Bibliography lists 3 sources.