Essays and Research Papers on American Literature

A 3 page paper which examines identity and cultural borders in Louise Erdrich’s short story The Red Convertible. No additional sources cited.

A 6 page essay that discusses “The Common Life,” by author Scott Russell Sanders, in which he argues that much of what is wrong in American society today derives from the fact that American culture, throughout its history, has favored individual rights and freedoms at the expense of the welfare of the community. The ...

This 4 page paper discusses chapter 3 of Weiss's book "Marital Separation." Bibliography lists 1 source.

A 5 page paper which compares and contrasts two stories from F. Scott Fitzgerald (Babylon Revisited and Winter Dream) and two stories from Ernest Hemingway (A Clean-Well Lighted Place and Hills Like White Elephants). Bibliography lists 4 sources.

A 5 page essay that discusses Rita Dove’s 1994 play “The Darker Face of the Earth,” which mirrors many of the themes and plot devices that occur in ancient Greek play by Sophocles’ “Oedipus Rex.” In both plays, the work of fate and destiny are evident in a manner that suggests that while the ...

A 6 page analysis of the character of Biff in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

In four pages this paper discusses how Flannery O’Connor reveals herself as a Southerner and devout Catholic in this trio of short stories. Six sources are cited in the bibliography.

This 3 page paper discusses the book “Race Rebels” by Robin D.G. Kelley. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

A 5 page paper which examines the symbolism in Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

A 4 page analysis of this classic play. This paper describes the characters and setting in relation to the background of the Great Depression. Bibliography lists 7 sources.

This 3 page paper discusses how the times in which they lived influenced the gender perceptions in the short stories “The Chrysanthemums” by John Steinbeck and “A Jury of Her Peers” by Susan Glaspell. Bibliography lists 4 sources.

A 3 page essay that analyzes William Faulkner's short story "Barn Burning." In this story, Sarty, a young boy, has to choose between family loyalty and stopping his father from yet another barn burning. The behavior of his father, Abner Snopes, seems inexplicable, at first glance, to the modern reader, as Abner sabotages his chances ...

This 4 page essay examines Ernest Hemingway’s short story “A Clean Well-Lighted Place” and argues that it conveys the feelings of loneliness perfectly. Bibliography lists 1 source.

A 5 page paper which compares A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess and A Million Little Pieces by James Frey. No additional sources cited.

This 4 page paper is a reaction to the novel “The Bonfire of the Vanities” by Tom Wolfe. Bibliography lists 1 source.

A 3 page analysis of Linda in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman. No additional sources cited.

In five pages this paper examines Aristotle’s criteria for literary tragedy and considers whether or not the ancient Greek philosopher would have labeled Arthur Miller’s social drama as such. Five sources are listed in the bibliography.

This 4 page paper discusses various aspects of the classic novel “Up the Down Staircase” by Bel Kaufman. Bibliography lists 1 source.

This 5 page paper discusses Robin Sylvan’s book “Trance Formation,” an examination of rave culture, and argues that his analysis of it as a religious movement is flawed. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

A 5 page paper which analyzes the last sentence of Kate Chopin’s story The Story of an Hour, a sentence that relates to the main character’s heart. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

A 3 page paper on William Faulkner’s A Rose for Emily. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

This 3 page paper discusses Nietzsche’s theory of resentment and the relationship it bears to the characters in Flannery O’Connor’s short story, “Everything That Rises Must Converge.” Bibliography lists 2 sources.

This 3 page paper discusses Louise Erdrich and her story “The Red Convertible,” and the way her background influenced her when she wrote the story. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

This 4-page paper compares the plays "Major Barbara" and "Mother Courage," and discusses their negative commentary on society and its values. Bibliography lists 3 sources.`

This 3-page paper examines how Erik Larson's book "Devil in the White City" discussed Chicago's economic growth due to the 1893 World's Fair. Bibliography lists 1 source.