Essays and Research Papers on American Literature

A 4 page paper which examines the theme of a nonsensical life in Chuck Palahniuk’s Fight Club. No additional sources cited.

A 3 page essay that discusses the symbolic imagery used by Poe in this short story. The omnipresent fact of death is something that people try in vain to ignore. Everyone bleeds. Everyone dies. Money, privilege, and high social status will not protect anyone from the great leveler of death. This is the point made ...

A 5 page essay that compares Arthur Miller’s play “Death of a Salesman” and the 2006 film “The Pursuit of Happyness” (directed by Gabriele Muccino for Columbia Pictures) present two very different portrayals of fatherhood. The protagonists for both works are salesman, both fathers, both down-and-out and desperate to succeed. But they are also extremely ...

This 3 page paper discusses what Ray Bradbury was trying to warn us about in his novel “Fahrenheit 451.” Bibliography lists 2 sources.

A 3 page paper which examines the themes of water, clothing and the bird in the ending of Kate Chopin’s The Awakening. No additional sources cited.

A 3 page paper which examines the powerful impact of Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s short story The Yellow Wallpaper. No sources cited.

This 4 page paper discusses the similarities between the fictional character Melinda Sordino from the book “Speak” and the celebrated poet, activist, author and performer, Maya Angelou. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

In four pages this paper examines the types of conflict in this Willa Cather short story, such as the external conflict through the characters’ hypocritical judgments of Harvey Merrick and the internal conflict through the characters’ bitterness over Harvey’s success. Two sources are listed in the bibliography.

A 3 page paper which examines the American Dream in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird and John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

A 3 page analysis of a book review. Neila C. Seshachari’s review of a scholarly book of Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s famous short story “The Yellow Wall-paper” edited by Julie Bates Dock offers a concise, lucid summation of this text. Seshachari begins by explaining why this book is significant, which is, in part, due to the ...

This 3 page paper compares and contrasts the short stories “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner and “A Jury of Her Peers” by Susan Glaspell. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

This 3 page paper discusses the symbolism of the tree in John Knowles’ novel “A Separate Peace.” Bibliography lists 1 source.

This 4 page paper is an analysis of Jennifer Keith’s article on poet Anne Finch. Bibliography lists 1 source.

In three pages this paper examines how William Faulkner thematically expresses death in his famous short story, ‘A Rose for Emily,’ and how it conveys the overall message that the death of protagonist Emily Grierson also signified the death of the antebellum Southern aristocracy. There are no other sources listed in the bibliography. ...

This 5 page paper explores the way in which Faulkner uses the idea of the idol, the house, and the silver toilet set to explore his theme of decay in “A Rose for Emily.” Bibliography lists 3 sources.

A 3 page book report on this novel, which is fictionalized account of the Archer Daniels Midland price-fixing scandal from the 1990s. The novel is completely true to life as Eichenwald was the New York Times reporter on the case. No additional sources cited.

A 7 page overview of the premises presented by author Joseph Campbell on what defines a hero. These premises are weighed against the life of Special Weapons and Tactics team member. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

A 6 page essay that addresses how authors discuss marriage in four books-- Henry James’ The Europeans; James Johnson’s The Autobiography of an Ex-Coloured Man; Anzia Yezierka’s Bread Givers; and Willa Cather’s O Pioneers! No additional sources cited.

A 6 page essay on E.B. White’s “Once More to the Lake.” The writer focuses on the theme of time in the narrative and relates this to the way that White relates to his sense of his own mortality. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

In four pages this paper presents an overview and analysis of this classic American novel that include background information, theme, characterization, symbolism, allegory, irony, realism, and the author’s use of settings. Four sources are listed in the bibliography.

A 4 page paper which compares and contrasts the old waiter in Ernest Hemingway’s A Clean Well Lighted Place and Emily in William Faulkner’s A Rose for Emily as it relates to the issues of loneliness. Bibliography lists 6 sources.

A 3 page essay that discusses the characterization of Tessie in Jackson's short story "The Lottery." No additional sources cited.

This 3 page paper considers the idea of disappointment in William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” and “The Chrysanthemums” by John Steinbeck. Bibliography lists 4 sources.

A 4 page paper which examines the relationship between father and son in William Faulkner’s Barn Burning from a Freudian perspective. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

This 4 page paper reframes Grace Paley’s short story “Samuel”as a news item. It also discusses the subplots in the story. Bibliography lists 2 sources.