Essays and Research Papers on American Literature

In five pages this paper summarizes the final three chapters of Chang-Rae Lee’s 1995 debut novel Native Speaker, with discussion and comprehension questions also provided. There are no additional sources listed in the bibliography.

This 3 page paper reviews this classic Ray Bradbury tale. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

A 4 page paper which examines how Kurt Vonnegut’s novel Slaughterhouse-Five is a novel with an anti-war message. Bibliography lists 4 additional sources.

In four pages this paper compares and contrasts how these poets represent the theme of death in their respective poems. There are no other sources listed in the bibliography.

A 4 page research paper that discusses these eighteenth century authors. During the eighteenth century, trends in politics, society and religion culminated in the philosophical movement known simply as the Enlightenment, which drew its name from the era’s emphasis on reason and rationality (Brians). Enlightenment philosophers subscribed to the belief that “the perfect society could ...

A 5 page research paper/essay that presents an argument concerning the correct interpretation of Poe's famous short story. The scholarly interpretations that have been penned regarding Edgar Allan Poe's famous and enigmatic short story "A Cask of Amontillado" are numerous. Some critics focus on the irrationality of Montresor's behavior, while others, such as John ...

This 3 page paper discusses John Demos’ book “The Unredeemed Captive,” and why it was so important to the Puritans the Eunice Williams be “redeemed.” Bibliography lists 2 sources.

A 3 page paper that analyzes various elements of Edgar Allen Poe’s story The Cask of Amontillado. No additional sources cited.

In four pages this paper compares and contrasts each short story’s uses of symbolism and Gothicism. Four sources are listed in the bibliography.

3 pages in length. The pull toward violence is as inherent in the human being as the quest for survival, a reality interwoven with such a strong sense of detachment that the act itself is look upon from a viewpoint of untouchability. Jackson's The Lottery and Wolff's Bullet in the Brain are two ...

In three pages this paper examines how the theme of adversity is reflected and developed throughout Arthur Miller’s two-act play, Death of a Salesman. There are no additional sources listed in the bibliography.

A 7 page paper which examines women’s rights in the 1900s and Ernest Hemingway’s short story Hills Like White Elephants. Bibliography lists 4 sources.

In five pages this paper explores what writer Andre Aciman refers to as a ‘buried’ need for authors to write in a consideration of Tim O’Brien and his works. Specifically considered are O’Brien’s central literary preoccupations, as reflected in his formal choices, dramatic and thematic concentrations with the novel The Things They Carried being ...

In three pages this paper describes three significant personality traits (insecurity, rebelliousness, and pride) that characterize protagonist Jing-Mei Woo in Amy Tan’s story, “Two Kinds.” There are no additional sources listed in the bibliography.

In three pages this paper analyzes the importance of setting in developing the major themes of female oppression during the late nineteenth century, and also considers the significance of the treatment methods the narrator received in reinforcing her oppression. Four sources are listed in the bibliography.

A 3 page paper which discusses how the author makes a strong point of illustrating how humans, and apes, are simply animals in Great Apes by Will Self. No additional sources cited.

A 3 page analysis of Alan Sillitoe’s The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner. No additional sources cited.

This 4 page paper discusses Carson McCullers’s novella “Ballad of the Sad Café” and whether the character of Amelia, who is sexually ambiguous, is a model for the author herself. Bibliography lists 8 sources.

A 3 page paper which examines parental guidance of a child as it assists the child in finding their success, their individuality, in an American culture. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

In three pages this paper compares and contrasts how the protagonists of Sophocles’ Oedipus the King (also known as Oedipus Rex) and Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman satisfy the criteria of a tragic hero as Aristotle defined in his text Poetics. Six sources are listed in the bibliography.

This 6 page paper examines briefly Aristotle’s “guidelines” for tragedy, and argues that although Willy Loman is not a character in the mold of Hamlet or Oedipus, the play can in fact be seen as a classic tragedy. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

This 6 page paper analyzes Michael Crichton’s book about global warming, State of Fear. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

A 3 page paper which examines the meaning and significance of time in Benjamin Rosenbaum’s short story Start the Clock. No additional sources cited.

A 3 page paper which examines the character of Dimmesdale as he lived by appearance rather than reality in Nathanial Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter. No additional sources cited.

An 8 page research paper/essay argues that Poe's commentary on how to go about writing a short story, and also by the use of Latin in the narrative, and Poe's characterization of Montresor all substantiate the thesis that Montresor's confession does not represent remorse, but rather pride in his accomplishment, i.e., the ...