Essays and Research Papers on American Literature

The American novel “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” by Mark Twain is a classic. In it, Twain blends both realistic and romantic elements and characters to create a memorable reading experience, one that still holds readers’ imaginations to this day. This 12-page paper considers the romantic and realistic nature of the characters in the novel. ...

This 9 page research paper explores "Exodus" from the view of characterization is used to develop the narrative. The argument is that characterization is flat in order to serve the exodus plot. Bibliography lists 10 sources.

A 4 page paper which examines the symbolic meaning, significance, of the rose in A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner. Bibliography lists 4 sources.

A 3 page paper which examines how the characters contribute to the theme in Tim O’Brien’s work The Things They Carried. No additional sources cited.

A 3 page overview of Erskine Caldwell’s novel Tobacco Road. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

A 3 page paper which analyzes the character of Yank in Eugene O’Neill’s novel The Hairy Ape. The paper examines elements of his life and his interaction with Mildred. Bibliography lists 1 source. RAhariy.rtf

A 3 pages essay that discusses the role of Candy in John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men. No additional sources cited.

This 3 page paper discusses the types of humor found in Mark Twain’s stories The Awful German Language and My Debut as a Literary Person. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

This 4 page paper discusses Kevin R. Johnson’s book How Did You Get to be Mexican?, and gives a reaction to it. Bibliography lists 1 source.

This 4 page paper discusses Richard Rodriguez’ book Hunger of Memory and gives a reaction to it. Bibliography lists 1 source.

This 3 page paper gives a synopsis of the book The Day of Battle by Rick Atkinson, and three things that a reader might like about it, as well as three they might dislike. Bibliography lists 1 source.

A 3 page paper which compares and contrasts two characters who are fooled into believing something that forever changes them. The characters and stories are Joy in Good Country People by Flannery O’Connor and Mrs. Mallard in The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

This 3 page paper reviews the books by Clare Vanderpool and Erin E. Stead, the winners of the 2011 Newberry Medal and Caldecott Medal. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

A 3 page paper which discusses the problems experienced by the city in The Day the Cowboys by Elmer Kelton. Bibliography lists 1 source.

This 4 page paper compares the way gender roles are handled in “The Yellow Wallpaper” and “The Woman in the Dunes.” Bibliography lists 6 sources.

This 6 page paper reviews the book by author Melton Alonza McLaurin. This paper details three people and the way they had a particular influence on MCLaurin. No additional sources are listed.

In six pages this paper examines how leadership is depicted and discussed in this classic science fiction text, and also examines how its portrayal of leadership can be applied to Officer Candidate School. Two sources are listed in the bibliography.

This 6 page paper discusses the way the authors Mavis Gallant and Nella Larsen use narrative techniques to enhance their stories. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

An 8 page research paper/essay that discusses the issue of abortion and the role it plays in both the novel and the movie. Bibliography lists 4 sources.

A 3 page paper which examines social commentaries in Toni Morrison’s Recitatif and Edward P. Jones’ Marie. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

This 5 page paper discusses the book “Rocket Boys” (also called “October Sky”) and why Homer Hickham wrote it. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

This 3 page paper discusses the ways in which 3 people profiled in Amanda Ripley’s book were able to turn catastrophe to something uplifting. Bibliography lists 4 sources.

A 4 page paper which examines the author’s worldview as seen in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

This 5 page paper explicates Tim O’Brien’s short story The Man I Killed and the methods by which O’Brien uses the story to illustrate the impact of the war on the soldiers and the American people. It also discusses the gulf between the public and the soldiers and their understanding of the war. Bibliography lists ...

A 3 pages essay that discusses and analyzes the first paragraph to Ralph Waldo Emerson's 1841 essay "Self-Reliance." Specifically, the writer focuses on Emerson's concept of self and the implications of his definition. No additional sources cited.