Essays and Research Papers on American Literature

A 4 page paper which examines elements of magic in Bernard Malamud’s The Magic Barrel. No additional sources cited.

This 5 page paper presents a short story written by the author and then analyzes that story as to its primary characteristics. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

This 5 page essay summarizes The Sound and the Fury and As I Lay Dying, contrasting the themes in both novels to that of one of Faulkner's early stories, "Ad Astra," to make the point that Faulkner's worldview in his later novels was basically the same, but his writing style had matured. Bibliography lists 3 ...

A 3 page paper which offers up a report on Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls. No additional sources cited.

In four pages, Poe’s short story is told from the viewpoint of the minor character Luchresi. Only the primary source is listed in the bibliography.

A 3 page essay that discusses the character traits of Emily Grierson, protagonist in William Faulkner's story "A Rose for Emily." The writer discusses the fact that this character is resolute of will, determined and insane. No additional sources are cited.

This 5 page paper uses David Price’s book “Love and Hate in Jamestown” as a source to answer questions about John Smith, other explorers and life in the colony. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

A 6 page essay that summarizes, contrasts and compares Nathaniel Hawthorne's nineteenth century short story "The Birthmark" with Harper Lee's twentieth century novel To Kill a Mockingbird. Both works offer unique characters, who each deal with issues relevant to their social and historical era. Comparison of these two works indicates that, while different, they ...

A 5 page paper which analyzes Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried. The paper asks if his characters appear, or feel, like real people. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

A 3 page essay that discusses how Langston Hughes in his short story "One Friday Morning" and James Joyce in "Araby" both describe situations of loss. Bibliography lists 4 sources.

A 3 page essay that discusses how Kate Chopin's nineteenth century short story addresses the illogic and injustice of racism. No other sources cited.

An 8 page research paper that discusses the theme of death in the short stories of Edgar Allan Poe. Bibliography lists 7 sources.

A 7 page paper which examines the life and work of Edgar Allan Poe. Bibliography lists 6 sources.

A 5 page paper which evaluates the institution of marriage in of Kate Chopin’s short story The Story of an Hour. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

This 6 page paper considers the factors that resulted in the so-called Lost Generation. Using Hemmingway's “Farewell to Arms” this paper illustrates the deep preoccupation with death and overall disillusionment that characterized the time.

A 3 page paper which examines the role of the narrator in Sarah Ornes Jewett’s short story The White Heron. Bibliography lists 4 sources.

A 4 page paper which compares Kate Chopin with her character Mrs. Mallard in her short story The Story of an Hour. Bibliography lists 4 sources.

This is a 3 page paper that provides an overview of Hawthorne's "Young Goodman Brown". The story is interpreted through a psychoanalytic perspective, with critical support. Bibliography lists 4 sources.

This 11 page paper suggests 3 potential research questions based on Frank Herbert's Dune, first published in 1965. Three research questions proposed of from different critical analysis approaches; feminist, Marxist and ethical. Each research question is discussed in order to identify the preferred question. The second part of the paper then discusses three potential sources ...

This is a 3 page paper that provides an overview of Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily". Her actions are interpreted as a manifestation of Oedipal tension. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

This 3 page paper examines Saul Bellow’s short story “Looking for Mr. Green” through the lens of Georg Simmel’s sociological essay “The Metropolis and Mental Life,” and argues that because the residents of the city have been rendered blasé by the life they live there, Mr. Grebe’s mission to find Mr. Green is doomed before ...

This five-page-paper compares and contrasts the lives and values of two men in literary works of art. The protagonist in Young Goodman Brown and in Legends of the Moor are held next to each other and compared before, during and after the crisis they face in their respective stories. Bibliography lists two sources.

This 3 page paper sketches Dorothea and looks at her growth and change over the course of the novel. 4 sources cited.

This 3 page paper discusses the novel Lupita Manana and how it reflects traditional Western literary values. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

This 4 page book review argues that Strout's characterization makes readers come to care for the unlikeable protagonist whose personality is revealed through 13 short stories. No additional sources cited.