Essays and Research Papers on American Literature

A 3 page essay/research paper that compares Mary Rowlandson’s seventeenth century captivity narrative to the 1990 film Dances with Wolves. On February 20, 1676, a band of Narragansett Indians attacked the home of Mary Rowlandson as part of an uprising known as King Philip’s War (Wesley 42). Rowlandson and three of her children were taken ...

This is a 5 page paper discussing the process of healing of the character Tayo in the novel “Ceremony” by Leslie Marmon Silko. Through Tayo’s interactions with three of main characters in the novel, namely Ku’oosh, Montano and Betonie, Tayo is able to understand that not only do the white man medicines not work on ...

5 pages in length. The book Ramona is considered to be distinctly in the same genre as that of Uncle Tom's Cabin; a book of propaganda of the nineteenth century. The author, Helen Hunt Jackson, in her enthusiasm to explore the efforts of the Ponca Indians to keep their land in Nebraska, was an established author who had ...

In 7 pages the author discusses the topic of heroism in 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' by Ken Kesey. In this novel the story is presented through Chief Broom's (Bromden) eyes. Chief Broom is an Indian that has been receiving so-called treatments of electro-convulsion. The protagonist is Randle Patrick McMurphy. McMurphy ...

A 5 page essay which compares and contrasts the theme of enslavement from the authors' view of the slaver, the enslaved and the revolutionary. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

A 10 page overview of the book by Tony Hillerman. Contrasts Hillerman’s style of objective journalism which is found in this book with that of his who-done-it mysteries with which we most often associate him. Weaving his unique blend of humor and objective reporting, in “The Great Taos Bank Robbery and Other Indian ...

A 7 page paper contrasting James Fenimore Cooper's The Last of the Mohicans with Linda Hogan's Mean Spirit from a historical standpoint. The paper concludes that the reflections of the author's historical period determine the content and tone of the works themselves. Bibliography lists 6 sources.

A 5 page paper on this short story by Mark Twain. The story is analyzed and the theme is examined and compared to Twain's other works.

A 5 page research paper describing the Scarlet Letter from a feminist viewpoint. The writer discusses how the Scarlet Letter reflects the stereotype of women as either good or evil, and how its reflected in the main character of Hester Prynne. Bibliography lists 6 sources.

An 8 page paper that evaluates the role of Hester Prynne in Nathaniel Hawthorne's story. This paper considers the role of Prynne in respect to the Puritan institutions and society in which she lived and the conflict that was inherent between her personal morality and that of the society. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

A 3 page essay which explores how Hester's alienation as a mother, wife and woman show the true expectations and moral values of Puritan society. No additional sources cited.

A 15 page analysis of Nathaniel Hawthorne's treatment of women in his novels and short stories. The paper concludes that despite the fact that Hawthorne created one strong female protagonist -- The Scarlet Letter's Hester Prynne -- in general he was uncomfortable with strong women, and most of his positive female characters have no real ...

This 8 page paper explores the impact of Nathaniel Hawthorne's 1850 novel, The Scarlet Letter upon the feminist movement of the mid-nineteenth century, with particular emphasis on the writings of Margaret Fuller.

This 7 page paper explores how Nathaniel Hawthorne isolates his characters physically, mentally and socially in his classic 1850 novel, The Scarlet Letter. Bibliography lists 4 additional sources.

A 5 page report that examines the use of dichotomy and camparison as a style of writing in 'The Scarlet Letter' by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The writer looks at scenes and characterizations in terms of the use of descriptive duality. In summation there is a brief overview of the author, his life and the times ...

A 3 page essay on the themes of sin, criminal rebellion, and evil of isolation in Hawthorne's 'The Scarlet Letter.' Because of Hester's evil sin, she is isolated from her society. The symbolic meaning of the scarlet letter itself is of the utmost importance in this discussion. No Bibliography.

4 pages in length. A detailed look at symbolism in 'The Scarlet Letter.' Specifically analyzed are the purpose of the letter, the possible meaning of 'A,' and so forth. The writer attempts to decipher precisely what Hawthorne intended when choosing a red letter A for the purpose of this story.

A 4 page creative writing assignment consisting of a letter from Dimmesdale discussing his decision not to run away with Hester near the end of the novel. Bibliography lists 1 source.

A 7 page paper comparing Nathaniel Hawthorne's view of the artist's role in society with Don DeLillo's as shown in The Scarlet Letter versus Mao II. The paper concludes that while Hester fights for individuality, Bill Gray moves toward absorption into the mass. Three sources cited..

A 9 page paper that follows the moral transformation of the protagonist in Hawthorne's short story 'Young Goodman Brown.' The writer demonstrates how Hawthorne uses three settings to show the moral relationships between : (1) man and religion; (2) man and himself; and (3) man and society in this particular story. Young Goodman Brown ...

This 6 page research paper explores how the life of Nathaniel Hawthorne is reflected in his classic short story, 'Young Goodman Brown,' drawing a comparison between his life and works. Also considered are the relationship of the short story to its time, and to other works of its type and time. Bibliography lists ...

A 5 page paper analyzing a number of symbols used in this profound story by Nathaniel Hawthorne. It notes that in this attempt to discover the true nature of evil in man, Hawthorne's symbolism bypasses the conscious, logical mind to tap into its more dream-like processes below. Bibliography lists seven sources.

A 5 page essay that explores the allegories in Nathaniel Hawthorne's classic short story Young Goodman Brown. The writer shows the spiritual meaning in the every day objects of the story. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

A 5 page analysis of this short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne, in terms of whether or not Hawthorne seems to have sympathized with his character. The paper presents several explanations for Brown's strange change of heart in the story, but concludes that however one views his transformation, Hawthorne did not sympathize with him at ...

A 5 page essay on Nathaniel Hawthorne's short story. The writer provides some historical background into Puritanism and the Puritan view of witchcraft against the backdrop of Hawthorne's fiction. Bibliography lists 2 additional sources.