Essays and Research Papers on American Literature

A 5 page paper looking at this complex and poetic 1981 novel. The paper argues that because the protagonist is troubled throughout her life with prophetic dreams of a future she cannot change, she is robbed of the gift of free will. No additional sources.

A 3 page paper pointing out that most of Poe’s Gothic stories and poems have very normal, ordinary settings. The paper argues that this reflects the uncertainty of American life as opposed to the relative stability of England during the same period. No additional sources.

A 5 page paper analyzing the presence of anti-war and anti-imperialist sentiments in Howells’ “Editha”, Twain’s “War Prayer,” and Crane’s “The Open Boat.” The paper concludes that these authors agree that glory does not exist in killing one another in the name of patriotism, but in banding together to promote life. Bibliography lists 7 sources.

A 5 page paper looking at Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn, plus five other short stories and novellas, in terms of their treatment of the conflict between the demands of society and individual expression. Stories covered include Sarah Orne Jewett’s “A White Heron;” Ambrose Bierce’s “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge;” Stephen Crane’s “The Open Boat,” ...

A 6 page paper looking at Kate Chopin’s 1899 novel in terms of its inheritance from Ralph Waldo Emerson. The paper points out that Emerson felt one’s ultimate authority is oneself, and Chopin’s protagonist Edna Pontellier relied heavily on self-direction in developing her life. Bibliography lists six sources.

A 6 page paper analyzing this autobiographical work by Maxine Hong Kingston. The paper looks at the degradation of women in traditional Chinese-American families, and shows how Kingston used myth to build a sense of self. No additional sources.

A 10 page paper looking at Arthur Miller’s classic twentieth century play in terms of its indictment of capitalist society. The paper shows how the protagonists’ illusions distort his own values and those he teaches his sons, and observes that in that respect little has changed today. Bibliography lists seven sources.

5 pages in length. The overt implications of fear and control represent the role women play in Jane Smiley's 'A Thousand Acres.' It can be argued that the author identified women as being akin to material possessions, equating them with things that are to be used, like land and other tangible entities. ...

A 5 page comparison of two short stories by Stephen Crane 'The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky' and 'The Blue Hotel.' While these two stories differ in their specifics, they have a great deal in common. Both stories incorporate a variety of naturalistic detail that show Crane's keen eye in regards to setting and the ...

This 5 page report discusses Golding’s 1954 “Lord of the Flies” and its underlying themes of violence and fear. The story of the boys lost on a desert island serves as an allegory for the fundamental core of violence that is buried deep within every human. As the boys become increasingly polarized, the reader ...

Within the genre of anti-war novels, none is surpassed by Johnny Got His Gun. This World War I novel uses stark realism to shock and literally bring the reader to consciousness about the consequences of war. On a lighter side, The Good Soldier Schweik warmed the cockle of the heart of the reader ...

An 8 page paper comparing the characters of Claggart in Herman Melville’s “Billy Budd” and Chillingworth in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter.” The paper concludes that although one tempts the innocent and the other torments the guilty, they are both moral predators. No additional sources.

A 9 page paper looking at the way these two works are organized around a governing symbol. In both cases, the paper argues, the works center themselves around the idea of self-protection versus reaching out to love others and find fulfillment in them. No additional sources.

A 5 page paper that examines the character development and the use of literary elements and techniques in chapters 22-23 of Waterworks by E.L. Doctorow. The character development is very interesting in that it brings the them into focus in relationship to their inherent personalities and desires. The literary style and element used by Doctorow is also very unique ...

A 5 page paper analyzing the fifth section of Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s short story in terms of the way this section relates to the story as a whole. The paper shows that the woman in the wallpaper is a projection of herself. No additional sources.

A 15 page comparison between the above mentioned novels by Tim O'Brien. In these novels, O'Brien examines feelings and uncertainties that speak to the heart of being human and leave the reader thinking, rather then feeling that all their questions have been answered. O'Brien's artistry encompasses all of the nuances and pathos of the human ...

A six page paper showing the importance of symbolic content to the understanding of this 1927 novel by Ernest Hemingway. The paper argues that Hemingway’s use of symbolism underscores his belief that life ultimately has no meaning except for the stoicism created by the hero from inside himself. No additional sources.

A 5 page paper examining the characterization of the Misfit and the grandmother in this classic short story by Flannery O’Connor. The story shows how our comfortable assumptions regarding the “goodness” or “evil” of these characters are turned upside down by O’Connor’s emphasis on nontraditional values. No additional sources.

A 5 page paper looking at Octavia E. Butler’s 1993 science fiction novel in terms of the questions it raises about the future of our society, and the solutions it posits, particularly in terms of a new view of religion. Butler’s message is that we must look out for the poor, or they will destroy ...

A 5 page look at this pivotal chapter immediately following the murder of Injun Joe. The paper illustrates the tension between imagery of fear and death and the boyhood world Tom normally inhabits. No additional sources.

A 5 page look at these two characters from Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman and F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. The paper shows how both characters illustrate the falseness of the belief that charisma means more than ability; appearance means more than reality; ruthlessness means more than ethics; and success is everything. No ...

A 9 page paper analyzing the extent to which the events of Lorraine Hansberry’s play “Raisin in the Sun” parallel both her own life and the social climate of the 1950s. The play argues that the play cuts across economic lines to bind all black people together in recognition of the complex ramifications of ...

A 7 page paper detailing the furor which has surrounded J.D. Salinger’s classic novel ever since its publication. The paper concludes that Salinger’s accurate portrayal of teenage life brings his adolescent readers into his story, and from there he can give them his real message -- that growing up is anything but idyllic, but that ...

A 5 page paper analyzing Washington Irving’s use of humor in this short story. The paper argues that within this story, Irving first uses humor to depict a character we can laugh at from a distance; he then uses fear to create a strong reader identification with that character, so that we come to realize ...

A 5 page paper analyzing one of St. Bernard of Clairvaux’s sermons, variously known as “The Kiss of the Lord’s Feet, Hands, and Mouth” and “The Three Kisses.” The paper argues that in stressing the lowness of the human compared to Christ, St. Bernard echoes the ascetic philosophy reflected in his monastic rule. No additional ...