Essays and Research Papers on American Literature

A five page look at this novel by John Steinbeck in terms of its treatment of the erosion of American morals. The paper provides a considerable amount of commentary augmented with examples from the book. Bibliography lists two sources.

A seven page paper looking at the way our belief in hard work and respectability developed over the years into the code of the American Dream, only to disintegrate in the twentieth century. Specific books discussed are Susanna Rowson’s Charlotte Temple, Horatio Alger’s Ragged Dick, and Sinclair Lewis’ Main Street. No additional sources.

A five page paper looking at the way these two stories by William Faulkner and Ambrose Bierce, respectively, illustrate binary thinking about the relationship of North and South. The paper concludes that thinking in terms of opposites limits one’s options, both in attitudes and behavior. No additional sources.

An 8 page analysis of The Turn of the Screw by Henry James and The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson. These two novels each present stories of the supernatural. The writer argues that Jackson's story is more of a straight forward 'ghost' story, while James' book can be interpreted on various levels and ...

A five page paper looking at this 1983 play by American playwright Marsha Norman. The paper suggests that the two identities of the protagonist in this play are a metaphor for the dual realities women experienced in the 1960s and 1970s. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

This is a five-page fabricated interview with the twentieth-century author Eudora Welty. The emphasis is on relating the events and background of Welty’s life to the subject matter of her fiction. Endnotes and bibliography listing two sources appended to end of paper.

A five page paper looking at the thought of these three seminal nineteenth-century American writers as expressed in their works “Nature,” “Civil Disobedience,” and “Preface to Leaves of Grass,” respectively. The paper concludes that all three of these writers relied heavily on nature and natural metaphors to define what is unique about the American experience. ...

A five page paper looking at the way Franklin’s concept of the self-created man, developed in his “Autobiography”, degenerated into the illusory persona epitomized by Fitzgerald’s “Great Gatsby”. The paper suggests that over time, Franklin’s emphasis on morality and personal values was lost, and without it, upward striving becomes purely materialistic. No additional sources. ...

A seven page paper looking at the issues raised by the “tales of two cities” in this futuristic novel by Marge Piercy. The paper shows that the development of the story of the Prague Golem raises issues applicable to the story of the cyborg of Tikva. Bibliography lists four sources.

A five-page paper looking at Marianne Wiggins’ novel about young girls cast away on a deserted island. Wiggins suggests there is no way that we can leave the problems of our world behind and create a utopia somewhere off in the blue. Although we may not have deliberately manufactured our particular social ills, they are ...

A fifteen page paper comparing these two protagonists in Mark Twain’s “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” and “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.” The paper shows that Tom remains childlike because he is essentially conventional, and has never been forced to make adult decisions; Huck, on the other hand, has forged his own code of ethics ...

A five page paper looking at the issues raised by this Pacific Northwest writer. Bragg’s book profiles a number of important women from the State of Washington, and the paper argues that it is the fierce eccentricity bred into the Washingtonian character that makes these women so strong. No sources.

A five page analysis of the meaning of this classic novella by Ernest Hemingway. The paper asserts that for the old man the struggle to bring in the giant marlin was a spiritual quest, and illustrates Hemingway’s creed that meaning lies in challenging oneself to survive. No additional sources.

A six page paper looking at the way the protagonist of Arthur Miller’s classic play imbues his son with his warped sociological values. The paper shows that the son’s repeated failures in life are due to his father’s idealization of him, and this in turn is based on the father’s inability to see his own ...

A two-page look at Hemingway’s novella in terms of the spiritual component of fishing. The paper shows that Santiago, the Old Man, shared Hemingway’s conviction that in standing up to the obstacles which nature throws in our path, we prove our right to be a part of the great natural plan. No additional sources.

A three page paper showing the connection between Carrie’s acquisitive and social-climbing nature and the doctrine of the American Dream. The paper indicates that Carrie’s relationship to the other characters in Dreiser’s novel showcases the emptiness of her relationship with herself, and epitomizes the shallow foundation of the idea that money and status are the ...

A six page paper comparing the narrator of Marilynne Robinson’s novel “Housekeeping” with that of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby.” The paper looks at the way the two establish their own individuality through their connection to the protagonists. No additional sources.

An 8 page comparison of Kathleen Berger's The Developing Person Through the Life Span, and Gail Sheehy's New Passages: Mapping Your Life Across Time. The writer argues that these two books, though vastly different in scope and style of writing, are complementary in the way that they examine the stages of adult life. No additional ...

5 pages in length. Discusses at length the short story "A Worn Path" by Eudora Welty. When we first meet Phoenix Jackson in "A Worn Path" we are immediately assailed with the knowledge that she is an ancient and extremely poor woman making her way through the pinewoods. With a red ...

A five page paper looking at the way Kate Chopin deals with her protagonist’s lack of maternal instinct in her 1899 novel. The paper notes that Edna Pontellier is not a good mother, although she is not a bad woman; yet her inability to fit into the social parameters of domesticity ultimately becomes her undoing. ...

A five page look at this short story by John Updike. The paper shows how Updike places his main character in a struggle between two worlds -- one in which life is predictable, steady, stable, and reliable, and one defined by unconventionality and surprise. Sammy’s decision to choose the more unconventional lifestyle will ultimately affect ...

A five page paper looking at Ernest Gaines’ short story in terms of the way the events of the story contribute to the development of the character of the protagonist, James. The paper shows how James is taught by his mother to fight starvation, cold, and hardship with pride; these are lessons he can use ...

A five page paper looking at four short works by this famous Lebanese-born poet in terms of their expression of love, harmony, and oneness. Works covered are: “Laughter and Tears,” “Song of Fortune,” “Song of Love,” and “Song of the Wave.” Bibliography lists one source besides poems.

A five page paper looking at this modern classic by Manuel Puig. The paper looks at the way Puig’s novel uses the motif of cinema to illustrate the growing relationship between Valentin and Molina. No additional sources.

A five page paper looking at this early novel by William Faulkner in terms of its perception of women’s roles in Southern society during the Civil War and Reconstruction. The paper concludes that Faulkner is most comfortable with women taking an active part in the war effort if they plan to return to being proper ...