Essays and Research Papers on American Literature

Short stories about families abound and excellently wrought ones are fairly hard to come across, especially if the story is concerned with the realities of living in the modern world. Separating by John Updike and A Small Good Thing by Raymond Carver are both excellent examples of this particular genre. This 7 page paper compares and contrasts the ...

This 5 page paper considers the way in which language can add to the illusion in a science fiction destroy. The paper starts with consideration to what the term 'science fiction' actually means and then looks at the way this is portrayed by the use of language in the book The Time Machine. The bibliography ...

An eight page paper looking at this short story by Raymond Carver in terms of the symbolic meaning of blindness. The paper shows that there are more ways of being blind than simply the lack of visual acuity. One can be blind to other's feelings; one can be blind to the beauty of the world ...

A ten page paper looking at these two plays, by Arthur Miller and Tennessee Williams respectively, in terms of the way the playwrights brought their characters' illusions to life on the stage. The paper shows that Miller used a much more expressionistic technique while Williams developed his characters more conventionally. Bibliography lists 9 sources.

A six page paper comparing F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" and David Guterson's "Snow Falling on Cedars" in terms of their use of metaphor and symbol in their novels. The paper asserts that the use of such imagery deepens the reader's appreciation of the author's meaning. Bibliography lists 6 sources.

5 pages in length. The writer discusses Susan Griffin's "Our Secret" as it relates to true spirituality and human connectedness. No additional sources cited.

A six page paper looking at Ralph Ellison's novel in terms of the way certain classes of people are rendered invisible by a society that refuses to see them as individuals. The paper observes that by the end of the novel, the protagonist has moved from a socially-imposed invisibility that makes him personally inauthentic to ...

A 5 page analysis of Anton Myrer's novel Once an Eagle. The writer points out that, since this novel's initial publication in 1968, it has come to be considered a classic. In this novel, Myrer offers the reader an overview of military life from the perspective of a career officer who rose up through the ...

A six page paper looking at this autobiography in terms of the way the author feels sheer determination allowed her to break through the limitations placed on her by her family and society. "Bone Black" is the story of a young girl who is not willing to accept the submissive and limited role offered to ...

Narration is the crux and the foundation of storytelling. All stories are narrated in one form or another. This 10 page paper asserts that James Joyce, in his book, Ulysses and Gertrude Stein in the novella, Melanctha, use the device of 'unreliable' narrators or a mixture of first and third person; inner and outer narrators. The narrative ...

This 8 page paper gives consideration distortion is used as a tool in this modern literary work. Distortion is seen in the presentation of the facts as well as the perception and self-identity of the characters. This is a powerful tool which enables Anderson to reflect loneliness and inaction for the negative aspect of life ...

A 5 page analysis of two books by S.E. Hinton for young adults-- The Outsiders and That Was Then, This Is Now. First published over 30 years ago, the writer examines the characteristics behind their enduring appeal. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

This 5 page paper looks at Bernard Lefkowitz's well researched true story of rape in a small town where athletic ability is more important than anything else. The way in which power was used to manipulated the girls and sex roles were developed can be seen as the root cause of the rape, with the ...

The stories of Ernest Hemingway, particularly The Short Happy Life Of Francis Macomber and The Snows Of Kilimanjaro, are centered on women, drink, money and ambition. This 5 page paper asserts that Hemingway portrays the wife either as a 'bitch' in character and, or, considered to be a bitch by the husband. The woman is also seen as ...

A five page look at F. Scott Fitzgerald's short story in terms of its theme and characterization. Fitzgerald's story shows how difficult it is for an addictive personality to break out of the cycle of addiction and start a new life. No additional stories.

A 5 page paper which examines the book "Christ in Concrete" by Pietro Di Donato. Different elements of the book are discussed as they apply to issues of working class and characters. No additional sources cited.

A 6 page paper which discusses the subject of insanity in "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. The paper addresses whether the woman in the story was realistically going insane, suffering from a serious mental condition, or merely reacting to her prescribed treatment for what was probably only depression, which is not a form of insanity. The paper ...

A 3 page review of the plot of the book by Walley Lamb. Traces the emotional baggage which has been dealt to Dominick, an identical twin who struggles not only with his own feelings of inadequacies but the horrors dealt to him by others throughout his life. Traces the development process which allows ...

A 6 page paper which considers the theme of temptation in seven short stories by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The stories include "Ethan Brand," "My Kinsman, Major Molineux," "Rappaccini's Daughter," "Dr. Heidegger's Experiment," "The Ambitious Guest," "The Minister's Black Veil" and "Young Goodman Brown." Bibliography lists 3 sources.

5 pages in length. An in-depth review of the title book. Evaluates the book, gives thought on the content of the book and concisely summarizes the book's major themes. The information and first hand narratives collected by the author make this book and the story it has to tell come alive. ...

A 10 page paper that explores the figurative language, imagery, symbolism, and irony contained in Tennessee Williams' "The Glass Menagerie". Also discussed are the underlying themes of the story. Bibliography lists 10 sources.

8 pages. Not about the Invisible Man of movies, but about an African American man and the shattering of his dreams and goals. To prove that people are inherently racist without due cause, Ellison was compelled to prove to the world that black people were treated with considerably less tolerance than the supposed ...

5 pages in length. Women are portrayed as hostile and shrewd in both the story of Washington Irving's "Rip Van Winkle" and the movie "Five Easy Pieces," an assertion that is tantamount to patriarchal control. Inasmuch as Dame Van Winkle represents a cultural villain, one might be more inclined to side with the ...

A 6 page paper which presents the argument that the main characters in Ernest Hemingway's novels, "Old Man and the Sea" and "A Farewell to Arms" are men who have, in one way or another, come to a place where they understand the harshness of life, and have somehow come to terms with that. Through this, it can be ...

A 6 page paper which how Raymond Chandler used figurative language to develop characterizations, plot and theme of his 1939 novel, "The Big Sleep," by focusing upon one specific scene, and relating it to the novel as a whole. Bibliography lists 6 sources.