Essays and Research Papers on American Literature

A 5 page evaluation of the truths presented in Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird" regarding discrimination as supported by the findings of John Howard Griffin in "Black Like Me". Examines the contention in "To Kill a Mockingbird" that to understand someone you have to live in their skin. Suggests that the author ...

This 7 page report discusses the connections between Edgar Allan Poe’s story of “The Cask of Amontillado” and the actual life experiences of Poe. From the first Edgar Allan Poe story a person reads, the seed is planted that grows into the question of whether or not the author was as “twisted” as his stories. Historical accounts of the man ...

This 5 page paper considers the role of Texas as discussed in Campbell's book; "An Empire for Slavery". The development of Texas economically and the way in which the freedom of slaves was resisted with proactive measures is considered and o8utlined in this paper. The bibliography cites 1 source.

This 5 page paper analyzes the characters Sethe and Beloved, their motivations and psyche. The relationship between mother and daughter is highlighted. No additional sources cited.

A five page paper looking at the way the Joads' car figured in their doomed pursuit of the American dream. The paper suggests that the automobile cut them off from their reliance on the land -- something they understood -- and forced them to rely on a form of technology that was essentially foreign to ...

This 7 page report discusses the struggle for identity among modern Native American characters in two separate novels. For a people who never questioned who they were or their role in the natural order of life and their place in the world, such an effort becomes one in which cultures clash and the primary characters are forced to determine who ...

A 5 page paper which discusses "Snow Falling on Cedars" by David Guterson as it relates to the lingering effects of WWII. The characters discussed are Kabuo and Ishmael. No additional sources cited.

5 pages in length. Compares two articles, "September, 1973" by Ariel Dorfman and "My Pin-Up" by Hilton Als, and contrasts the rational choice perspective versus the authoritarian approach as regards ethnic conflict.

A 10 page paper that supports the transcendentalist idea presented by Henry David Thoreau that one must first lose contact with the materialistic world in order to find inner peace and serenity. Discussed are the views presented in Economy and Where I Lived and What I Lived For from Thoreau's Walden as well as ...

For Americans the concept of freedom is associated with the rights and responsibilities of community. This 12 page paper argues that The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne and Frederick Douglass' Narrative of The Life Of Frederick Douglass have components of societal restrictions that infer the need for freedom. Bibliography lists 11 sources.

A 3 page paper which examines the conflict between illusion and reality in the ill-fated wartime love affair between Frederic Henry and Catherine Barkley in Ernest Hemingway's novel, "A Farewell to Arms" (Book One). Bibliography lists 3 sources.

This five-page-paper presents an in-depth discussion illustrating that the character , Arthur Dimmsedale in Nathaniel Hawthorne's 'The Scarlet Letter', fits the description of tragic hero by Aristotle standards. Bibliography lists one source.

A 5 page paper. Miller's play is a commentary on the American way of life and on the preoccupation with wealth and influence. The story revolves around the conflict between Willy Loman, an older traveling salesman, and his oldest son, Biff, who was a exceptional football player in high school. Many critics have said that ...

A 5 page review of the book which tells the story of a fast-tracked journalist giving up her career in order to care for her terminally ill mother. Provides a brief biographical background of the author noting the similarities between her real-life experiences and those depicted in the book. Contends that it was ...

A 6 page analysis of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum and Looking Backward by Edward Bellamy. The writer argues that each of these writers incorporated into their novels aspects and characteristics of the age in which they were written—the 'Gilded Age' at the close of the nineteenth century. No additional ...

A 5 page paper that examines the tremendous influence of the mass media as presented in The Interplay of Influence: News, Advertising, Politics, and the Mass Media by authors Kathleen Hall Jamieson and Karlyn Kohrs Campbell. Discussed are the three sections in which the book is divided, sections that detail the influence and role ...

This five-page-paper presents a thought provoking discussion in the use of themes , ideas and unfulfilled expectations in Death of a Salesman, by Arthur Miller. Bibliography lists one source.

When one sits down to read the novella, The Shawl, by Cynthia Ozick, it is difficult to know in advance the amount of emotional investment one is likely to make, however, reader: be warned, this is a story that will grip your heart and not let go. This 5 page paper explores the metaphors and symbols of the ...

This five-page-paper presents an in-depth discussion about the settings, and characterization of William Faulkner's "Barn Burning." Bibliography lists five sources.

A 5 page paper which examines how the poetry of Walt Whitman and Langston Hughes served as idioms for the American experience by representing Americans who had never before been depicted in American poetry. Bibliography lists 10 sources.

A 5 page paper which compares and contrasts the movie version of "Even Cowgirls Get the Blues" with the book, which was written by Tom Robbins. No additional sources cited.

This five-page-paper presents an overview and discussion about "The Bean Tree," by Barbara Kingsolver. Bibliography lists one source.

A 5 page paper which discusses the book "Underground Man" by Mick Jackson, and illustrates how the Duke in the book was discriminated against, and generally misunderstood, just as mentally impaired people are today. Bibliography lists 3 additional sources.

A 5 page paper which examines how Native Americans responded to Anglo whites in Helen Hunt Jackson's 1884 novel, "Ramona," and evaluate whether or not their responses changed over time.

A 5 page paper which discusses the line, "so you think that money is the route of all evil...... have you ever asked what is the route of all money," as seen in Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged." No additional sources cited.