Essays and Research Papers on American Literature

3 pages in length. Explores the plot and meaning of this book as it relates to marriage, the nuclear family, and loving relationships. Bibliography lists 1 source.

A 5 page paper which discusses the last few paragraphs of Amy Tan's story "Two Kinds," arguing that the last few paragraphs were perhaps quite unnecessary in presenting the story to the reader. No additional source cited.

A 5 page paper which examines and analyzes the representation of the persona in the piece "Salvation" by Langston Hughes. No additional sources cited.

A 5 page paper which provides a sociological analysis of Eudora Welty's 1941 short story, "A Worn Path," and considers if it remains meaningful within the context of contemporary society, what its original meaning might have been, the kind of society which produced the work, and the impact the story might still have upon society. ...

Jack London, perhaps even more than Hemingway, personified the adventurer through his works and the experiences of his life. This 5 page paper argues that in Call Of The Wild, White Fang and The Sea Wolf London applies the concepts of Social Darwinism to the lives of the characters - both animal and human. No additional sources are ...

This 5 page paper considers the way in which this well known play demonstrates the dualistic nature of society at both an individual level as well as on the wider scale. The roles of Nora, Torvald and even Krogstad emphasise that they live simultaneously in different worlds of their own making, it is the extent ...

A 5 page paper which examines aspects of humanity and science as they involve the characters in Mary Shelly's "Frankenstein" and Edgar Allan Poe's "Maezel's Chess Player." No additional sources cited.

This five-page-paper presents a detailed discussion as to the similarities and differences between the Scarlet Letter and One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest. Bibliography lists two sources.

A 7 page paper. Toqueville said: "Two tendencies in fact result from equality; the one first leads men directly to independence and could suddenly push them tight over into anarchy; the other by a roundabout and secret but also more certain road, leads them to servitude." This paper explores the credence of this statement. ...

This 6 page paper takes a glimpse at this playwright's interesting life and then goes on to compare and contrast two of her early works. The Children's Hour and The Little Foxes are discussed in depth. Bibliography lists 10 sources.

This 5 page paper considers the issue of Jake's role as a Catholic in Ernest Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises. This paper creates the argument that this view is correct, and that Jake's comparison with Cohn underscores his Catholic tendencies. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

A three page paper looking at Poe's use of dramatic, situational, and verbal irony in this short story. The paper defines each term and shows examples of its use within the story. Bibliography lists two sources.

This 5 page paper provides a discussion on this historic novel by Michael Shaara. The work focuses on the Battle of Gettysburg and has been critically acclaimed. The theme of bravery is explored. No additional sources cited.

Kate Chopin's short story "The Storm", tells the tale of a brief extramarital affair between the characters Calixta and Alcée. This 5 page paper briefly explores the writer's life and literary career as well as providing an exploration of the story. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

An 8 page paper which discusses various conditions of abandonment in "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley. The relationships discussed are that of Victor and the creature, Victor and Elizabeth, and Victor and his mother. Bibliography lists 3 additional sources.

A five page paper looking at the way both these authors define family in their novels "Beloved" and "Woman on the Edge of Time," respectively. The paper concludes that the protagonists' crippled family structures operate as a repressing factor to their self-actualization. Bibliography lists five sources.

A five page paper looking at this short story by John Steinbeck in the sense of the author's use of symbolism. The paper contrasts the tinker, who represents uncommitted sex, with the farmer's wife, who represents a covenant with the earth. No additional sources.

This 7 page paper explores the characters in Judith Guest's Ordinary People, in light of the psychological ramifications of the circumstances in the book. No additional sources are listed.

A five page paper looking at this critical theme of Mark Twain's novel. The paper shows how Twain demonstrates that the form of cruelty which is most difficult to eradicate is that which is done unintentionally -- through immaturity, thoughtlessness, or cultural prejudice. Bibliography lists five sources.

A 5 page paper which discusses the play "The Dumb Waiter," by Harold Pinter, and illustrates its similarities to Hamlet in regards to dramatic irony. No additional sources cited.

This five-page-paper presents a discussion on the use of syntax, style and metaphors by James Joyce in his short story , "Grace". Bibliography lists five sources.

The concepts of personal freedom, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are an integral component of the idealized social system in the United States. This 7 page paper explores the themes and ideas presented by Howard Zinn in his book, The Declaration Of Independence. No additional sources are listed.

5 pages in length. In the Dorothy Allison story "Question of Class" as well as in the William Faulkner work "Barn Burning" we see how each author deals with the devastation of lives that poverty brings to us. The callousness of class distinction is brought almost rudely to our attention in each of these works, and yet these authors ...

This seven page paper presents an examination of The White Devil by John Webster, and Kit Marlowe's Tamburlaine the Great. Comparisons and contrasts are studied to get a true picture of the similarities and differences between the works of literature. Bibliography lists two sources.

A 5 page discussion of the differences in experiences and interpretation a child might have in reading the 'The Adventures of Tom Sawyer' as opposed to those an adult might have. Observes that the child sees adventure and independence while the adult sees satire, stereotype, even the realities of capitalism. Concludes that undoubtedly ...