Essays and Research Papers on American Literature

A 10 page overview of these two classic plays. Makes the contention that each is just as representative of the literary genre of classic tragedy as is the other. Observes that each is a different twist on one man's perception of the concepts of hope, fate, and destiny. Emphasizes that Oedipus believed that ...

A 7 page paper which examines Twain's representation of the West in "Roughing It" and the Mississippi River towns and people in "Life on the Mississippi." Bibliography lists 3 sources.

5 pages in length. Throughout the play and with Volpone's various wiles, aided in part by his friend Mosca, we see how Volpone delights in the things he does and with little or no remorse. It is for this reason then, that we are glad to see Volpone get his punishment at the end; but there are ...

A 5 page essay that examines John Steinbeck's 1939 novel The Grapes of Wrath. The writer examines Steinbeck's saga for support to the concept that the political reformers of the New Deal propagated this mass migration to California, and then, taking the opposite stance, examines the novel for other explanations for this social phenomenon of ...

A 5 page paper which analyzes and interprets Sister Carrie's desire for change throughout Theodore Dreiser's "Sister Carrie." No additional sources cited.

A 5 page paper which examines how the author employed symbolism to provide greater depth to characterizations and the theme of alienation. No additional sources are used.

A 5 page essay that analyzes Leslie Marmon Silko's novel Ceremony. The writer argues that throughout the novel, all of the literary devices at Silko's disposal are employed to dramatize the spiritual connection between the human psyche and the environment that evolved and nurtured the race. In this manner, Silko makes it clear that in ...

A 5 page research paper that examines Stephen Crane's narrative in the Red Badge of Courage, as well as recent critical assessment that sees this novel more in terms appropriate to the 1890s (when it was written) then the 1860s. Bibliography lists 6 sources.

A 6 page paper which presents an examination of the types of dialect found in Mark Twain's "Huckleberry Finn." Bibliography lists 1 additional sources.

A 5 page paper which compares and contrasts both stories in terms of symbols, characters, external and internal conflicts. No additional sources are used.

A 5 page analysis of this short story by Steinbeck. The writer discusses imagery, theme and symbolism. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

A five page paper which considers Isaac Singer’s concept of love in Appraisal and Betrayal from the viewpoint propounded in Plato’s Symposium, in terms of the relationship between rationality and emotion, and assesses whether the two writers’ perspectives are mutually incompatible. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

This 5 page paper evaluates Minnie's role in the story, suggesting that she lied from the outset and that the reader is privy to that. The theme of racism is addressed. Bibliography lists 6 sources.

5 pages in length. This short story by Woolf seems to be non-related ramblings on all different manner of topics; it is, however, all tied together into thoughts of war, and society in general. This excellent paper analyzes what is actually going on in the mind of the narrator. Bibliography lists 1 source.

An eight page paper which compares and contrast the characters of Olenka, in Chekhov’s The Darling, and Janie, in Thurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God, in terms of the similarities and differences between the two women’s lives, personalities and relationships with men. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

This 5 page paper looks at some of the character in this idealistic historical novel by J. Hector St. John De Crevecoeur, considering the way in which they may be seen as representing the idea that America is ' a new kind of country, where the ancient concept of virtue is not tied exclusively to ...

An eight page paper which looks at the ways in which the character of Tom illustrates and contributes to the development of the salient themes in Pudd’nhead Wilson, including the concepts of identity, ethnicity, miscegenation, racism, social conditioning and scientific rationality. Bibliography lists 10 sources.

This 5 page paper provides an analysis of James Fenimore Cooper's The Spy. The concept that America is a new kind of country, and that the American is a new breed is discussed as a major thematic element. Several characters are discussed as examples of this and a basic overview of the plot is ...

An 8 page paper which discusses William Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily," "Percy Grimm," and "Barn Burning." The paper compares and contrasts the characters from the stories, discusses how the stories relate to the time period of Faulkner, and illustrates what position Faulkner holds in American literature, due to these pieces and his work in general. Bibliography lists 7 ...

A five page paper which gives an account of Aldo Leopold’s A Sand County Almanac, looking at his perception of the relationship of human beings to the ecological web, the ways in which civilisation is destroying the wilderness areas of America, and the importance of adapting ethical structures to encompass respect for the land as ...

A 5 page paper which discusses how Ralph Ellison's "The Invisible Man" can be seen as a hero. The hero aspect is discussed through his involvement in self-reliance and social responsibility. No additional sources cited.

A 12 page book review which considers the book's chronicle of 14 important performers who are frequently overlooked in popular jazz texts. Bibliography lists 10 sources.

A 5 page paper which presents 4 different literary criticisms on "Young Goodman Brown." The paper then discusses the relevancy of these criticisms as they relate to the occult and mystical aspects of Nathaniel Hawthorne's story. Bibliography lists 4 sources.

A 7 page paper which analyzes the roles of the White Rabbit and the Cheshire Cat in Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland." Bibliography lists 4 additional sources.

(6 pp.) Padgett's poetry is rooted in popular culture. The poet says his own overt use of comic strip material: "I ascribe it to having grown up in a prospering, consumerist America in the 1940s and 1950s with parents who had just edged upward from poverty into the middle class and ...