Essays and Research Papers on American Literature

A seven page paper which looks at the philosophy of American Transcendentalism, and the way in which it is exemplified in John Steinbeck’s novel The Grapes of Wrath, particularly in the character of Casey and the parallels between Casey’s development and the life and ideology of Emerson. Bibliography lists 3 sources

A 6 page paper which discusses how class difference plays a role in Raymond Carver's "A Small Good Thing" and F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Babylon Revisited." No additional sources cited.

A 5 page paper which discusses Edgar Allen Poe's "Murder in the Rue Morgue." The paper discusses how the work exemplifies his attitudes towards art and science and how he takes artistic license in presenting us with a perspective that does not always incorporate the reality we expect, thus satirically addressing our preconceived notions of science and art. Bibliography ...

A 5 page paper which examines the plot and theme in T.H. White's "Sword in the Stone." Bibliography lists 1 additional source.

This 5 page report discusses a Pulitzer Prize-winning writer and reporter Susan Glaspell’s 1916 play “Trifles” and its related short story “A Jury of Her Peers.” Throughout the story, a great deal is communicated despite the fact that many things are left unsaid. That process serves as just one of the ironies of the play as the ...

This 8 page paper provides a tutorial for a comparison paper for Hemingway's A Farewell To Arms And The Sun Also Rises. Bibliography lists 10 sources.

A 10 page paper which presents an analysis of the stories "A Rose for Emily" by William Faulkner and "Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Gilman. The main character in each story is examined form somewhat of a mental position, in that each woman was in a weakened mental state for one reason or another. Bibliography lists 12 sources.

A 5 page paper which addresses the deviant behavior of Hannibal Lector in the novel/film "Silence of the Lambs." Bibliography lists 3 additional sources.

5 pages in length. The writer discusses figurative language, imagery, dialogue, characterization and interpretation as they relate to the human conflict in Louis L'Amour's "Tucker." Bibliography lists 6 sources.

5 pages in length. The character of Huckleberry Finn, in Mark Twain's classic The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, effectively incorporates the innocence of a child with the wisdom of a tolerant adult. When Tom Sawyer shows up in the story and Huck concurs to being a member of Tom's gang, it becomes easy ...

A seven page paper which looks at the different ways in which the authorial voice is used in Henry James’ The Turn of the Screw and Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, showing the way in which the author can manipulate and direct the development of the narrative by either presenting different viewpoints, or focusing solely ...

This 8 page paper focuses on several themes, but suggests that the dominant one is social class. This famous coming of age story is thoroughly explored and Updike's possible hidden meanings are discussed. Bibliography lists 6 sources.

This 5 page paper compares the movie Clueless with Jane Austen's novel, Emma, focusing on the portrayal of social norms and cultural expectations. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

A 7 page paper which discusses how Mark Twain's "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" presents the reader with a clear commentary on slavery. Bibliography lists 5 additional sources.

This 7 page paper looks at Hemingway's story that focuses on a dying writer who finds himself in an exotic locale. Hemingway's life is tied to the story and biographical information is included. Bibliography lists 10 sources.

A five page paper which looks at John Updike’s A Short Easter, in terms of the way in which the dissociation and disempowerment of the main character represents the alienation arising from fragmentation of thought and feeling in modern society. Bibliography lists 4 sources

A 7 page research paper that explore show the fiction of Henry James reflected aspect of his own life. The writer argues that James was always sensitive to the social, political, historical and personal details of his own life and frequently reflected this in his writing. Bibliography lists 6 sources.

This 5 page paper provides an analysis of the story and applies it to the life of Hemingway. It is believed that some of the things to come from the story are tied to actual events. However, the tone of the work and broader themes seem to have been affected by Hemingway's own internal ...

A 5 page research paper/essay that summarizes Julia Alvarez's novel How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents, and then argues the thesis statement that Alvarez uses language as a metaphor for the entire process of cultural assimilation. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

On January 29th of 1982, Steven Callahan set sail with the intention of making it all the way around the world, by himself, in a boat he had built himself. This 5 page paper provides a review of the book abut his adventures after being set adrift in a lifeboat after his own ship sank. No additional sources ...

A 10 page paper which analyzes certain aspects of J.D. Salinger's "Catcher in the Rye." Bibliography lists 5 additional sources.

A 5 page essay/research paper that examines Flannery O'Connor's "Good Country People" and William Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily" and argues that both stories tell evocative things about the South – such as the fact that both stories center on characters that are "grotesque." Bibliography lists 5 sources.

A 7 page paper which discusses the narrator, Nick Carraway, in F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby." The paper illustrates who the narrator is, and what he represents, in that he serves to symbolically illustrate the turmoil experienced in American when ideals of the American dream were altered. Bibliography lists 7 additional sources.

This 5 page paper analyzes the work from a psychological point of view. Elisa's depression is explored in depth and the symbolic nature of the flowers is also discussed. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

A 5 page paper which compares Toni Morrison's novel "Jazz" with Louis Armstrong's song "Black and Blue." No additional sources cited.