Essays and Research Papers on American Literature

A 5 page paper which examines Nathaniel Hawthorne's tales and sketches and analyzes what his perspective was in relationship to science. Bibliography lists 3 additional sources.

This 6 page paper argues that In The Fall Of The House Of Usher and The Cask of Amontillado, Edgar Allen Poe uses the theme of death as the foundation for life's experiences. Bibliography lists 8 sources.

A 5 page paper which discusses similarities in Kate Chopin's "Story of an Hour," James Joyce's "Araby," and the film "Casino." The similarity focused upon is that which illustrates the realization of a truth, often a painfully accepted truth. Bibliography lists 7 sources.

A 5 page research paper that looks at Kate Chopin's use of humor in her first novel, At Fault. The writer argues that an examination of this novel demonstrates that Chopin often employed satire as a method for not only dissociating herself from the traditional female literature of her era, but also as a ...

A paper which looks at the life and works of the nineteenth century poet Jones Very, with regard to his background, his religious beliefs, his relationship to the Transcendentalist movement and the difference between his philosophy and that of the majority of transcendentalists. Bibliography lists 4 sources

A 5 page paper which analyzes the use of imagery and symbolism in three of Edgar Allan Poe's stories. The stories examined are "The Black Cat," "The House of Usher," and "The Cask of Amontillado." Bibliography lists 5 additional sources.

A 4 page essay that contrasts and compares Ralph Ellison's short story, "Battle Royal" and Tim O'Brien's short story "How to Tell a True War Story." The writer argues that although these two stories are different in content and style, these two stories are also similar in that they both largely concern the "gut" reactions ...

a 6 page research paper/essay that posits that Lucky Luciano may have provided Fitzgerald with inspiration for his characterization of Jay Gatsby. The character of Gatsby is also discussed. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

This 5 page paper gives a critical overview of the short story by Virginia Woolf and examines the feminist themes of the piece as it relates to the early twentieth century. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

A 5 page research paper/essay that discusses how author Tim O'Brien uses the structure of this novel to blur the lines between fiction and reality. The writer argues that the structure shows how the narrator jumps from one topic to the next in an effort to circumnavigate traumatic, painful memories that are literally more then ...

A 5 page paper which examines John Steinbeck's novel "East of Eden" and discusses its use of symbolism to present the reader with issues of dark and light, good and evil. Bibliography lists 4 additional sources.

A 6 page paper which illustrates how the character of Santiago in Hemingway's "Old Man and the Sea" is an individualist who will not be beaten. The paper also examines how he is a mentor to Manolin. Bibliography lists 6 sources.

This 5 page paper considers how this great American novel written by Mark Twain may be interpreted as an adventure that demonstrates the evils of society. The bibliography cites 1 source.

A 6 page research paper that examines three stories by three great Southern writers: A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner; A Good Man is Hard to Find by Flannery O'Connor; and Everyday Use by Alice Walker. The writer argues that the common characteristic between these three stories is that it is difficult to imagine ...

A paper which looks at the importance of the Southern setting in Faulkner’s A Rose for Emily, Walker’s Everyday Use and O’Connor’s A Good Man is Hard to Find, particularly in terms of the way that women are perceived in the three narratives. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

In every person's life there are three major components that define which road that person will walk down: either the road to success or the road to destruction. This 6 page paper asserts that the tragedy of Willy Loman's life encompasses the self, his relationship with his family is the second and the need to reach for and acquire ...

5 pages. This concise paper on Ernest Hemingway describes some of his stories as well as his writing style. Hemingway's use of implied, subtle themes allows readers latitude of interpretation. Bibliography lists 10 sources.

A 7 page paper which examines Ralph Emerson's "The Invisible Man" and discusses its relationship with communism. The paper focuses on the Brotherhood as a symbol of Ellison's views on communism. Bibliography lists 3 additional sources.

Tom in The Glass Menagerie: This 5 page paper consideres the claim that Tom in Tenessee Williams The Glass Menagerie is an excellent example of the modern anti-hero. This paper integrates a view of the typical epic hero, the hero of action, and demonstrates Tom's role as the opposite, a comtemplative and reflective ...

A 7 page paper which discusses the elements of romanticism found in Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter." Bibliography lists 10 additional sources.

A 5 page paper which analyzes the novel through feminist criticism. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

A 10 page research paper that examines Edgar Allan Poe's "The Philosophy of Composition," and then examines Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn as to how well it follows the process described by Poe. The writer argues that Twain's masterpiece does fit Poe's pattern. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

An 8 page analysis of David Anthony Durham's novel, "Gabriel's Story." Bibliography lists 1 additional source.

A 6 page paper which compares Edgar Allan Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart" and "The Black Cat" illustrating that the two stories involve what Poe termed the "spirit of perverseness." The paper examines how both narrators are trying to lay blame on something other than themselves for their inherent personalities. Their attempt to blame, and kill, only comes back to ...

A 5 page research paper on William Faulkner's attitudes toward women, racial issues and the South. Discussed are his ambivalence to all three and how it is manifest in his work. Cites 5 sources.