Essays and Research Papers on American Literature

This 5 page report discusses “The Poet” (1844) and essay by 19th century American poet and essayist, Ralph Waldo Emerson. In it, he makes it clear that he has no use for those who he thinks of as “esteemed umpires of taste,” those who are unable to see beyond what is before them to the ...

A 5 page essay that offers a case study on author Ernest Hemingway, focusing on A Farewell to Arms as being exemplary of Hemingway's work. The writer discusses the Hemingway style; the plot, mood, etc. of A Farewell to Arms; and also a short evaluation of the influence of Hemingway's fiction on the writers that ...

An eight page paper which looks at the concepts of manners, social convention and personal ethics in relation to race and gender constructs in Southern fiction, with particular reference to Chestnutt's 'The Marrow of Tradition' and Hurston's 'Their Eyes Were Watching God'.

This paper examines two topics; one being the comparison between Lennie of Of Mice and Men and Benjy of The Sound and the Fury. The other topic revolves around the social commentary offered by Of Mice and Men.

An eight page paper which looks at the concept of cultural identity as defined by four writers, and the way in which they have reconciled their own identity with that delineated by a multi-ethnic society. Bibliography lists 4 sources

This 5 page paper considers how the bonds of friendship form between Michael and Rabbi Hirsch, a young Irish boy and an older Jewish rabbi. The bibliography cites 2 sources.

A 5 page paper which compares and contrasts the characters of Ralph and Jack in William Golding's "Lord of the Flies." Bibliography lists 5 additional sources.

The story of Spartacus is an account of a slave revolt in 71 B.C. This 5 page paper provides short descriptions of several of the minor characters and then a summary of the story. No additional sources are listed.

This 6 page paper addresses the Vietnam War, the fact that it was not one that the soldiers agreed with and the significance of their good luck charms. O'Brien's The Things They Carried is the focus of this paper. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

A 5 page paper which examines how the short novel initially appears to be a ghost story, but as it progresses, exposes the governess/narrator’s ignorance and unfamiliarity with the tale, as she moves toward a complete nervous breakdown. No additional sources are used.

A review of Fierstein's play 'On Tidy Endings', with particular reference to the way in which the character of Marion is developed throughout the drama.

A paper which reviews James Dickey's novel 'Deliverance', with particular reference to the character of Ed and the themes of personal achievement and growth. Bibliography lists 7 sources

A 10 page discussion of the underlying theme of despair which is prevalent in much of Robert Frost’s poetry. Cites examples from Frost’s "Fire and Ice", "Desert Places", "Spring Pools", "The Road Not Taken", "Birches" and "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" to illustrate the theme of despair. The author of this ...

A 5 page paper which examines how the issues of race and class influence the novel’s characters. Bibliography lists 7 sources.

This paper examines two works, The Great Gatsby and A Streetcare Named Desire, and discusses how the two authors, Scott Fitzgerald and Tennessee Williams respectively, defined modern society and progress through these works. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

A five page paper which looks at the way the concept of the outsider is treated in Woolf's 'Mrs Dalloway', Steinbeck's 'East of Eden' and Camus's 'The Outsider'. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

This 5 page report discusses and compares two short stories -- “The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber” (1936) bye Ernest Hemingway and “The White Stocking” by D.H. Lawrence. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

A five page paper which looks at Robert Stone’s novel Dog Soldiers, in terms of themes, characters and narrative development, and considers whether it meets the criteria to be considered as a work of art.

This 5 page report discusses what is called “jungle fever” which occurs when the attraction is so strong between people who are so patently wrong for one another, either because of social conventions of class or racial differences, the attraction often grows more heated, more intense, more feverish. The works of F. Scott Fitzgerald and ...

A 5 page research paper that looks at the life of Edgar Allan Poe and discusses connections between his life and possible inspiration for his works. The writer looks at his poem Tamerlane and short stories, The Black Cat and The Fall of the House of Usher. Bibliography lists 6 sources.

Joseph Heller's first book, Catch 22, was published in 1961 but did not gain in popularity until the Vietnam war. This 5 page paper contends that, first and foremost, this novel is a satire on the disorganization of the military, war in general and time as a means of understanding life. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

An 8 page paper which discusses various themes within Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" which speak of paternal and maternal abandonment. The paper also discusses other forms of abandonment and lack of responsibility as they involve Shelley's story. Bibliography lists 4 sources.

This model paper provides the student with information on how to explore and write about the theme of denial in Ray Bradbury's science fiction novel The Martian Chronicles. The paper uses comparisons with other Bradbury novels, as well as descriptions of two of the chapters to illustrate that denial is an important -- although underwritten ...

A comparison between The Cosmic Serpent by Jeremy Narby and Generica by Will Ferguson, looking in particular at the way in which the two authors challenge the dominant ideologies of western culture and the alternative perspectives which they offer to the reader. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

A 5 page paper which examines "Lord of the Flies" and discusses what William Goldberg presents in terms of faults in society in this novel. No additional sources cited.