Essays and Research Papers on American Literature

A 5 page paper which examines how social class is represented in the short story and also compares it with the portrayal of class in William Faulkner’s short story, “A Rose for Emily.” Bibliography lists 4 sources.

This 5 page paper presents a literary analysis of this very famous sermon by Jonathan Edwards delivered in July 1741. Edwards used a number of literary strategies in his sermon, including theme, imagery, metaphors, repetition and similes. These was also a pace of pulse associated with the sermon. This essay provides examples of each ...

A 5 page paper which argues that it is a story about ‘doing the right thing.’ No additional sources are used.

This is an 18 page paper discussing the mother-daughter relationships in Tan’s “The Joy Luck Club” and the importance of the acceptance of the daughters’ Chinese heritage in order to gain their full identity. Cultural identity and familial relationships are very much a part of the growing conflicts, misunderstandings and collective memory in Amy Tan’s ...

A 6 page discussion of the insight provided into European thought by this French author. Interestingly, Crèvecoeur only lived in the Americas for a relatively short period of time. He became a naturalized citizen, however, and even ventured out among the indigenous inhabitants of the country. His roots, however, and his ideological ...

This 7 page paper outlines the major themes of Ernest Hemmingway by examining "The Old Man and the Sea", "A Farewell to Arms", and the "Nick Adams" short stories. This paper highlights Hemmingway's use of themes such as death, love, patriotism, etc. Bibliography lists 10 sources.

This 5 page paper discusses the important themes of this work. Specific themes addressed include with, reputation, disguise, and more. Bibliography lists 1 source.

This 5 page paper is a discussion of Woolf's essay, "The Death of the Moth". This paper examines how eloquently Woolf speaks of death and how the death of the moth can be likened to how human beings should value life. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

A 5 page paper which examines Poe’s use of dramatic irony to enhance his short story “The Cask of Amontillado.” No additional sources cited.

A 5 page paper which examines the use of symbolism in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story “Young Goodman Brown.” Bibliography lists 4 sources.

A 2 1/2 page analysis of “Rifleman Dodd” by C.S. Forester. No additional sources cited.

A 3 page paper which examines how when Tom Sawyer re-entry into the action towards the end of the novel is gratuitous and reduces the roles of Huck and Jim. No additional sources are used.

This is a 12 page paper discussing the relationship between brothers Raymond and Charlie in “Rain Man”. The story “Rain Man” was originally conceived by Barry Morrow and written as a screenplay by Ronald Bass and Barry Morrow for a movie directed by Barry Levinson and starring Dustin Hoffman as Raymond and Tom Cruise as ...

A 5 page paper which examines various themes in Hawthorne’s short story “The Wedding Knell.” No additional sources cited.

This is a 3 page paper discussing the use of the unlikely character of The Misfit to symbolize Christ in Flannery O’Connor’s “A Good Man is Hard to Find”. In Flannery O’Connor’s “A Good Man is Hard to Find” she uses unlikely characters to portray Christ through the use of symbols and narrative “Christology” or ...

This 3 page paper looks at the character of George F Babbitt from Sinclair Lewis’s 1920’s American novel Babbitt. George Babbitt is seen as a caricature of 1920’s middle class society, capitalist, impersonal, devoid of ethics and very class conscious. The bibliography cites 1 source.

A 5 page essay that endeavors to see the plot of Wharton's Ethan Frome from the perspective of his shrewish wife Zeena. The writer argues that seeing Zeena viewpoint makes it possible to cast this character into a new and more favorable light, which shows that she is just as much a victim in the ...

This is a 4 page paper comparing the characters of June from Amy Tan’s “The Joy Luck Club” and Antonia in Willa Cather’s “My Antonia”. The characters of June in Amy Tan’s “The Joy Luck Club” and Antonia in Willa Cather’s “My Antonia” differ a great deal in their process of assimilation into American society. ...

An 8 page paper which examines how the author explores the theme of sin and its effects on the individual and society in the characters of Hester Prynne, Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, Dr. Roger Chillingworth and Pearl. Bibliography lists 6 sources.

5 pages in length. Squad member Paul Berlin is just as involved in the war effort as the next guy; when his duties take him on an eight-thousand mile journey by foot to retrieve an AWOL comrade, he gains a multitude of life lessons that ultimately help to formulate alternative perspectives of life, war ...

5 pages in length. The writer provides a personal interpretation of Marion L. Starkey's "Devil In Massachusetts." No bibliography.

A 4 page research paper that, first of all, considers aspects of Poe's life that may have contributed to his macabre choice of subject for his short stories, including a brief discussion of the Victorian obsession with premature burial. Then, the writer looks at Poe's use of setting in "The Cask of Amontillado." Bibliography lists ...

A 5 page exploration into the theme of phenomenal women as supported by these authors. This paper acknowledges each of these women as having a positive role not only in the personal development of the author but also in the development of the world as a whole. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

A 3 page paper which examines how technology affected the lives of the people in this futuristic novel. No additional sources are used.

A 4 page paper which examines the significance of a quote from “Marigolds” by Eugenia Collier as it relates to adolescence. Bibliography lists 5 sources.