Literature Paper Samples

The Play “Othello” by William Shakespeare

Othello is one of the play’s central figures, possessing distinct qualities but changing in the course of events. At the beginning of the play, this character is distinguished only by his positive traits, describing him as a brave and respected general. The main expressive features of this character are calmness,...

Elements of Fiction in Poe’s The Cask of Amontillado

If someone feels that they have been wronged, it is difficult to forgive the wrongdoer and seek revenge instead. In the story the Cask of Amontillado, Edgar Allan Poe shows how revenge can be a compelling emotion in a person’s life. This story is about how one man takes his...

Shakespeare’s Play “Othello”: ‘Far More Fair Than Black’

Introduction There is often a debate among the new historicist critics whether ethnicity was a major factor in the play or not in the Shakespearean play Othello. Othello is a play based on jealousy, revenge, and war. The new historicists try to find any evidence that could support their view....

Comparison Between the Main Characters of Nella Larsen’s Novel Passing

Introduction The main characters of Nella Larsen’s novel Passing are two black American women whose identities are primarily performance-based and who can pass as White. Clare Kendry and Irene Redfield, the novel’s protagonists, take advantage of the fact that they “pass” as white. There are both psychological and physical repercussions...

“A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner: A Review

Introduction “A Rose for Emily” is a 1930 short story written by William Faulkner that is considered a classic tale of the South. It tells the story of a young woman, Emily, struggling with the changing times and not being able to adapt to them. The story is narrated by...

Gertrude’s Character in William Shakespeare’s Play Hamlet

Introduction Shakespeare’s play Hamlet depicts the strategic role women play in society. At the beginning of the play, Gertrude, the deceased king’s wife, is married to Claudius, her brother-in-law. Hamlet is the son of Gertrude and the late king. Hamlet receives a vision from the ghost of his late father...

“Fences” by August Wilson: Analysis

Introduction The intriguing play Fences by August Wilson centers on Maxson, the protagonist. Troy abuses his family and other individuals who are close to him. Wilson’s principal reason for writing the play is to depict how African Americans battled to exist in the United States, a significant theme of the...

The Negro Speaks of Rivers by Hughes and “If We Must Die” by McKay

Introduction It is important to note that African American poets, who lived during the period of segregation and heated racism, were in a unique position when it came to Americanism and patriotism. The given analysis will focus on “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” by Langston Hughes and “If We Must...

Symbolism in “Young Good Man Brown” by Hawthorne

Introduction American author and short tale writer Nathaniel Hawthorne significantly represent Protestantism, symbolism, and romance in American literature. He produced a large body of work that explored the complexity and sense of guilt inherent in human nature. When reading his tales and romances for the first time, it is impossible...

“Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley

Introduction Everyone needs support for being a full-fledged member of society. The desire of humans to belong to one or another type of community and feel unity is primary to their existence, but it presents significant limitations to their well-being. In the utopian “Brand New World,” all of the characters...

The Poem “The Divine Comedy” by Dante

Dante’s main theme of “Purgatorio” has the cleansing of the individual’s inner soul as its main preoccupation. It is not a location but rather a process described here. It symbolizes the perpetual transition of evil to good and everything that working spirits confront in the act of combat and the...

Arab American Poets: Samuel Hazo, Nathalie Handal, and Naomi Shihab Nye

Like the majority of post-colonial literature, Arab American literature originated from the struggle to attain credibility and acceptance within the social, psychological, and linguistic realms that are associated with constant change. The observation of such changes involves a significant effort of the authors to abandon the old and search for...

Thematic Expressions of Conflict in Shakespearean Hamlet

Despite being long and unorthodox, Hamlet by Shakespeare is one of the most famous classical plays. The story features several complex themes and revolves around the naturalistic elements of death and destiny. However, one character, in particular, catches the attention of the audience due to the paradox of his nature....

Irony & Satire in “Lowest Animals” by Mark Twain

Mark Twain was born in the Missouri village of Florida in 1835. In 1848, Twain became an apprentice to a printer at the Missouri Courier. Later, Twain started working for the Hannibal Journal and created a series of posts and caricatures. Twain’s works were inspired by civil problems of the...

The Forms of Expression in the Second Act of “Romeo and Juliet”

Through dialogue and monologue, Shakespeare allows the public to understand the main action and appreciate the character’s inner state and feelings. Thus, the author uses monologue and soliloquy in Romeo’s speech in the following lines: “He jests at scars that never felt a wound. But soft, what light through yonder...

Genre of “Frankenstein” Novel by Mary Shelley

Introduction Frankenstein is the best-known work by Mary Shelley that has exited the readers since the time of its creation. Indeed, this is an outstanding literary work as it lets the readers reflect on the essence of good and evil, love and hatred, and the challenges and threats scientific progress...

The “Parallel Lives” Work by Plutarch

The famous work Parallel Lives by Plutarch explores the lives of prominent citizens of Ancient Greece and Rome. The author lived in the 1st century A.D., which is why his information regarding the events of the ancient period are valuable (Mossman 565). Being a Greek-Roman author and philosopher, Plutarch may...

The “Semá:th XĂł:tsa” Book by the Reach Gallery Museum

Semá:th XĂł:tsa: Sts’Ăłlemeqwelh SxĂł:tsa or Great Gramma’s Lake a children’s book written by the Reach Gallery Museum in collaboration with StĂł:l partners, tells the story of Sumas Lake’s draining from an Indigenous perspective. The book reveals the history and essence of culture, the very spirit of the Sumas people, reflected...

Idealism in Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein is a masterpiece of world literature with many complex moral themes. One of them is idealism and the consequences of overly idealistic illusions on people’s lives. In the novel, idealism is represented through several characters, including Victor, his mother, Caroline, and the monster created by Frankenstein....

Matilda and Beatrice in Dante’s Purgatory

Matilda and Beatrice represent servants of God whose role is to preach salvation and ensure that sinners gain entry into heaven. Servants of God offer guidance to those who have lost the ways of God and indulge in worldly atrocities. Beatrice was Dante’s lover who guided him to the ways...

Stories of Victims in Glaspell’s Trifles and Provoked Film

At this moment, many women are suffering from domestic violence against them. Even though many countries worldwide have a law that was designed to protect women from suffering, it does not seem to have an ending. Both Trifles and Provoked tell stories of women being threatened by their husbands. It...

“Streetcar Desire” by Tennessee Williams

Introduction The play Streetcar Desire by Tennessee Williams, an entire Broadway production of the late 40s, has become a modern classic. Streetcar Desire is a multi-layered picture, and there is much more psychology here than plot collisions: almost all the action takes place within one house in New Orleans. Working...

“The Painted Bird” by Jerzy Kozinski: Analysis

The Painted Bird by Jerzy Kozinski is unique in its kind. Unlike other works about the Second World War and the lives of Jews when they were most in danger, it concentrates on a different subject, namely the life of a boy who encountered war for the first time. This...

Review of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” by Harriet Beecher Stowe

The novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, was written by Harriet Beecher Stowe and published in 1852 in the United States. The work was popular among general population of the country as it criticized slavery and the treatment of people as property, stating that limiting people’s freedom contradicts to Christian moral beliefs....

Relevance of “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen

Jane Austen has presented the world with one of the greatest masterpieces of the times of ladies and gentlemen. The story can be correlated with the modern world as the author has shown the most common problems in societies that stay unsolved these days. For instance, the story proposes to...

William Wells Brown’s Memories of Childhood

William Wells Brown was a prominent African American abolitionist lecturer and novelist. Born into slavery, Brown managed to escape and dedicated his life to advocating for the prohibition of slavery. Thus, it can be assumed that the agenda of Brown’s piece of writing Memories of Childhood is to show the...

“A Sand County Almanac…” Book by Aldo

The work of Leopold Aldo A Sand County Almanac and Sketches Here and There, showcases all the beauty of nature around people. As a scientist, ecologist, and forester, Aldo describes every element of nature in simple but exact words. The book is divided into chapters that bear the name of...

How to Tame a Wild Tongue by Gloria Anzaldua

Introduction Numerous literary works around the globe examine various facets of life, and many of those creations rarely focus on one single aspect. In her writing How to Tame a Wild Tongue, Gloria Anzaldua discusses her experience of being a Chicana in the American community but also debates the subjects...

Frank’s Passions with Reason and Success and Luck

Introduction Frank Robert is a progressive writer in criticizes the economic status quo. One of his books is “Passions within Reason,” written in 2010, which emphasizes the importance of emotions to overcome problems caused by self-interest because emotions function as a commitment device. The other book, “Success and Luck: Good...

A Rose for Emily William Faulkner: A Book Review

In the story, A Rose for Emily William Faulkner shows how Emily struggles with the physical and emotional effects of isolation. William Faulkner’s 1930 novel “A Rose for Emily” is regarded as his best masterpiece. The plot revolves around Emily Grierson, who is the central protagonist. “A Rose for Emily”...

The Novel “The House on Mango Street” by Sandra Cisneros

From the narrative, the vignette which made the strongest impression on me is “Hair.” Cisneros uses hair to describe the character traits of her family members. In the reading, mama’s hair is lengthly as a bond symbol between her and the author. Indeed, the description treats the mother as a...

The Influence of Feminism in the “Garden of Eden”

Introduction Over the decades, the distinction between masculinity and feminism significantly attributed to the root cause of gender inequality. Ernest Hemingway exploits the implication of gender roles reverse and sexuality and notes a profound consequence to the coexistence among people (Remy 57). One of the key initiatives among personnel enshrines...

Gothic Literature of Irving and Poe

Introduction This genre is constructed of fears and interests, forcing the reader to immerse himself in the dark thoughts of the characters. Gothic literature, in spite of it all, has maintained its popularity, changing with the passage of time. The action of literary Gothic works, as a rule, unfolds in...

A Male Character’s View on Women

Introduction There seems to be a lot of conflict between male and female characters in Shakespeare’s plays. Desdemona, Emilia, and Bianca are Othello’s three female characters. Women’s behavior and self-presentation are heavily influenced by Shakespeare’s representation of Renaissance and Elizabethan society (Amri and Isna 11). Othello, Desdemona, and Emilia all...

The Story “Sunrise, Sunset” by Edwidge Danticat

The human being’s brain has a multi-faceted memory system. An individual’s memory recollection may change depending on lived experiences, narration, and epigenetics (O’ Keane 128). Epigenetics is the study of how behaviors and environmental factors affect the genetic functioning of an individual. Psychiatrists and neurologists have constantly discussed whether the...

Parental Influence in Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”

A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of the many plays written by renowned English author William Shakespeare. In this comedy, the writer addresses the themes of love, identity, and parent-child relationships, promoting the readers to consider what a parent should be able to influence in their children’s lives. This essay...

The Legacy of Mark Twain, an Important Writer

Mark Twain was an American novelist, lecturer, journalist, and humorist who acquired global popularity due to his narratives on the nature of the world. He is known for such work as The Innocent Abroad, Roughing It, and Life on the Mississippi (Paine 340). Mark Twain’s role in American literature cannot...

Levels of Hypocrisy in “A&P” by John Updike

Introduction It is no secret that there are memorable, tragic, and controversial events in every country’s history, especially in the one of the United States (US). Authors write literary works to form their own opinion about the past events and to help readers do so. Such stories often have several...

The Book “The Tortilla Curtain” by Thomas Coraghessan Boyle

The book The Tortilla Curtain, written by Thomas Coraghessan Boyle, is a story of two couples with massively different origins and challenges. The story intricately reveals how each couple views others, which enriches the overall perspectives offered by the author. The given collision analysis will primarily focus on familial and...

American Notion of Work in Melville’s Bartleby, the Scrivener

Bartleby, the Scrivener by Herman Melville, is a complex, intellectually dense story about the basis of compassion, the transparency of other individuals, and the way confederate social constraints increased concerns about humankind’s metaphysical equivalence. Readers have stressed Bartleby as a representation of incomprehensibility, of the final openness of language or...

Masculine and Feminine Heroic Plots

Heroic tales and legends of the Middle Ages are now thought to have been completely masculine. However, it would be wrong to consider all works of this genre identical as long as there existed different target audiences who wanted different characters. For instance, the French epic The Song of Roland...

Dramatic Devices in A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen

The play A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen premiered at the end of the nineteenth century and evoked a heated debate. Although it seemed a feminist play, the author stressed that he did not intend to explore the associated themes. Nonetheless, his renowned work unveils diverse issues females have faced...

Sonnet 3 by Petrarch and Decameron by Boccaccio

The Renaissance, a period in European history that marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity, was characterized by moving from religious dogmas to a more human-centered approach to philosophy, literature, and art and a revived interest in Greco-Roman legacy. It is traditionally considered that the Renaissance reached its...

“Success is Counted Sweetest” by Emily Dickinson

Introduction Emily Dickinson is presently regarded as one of the most prominent and fruitful American poets that ever exist, even though the world saw only about ten of her poems during her life. Although Emily Dickinson led a calm and secluded lifestyle, she was, at the same time, vividly interested...

“Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin

The story Sonny’s Blues, written by James Baldwin, is narrated by an African-American man working as an algebra teacher, whose name is not revealed by the author. At the beginning of the story, the narrator is worried after reading the newspaper, from which he finds out that his brother, Sonny,...

“Shiloh” by Bobbie Ann Mason: Female Empowerment

Many literary works reflect real-life events in a compelling and relatable manner. A short story Shiloh by Bobbie Ann Mason is an exemplary piece of literature since, through the narration of the main character’s transformation, the author portrays a broken marriage and encourages female self-empowerment. Norma Jean is a character...

Analysis of Margaret Atwood’s “Happy Endings”

Margaret Atwood’s “Happy Endings” represents a unique literary work, as it raises multiple issues and challenges numerous standards and writing rules in just a few paragraphs. The author admits that in the beginning, she did not know what kind of story she was writing. Moreover, readers can only guess what...

“Soldier’s Home” by Ernest Hemingway

Ernest Hemingway’s short story “Soldier’s Home” focuses on the setting of an average town somewhere in Oklahoma. It is the early 1920 and the protagonist, Harold Krebs, returns home from World War I almost two years after its end, and such a late arrival plays an essential role in his...

“Oedipus the King” by Sophocles Review

The play takes place in Thebes, a city-state in ancient Greece (Sophocles wrote it in 429 BC.). Despite the fact that there is a day, the weather may be gloomy in order to emphasize the disaster affecting the city. The tragedy started in front of Oedipus’s palace where suffering and...

“Everyday Use” and Feminism

Introduction The community places too much work on the shoulders of African women. African-American women face more pressure with the need to fit in their communities and raise healthy families amidst the challenges such as poverty, crime, and being looked down upon. Alice Walker’s narrative “Everyday Use” is one of...

The Family Problem in “A Doll House”

Introduction A Doll House, written by Henrik Ibsen in 1879, is rightful of the most exciting dramas about women’s happiness. Many kinds of people were introduced throughout the whole drama. While the drama is not significant in size, the actions change so dramatically. As a result, many people fail to...

Play “Trifles”: Significance of Symbols

The play by Glaspell is characterized by a variety of significant miseries and categorical contradictions surrounding the lives of married women. The bird in this contest represents the solitary life of Minnie after getting married to Mr. Wright (Glaspell, 2010). The author compares this engagement to a caged canary and...

The Racial Question in American Poetry

An in-depth study of the social mechanisms and driving forces shaping the development of American poetry is an intriguing academic question. More specifically, this strand allows not only to form a coherent system of rhetorical and semantic meanings peculiar to U.S. poetic culture but also to identify relevant historical traditions...

Antigone: Tragedy and Film

Antigone, an ancient Greek tragedy written by Sophocles around 442 BC, remains a source of inspiration for multiple play-writers, artists, and filmmakers. It addresses the theme of the internal power of gods and the worldliness of people’s power, the conflict between natural law and governmental one, the significance of justice,...

“Wave”: Safety and Not Taking Chances

Wave is a short story about Ray, Alma, and the waving man. When Ray is going to work, he passes by a house where a man is sitting on the porch waving at people who pass by. This experience intrigues him because at one time he feels guilty when he...

“Lost in the Kitchen” Overview

Humor is a potent tool that helps people to speak about important things in an unserious manner. Dave Barry, in his essay “Lost in the Kitchen,” laughs at typical stereotypes lined with men and female behaviors and traditional occupations. The whole story starts with the phrase that sets a tone...

Susan Cain’s “Quiet” Academic Book Review

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking is a book by Susan Cain published in 2012 where she expresses her point of view that introverts would efficiently occupy leading positions and are generally underestimated in society. Susan Cain is an American lecturer and writer. The...