American Literature Essays Examples For College & High School Students in PDF

85147 total results

The Life and Struggles of a Young Girl in Volar, a Short Story by Judith Ortiz Cofer (587 words, 2 pages)

The narrator in the story "Volar" is a young girl who is facingvarious challenges associated with growing up. Some young children maystruggle with the reality that they do not have as much power in the worldwhen they are young. They are physically smaller than adults, and they alsorely on their ... Read More

Symbolism in Connecticut, a Short Story by Eugene Walter (1316 words, 5 pages)

Connecting Symbolism in ConnecticutIn literature, symbolism plays an integral part of expounding critical aspects of a story, such as elucidating characterization and emotion. Eugene Walters Connecticut is no exception. As Eugene Walter was well versed in Romanticism, a movement in literature that stressed the importance of nature as being beautiful ... Read More

Isolation and Decadence in Other Voices, Other Rooms, a Novel by Truman Capote (1781 words, 6 pages)

An Authors PersonaAn artists work is sometimes influenced by their own lives, venting their emotions, beliefs, and feelings into their work of art. Biographical criticism is an area of literary theory that uses the authors biography and compares it to the authors piece of literature and analyzes how the writers ... Read More

The Character of Ahab From Moby Dick by Herman Melville (1793 words, 4 pages)

Identifying AhabThe troubled Captains obsessive quest for the White Whale serves as the central focus of Melvilles Moby Dick. Ahab is presented as single-minded in his pursuit of the whale while, using a mixture of charisma and terror to persuade his crew to join him. As a captain, Ahab can ... Read More

The Internal Struggle of Guy Montag Due to Opposing Influence in Fahrenheit 451, a Novel by Ray Bradbury (569 words, 3 pages)

Laurence SterneThe British novelist Laurence Sterne once wrote, No body but he who has felt it, can conceive what a plaguing thing it is to have a mans mind torn asunder by two projects of equal strength, both obstinately pulling a contrary direction at the same time. This quote speaks ... Read More

The Use of Conflict and Symbolism in The Scarlet Ibis by James Hurst (700 words, 3 pages)

Usually, peoples expectations are higher than attainable, whether it be for themselves or others. James Hurst displays the same in The Scarlet Ibis. The narrators younger brother, Doodle, is born handicapped and weak. Society pampers him, but once his brother teaches him to walk, he feels the pressure to grow ... Read More

The Irony of Fate in the Story of David Swan (377 words, 1 pages)

David Swan The Irony of FateIn David Swans story, it can be observed that in his sleep, both good and bad opportunities came his way and yet he was unaware of them. First, a wealthy old man and his wife came across a sleeping David who appears like their dead ... Read More

The Factors That Influenced the Downfall of Blanche in A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams (648 words, 2 pages)

Discuss the various factors leading to the downfall of Blanche.A Streetcar Named Desireis a play which focuses mostly on Blanche who gradually finds comfort in her world of illusion when life becomes constantly unfair to her and she loses the support of her closed ones as well as of the ... Read More

A Short Review of Emerging, a Book by Barclay Barrios (468 words, 3 pages)

In Part One of Emerging, Barclay Barrios talks about a series of topics including critical thinking, reading critically, making an argument, connecting, using support, and researching. Barclay also touches on the importance of annotating, editing, and proofreading essays. Using all these skills at once will improve academic essays.Barrios mentions the ... Read More

Major Themes in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller (651 words, 2 pages)

The play Death of a Salesman from Arthur Miller covers many huge lyrical themes. The main theme for instance is the American Dream. But Millers work, the Death of a Salesman also covers themes about the working class, family, happiness, love, depression, conflicts and death. Death of a Salesman enhanced ... Read More

A Short Review of the Outsiders, a Novel by S. E. Hinton (302 words, 1 pages)

In the novel, The Outsiders Socs and greasers have very different backgrounds, but they should focus on the similarities not the differences. Ponyboy, the main character has never thought of the socs point of view. Ponyboy does not know what being a Soc feels like. He meets people that watch ... Read More

Atticus Finch as the Moral Backbone in To Kill a Mockingbird, a Novel by Harper Lee (1052 words, 4 pages)

All about AtticusIn Harper Lees novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch plays a crucial role in the development of the story by acting as its moral backbone. He is always looked to for his infinite wisdom and to always do what is right. To Kill a Mockingbird is a ... Read More

Immigration Experience and Homeland in The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears, a Novel by Dinaw Mengestu (612 words, 2 pages)

Immigration is a main topic in Dinaw Mengestus novel The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears. Sepha Stephanos, the main character and narrator of the novel gives away small details of his immigration experience and homeland throughout the book. A significant component in the novel is the letters that Stephas uncle, ... Read More

The American Dream, Immigration, and Homeland in The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears, a Novel by Dinaw Mengestu (459 words, 2 pages)

The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears Big Read Questions1. In the novel, Stephanos owns a small convenience store near Logan Circle. Early in the book, its established that Stephanos had wanted his store to become a successful deli, and eventually a restaurant he could look proudly upon. Unfortunately, his tiny ... Read More

Comparing the Similarities Between the Characters of Gatsby in The Great Gatsby and Dexter in Winter Dreams by F. Scott Fitzgerald (416 words, 2 pages)

F. Scott Fitzgerald is a renowned American novelist best known for The Great Gatsby. Prior to birthing this novel, though, he composed a significantly shorter work, Winter Dreams, which acts as a rough draft to the former, as seen through the similarities between the characters.The most apparent similarity between the ... Read More

Love and Teamwork in City of Bones, a Novel by Cassandra Clare (714 words, 2 pages)

In City of Bones by Cassandra Clare, Clary Fray is presented with a new world unlike her own. Clary, your average teenage girl, goes to the Pandemonium Club to try and spice up her life. While there, she saw and followed some cute boys into a closet after realizing they ... Read More

The Mount Everest Tragedy in Into Thin Air, a Book by Jon Krakauer (1183 words, 4 pages)

Into Thin Air Book Report1a. Krakauer, Jon. Into Thin Air. New York Anchor Books, 1998.1b. Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer is a brilliant book detailing the tragic events that occurred on a Mount Everest summit push. Krakauer, the narrator, embarks on his trek up the mountain, alongside Rob Hall, ... Read More

The Use of the Character’s Point of View in The Great Gatsby, a Novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald (578 words, 3 pages)

Author Paper 4In the novel, The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald uses captivating point of view to enhance reader comprehension and enjoyment. Nick Carroway, a young journalist who had just moved to New Egg, is the main point of reader interaction within the novel. Fitzgerald wrote in a way so ... Read More

The Thin Line of Societal Laws in The Scarlet Letter, a Novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne (818 words, 3 pages)

How far is too far?More often than not, society makes laws that cross the fine line between personal and political actions. Many members of society feel that it is necessary to dictate how citizens choose to live their lives by creating ridiculous laws and forcing the citizens to comply with ... Read More

The Criticisms of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Writing Style (544 words, 2 pages)

Author Paper 5F. Scott Fitzgerald is often regarded as a great American novelist who brought the Roaring 20s to life in the world of literature. However, with every adoration, there is a following condemnation. Many literary critics often bashed Fitzgerald for his autobiographical style of writing, calling works like This ... Read More

Huck’s Internal Conflicts in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, a Novel by Mark Twain (577 words, 2 pages)

Mark Twain EssayIn Mark Twains The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck Finn, the main character, experiences a multitude of internal conflicts. Twain described his book as a story, where a sound heart and a deformed conscience come into collision, and conscience suffers defeat. In saying this, Twain reveals Hucks internal ... Read More

The Struggle to Move On in Izzy, Willy-Nilly, a Novel by Cynthia Voigt (976 words, 2 pages)

The StruggleLearn to move past regret and adopt the life that your decisions have created is a common theme portrayed throughout the novel Izzy, Willy-Nilly by Cynthia Voigt. Marco Griggers, one of Isobel Lingards many friends, drove her home from a party while intoxicated and, ...decided to play the swerving ... Read More

The Literary Elements and the Reality of the American Dream in The Great Gatsby, a Novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald (965 words, 3 pages)

F. Scott Fitzgerald and The Great GatsbyF. Scott Fitzgerald is often idolized for creating the novel, The Great Gatsby, an American classic that epitomizes the Roaring 20s. The novel follows a young writer, Nick Carroway, in his adventures after moving to a small town in New York, New Egg. Throughout ... Read More

The Early Life and Literary Works of Francis Scott Fitzgerald (3950 words, 11 pages)

Influenced by his wife and alcohol, Francis Scott Fitzgerald was a well-known author from the Jazz era, whom is best known for the novel The Great Gatsby. Born September 24th, 1876, Fitzgerald had a fairly wealthy upbringing. Although his father consistently was falling in and out of unemployment, his mother ... Read More

The Ideas of Ideas and Concepts in The Elements of Style by Strunk and White (1025 words, 4 pages)

Utilizing The Elements of Style by Strunk and WhiteStrunk and Whites ideas and concepts taught though the writing aid The Elements of Style are apparent throughout the writings of many authors. The rules in Chapters three and five can be examined through the analysis of author John Seabrooks article, Revenue ... Read More

Helen’s Nightmare in the Episode Honeymoon of Machinal by Sophie Treadwell (1215 words, 5 pages)

Imprisoned in the MachineWhen I was younger, I used to have nightmares where I would scream out to people and no one could hear me. I would end up waking myself up from trying to scream, my mouth a gaping hole with no sound coming out of it. In Episode ... Read More

The Consequence of Fear in The Crucible, a Play by Arthur Miller (1069 words, 3 pages)

Motivation and Fear in Arthur Millers The CrucibleIt burrows itself into its victims subconscious, penetrating deeply into every future emotional response. Anxiety builds rapidly as the one inflicted becomes unable to decipher between conflicting sagacious and fallacious ideas. This feeling is none other than fear, and its inclusive trepidation exhibits ... Read More

A Critical Review of The Catcher in the Rye, a Novel by J. D. Salinger (2135 words, 4 pages)

One of the most widely taught novels in the United States, J. D. Salingers The Catcher in the Rye (1951) opens with the sixteen-year-old Holden Caulfields disillusioned departure from what may be the last in a series of schools that have failed to inspire, nurture, or support him, followed by ... Read More

Formalism and Geography in Hills Like White Elephants, a Short Story by Ernest Hemingway (1389 words, 4 pages)

When one hears the title, Hills like White Elephants, what comes to mind? Maybe a visual representation of ginormous white hills or maybe something that looks to be an elephant. In fact there are such things as white elephants. White elephants are considered sacred and rare in nature. The short ... Read More

Is It Possible to Build a Perfect Society? (709 words, 2 pages)

Is it Possible to Build a Perfect Society? Would you like to live in a perfect world? A world filled with dream, equity, happiness and prosperity for everyone. Most of us would, but why does such a world never have happen, and seem so far out of reach? Utopia is ... Read More

American Literature Essay Examples