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

85147 total results

The Symbols and Figurative Language in Theft, a Chapter within Joyce Carol Oates’ Book Marya: A Life (948 words, 3 pages)

"Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is a severe condition in which two or more distinct identities, or personality states, are present inand alternately take control ofan individual. The person also experiences memory loss that is too extensive to be explained by ordinary forgetfulness." American Psychiatric Association. Symbols and figurative language pervade ... Read More

The Demons in The Art of Racing in the Rain, a Novel by Garth Stein (291 words, 1 pages)

On this hallowed night demons may rise to steal your life. Just like the demons in the novel by Garth Stein titled "The Art of Racing in the Rain". First we see Enzo, the narrator, is having hallucinations, seeing the toy of young Zoe arise and then it reached down ... Read More

Rules in War on the Little Guy, an Essay by John Stossel (516 words, 2 pages)

Disorganization. Disorder. Disruption. Anarchy? There are so many rules that are put in place in this country that I could be breaking one right now and not even know it. I dont have a permit to write this essay, I wonder how much of a fine that is. Yesterday I ... Read More

The Two Men Who Changed Chicago in The Devil in the White City, a Novel by Erik Larsen (1094 words, 3 pages)

The late 1800s struggled with darkness, sadness, and poverty and was a wicked place to live until two young men, Daniel Burnham and H.H. Holmes, had the opportunity to change the anguish. The Devil in the White City is a nonfiction novel that tells a story of two men in ... Read More

The History of Odessa, Texas and the Permian Panthers in Friday Nights Lights, a Book by H.G. Bissinger (283 words, 1 pages)

This summer, I read Friday Night Lights by H. G. Bissinger. This book is a non-fiction story about a town, a team, and the teams dream of winning a Texas state high-school championship. The town that is the center of the story is Odessa, Texas, and the team is the ... Read More

Surviving Love and Life Issues in Rabbit, Run, a Novel by John Updike (1605 words, 6 pages)

I wish you could love and understand me the way that I love myself life would be oh so grand. Only then would we both be truly happy. Any reader could easily interpret the main character, Rabbit (Harry) Angstrom, of saying this to not just his wife, but to everyone ... Read More

A Comparison of Perspectives in Roman Fever by Edith Wharton and Hills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway (1242 words, 4 pages)

Differences in Perspective in Edith Whartons Roman Fever and Ernest Hemingways Hills Like White ElephantsThere are no facts, only interpretations - Friedrich NietzscheInterpretations of individuals and life vary. In Edith Whartons short story Roman Fever, Alida Slade and Grace Ansley each visualize the other through the wrong end of her ... Read More

The Abnormal Adolescent Development of Holden Caulfield in The Catcher in the Rye, a Novel by J.D. Salinger (1307 words, 5 pages)

The transitioning period between childhood and adulthood is referred to as adolescence. During this time, teenagers gain independence, discover their personality, and plan for their futures. In J. D. Salingers The Catcher in the Rye, the main character, Holden Caulfield, is a 17-year-old boy amidst his adolescent journey. Although every ... Read More

A Comparison of The Butler by Lee Daniels and The Help by Kathryn Stockett (2877 words, 10 pages)

Show what elements gave rise to the themes of the authors we have studied and their work. Please compare and examine all avenues of society to support your argument.The Encyclopedia Britannica states that African-American literature is the body of literature written by Americans of African descent. Beginning in the pre-Revolutionary ... Read More

The Theme of Sickness in I Stand Here Ironing, a Short Story Is Tillie Olsen (823 words, 3 pages)

Sickness Turns to Health in I Stand Here IroningHealth is hard to appreciate without the contrast of illness. In the same way, emotional fulfillment or enlightenment means more when it rises from a place of discontent. In Tillie Olsens short story I Stand Here Ironing, the narrator describes her daughter, ... Read More

The Different Types of Loss in The Black Cat, a Short Story by Edgar Allan Poe (987 words, 4 pages)

Poes Interpretation of LossThe Black Cat by Edgar Allan Poe is a very dark and violent short story that contains many different types of loss. The story is narrated by the main character as we observe him sharing events form his past that eventually lead to his demise. Reading from ... Read More

Colors as Key Symbols in The Great Gatsby, a Novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald (702 words, 3 pages)

The Great Gatsby Novel Analysis The bestselling novel, The Great Gatsby, written by F. ScottFitzgerald uses colors as key symbols in the novel. Fitzgerald is cleverin the use of these comparisons while being subtle at the same time. Eachcolor symbolizes something different. While thru ought the story hecontinues to use ... Read More

The Use of Allusion, Figurative Language, Hyperbole and Mood in Showing How Sensationalism Affects Men in Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 (458 words, 2 pages)

In modern society, technology takes over the citizens' lifestyle and overrules how the people think and interact. Ray Bradbury, the author of the novel "Fahrenheit 451", showed his point of view on this thought. Bradbury has been recorded saying that in our society, "we bombard people with sensationalism which substitutes ... Read More

The Positive and Negative Experiences with the Native Americans in Of Plymouth Plantation and A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson (913 words, 3 pages)

There is no such thing as a perfect humanlet alone a perfect Christian. Early Puritan beliefs took scriptures from the Bible and practiced each one with extreme literality in their lives. Narratives such as Of Plymouth Plantation and A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson were ... Read More

An Analysis of Death and Change in A Rose for Emily, a Short Story by William Faulkner (1149 words, 4 pages)

Death and Change in A Rose for EmilyIn A Rose for Emily, a short story by William Faulkner, Miss Emily is a very stubborn character, reluctant to accept change into her life. She insists on isolating herself from the rest of her town rather than modernize, and refuses to acknowledge ... Read More

The Notion of Handicapism in Harrison Bergeron, a Short Story by Kurt Vonnegut (1434 words, 5 pages)

Known for publishing numerous satirical works, Kurt Vonnegut continues this writing trend in his short story Harrison Bergeron. Vonnegut writes about a dystopian society in the future and although the events in the story are serious, it can be found humorous when comparing the story to reality. For example, the ... Read More

The Negative Effects of the Internet on Human Brain in The Shallows, a Book by Nicholas Carr (1276 words, 4 pages)

The Shallows, written by Nicholas Carr, discusses how difficult it is for him to focus on reading long text, as he writes a piece of long text. He blames his inability to concentrate on the internet and how it has changed the way we think. Personally, I believe that if ... Read More

Characterization and Realism in the Story of Wing Biddlebaum in Hands, a Short Story by Sherwood Anderson (1394 words, 6 pages)

The Wing Biddlebaum in EveryoneGreat literature comes before people of all generations that is then preserved throughout following generations. Sherwood Anderson was an American writer who was able to share light on modern psychological insights such as the views of Sigmund Freud (Fogel). He was considered a heroic model for ... Read More

The Narrator’s First Person Point of View, Symbolism, and Theme in Cathedral, a Short Story by Raymond Carver (968 words, 3 pages)

Cathedral Lasting on through the DecadesHe said, Take a Look. What do you think? My eyes were still closed. I was in my house. I knew that. But I didnt feel like I was inside anything. Its really something, I said (115). Stories captivate the minds of different readers at ... Read More

Death’s Effects on a Lover’s Heart in Annabel Lee, a Poem by Edgar Allan Poe (758 words, 3 pages)

Creative Analyses But we loved with a love that was more than love-I and my Annabel Lee (lines 9-10) are the lines within Edgar Allen Poes Annabel Lee that create the synopsis of his poem. The poem creates a theming of how a mans love never stops. However, through careful ... Read More

The Use of Diction and Imagery to Show the Author’s Love for Her Father in Daddy, a Poem by Sylvia Plath (1887 words, 5 pages)

Daddy Diction and ImageryIn the poem, Daddy, by Sylvia Plath, it demonstrates the authors love for her father throughout the poem. Plath shows that she struggles with frustration, and exasperation towards her father which she faces throughout her lifetime, therefore it causes her to become a psycho and ending up ... Read More

An Analysis of the First Two Chapters of Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer (649 words, 1 pages)

Into the wildIn the true story of "Into the wild" by Jon Krakauer we meet a young man named Alex in chapter one. If you do read the author's notes beforehand he gives a quick rundown of Chris McCandless (also known as Alex) and his journey into the wild. The ... Read More

The Symbolic Use of Mrs. Mallard’s Health Condition, the Open Window, and Her Husband in The Story of an Hour (1022 words, 3 pages)

The Story of an HourShe did not stop to ask if it were or were not a monstrous joy that held her (182). Many people will have a time within their lives, where they endure a moment of quiet desperation. With that moment, we puzzle together the truth of who ... Read More

The Significance of Advancement in Society in Synchronized Intelligence, a Chapter in The Anti-Education Era by James Paul Gee (816 words, 3 pages)

In James Paul Gees text of Synchronized Intelligence the author argues about the importance of advancement in our society. The author believes that as humans we are more concerned about the meaning of things rather than the truth behind them because we need to feel some type of self worth. ... Read More

The Physical Actions, Dialogue, and Conscious of the Character of Wing Biddlebaum in Hands, a Short Story by Sherwood Anderson (967 words, 4 pages)

Getting to Know Wing BiddlebaumThe innocence of an individual can never be truly recognized unless one sees their potential. People go throughout life learning who they are and what the future holds for them. The story of Wing Biddlebaum is a story of hands. Their restless activity, like unto the ... Read More

The Differing Opinions on the Meaning of the American Dream and Its Portrayal in Of Mice and Men, a Novella by John Steinbeck (1085 words, 4 pages)

The Definition Within the Dream While I'd love to snag a windfall as much as anyone else, Im exhausted by all this emphasis on wealth. Mr. Dunleavey said this in his article You Really Cant be too rich. This quote pertains to how the American Dream is defined in his ... Read More

The Character Development of Arthur Dimmesdale in The Scarlet Letter, a Novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne (591 words, 2 pages)

Arthur Dimmesdale Character Development In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, Arthur Dimmesdale is oneof the main characters - the Puritan minister. From the beginning to theend of the book, we learn more about him with every chapter. He grows onthe reader and becomes lovable. His personality is very interesting, andwith ... Read More

The Faults of the American Dream Portrayed in The Great Gatsby, a Novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald (626 words, 2 pages)

The American Dream Everybody knows about the American Dream. It has has been a well-known ideal for years, and it is still sought after today. The goal to besuccessful, wealthy, and happy is commonly desired in America.Demonstrations of this dream are found throughout F. Scott Fitzgerald's TheGreat Gatsby. This literature ... Read More

The Stench of a Guilty Conscience in The Scarlet Letter, a Book by Nathaniel Hawthorne (280 words, 1 pages)

The Man with a Guilty ConscienceThe internalization of ones guilt is shown to have an effect on mental and emotional stability. Plautus once said that, nothing is more wretched than the mind of a man conscious of guilt, and this guilt brings unhappiness and frustration onto oneself. These common negative ... Read More

The Morphing of the Novel Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson into a Stage Play (860 words, 3 pages)

Many types of literature have amazing potential to be transformed into a captivating show for the stage. However, when morphing a novel into a stage play one must be aware of the many difficulties that come with it. If a director was to stage Snow Falling on Cedars by David ... Read More

American Literature Essay Examples