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

85147 total results

A Response to The Awakening by Kate Chopin (637 words, 2 pages)

The Awakening An Informal Response Maybe This Philosophy of Chopin's Resembles Rand's "Objectivism" Except I Looked Objectivism Up And I Still Don't Really Get It I'm Not Going To Comment On the Supposed Shades Of Maybe-Objectivism Hypothetically Lurking in This Novel Oh Yeah and By the Way the Novel is ... Read More

An Interpretation of Native Son by Richard Wright (1041 words, 4 pages)

Native Son A Simple Question and an Unraveling AnswerNearly everyone stands at odds with Bigger Thomas in the novel Native Son, from the family he never loves to the social hierarchy he hates. The majority of 1930's-era Chicago seems to view him as worthless if not reprehensible, and his actions ... Read More

Willy Loman as the Tragic Hero in the Play, Death of a Salesman (678 words, 2 pages)

Although many critics of Death of a Salesman believe that the work is not a tragedy, there is much evidence that supports Willy Loman's character as a tragic hero. To begin, we examine a key component of what makes a character a tragic hero the tragic flaw. Miller elaborates "the ... Read More

The Curious, Clever, and Violent Childhood of Helen Keller in The Miracle Worker (505 words, 2 pages)

One of the greatest human beings who ever lived is Helen Keller. She learned to interact and communicate with the world while being blind and deaf. She even wrote several books, including one about her life called The Story of My Life. However, during her childhood she only communicated with ... Read More

An Analysis of the First Chapter of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter and the Custom House Introduction (508 words, 2 pages)

Partial Analysis of the Custom House Introduction and First Chapter of The Scarlet LetterAs explained by Thomas C. Foster, the first page of any book reveals a substantial amount of information regarding the contents of its story. In The Scarlet Letter's case, the first page of the introduction as well ... Read More

The Portrayal of Gender Equality in the Chrysanthemums, a short story by John Steinbeck (1858 words, 6 pages)

Flowers fresh, decapitated angiosperm progeny great for dates when turgid a ghost of compost when discarded. John Steinbeck's short story "The Chrysanthemums" revolves around unsatisfied female protagonist Elisa Allen, who spends her days managing the chrysanthemums in her garden. When an unkempt tinkerer arrives at her house in search of ... Read More

An Analysis of the Dynamic Character of Miss Strangeworth in the Short Story, A Possibility of Evil by Shirley Jackson (488 words, 2 pages)

Miss Strangeworth is a dynamic character in "A Possibility of Evil" by Shirley Jackson. Miss Strangeworth is shown to the reader as an affable and pleasant old woman. The tone produces a sense of tranquility throughout the little town "The sun was shining, the air was fresh and clear after ... Read More

The Different Ideas on How to Be Successful and Happy by Willy Loman and Amanda Wingfield in the Plays, Death of a Salesman and The Glass Menagerie (768 words, 3 pages)

Success is one of the key factors to happiness, and often both are linked to reality. In Death of a Salesman and The Glass Menagerie, Willy Loman and Amanda Wingfield have different ideas on how to be successful and how to be happy. However, both characters use these methods to ... Read More

An Analysis of the Plot and Imagery in Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed, a Story by Ray Bradbury (1152 words, 3 pages)

Bradbury Lit AnalysisThe story Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed by Ray Bradbury is an intricate weaving of excitement, poetic writing, and imagination.The plot is centered around Harry Bittering, man from Earth who has traveled to Mars with his wife, Cora, and kids, Dan, Laura, and David. Harry is unsettled the ... Read More

Respect Depends on Moral Education in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird (292 words, 1 pages)

TKAM EssayThesis In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee expresses the theme that respect hinges on education.Formal education in a school environment determines respect in society.Moral education determines respect in society. Foremost, the Ewells lack of respect is due to their lack of strong moral values. When Bob Ewell describes ... Read More

The Varying Shades of Justice in Conan the Barbarian by Robert E. Howard (1149 words, 5 pages)

In another epic venture of Conan the Barbarian, Robert E. Howard crafts a tale that once again follows the young brute as he takes on ruthless foes. Conans typical adventures consisting of the bloody annihilation of opposition takes a different direction in The God in the Bowl as it investigates ... Read More

An Analysis of the Conan’s Adventures and the Additional Characters by Robert E. Howard (1309 words, 4 pages)

Conans Sidekicks and Their Role in the Spotlight During his profitable career, Robert E. Howard created a plethora of characters to accompany Conan on his adventures. Conan himself is an appealing character because he is an entirely independent barbarian from the uncivilized world and thus the ultimate survivor. And yet, ... Read More

The Different Forms of Law and Order in the World of Robert E. Howard (1901 words, 6 pages)

In the savage world Robert E. Howard illustrates through the eyes of Conan the barbarian, crime and justice have varying shades of red. Most stories involving Conan also involve bloodshed to a major degree, be it supernatural or more earthly. But when this bloodshed is questioned in the name of ... Read More

An Analysis of the Marching Through a Novel by John Updike (525 words, 2 pages)

Imperfect PerfectionHumans are a complex creature. The inner workings of our minds and our personalities is almost impossible to replicate on paper, as one cannot simply write out the various idiosyncracies and nuances that make an individual unique. In this lies a challenge to writers, to create the perfect character ... Read More

The Awe and Hatred of Helen in the Poems, Helen by Edgar Allan Poe and H.D. (558 words, 2 pages)

Helen Beauty Fair Yet PerilousPeople who possess extraordinary attributes elicit many feelings from others Admiration of their talent, envy of their accolades. Helen of Troy held extraordinary beauty, and thus invoked conflicting feelings in others. To Helen by Edgar Allan Poe shows the awe of her beauty which she inspired ... Read More

The Confrontation of the Idea of Societal Conformity in the Novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey (1029 words, 3 pages)

Raw Impulse Dammed by Societal ConformityWhat if a mother could design exactly how her baby would be like? It sounds like science fiction, but designer babies could become a reality in the near future. From designer babies to medicines that aim to cure ADHD, society is becoming ever more willing ... Read More

The Theme of Discrimination in the Novel of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck (1037 words, 3 pages)

Of Mice and MenThe novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is a literary diamond in the rough of the Great Depression in the 1930s. He weaves a tale about two migrant workers, Lennie and George. Lennie is a large, gentle giant, and George is a small, quick-witted man. ... Read More

Love is Better Than Power in the Novel, The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia A. McKillip (591 words, 2 pages)

Because I want a slow revenge. I want him to know what is being done to him and why, and who is responsible. whose valuable advisors and counselors are running in circles after wondrous animals in the dark forests In The Forgotten Beasts of Eld, McKillip weaves a narrative that ... Read More

An Analysis of A Worn Path by Eudora Welty (764 words, 2 pages)

A Worn Path EssayIn A Worn Path, Phoenix Jacksons characterization suggests the theme that goals can drive any person to success. In the story, numerous events show that Phoenix Jackson is impaired with physical disabilities. To give evidence, her trouble with walking is suggested in the beginning of the story ... Read More

The Lost Meaning of Success in the Life of Richard Rodriguez (715 words, 2 pages)

Richard Rodriguez had lot going on in his life as he transitioned from a kid who couldnt speak English to a well-known commentator on PBSs McNeilLehrer News Hour. He found a lot of success in his life due to his education. However, the question still remains Was it worth losing ... Read More

The Characterization of Valeria in Red Nails, a Story by Robert E. Howard (978 words, 3 pages)

Against the background of somber, primitive forest she posed with an unconscious picturesqueness, bizarre and out of place. She should have been posed against a background of sea clouds, painted masts, and wheeling gulls. There was the color of the sea in her wide eyes. And that was as it ... Read More

Foreshadowing in Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (1632 words, 4 pages)

Catching Fire Literary AnalysisImagine being pit against twenty-three other kids in a brutal fight to the death, just for those living in the all-powerful Capitol. Imagine going through excruciating physical and emotional pain. Imagine having to go through this twice. This is what happens to the star-crossed lovers Peeta Melark ... Read More

The Influence of Historic Events on the Success of the Writer John Steinbeck (1707 words, 5 pages)

Have you ever considered what it takes to be a successful writer? I started thinking about how many people attempt to write the Great American Novel compared to how many authors over time have attained long term success. I decided to write about John Steinbeck because I consider him to ... Read More

The Making of the Glass and the Symbolic Significance in the Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams (1860 words, 6 pages)

Louis l'Amour wrote in The Lonesome Gods, "When a man is one-of-a-kind, he will be lonely wherever he is" (433). This sentiment is especially true when applied to the lonely character of Laura in Tennessee Williams's The Glass Menagerie. Although her collection of glass animals is the titular object of ... Read More

Unreachable Goal Through the Eyes of Sal in On the Road, a Novel by Jack Kerouac (508 words, 2 pages)

For the narrator of Jack Kerouac's On the Road, Sal Paradise, thisstory is much more about Dean than himself. He constantly follows Deanaround the country he knows that Dean is a con man, he knows that hisother friends have kicked him out of their "clique" for being undependable,and he follows ... Read More

Chief Bromden and the Concept of Time in One Flow over the Cuckoo’s Nest, a Novel by Ken Kesey (593 words, 2 pages)

"The Big Nurse is able to set the wall clock at whatever speed she wantsby just turning one of those dials in the steel door she takes a notion tohurry things up, she turns the speed up, and those hands whip around thatdisk like spokes in a wheel. ... But ... Read More

Identity and Individuality in Ralph Waldo’s Essay “Self Reliance” and Walt Whitman’s ‘Song of Myself” (2077 words, 7 pages)

Carl Jung, psychologist, once said, "Who looks outside, dreams wholooks inside, awakes" (1). Throughout this semester, we have studiedauthors who do a bit of both in constructing their identities through theirworks, specifically, Benjamin Franklin in his autobiography, Ralph WaldoEmerson in "Self-Reliance," and Walt Whitman in Song of Myself. Thecultural and ... Read More

The Era of the Roaring 20s in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Masterpiece The Great Gatsby (987 words, 3 pages)

Materialism The Disease and its VictimsF. Scott Fitzgerald's masterpiece, The Great Gatsby, unfolds in the Roaring 20's an era, where the failure of the Prohibition made alcohol more widespread than ever, where booms in the stock market launched a new class of nouveau riche, the automobile mobilized people to a ... Read More

The Theme of Jealousy in All Summer in a Day, a Story by Ray Bradbury (535 words, 2 pages)

All Summer in a Day 3-paragraph essay Imagine that you had something, something that was always there when you awoke, that you saw and lived with every day. But suddenly, it is gone, taken away, and replaced with something horribly different. You would probably feel like Margot, a character in ... Read More

Concepts of Masculinity, Nuclear Family Relationships, the American Dream in the Play Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller (777 words, 2 pages)

Death of a Salesman Gives Life to American Ideals Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller is a play about Willy Loman, asalesman, and his family. Willy is a pathetic character who insists thatsuccess comes from having a "well-liked" personality rather than hard workor knowledge. His philosophy is adopted by ... Read More

American Literature Essay Examples