American Literature Essays (Examples)

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American Literature discussion topics: 1. Discuss Sarah Orne Jewett Charles Chesnutt contributed local color fiction nineteenth century stories respective regions (Jewett writing New England Chesnutt South).
Sarah Orne Jewett and Charles Chesnutt played essential roles in promoting concepts and thinking in general in the regions of New England, and, respectively, the American South. The fact that these people's writings provide suggestive sketches of village life in the U.S. makes it possible for readers to gain a complex understanding of conditions in the country in the late nineteenth century. Their texts demonstrate that there is much more to the American background during the period than meets the eye. Both Jewett and Chesnutt adopted regionalism as one of the principal ideas in their texts and virtually created texts that have become an active part of American traditionalism.

Jewett's "The Country of the Pointed Firs" focuses on presenting readers with a metropolitan traveler's perspective of….

American Literature and the Great Depression
hen one considers how the Great Depression affected American Literature, John Steinbeck tends to stick out, if only because his fiction generally discusses the same themes and anxieties that has come to define the Great Depression in the public consciousness. Indeed, Steinbeck's Grapes Of rath, a realist novel which follows the Joad family as they travel west after they losing their farm to the Dust Bowl, is frequently considered the quintessential encapsulation of the thematic and stylistic effects the Great Depression had on American Literature. Somewhat less considered, though no less crucial to understanding the effects of the Great Depression on American Literature, is the influence the Great Depression had on the careers of black writers, and particularly those who were a part of the Federal riter's Project, the New Deal program support writers during the Depression. By considering Steinbeck's The Grapes of rath alongside….

The stories are moving for the dominant cultural reader as well as for future generations of subjugated immigrant groups.
This is not to say that all subjugated groups are immigrants, as the experience of the indigenous Native American population must also be seen as expressive of the American literary experience. The transition from an oral tradition to a written tradition has proved a struggle which was shadowed in extreme only by the difficulty this population faced in attempting to be included in the literature of the nation and even more so in the fabric of the social order. In fact a great deal of the Native American literary body is detailing the aspect of transition from the oral tradition to the written tradition, as a marked part of the Native American experience of identity.

The oral tradition is not just speaking and listening, because what it means to me and to….

Writers such as Poe, Herman Melville, and Nathaniel Hawthorne became known as the key figures in the Dark Romantic sub-genre that emerged out of Transcendentalism.
American literature also found its voice through poetry during the 19th century, particularly in the works of Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson. The two poets produced remarkably dissimilar bodies of work. Whitman rose to prominence during the American Civil War with his free verse extolling the virtues of democracy and the freedom of finding oneself in the world. Dickinson, on the other hand, lived a sheltered, introverted life, and her verse reflects this. She was more obsessed by morbid, unusual themes than Whitman, and she utilized a distinctive style of punctuation that continues to beguile critics and scholars to this day.

The late 19th century would give rise to Realism, a style of fiction writing that intended to capture the way people in America actually spoke….

Ginsberg in fact spent some time in a psychiatric ward and his poem Howel makes the implication that his and his contemporaries madness is caused by the madness of society which, due to its infatuation with technology, has become a demon far worse than any found in humanity's collective mythology.
Jung argues that in modern society, mythology has not actually disappeared, it has just taken a less noticeable form in terms of such concepts as "human willpower." In order to deal with these internal demons, humans now turn to alcohol and tobacco, which is another major theme in Howl. Essentially, instead of embracing our collective myths, humans have internalized them and casts them out by suppressing their meanings and hiding from them through new technology, drugs and alcohol, to such a point that we feel trapped by these demons we no longer recognize and therefore continue to run from blindly.

The….

Although his wife was really upset, and very mean to him, his patience with her and about the severity of the situation, makes him a model person. Not many people actually have this attribute, and although many would wish to attain it, very few do. This adds on to the mythic American persona. Rip Van Winkle was liked by everyone. His sweet, nice characteristics made him a likeable person, despite the troubles that he was having with his wife. He went on with his life as if nothing was too severe to dwell on, and this makes him a person that everyone wants to be like. The Romanticism that exists in living in a world where everything seems peaceful and where nothing gets to anyone is very overwhelming, and that is exactly how Rip Van Winkle lived. He never let anything get to him. He was also very helpful….

mployers are typically accustomed to hiring employees on account of their experience, as a diploma is worthless as long as the person looking for a job has no experience in the field. People are typically unaware of the complexity of a particular act until they actually come to perform the respective act. The main character in Stephen Crane's "A Mystery of Heroism," Fred Collins, is initially unaware of the gravity related to warfare and childishly expresses his desire to drink some water. ven with the fact that he experiences war firsthand and that he is on the frontline, his lack of experience in warfare prevents him from understanding that his life is at risk.
A person who reads regarding war-related matters or is subjected to intense drills before reaching the battlefield is definitely better prepared than someone who has no information whatsoever concerning conflicts. Despite that, the former is likely….


3.4B: Collage Description

Lines 118 & 119: "Home is the place where, when you go there, / They have to take you in."

These two lines are by far the most compelling lines of the entire poem. It is here that the importance of what home is, truly comes out. Home is the one place that seems to be the safe haven regardless of the adventures that one chooses to partake in. It is welcoming, safe, secure, and always present. Despite the many twists and turns that may be taken by someone, it is at home that one can always go back to without the fear of being judged.

The collage would be designed as follows:

Cut out from felt fabric, the center of the collage would be a house. The house itself would be a red square with little yellow squares for windows and a gray triangular roof top. The particular fabric chosen….

In a society that no longer views education as one of its most important virtues, and no longer sees the beauty and power in knowledge, teachers break through those barriers and offer what ever it is that they can to a world of students that seem to be lost. They are the headlights of a car, the steersmen to a ship; without them, darkness would consume whoever it is that needs guidance. May the power that teachers bring to everyday society be a testament to the power that they have over the minds and influence of today's youth and society.
Exercise 5.6B: Creative Writing

I wait for this life altering event

Every day of the year

Counting down the hours

As the time gets oh so near

My shiny green coat

Slowly gets lighter

My beautiful color

Meticulously gets brighter

The branch that holds on to me

Slowly lets go of its grip

And every time the wind blows

I think, "Hey….


Use two examples from the letter to support your arguments.

Throughout the letter written by Melville to Hawthorne, in A Letter to Nathaniel Hawthorne, one gets a sense that Melville feels a sort of connection to Hawthorne because of their radical views for the time. It is Melville that feels a warm, affectionate bond with Hawthorne because they both want to write about so many more things that were currently banned at the time, and it was their belief in going against societal expectations that connected them. He describes their relationship as being one where they share in the same views, the same radical views that neither one of them could actually express because of the times that they live in.

Melville desires to spend some time with Hawthorne in a way where they could both exchange ideas and talk about what it is that they believe together. His affection for Hawthorne….

American literature 1820 -- 1865 Analyze the Last the Mohicans Volume I Chapter III James Fenimore Cooper. Write a minimum 500 words. Write minimum 4-5 paragraphs. Write a controlled thesis - central idea - sentence
European encounters with the natives:

A close reading of Chapter III of The Last of The Mohicans

James Fenimore Cooper's famous novel The Last of The Mohicans reflects but also complicates the Romantic view of the 'natural' primitive savage as closer to nature. The Romantics often characterized Native Americans as more 'pure' than representatives of white civilization. Chapter III dramatically unfolds as a dialogue between characters identified as 'the white man' and 'the Indian' more than their actual names .The Indian chief Chingachgook explains how his culture was irrevocable changed by whites, and the pure, natural idyll of his life was destroyed by the coming of the white man. "Then, Hawkeye, we were one people, and we were….

" The crumb evidently symbolizes the feeding of hope. The author thus hints that she does not feed her hopes, emphasizing thus her pessimism. In another poem, a Bird Came down the alk, the protagonist is a real bird. This time, Dickinson does not use the figure of the bird allegorically but rather as a symbol: the bird descends and kills a worm without being aware that somebody is watching it. The common element that links the poems is again the crumb: the poet offers the bird a crumb and is again refused, as it flies swiftly away. The theme however is very different: the bird refuses the crumb because it is satisfied in its own world, from which the poet is excluded. Thus, the two poems use the figure of the bird in very different ways, to represent different poetical themes.
Rip Van inkle

Rip Van inkle's wife is obviously a….

American Literature
Early American Literature Comparison

American literature is truly a literature of change. As the nation became independent of England, this new independence reflected in the ideals and philosophies of writers. Whereas early American literature was dominated by puritan forms, which contemplated the power of God and often were written copies of sermons or journals used by puritans, some stories still arose. These stories, filled with ideas of sin and repentance directly reflect the social limitations which puritans placed on early American society. Once the nation was founded, however, and the Constitution separated the power of the church from the government, new forms of literature were created that questioned the puritan authors and their principles. These literary styles included the romantics, transcendentalists, and abolitionists whose works stemmed from new sources of the mind and the new free nation around them. egardless of these new forms, another type of literature known as….

Emerson would have commended Douglass for his achievements. Emerson decried the evils of social hierarchy as when he stated, "A great man is coming to eat at my house. I do not wish to please him; I wish that he should wish to please me." Frederick Douglass was directly rebelling against white supremacy and the institution of slavery. Moreover, Douglass noted the role that social conformity and peer pressure played in creating the plantation culture of the south. When he first goes to Baltimore, Douglass is suprised by the kindness of Sophia Auld. Yet Douglass notes the effect of social conformity on Sophia in Chapter 7 of the narrative: "Slavery proved as injurious to her as it did to me. When I went there, she was a pious, warm, and tender-hearted woman. There was no sorrow or suffering for which she had not a tear...Slavery soon proved its ability….

Through letters, she expressed her feelings to her husband and grandchildren, just as I use letters to express my feelings to other people. She uses poems to warn her child and gives life instructions to her child.
Discuss the readings, what I think of each of the stories

Bradstreet is well recognized in the American history of poetry work. Each of her stories shows her intimate perception of life like "If ever man were lov'd by wife, then thee; if ever wife was happy in a man." In her works, she writes about women focusing on their capability to reason, but she also recognizes the traditional assumptions of gender roles. This has been well illustrated with use of statements such as, "Men can do best, and women know it well." Each of the readings is written in a positive and hopeful tone.

Did it have any meaning in my life?

Anne has undoubtedly….

## Literary Analysis Essay Topics for "Désirée's Baby" by Kate Chopin

1. The Role of Race and Identity in "Désirée's Baby"

Explore the complex racial dynamics at play in the story, considering how they shape the characters' identities, motivations, and relationships.
Examine the significance of the baby's ambiguous race and how it reflects societal prejudices and the fluidity of racial categories in the antebellum South.

2. Desire and the Destruction of Innocence

Analyze the destructive power of desire in the story, particularly in relation to Désirée's desire for motherhood and Armand's desire for a white child.
Consider the ways in which their....

I. Introduction
A. Background information on Zora Neale Hurston
B. Thesis statement on the significance of her work

II. Early Life and Education
A. Birth and childhood in Notasulga, Alabama
B. Move to Eatonville, Florida and sense of community
C. Education at Howard University and Barnard College

III. Career as a Writer
A. Work as a folklorist and anthropologist
B. Publication of her first short story and novel
C. Success as a playwright and essayist

IV. Literary Contributions and Themes
A. Exploration of race, gender, and identity in the African-American experience
B. Use of vernacular language and folk traditions in her writing
C.....

I. Introduction
A. Thesis statement: Zora Neale Hurston was a pioneering literary figure whose works defied conventional representations of race, gender, and sexuality in the early 20th century.
B. Hurston's biographical background and literary context

II. Breaking Boundaries in Race and Gender
A. Challenging stereotypes in "Their Eyes Were Watching God": Janie Crawford's journey toward self-discovery and autonomy
B. Exploring the nuances of black womanhood in "The Gilded Six-Bits" and "Sweat": Depictions of love, violence, and resilience

III. Embracing the African Diaspora
A. Preserving cultural traditions in "Mules and Men" and "Tell My Horse": Folklore, music, and storytelling as expressions of black identity
B. Celebrating Haitian Vodou in....

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6 Pages
Essay

Literature

American Literature Discussion Topics 1 Discuss Sarah

Words: 1706
Length: 6 Pages
Type: Essay

American Literature discussion topics: 1. Discuss Sarah Orne Jewett Charles Chesnutt contributed local color fiction nineteenth century stories respective regions (Jewett writing New England Chesnutt South). Sarah Orne Jewett and…

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4 Pages
Essay

Literature

American Literature and the Great Depression When

Words: 1245
Length: 4 Pages
Type: Essay

American Literature and the Great Depression hen one considers how the Great Depression affected American Literature, John Steinbeck tends to stick out, if only because his fiction generally discusses the…

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4 Pages
Term Paper

Literature

American Literature Like All Other

Words: 1477
Length: 4 Pages
Type: Term Paper

The stories are moving for the dominant cultural reader as well as for future generations of subjugated immigrant groups. This is not to say that all subjugated groups are…

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2 Pages
Term Paper

Literature

American Literature From Colonialism to

Words: 520
Length: 2 Pages
Type: Term Paper

Writers such as Poe, Herman Melville, and Nathaniel Hawthorne became known as the key figures in the Dark Romantic sub-genre that emerged out of Transcendentalism. American literature also found…

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8 Pages
Term Paper

Literature

American Literature Allen Ginsberg's Epic

Words: 3556
Length: 8 Pages
Type: Term Paper

Ginsberg in fact spent some time in a psychiatric ward and his poem Howel makes the implication that his and his contemporaries madness is caused by the madness…

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4 Pages
Essay

Literature

American Literature Despite Their Different

Words: 1537
Length: 4 Pages
Type: Essay

Although his wife was really upset, and very mean to him, his patience with her and about the severity of the situation, makes him a model person. Not…

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4 Pages
Essay

Literature

American Literature Frederick Douglas' Autobiography

Words: 1321
Length: 4 Pages
Type: Essay

mployers are typically accustomed to hiring employees on account of their experience, as a diploma is worthless as long as the person looking for a job has no…

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5 Pages
Essay

Literature

American Literature Comparing and Contrasting

Words: 1477
Length: 5 Pages
Type: Essay

3.4B: Collage Description Lines 118 & 119: "Home is the place where, when you go there, / They have to take you in." These two lines are by far the most…

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6 Pages
Essay

Literature

American Literature Exercise 5 1B Suspense

Words: 1751
Length: 6 Pages
Type: Essay

In a society that no longer views education as one of its most important virtues, and no longer sees the beauty and power in knowledge, teachers break through…

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4 Pages
Essay

Literature

American Literature What Elements of

Words: 1620
Length: 4 Pages
Type: Essay

Use two examples from the letter to support your arguments. Throughout the letter written by Melville to Hawthorne, in A Letter to Nathaniel Hawthorne, one gets a sense that Melville…

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2 Pages
Thesis

Native Americans

American Literature 1820 -- 1865 Analyze the

Words: 766
Length: 2 Pages
Type: Thesis

American literature 1820 -- 1865 Analyze the Last the Mohicans Volume I Chapter III James Fenimore Cooper. Write a minimum 500 words. Write minimum 4-5 paragraphs. Write a controlled…

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2 Pages
Term Paper

Literature

American Literature Edgar Allan Poe-

Words: 856
Length: 2 Pages
Type: Term Paper

" The crumb evidently symbolizes the feeding of hope. The author thus hints that she does not feed her hopes, emphasizing thus her pessimism. In another poem, a Bird…

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3 Pages
Essay

Mythology - Religion

American Literature Early American Literature Comparison American

Words: 968
Length: 3 Pages
Type: Essay

American Literature Early American Literature Comparison American literature is truly a literature of change. As the nation became independent of England, this new independence reflected in the ideals and philosophies of…

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5 Pages
Essay

Literature

American Literature Nineteenth Century American

Words: 1453
Length: 5 Pages
Type: Essay

Emerson would have commended Douglass for his achievements. Emerson decried the evils of social hierarchy as when he stated, "A great man is coming to eat at my…

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2 Pages
Essay

Literature

American Literature Before 1865 Anne

Words: 757
Length: 2 Pages
Type: Essay

Through letters, she expressed her feelings to her husband and grandchildren, just as I use letters to express my feelings to other people. She uses poems to warn…

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