Literary Essays (Examples)

Literary Devices in the Solitary

The poem is musical in how it reads. The rhyming is easy and, overall, the poem reads well. Clearly, the poet wanted to emphasize the beauty of the poem through song but he wanted to keep it simple.

Wordsworth also utilizes several literary devices in the poem. For example, Wordsworth sets the mood and tone of the poem by describing a girl is in a field singing alone. Connotation includes what the lady might be singing about or what caused her to sing in the first place. Another example of connotation occurs with the reaper, the song, and the field. These things are very real and they are significant to the meaning of the poem. Denotation occurs as the poet describes the song as a "melancholy strain" (6) and a "vale profound" (7). The poet also alludes to the Arabian sands" (12) and the Hebrides islands. The poet wonders about both. He asks, "Will no one tell me what she sings?" (17) and he then begins to speculate on her song. Perhaps she could be singing about "old, unhappy, far-off things/and battles long ago" (19-20). It is important to note that the poet does not have to have any of…… [Read More]

Literary Criticism of the Works of William Wells Brown

William Wells Brown

The Work(s) of William Wells Brown; Clotel: or, the President's Daughter

One of the most discussed and controversial topics during the 18th and early 19th centuries were on slavery and slaves' trade. The American continent was one of the major participants in the trade. Being an American native, William Wells Brown is one of the African-Americans who endured the bitter fruits of slavery. Born into slavery within Lexington-Kentucky and having spent much of his youthful life in St. Luis, Brown physically witnessed the slavery life and experiences, an effect, which motivated him to advocate for slaves freedom. Consequently, William wrote several historical works (books), addressing the factors, occurrences and effects of slavery and slaves' trade on the African-American family lives. One of his historical works and the first novel published in 1853 was the Clotel; or, The President's Daughter (Paula 197).

Most of the scholars acknowledge that Brown's novel was the first African-American playwright to be published. In this book, William Wells Brown explores the destructive effects of slavery on the African-American families, the life difficulties of American mulattoes (people of the mixed race). He further elicits the immoral and degraded conditions relationships between the slaves and…… [Read More]

Literary Criticism Sonny's Blues James Baldwin

African-American Duality of Identity:

Literary Criticism of the short story "Sonny's Blues" by James Baldwin

James Baldwin's face, with its piercing eyes and craggy forehead, is a frequently depicted image upon anthologies and volumes of African-American literature and criticism, particularly post-colonial criticism that emphasizes the alienated sense of self and national identity frequently experienced by Blacks in America during the 1960's when Baldwin wrote some of his greatest works, including the short story "Sonny's Blues." Baldwin was an African-American, a child of the Southern states of America, a homosexual, and also an expatriate from America. He lived a great deal of his life in France and Turkey and stated that he was happiest living away from America. Yet most of his works attempt to come to grips with the African-American experience.

All of these influences upon the author's identity can be seen in "Sonny's Blues." Most particularly, Baldwin's sense of postmodern alienation as an African-American, a homosexual, and a self-taught intellectual strikes the strongest chord throughout the short story. For all of Baldwin's multiplicities of identity were fundamentally 'other' or alien and estranged from the society in which he dwelt.

Of course, "Sonny's Blues" is a fictional work. James Baldwin's…… [Read More]

Literary Use of Space in a Short Story

Hills like white elephants," Ernest Hemingway make use of a literary style that focuses on the appreciation the natural world by relating it to real life incidents. Space is often a literary mechanism used by many writers, and is often very symbolic in nature. Based on that assumption, this paper will first briefly provide an overview of the story follow by an analysis of the symbolic representations of space. This relationship will be illustrated by the usage of space in regards to the symbolic nature of an individual female's biological internal, self-struggle as opposed to her ACTUALLY consciously wanting to bear a child.

The genre of this reading would be that of a short story, with the setting being in a train station with a train that has a destination in Madrid. When reading the story, the narrative point-of-view remains a mystery as it becomes highly evident early on that the story takes on the form of a dialogue. There seems to be a demonstration of modernity since the author does not directly make it clear who the narrator is. Thus, it is left up to the readers to posit meaning. The dialogue takes place between a man and a…… [Read More]

Literary Analysis of Tolstoy and Kafka

Tolstoy and Kafka

Analyzing the Psyche of the Novella: Leo Tolstoy and Franz Kafka

Stories of the absurd are often overlooked for their ability to tell the truth about human nature. We find them comical and strange, but they are so much more than that. Short stories with an edge can carry a lot of meaning, but also a lot of the author's philosophies as well. Both Leo Tolstoy in his work Death of Ivan Ilyich and Franz Kafka in his Metamorphosis reveal a wealth about their own personal philosophies and psyches through the medium of the novella. Each unique story seems quite absurd, but is in many ways analogies to the real lives and experiences of the authors themselves. Examining the psychological issues in the characters does show a quite strikingly similar subtext in each; both Tolstoy and Kafka felt unsatisfied in their lives and a burden to those around them because of these feelings.

In many ways, Leo Tolstoy's Death of Ivan Ilyich does parallel some of the tragic events and experiences he saw in his own life. The novella was published originally in 1886, after Tolstoy had begun to be more and more radical, distancing himself from…… [Read More]

Literary Criticism of Bars Fight

Bars Fight" is Lucy Terry's only surviving work. Transmitted orally for approximately one hundred years before going into print, the ballad is considered the first composition of an African-American citizen. Born in 1724 in Africa, Terry, later married Prince, had come to The States after being kidnapped and sold as a slave. In 1756 she became free by marrying Abijah Prince. The two settled in Guilford, Vermont along with their children. Lucy is known to have been a skilful orator, although failing to obtain admission for her son at Williams College, she managed to win a case over an attempt of thievery to which Samuel Chase acknowledged that her arguments stood before any of the Vermont's lawyers. In this paper however, we are not so much concerned with Terry's unofficial lawyer activities, rather the focus is to provide further critical attention in regards to Terry's poem "Bars Fight." In this respect, we will be addressing some contextual issues with a following on literary analysis.

When in 1746 Abenaki Indians raided Deerfield and five people were killed during the raid, Terry became the first known Afro American author when she decided to depict the event in a poem. A resident of…… [Read More]

Literary Criticism of My Last Duchess by Robert Browning

Last Duchess

An Analysis of Browning's "My Last Duchess"

Browning's "My Last Duchess" begins with an informal construction ("That's my last duchess") establishing the wistful, conversational tone with which Browning's Alfonso speaks of his late wife in the dramatic monologue style so frequently employed by the poet. This paper will analyze the poem from the standpoint of a formalist literary critic, evaluating Browning's "Duchess" according to language, structure, tone, imagery, plot, and other devices.

The plot of Browning's dramatic monologue is simple: Alfonso is strolling both literally and figuratively down memory lane -- a hall which houses a painting (by Fra Pandolf, we are told) of his late wife. The recollections stirred by the painting's viewing reveal the characters of both Alfonso and his "last duchess," and end suddenly, as though the narrator were content to muse only a moment. Ironically, the poem ends as it begins -- seemingly spontaneously (and yet not so -- for there is, in the Duke's sudden shift of focus to a bronze statue of Neptune taming a sea-horse, a kind of elegant transference that puts the portrait of his late wife on par with a figurine of one of the gods). Such is Browning's…… [Read More]

Literary Analysis for Some Memories of My Father by Dean Bakopoulos

Dean Bakopoulos' "some memories of my father" uses the rhetorical device of anaphora -- or deliberate repetition of words, phrases, and verbal constructions -- in order to provide an emotional and intellectual structure to the proagonist's experience of the loss of his father. Bakopoulos' "some memories of my father" is primarily a mood piece, a kind of prose-poem which gets its restrained emotional force from poetic devices (chiefly anaphora): it stands as the second chapter to his short and casually surreal 2005 Detroit-set novel Please Don't Come Back From The Moon: "some memories of my father" does not invoke the overall surrealism of Bakopoulos' central narrative thread until the final sentence. Otherwise, the prose here is intended to be evocative word-painting, and it gets its power from its rhetorical structure.

The first segment of "some memories of my father" begins with a wealth of concrete details: in a sense, this is not repetition per se but more a device like Whitmanian catalogues, in which the concrete details of his father's morning (poached egg, toast, newspaper, slippers, cigarette) crowd the mind of the protagonist. But then Bakopoulos makes the remarkable maneuver of suddenly using these concrete particulars to make a sort…… [Read More]

Literary Philosophy of Postcolonialism

Postcolonialism: History And an Overview

Postcolonialism is both a political orientation as well as a theory of literary criticism and a philosophy. Broadly defined, it is "a study of the effects of colonialism on cultures and societies. It is concerned with both how European nations conquered and controlled 'Third World' cultures and how these groups have since responded to and resisted those encroachments" ("Key terms in post-colonial theory"). Postcolonial studies add an additional dimension to the realm of cultural studies, focusing on how European perspectives have misappropriated and distorted the cultures of those whom they conquered. "Post-colonial critics are concerned with literature produced by colonial powers and works produced by those who were/are colonized. Post-colonial theory looks at issues of power, economics, politics, religion, and culture and how these elements work in relation to colonial hegemony (western colonizers controlling the colonized" ("Postcolonial criticism," The Owl at Purdue).

One of the earliest and most prominent exponents of postcolonial theory was Edward Said, whose analysis of how the West viewed 'the Orient' has shaped much of postcolonial theory since the publication of his famous book Orientalism. "The Orient signifies a system of representations framed by political forces that brought the Orient into…… [Read More]

Literary Analysis of Tender Is the Night by F Scott Fitzgerald

Scott Fitzgerald's novels depict women as the survivors of the post Great War world. Essentially women, to Fitzgerald, seem to be the ones emerging from the moral emptiness of the First World War into positions of increasing power; however, it does not seem that Fitzgerald, in general, approves of this trend. Largely this is because he believes that the growing levels of power and autonomy that women are being afforded are being accompanied with decadence and moral depravity. So overall, women seem to be able to fit themselves back into society following the war, while men have more difficulty both because of their new perspectives and because women are usurping their roles. Accordingly, "Whether his materials demanded male or female characters, Fitzgerald felt that the postwar world he was writing about was really a woman's world." (Stern, 41). The result of this point-of-view is that within Tender is the Night the fundamental breakdown of sexual identities results in the ruin of moral identities. And this, to Fitzgerald, represents one of the most powerful indicators of the imminent ruin of American society.

Obviously, one of the key themes within Tender is the Night is that the decay of American civilization is…… [Read More]

Marriage Literary Texts Reflect the Common Beliefs

Marriage

Literary texts reflect the common beliefs and thoughts prevalent in the society. They are a mirror that acquaints the society with its prejudices, obsessions, its passions, its strengths and its weaknesses. Literature and literary texts are used by authors to help reform society and advise people on what they ought to change to flourish as a whole.

The two texts that are being compared for this project are 'The Story of an hour' and 'The Necklace.' Both short stories have women at their center and they both show a side of marriage opposite to the fairy tale image of perfect marital bliss. The two female characters are similar yet not so similar. In their flaws, their strengths and their passions they reflect the general female population of not just the era but of all time. So it can be said that the stories are the authors comment on marriage from the perspective of women.

In 'The Story of an hour' the author tells the story of a married couple who are apparently leading a blissful life. One day the wife Mrs. Louise Mallard receives the news that her husband has expired in a train accident. She is shocked and…… [Read More]

Omelas Literary Response The Ones

They know that they, like the child, are not free. They know compassion. It is the existence of the child, and their knowledge of its existence, that makes possible the nobility of their architecture," and the other good things about Omelas (6).

The metaphor of the child is a metaphor for our own, less perfect, but still pleasant existence. In America, while we enjoy relative prosperity, millions still suffer in poverty and want, suffering that could be eased by the price of a plasma television or a cell phone. In other regions of the world, people toil for pennies a day to make clothing we wear cheaply on our backs. It is easy to forget these people.

In LeGuin's tale, some people walk away from the pleasure of Omelas, unable to accept this societal bargain. As our own society is based upon the suffering of more than one child, the author argues by implication in her tale that there is no reason not to try to save the many whose suffering enables our own comfort.… [Read More]

Identity Construction in Literary Texts

Chokshi, Carter, Gupta, and Allen (1995) report that during the critical states of emergency, ongoing intermittently until 1989, a low-level police official could detain any individual without a hearing by for up to six months. "Thousands of individuals died in custody, frequently after gruesome acts of torture" Those who were tried were sentenced to death, banished, or imprisoned for life" (Chokshi, Carter, Gupta, & Allen, ¶ 6). The enactment of apartheid laws institutionalized racial discrimination. The race laws dramatically impacted every aspect of the individual's personal, social life, and professional life. The laws prohibited marriage between non-whites and whites, and sanctioned "white-only" jobs. In regard to identity, Chokshi, Carter, Gupta, and Allen recount that during 1948 through 1994:

[a] white person was defined as in appearance obviously a white person or generally accepted as a white person. A person could not be considered white if one of his or her parents were non-white. The determination that a person was "obviously white" would take into account "his habits, education, and speech and deportment and demeanor." A black person would be of or accepted as a member of an African tribe or race, and a colored person is one that is not…… [Read More]

Prater Violet and Eagleton's Literary Theory Often

Prater Violet and Eagleton's Literary Theory

Often, when writing a literary work, authors are focused so much on their personal views and intentions with the story that no literary theory comes to mind. Furthermore, writers are seldom concerned with adhering to or promoting any specific theory. Nevertheless, it is the nature of readers and critics to want to impose theories upon literary works. Much like life, literary works present themselves in an unstructured way. It is human nature, especially on the side of critics and readers, to wish to impose order where no such order is apparent. Indeed, this is the nature of critical reading and even human life in general. In Prater Violet by Isherwood (2001), for example, one might imposed various paths towards the literary theories explicated by Eagleton (2008), as followed by some of the characters in the novel b y Isherwood.

One example of such literary theory is new criticism, which promotes the idea that there is little or no connection between the literary work produced and the author's intention, or even life or social/historical context. According to this theory, all the reader needs to analyze the text presented, without any concern with the historical, social,…… [Read More]

Saki the Open Window Literary

The skill of Saki to utilize subtle foreshadowing is also evident as the niece reasonably develops the scenario of a fictitious tragedy, the death of the three men (and the dog) exactly a year before, which coincides to a year after the man's sister had been in residence nearby. The niece begins by ascertaining that Nuttel knows nothing of the people or place and that he would be easy to fool, foreshadowing that she is playing a trick on him. She then determines that the "tragic" events took place after the sister left and proceeds to describe exactly how the three figures and the dog looked when they left just that morning, with the supposition that they would return looking just the same.

Nuttel's shock, fear and outwardly rude reaction to seeing the three figures, with their dog come across the lawn is the climax of the work. The Niece has made a fool of him by spinning her story and by appearing shocked and horrified when the party returns, her acting skill at work. The remaining party assumes she is shocked by Nuttel's strange behavior and Nuttel by the return of the dead. The antagonist resolves the climax for…… [Read More]

Puritan and Romantic Literary Consciousness

Thus he becomes, much like the title sailor of Herman Melville's Billy Budd, a figure who is martyred as a result of intolerance. Budd draws the ire of the captain of his ship because he is attractive and charismatic in a way that defines conventional maritime rules and conventions. Budd is literally hung out to dry upon a mast, while Williams is only symbolically strung up -- but the kind of hatred of the new that both figures call upon is the same impulse depicted in both Romantic texts, of the film and the novella. "Oh captain, my captain," say the boys, overcoming the natural timidity all of them feel, as they jump up upon their desks in a show of support. By uniting in common bonds, forming a solidarity of purpose and ideological unity against tradition and by using Whitman's words to embody their lives, they demonstrate a true Romantic spirit -- art is in life, not learning about life through analysis, charts, and dusty pages.

The setting of an American preparatory school in New England seems uniquely appropriate for a screenwriter to inveigh against the type of ideals that New England authors such as Melville, Hawthorne, and Emerson…… [Read More]

Characters From Various Literary Works

Dante distinguishes a feeling of false guilt in Tartuffe's eyes, as his character seems to be unaffected by the situation that he is in. Even as he is limited by his inability to move or speak, his mind appears to be remained intact, considering that he tries to influence Dante to think that he does not actually belong there.

In spite of the fact that one might be inclined to consider that Tartuffe's sin in not that great, his fabricated piety is an essential factor showing the kind of person that he is. He did not hesitate to use God as a means to achieve his goals, this being an unforgivable sin and proof that his actions were unlimited when it came to treachery. Orgon failure to see the real man that Tartuffe was further contributes to the person's general image. Tartuffe was a con artist that was willing to do anything in his power in order to rip off people. Moreover, he had no interest in their fate once he finished with them, thus meaning that he was practically willing to rob people of everything that they had, regardless of the consequences.

Okonkwo was not necessarily an evil person,…… [Read More]

Women's Issues - Feminism Literary

It is clear that Butler is challenging the narrow definition of the female gender ("women") in several senses; one is that that the masculine power structure wants to stay in control by keeping women in "oppression" (of lesser importance in society than men). Another is that while feminists debate the question of "the universality of female identity" those feminists seem to seek to put together a "coalition" (p. 103) of women. But even that idea has problems, according to Butler, because despite the fact that putting together a coalition of several feminine cultures is a nice democratic exercise, the leader or leaders ("coalitional theorists") who try to put together that coalition may "inadvertently reinsert" themselves as "sovereign of the process."

What she means by that is that forcing unity on women's cultures makes it less than a natural evolution. Butler agrees that in order to put together a political coalition, there must be a goal ahead of the coalition-building process (p. 103). To make life better for women everywhere, some believe that "unity" among women's various cultures is necessary. But typically, Butler challenges that notion, as she indeed challenges most notions related to feminist ideas. Maybe unity is a good…… [Read More]

Analyzing the Literary Analysis

Authors Use Similar or Contrasting Elements of Fiction

In his autobiographical work, "The Ethics of Living Jim Crow," Richard Wright describes a disturbing violent scene that was very common among Black communities in Southern United States. He claims that one day, when he was polishing brass at the front of a clothing shop, his boss, together with his young son (aged 20), drove up in their automobile and got out half kicking and half dragging a Black female into the shop. A policeman who stood just at the store's corner did nothing but look on, "twirling his nightstick." The poignant image depicted here summarizes the essence of the author's work, revealing how racism was, at the time, deep-rooted in U.S. society. The policeman's callous attitude -- emphasized by the expression "twirling his nightstick" -- and his lack of intervention in the matter proved that the law institutionalized and virtually upheld racism; thus, the infamous laws termed as "Jim Crow" were able to somehow evade federal government oversight. While Jim Crow was a violation of all principles upon which America was founded, the Southern states upheld it as the sole social and political institution for generations. Through enforcement of Jim Crow,…… [Read More]

Literary Devices in Because I Could Not Stop for Death

Literary Devices in "Because I Could Not Stop for Death"

Emily Dickinson's "Because I Could Not Stop For Death" recounts how Death follows the narrator along her final journey and though the title insinuates that the narrator does not have time to see what her gentleman caller wants, he is patient and is in no rush to complete his task. In the poem, Dickinson personifies Death and makes it clear that she accepts death as a natural part of the life cycle and something that cannot be avoided. Dickinson uses several literary devices in the poem including personification, simile, alliteration, and anaphora to different degrees in order to demonstrate the interaction and relationship between the narrator and Death.

In "Because I Could Not Stop For Death," the narrator tells the story of how Death is one of her companions on her final carriage ride. In order to make Death more realistic and a tangible concept, Dickenson personifies him as a gentleman caller who is patient with her even though she refuses to stop for him. The narrator contends that Death is chivalrous and states, "Because I could not stop for Death/He kindly stopped for me…/We slowly drove, he knew no…… [Read More]

Literary Techniques & Rhetorical Situations

Because Celie idolizes Shug Avery she wants to make her a special quilt, out of affection.

At the start of this endeavor Celie writes, more fluently now to God:

Me and Sofia work on the quilt. Got it frame up on the porch. Shug Avery donate her old yellow dress for scrap, and I work in a piece every chance I get. it's a nice pattern called Sister's Choice. If the quilt turn out perfect, maybe I give it to her, if it not perfect, maybe I keep [emphasis added].

Walker, the Color Purple, p. 62)

The pattern name "Sister's Choice" points rhetorically toward sisterly closeness Celie feels toward Shug and Sofia based on bonding that has occurred during their conversations together. Earlier Celie has been submissive, meek, obedient, and not at all her own person. Now though, Celie's increased fluency of both verbal and written communication corresponds to and accompanies her bonding with Shug Avery and Sofia.

Metaphorically also, Celie has before now always felt 'ripped apart' from her deepest attachments: her sister; her mother; and as a result of that her own yearned-for sense of self that comes to a child only from close identification with and assurances…… [Read More]

Literary Devices in the Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin

Joy" in Chopin's "Story of an Hour"

When the joy of liberation turns into the shock of oppression, the life can go out of an individual. This is what happens to Mrs. Mallard in "The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin. What is ironic about the story is that everyone thinks she dies from the shock of "joy" at seeing her husband is alive (after being told he was dead). Before, Mrs. Mallard had been sick and ailing, but when she is told by her sister that her husband has died, Mrs. Mallard is relieved inside and comes to life: she is tired of being his wife. However, everyone has been misinformed and the husband yet lives -- and this twist is enough to overcome Mrs. Mallard -- her sudden relief is turned to sudden grief, and she dies. Chopin uses irony to achieve a humorous and satirical twist ending. She also uses hyperbole and setting to emphasize the oppression that Mrs. Mallard feels and the liberation that she experiences when she suddenly believes that she is "Free!" This paper will show how Chopin uses these literary devices to explore the main theme of the story, which is that…… [Read More]

Realities Literary Realism Attempts to

The characters have faults, the endings are not happy, and the characters have real emotions and feelings. Just like real life, the young boy cannot fulfill his desire to buy the girl he loves a present, he is too afraid. And similarly, the young girl tries to kill herself, only to be rescued by a young doctor who then feels "obligated" to love her. The similarities here are that love is complicated, and does not always end happily.

The biggest difference in these two stories is the innocence of the young boy and the darker, more sinister "love" of the doctor and Mabel. Mabel manipulates the doctor, even if she does not realize it, while the young boy is not manipulative in his love, he is just young, naive, and afraid. It seems he will have another, more grown-up chance at love, while Jack and Mabel will not.… [Read More]

David - A Literary Perspective Smehra Literary

David - a Literary Perspective smehra

Literary Perspective on David from the Bible

Throughout literary history, authors have created characters that are both enigmatic and treacherous; who by their very nature epitomize all that is evil, as well as all that is good in human nature. Character development is an important part of any story, and for there to be a realization on the reader's behalf, there must be a justifiable, and equally strong character development, or moral change for such a message to get across in the story, or literary work.

Many authors will have a turn of events, as a means to justify this change in personality of a particular character, as seen in Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens. While others may let their character follow a course of action and in turn, suffer the consequences as a lesson to the reader, as in the case of Antigone.

The Bible is filled with such characters, perhaps not just as an account of religious history, but as a method to exploit human nature to teach others about the virtues and rewards of leading a good life, and the punishment as a result of a sinful, unjust one.

David is…… [Read More]

Culture Literary Imagination and Cultural

This earns him the grudging respect of his peers, who were unpleasantly impressed by what Mrs. Fretag, his teacher, referred to not as deceitful, but "very creative." The narrator discovers one of the novel's main truths: "So, that's what they wanted: lies. Beautiful lies. That's what they needed. People were fools. It was going to be easy for me." This conclusion is in reaction to the discovery of his deceit. Mrs. Fretag, the teacher, had indeed attended the event, and confronted Henry about his deceit. Upon telling the truth about his absence, the narrator is nonetheless praised as "remarkable." He is not punished, but rewarded for lies that sound beautiful, but are no less deceitful for that. In this, the author makes a comment about the society in which the narrator operates, and how to gain power in that society. His creative work earns him the respect of and power over his peers. Even those who used to oppress him leave him alone because of the power of his words. In this way, the narrator uses language deceitfully, although not with the original aim to gain power. But he learns that language, and especially language in the use of deception…… [Read More]

Exile Literary Characters in Exile Can Be

Exile

Literary Characters in Exile

Exile can be the self-imposed banishment from one's home or given as a form of punishment. The end result of exile is solitude. Exile affords those in it for infinite reflection of themselves, their choices, and their lives in general. Three prominent literary characters experience exile as part of the overall narrative and in that, reveal a great deal about themselves to themselves as well as to the readers. The three narratives in questions are "The Epic of Gilgamesh," "The Tempest," and "Things Fall Apart." All of the main characters of these narratives experience exile as a result of actions taken by the protagonists at earlier points in the story. The protagonist in each respective story are exiled because of their choices and the exile forces each character to face consequences that ultimately bring their inner character to the surface in a more direct manner than prior experiences or actions by these characters. The characters Gilgamesh, Prosper, and Okonwo experience exile, which alienate them from their homelands, induces physical & emotional pain, yet the experience of exile make possible their perseverance over obstacles that enriches their lives and reveals their true characters.

The first protagonist…… [Read More]

Yin and Yang in Literary Relationships Yin

Yin and Yang in Literary Relationships

Yin and Yang in eastern philosophy constitute two parts of a whole. The one cannot exist without the other. They also represent perfect balance; if one dominates, the balance is disturbed and there is conflict. This idea can be applied to several literary relationships, including Adam and Eve from Milton's Paradise Lost and Gilgamesh and Enkidu from the epic Gilgamesh.

Adam and Eve

The Biblical Adam and Eve begin their lives in perfect wholeness and bliss. God makes them equal, they share everything and they lack nothing. Their love binds them in complete unity and balance. They are also bound together by their obedience and love for God.

The imbalance comes with the arrival of the snake. The snake tempts Eve away from what she knows is right. When she tempts Adam, there is an imbalance between the two of them and Adam attempts to restore this imbalance by accepting the temptation. This is however a mistake and he causes them to forever break the perfect yin/yang relationship between them, in unity and harmony with God.

In Paradise Lost the Fall is felt by everything. Adam and Eve have not only deprived themselves of…… [Read More]

Ancient Literary Sources How Reliable

For example, in the United States, the Civil War occurred less than 150 years ago, and yet different historians provide conflicting perspectives about the causes of the war, why it was lost, and the consequences of the war for America's history. Moreover, it was only after the Civil War and the end of slavery that one began to see widespread, reliable publication about various slave rebellions that had occurred in the antebellum South. This is interesting, because it makes one wonder if that information would be available or suppressed had the war ended differently. Moreover, the vast majority of Americans are unaware that some northern states were slaveholding states. Furthermore, when one looks at the number of Holocaust deniers, despite the overwhelming physical evidence and documentation regarding the Holocaust, one can see how intentional misrepresentation can play a role in history; there are entire countries that believe it is a fact that the Holocaust did not occur. If those countries end up as world leaders within the next few centuries, evidence of the Holocaust could disappear, and in later history, the Holocaust could be considered a myth, rather than a historical event. These two examples demonstrate how quickly history can…… [Read More]

Romanticism Some Historians and Literary

Russian writers like Pushkin, Lermontov and Turgenev experienced with the symbols of Romanticism as they inevitably reached the remotest literary fecund corners of the continent. Turgenev lived in Europe for a while, at the very heart of Romanticism and his translated literary works received the acclaim of the critics and were welcomed by the public as well, showing him as an artist who became an integral part of the scene and not as an exotic outsider.

Lermontov, one of the most valuable poets of the Russian literature, remained an obscure writer for the rest of the world for a long time because of the poor translations of his literary works. Pushkin, who shared the same tragic death with Lermontov, was considered the genius of the Russian literature and after his works had found proper translations, he took his deserved place as one of the greatest poets of the universal literature Pushkin is considered the most important writer of the romantic period in the Russian literature, but his complex literary work goes far beyond such labeling.

Lermontov's, Taman, from a Hero of Our Time, Turgenev's Bezhin Meadow and Pushkin's the Queen of Spades are three literary pieces characterized by elements specific…… [Read More]

African-American Literature the African-American Literary

The Black Arts Era is characterized by powerful voices such as that of Ishmael Reed or Amiri Baraka. In his poem Black Art, Amiri Baraka potently draws attention to the need for a self-conscious black poetry which would accentuate intentionally all the features specific to the African-American culture. The harsh tone of the poem at the beginning and the almost raging, ferocious rhythm indicate the desire to awaken the spirit of the black to their individuality: "Poems are bull***** unless they are / teeth or trees or lemons piled / on a step...Poem scream poison gas on beasts in green berets / Clean out the world for virtue and love, / Let there be no love poems written / until love can exist freely and / cleanly."(Gates and McKay, 935) the poem starts in a harsh and even violent tone, to end in a soft voice speaking about love. The effect builds thus to indicate the need for a specifically black literature that will speak to the black people in their own language: "We want a black poem. And a / Black World / Let the world be a Black Poem / and Let All Black People Speak This Poem…… [Read More]

Personal and the Literary in American Literature

Blurring the Gap Between Fiction and Real Life

This is a paper that outlines how modern literature integrates personal experiences of the writers into works of fiction. It has 5 sources.

It is quite interesting to note the means by which eminent writers attract attention to their ideas and literary content. On closer examination, we may come to the conclusion that the means by which public attention may be grabbed has followed a definite pattern through the years. While writers like Shakespeare and his contemporaries used fiction to project their literary geniuses, modern day writers strive to catch the attention of the masses by presenting their own personal conflicts and tragedies to the public. The modern writer has lessened the gap between a literary piece of work and real life. However, literature in the classical period is known for its often unnatural and over-dramatized perspectives on life. Today, the stories present real life situations without the use of fantasy and fiction. Many critics believe that the merging of life and fiction in modern literature could have been encouraged by modern social qualities like freedom lack of restraint and boldness, which is accepted to be the essential qualities of a writer.…… [Read More]

Leo Tolstoy's Inclusion in the Literary Canon

Leo Tolstoy's Inclusion In The Literary Canon

In Tolstoy's prolific literary career, it appears that one central concern drove everything he did both in his life and his writing. This concern was the meaning of life. The drive behind the actions of his main characters in both War and Peace and Anna Karenina is the search for meaning in their lives. As part of this search, Tolstoy and his characters also sought to make sense of the occurrences around them. Historically, Tolstoy writes from the perspective of a country in turmoil. His social commentary is then closely intertwined with the more general search for personal fulfillment. The result is the timeless quality of the works that are still enjoyed by a wide readership today. It is this timeless quality of his work, based upon his search for meaning in life, that most prominently begs for Tolstoy's inclusion in today's literary canon. Works investigated with the purpose of substantiating this assertion include War and Peace, Anna Karenina and On Life.

War and Peace

This novel is written at many complex levels, revealing the complexities not only of the political state of Russia, but also of the nature of the human beings…… [Read More]

Realism Some Literary Critics and

The other qualities of a superior being remained forbidden thus making the reality of their imperfect world even more difficult to bare.

Borges used the invisible reality in his short stories to speculate on some themes that were on people's minds since the beginning of human civilization. He used his writing skills to create a work of fiction that made the world of existential questions possessing men's minds became real to the contemporary reader.

If the invisible reality in Borges' stories represents the literary translations of the universal questions on people's minds since the beginning of the human civilization, the ghosts in Henry James' Turn of the Screw seem the representation of one's own fears, illusions, repressed feelings and imagination that is allowed to run wild. A potentially gothic story told in the evening of Christmas Eve is full of magic and scary at the same time. It is not suitable for the event, since Christmas is a moment of magic and beauty and although it has its secrets, there is nothing dark or spooky about it. The contrast is suitable for the human mind that has its dark corners even in the most bright places.

It is obvious that…… [Read More]

Religion in the Literary Works

Machiavelli shared Douglass' opinion concerning the role of religion in one's society. He believed that religion is instrumental in bringing about not only a moral society, but also a just one. In his discourse, "The Prince," he asserted that the ideal leader, the Prince, must not "...deceive friends...be without faith, without mercy, without religion..." This invoked the belief that a leader, in order to become effective, efficient, and respected by the civil society, must also be of moral character. This means that in the same way as people let their lives be influenced by religion and its values and beliefs, so too must the Prince engage in a lifestyle dominated by religion. A religious individual is a moral individual, hence commanding the respect of his people and giving him credibility to lead over society.

However, it is also vital to note that while he put premium to religiosity, Machiavelli's characterization of the Prince as a religious man was just one of the many facets that make up an ideal leader. More than anything else, he considered the intellect of the Prince as the ultimate determinant of one's effectiveness, efficiency, and credibility as a leader. Like Douglass, Machiavelli cited religion for…… [Read More]

Ellison the Literary Work of Ralph Ellison

Ellison

The literary work of Ralph Ellison is among the most studied and the most controversial. In the context of African-American writers Ellison is both revered and despised for the manner in which he wrote (or failed to write) concerning the question of race. His essay "The World and the Jug" written in 1963 explores the important topic of race and the functions of literature. The purpose of this discussion is to explain how Ellison relates to my concepts of the Civil Rights and the Black Arts Movements.

"The World and the Jug"

Ellison's "The World and the Jug" is basically a response to criticisms written by Irving Howe about Ellison's perceived failure to write protest fiction. This criticism is one that Ellison received throughout his lifetime. The criticism was mainly present because of the way that other writers such as Richard Wright and James Baldwin wrote about race in their literary works. In one of his essays Howell asks, "How could a Negro put pen to paper, how could he so much as think or breathe without some impulsion to protest, be it harsh or mild, political or private, released or buried? The 'sociology' of his existence formed a…… [Read More]

Fennimore Cooper's Literary Offenses

Twain and Cooper

Cover Letter

The following essay looks at Mark Twain's reaction to James Fennimore Cooper's writing, and more specifically at the praise given to Cooper by these people. The reader should take away that Twain was correct in what he wrote because he was structurally accurate. However, Twain slights Cooper in that he looks at his works from an only a structural standpoint. Cooper's works meant much more to American literature than the face value of the books. Cooper was an innovator as far as American literature went, and gave American writers a distinct voice.

At first the essay strikes of jealousy, but Twain seemed more irritated by what the critics overlooked than he was of Cooper's writing. The assignment was enjoyable because it speaks to the clear differences between a visionary writer and a more structural one. Twain is more of an engineer than a creator. He wants everything to be technically accurate, and he expects the same from other writers and critics. Cooper is not a technician, he is a dreamer. He wants to provide American authors with the tools to write their nation's own stories rather than borrowing style from England or anywhere else. It…… [Read More]

Salinger Is an American Literary Treasure Best

Salinger is an American literary treasure, best known for his novella Catcher in the Rye. However, Catcher in the Rye is but one of many in the canon of Salinger works. Salinger's short stories have recently garnered renewed attention because several unpublished Salinger stories were leaked online in November of 2013, three years after the author's death (Runcie, 2013). Salinger died a recluse, and a man of mystery who was as much an American antihero as Holden Caulfield of Catcher in the Rye. There have been numerous cultural allusions of Salinger's iconic novel and its quintessentially postmodern protagonist. Although no film has ever been made directly from the story of Catcher in the Rye, Morgan (2010) points out that there have been allusions to Salinger stories in films like The Collector (1965) and Six Degrees of Separation (1993). Additionally, a 2013 documentary film about J.D. Salinger promises to reveal the multiple personas of one of America's most loved writers. Themes like alienation and the futility of Western material culture recur in Salinger's short stories.

Salinger's short stories might not be as famous as Catcher in the Rye, but they say just as much about the author's cultural and historical context.…… [Read More]

Relevance Quote Plot Interpret Quote Mention Literary

relevance quote plot Interpret quote mention literary techniques devices This quote reflects theme ... (put a theme) CLEARLY STATE THE THEME Write occasions characters play embody theme Body 1: Topic Sentence connects thesis statement mention Occasion Character #1.

Being and seeming:

The contrast between surface appearances and true character in Shakespeare's Macbeth

When Lady Macbeth learns that the witches have predicted that her husband Macbeth will be king she gloats and greets her husband with the words "…look like the innocent flower, / But be the serpent under't" (I.5). The fact that the three 'weird sisters' have predicted Macbeth's kingship is interpreted by Lady Macbeth as license to commit the murder of Duncan. Lady Macbeth's words indicate a contrast between 'being' and 'seeming' that runs throughout the play. Lady Macbeth urges her husband to seem as though he is loyal even while he conspires with his wife to kill the king. Yet the play underlines the theme that it is not only Macbeth who merely makes a show of what he is not: the dangers of making assumptions based upon surface appearances run throughout the play. Both Duncan and Macbeth are guilty of this fatal flaw.

Of the thane of…… [Read More]

Machiavelli's Literary Message Katherine Phillipakis

Cleandro has learned everything from Nicomaco, but is not grateful enough to share the prize with Nicomaco. (Phillipakis, 2011, p. 13). According to Phillipakis, "…they are competitors for a prize that cannot be shared. Fortune is a kingdom 'safeliest when with one man manned.'" (Phillipakis, 2011, p. 13)

Phillipakis concludes that Machiavelli "must remain the philosopher who generates thoughts but not deeds," simply "…because he cannot be anything more." (Phillipakis, 2011, p. 13).

Critique

Phillipakis appears to have something against philosophers and bookish men in general. Men who are thinkers, rather than doers. Or perhaps only against bookish men who presume to be manly men, such as Machiavelli.

Phillipakis' rage seems to stem from certain passages in Machiavelli's The Prince that could be perceived as misogynistic. She appears to dwell particularly on Machiavelli's comments about raping "Fortuna," the female characterization of fortune. Machiavelli is, of course, speaking metaphorically here. Though the language is undoubtedly disturbing, it is more likely that Machiavelli was having fun with the Greek characterization of fortune as feminine.

Another weak area of Phillipakis' article is the analysis. The analysis of Machiavelli is overly speculative. She performs a complete psychoanalysis of Machiavelli through a study of two…… [Read More]

Surrealism Was a Major Literary

In his short piece, he describes the nature of how we think, as stemming from our own paranoiac tendencies.. He believes that in our current modern states of paranoia caused by the restrictions of reality, we tend to want to abolish it entirely. The power of the unconscious does not agree with the restrictions of pure reality, with no allowances for fantasy or paranoiac states of mind. Still, in this state of paranoia, we adjust how we view our own realities. Here, Dali states that "the reality of the external world is used for illustration and proof, and so comes to serve the reality of our mind," (Dali 487). Dali believes that it is the paranoiac mechanism which is at the very foundation of how we view images. In this, there is a sort of inherent surrealism in all of us, even if we do not know it entirely. Embracing this through acceptance and love of surrealism will help release some of the pressure built up because of this tension between the paranoiac mind and the restrictions of reality. Through this release, a revolution can be strengthened. Dali believed that surrealism was the movement that would forever change the literary…… [Read More]

Hemingway if Literary Genius Can Be Described

Hemingway

If literary genius can be described as one person's ability to influence the thinking of others and to do it only with written words, then Ernest Miller Hemingway was certainly deserving of the title. With his direct, declarative and streamlined style of writing, a style he first learned while writing as a newspaper journalist, Hemingway observed the world around him and the people in it, and then wrote of his observations on the nature of mankind.

Born on July 21, 1899 in the family home at Oak Park Illinois, Hemingway was the second of six children for his parents. His father, Dr. Clarence Hemingway, was a family physician, and his mother, Grace Hall Hemingway a music teacher. As a boy he was taught by his father how to hunt and fish, and it was in his childhood that he developed a passion for exploring nature that would not only endure throughout his life, but would also drive him restlessly to seek adventures in the wild. In seeking his adventures, as well as observing the ongoing battles between man and beast, man and element, man and self, Hemingway then wrote about all that he sought and saw (CNN "Hemingway," 2000).…… [Read More]

Alcohol vs Coffee Literary Reaction The Sweet

Alcohol vs. coffee: Literary reaction

"The sweet Poison of the Treacherous Grape/....Drowning our very Reason and our Souls." The 18th century marked the beginning of what would come to be known as the neoclassical era of art and literature. It was the era of satire, marked by a belief in reason over emotion, an age which prized what was artificial, man-made and constructed over what was natural and instinctive. It was also the era of coffee and the coffee house. In this poem, coffee is celebrated as a beverage that sharpens the intellect, rather than dulls it like alcohol, the 'poison' that drowns reason. Throughout the poem, a dichotomy of coffee vs. alcohol is created. The values of the Age of Enlightenment are exemplified in this contrast, as well as many of the literary features of the era, including rhyming couplets, metrical verse, and poems that 'say' what they mean rather than are subtle and elusive in their textual content.

Alcohol is said to muddy the brain and lead to "Drink, Rebellion, and religion too" (i.e., emotional excess). In contrast, coffee (which is called truly 'heaven sent') is the "All-healing-Berry, / At once to make us both Sober and Merry."…… [Read More]

Quantifiable Terms Tillie Olsen's Literary Output Has

quantifiable terms, Tillie Olsen's literary output has been admittedly modest. However, her influence has been anything but. As a writer, a feminist and an activist, she has worked throughout her life to serve her core values. Born to a pair of Jewish Russian immigrants, Ida and Samuel Lerner, Olsen's circumstances would play a significant role in both the formation of her belief system and the ways in which she would pursue its actualization. Well regarded in the notes of history, particularly those forged by advocates of the advancement of the women's movement, she holds a legacy of fellowships, awards and documents to justify the acclaim. Perhaps the most important and unique characteristic of Olsen's life is the apparently seamless fashion in which she tied the varied strands of her life into a singular identity. Her devotion to her literary work, to her family and to her politics were inextricable from one another and from the larger entity of Tillie herself.

The destruction of her birth certificate leaves Tillie Lerner's exact date of birth a mystery, though she has estimated it to be either 1912 or 1913. Whichever, it happened somewhere in the vicinity of Omaha, Nebraska, where her parents had…… [Read More]

Deconstructionist Literary Criticism of a Robert Frost Poem

Robert Frost's "Nothing Gold Can Stay." Deconstructionism is the reasons the poetry have meaning to the reader and the author. What are the biases in the poem?

THE ROAD NOT TAKEN

Robert Frost wrote the poem, "Nothing Gold Can Stay." Robert Frost's poem discusses nature's color of gold. He states that nature's first green as gold. Deconstructionism is taking a poem and applying it to life. "All of life is text to be interpreted, whether it is a poem..." (Bahnsen 3). The changes of nature can be described as gold and it deteriorates until it is gone. Love can be described as gold when a person first falls in love. Once the romance starts deteriorating, love (gold) is gone. Whether Robert Frost is describing a woman who is born in beauty then the beauty deteriorates can be a second meaning to this. Both will be used to discuss the meaning of "Nothing Gold Can Stay."

Nature's first green is gold....Her early leave's a flower" (Frost 1). A baby is born beautiful to the parents and loved ones. Her beauty is as beautiful as a velvet red rose. The parents hold and caress the baby and take pride as they gently…… [Read More]

Apollonian Is a Literary Concept

In this reading, Dobyns' "Counterparts" is his statement of personal philosophy that argues the only way to reach the Apollonian ideals is to work with, and embrace, the Dionysian and thus create a whole, or a yin-yang. This practice of using the Dionysian in order to achieve the Apollonian is a common strategy used in Dobyns' poetry.

Likewise, poet Frank O'Hara also uses Apollonian themes in the majority of his works. Like Dobyns, Frank O'Hara is also an American poet. He is best known as being a key member of the New York School of poetry.

O'Hara is known for his ability to write provocative and provoking poetry that was composed immediately, sometime even over the time frame of a lunch break. Thus, both high and low brow cultural references are common in O'Hara's work, as they are in Dobyns'.

O'Hara was good friends and deeply inspired by numerous leading painters of the day, including Jasper Johns and Jackson Pollock, thus his poetry tends to reflect the inspiration he found in various works of art. O'Hara stated that in his poetry he hoped to produce through words the same effects artists have when painting on a canvas.

In this sense,…… [Read More]

Moomins by Tove Jansson Literary

In fact, one of the principle facets of Moominpappa's character is to introduce didactic messages to his family, particularly to his children. Doing so is part of his job as a father and as the head of a household. Unfortunately, not all of his methods of teaching his family are as entertaining as his memoirs, as the following quotation from Moominpappa at Sea, in which he warns his family of the dangers of forest fires, proves.

He had warned the family. Time and time again he had explained how necessary it was to be careful in August. He had described the burning valley, the roar of the flames, the white-hot tree trunks, and the fire creeping along the ground underneath the moss. Blinding columns of flame flung upward against the night sky! Waves of fire, rushing down the sides of the valley and on toward the sea… (Jansson).

The hyperbolic nature of this quotation, illustrated to the reference to "waves" of flames, is indicative of Moominpappa's tendency to go on and on about the dangers of fire. Still, this quotation demonstrates that one of the principle aspects of Moominpappa's character is to teach his family, which he certainly does with…… [Read More]

American Literature Adding Richness and Variety to Our Literary Tradition

Shannon, Jr.

"Outsiders" in a Multicultural Society

The United States is generally recognized for the multitude of cultural values present in the country as a result of the wide range of ideas that have been introduced here across the years. While the majority of individuals in the country have often discriminated against people that they considered "outsiders," many notable non-white persons in the country's history have managed to emphasize the fact that they too are an active part of its culture and that they are able to contribute to making society as a whole acknowledge its complex nature. Langston Hughes and Jhumpa Lahiri are two of the most prominent artists responsible for making the American community accept its multicultural character and for influencing Americans to adopt less discriminatory attitudes concerning non-white individuals. Hughes got actively involved in changing the way that the masses and African-Americans in particular saw discriminated groups in the U.S. Lahiri wants people to see matters from the perspective from someone who can be considered a victim of globalization as she focuses on making people understand the suffering associated with being unable to find a cultural identity.

Hughes' poem "Song for a Dark Girl" provides readers with…… [Read More]

Cleopatra The Historical and Literary

For example, when meeting with Mark Antony for the first time, Cleopatra showed up on a barge with a gilded stern, purple sails, and silver oars. The boat was sailed by her maids, who were dressed as sea nymphs. Cleopatra herself was dressed as Venus, the goddess of love. She reclined under a gold canopy, fanned by boys in Cupid costumes (Hinge.Com, 1).

Needless to say, Mark Antony was enchanted.

Cleopatra made a similar dramatic first impression on Julius Caesar. Wanting to meet with Caesar, but knowing her political enemies were likely to have her killed if she appeared openly in public, she had herself smuggled to Caesar rolled up in an oriental rug. When the rug was unrolled, there was Cleopatra. Caesar was enthralled by this fascinating woman, and it is said that he made his/her lover that very night. Cleopatra obviously continued to enthrall Caesar, as he fathered a son with her, and kept her openly as his mistress in Rome for two years, lavishing her with gifts and titles. It was partly because of the scandal Rome felt at its leader having so open an extra-marital affair that Caesar was assassinated. And Cleopatra, being no fool, knew…… [Read More]

Religious to Philosophical and Literary

The evolution of mankind on all levels, and especially the new focus of the modern society on technology and material development, has brought about an estrangement from the spiritual life.

The new world offers "alternatives," as it were, to love, through a complexity of personal, both material and social developments, that seem to been able to replace or fill the spiritual needs.

Although men and women still interact what happens between them seems to be different from what was called love before, and it is often said that more and more isolation and solitude result from these interactions. The pressure of the material complex world and of the various social facts do not allow for the openness required by love. It can be said that the complexity of the modern society influence the emotional sates of the individual and make it impossible for him or her to return to the purity and simplicity of love.

What happens in our society today seems to be similar to what happened to the first legendary pair of lovers on Earth, Adam and Eve. Like them, people take interest in knowledge and material development, in building and creating and making use of all their…… [Read More]

Racism and Society -- Literary Comparison Zora

Racism and Society -- Literary Comparison

Zora Neal Hurston's heartfelt essay How It Feels to Be Colored Me (1928) presents the experiences of a young girl as remembered by an adult black woman in the early 20th century. Her narrative is simultaneously disarming and sad, because the good cheer and humor seems to belie justified resentment toward white American society. She presents an image of cheerful acceptance of racial inequality and the persistent social exclusion and discrimination more than half a century since slavery was abolished. Her tone when relating heartbreaking memories is reminiscent of the "everything happens for a reason" mentality and it seems to be concealing repressed resentment.

There is a glimpse of the anger bubbling under the surface of cheerfulness when the author describes dancing "wildly inside myself; I yell within, I whoop; I shake my assegai above my head, I hurl it true to the mark yeeeeooww! I am in the jungle and living in the jungle way. My face is painted red and yellow and my body is painted blue. My pulse is throbbing like a war drum. I want to slaughter something -- give pain, give death to what, I do not know." It…… [Read More]