Literary Genre essays

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Ethan Frome Symbolism Essay

Introduction Edith Wharton's novel "Ethan Frome" is rich with symbolism that adds depth and complexity to the narrative. Through the use of various symbols, Wharton explores the themes of isolation, confinement, and the destructive power of societal expectations. In this informative essay, we will delve into the symbolic elements within the story and examine their significance in enhancing the reader's understanding of the characters and their experiences. Starkfield as a Symbol of Confinement The town of Starkfield serves as a...
1 Page 478 Words

Communication in ‘The Notebook’: Movie Analysis Essay

Introduction 'The Notebook' is a timeless romantic film that not only captivates viewers with its heartfelt story but also explores the power of communication in relationships. Set in the 1940s, the movie follows the tumultuous love story of Noah and Allie, two individuals from different social backgrounds. Through various forms of communication, including verbal and non-verbal cues, letters, and gestures, the film showcases how effective communication plays a crucial role in deepening connections, resolving conflicts, and sustaining love amidst challenging...
1 Page 555 Words

Praise in ‘A Class Divided’: Critical Analysis Essay

Introduction "A Class Divided" is a powerful documentary that examines the effects of discrimination and prejudice through an experiment conducted by Jane Elliott, a teacher from Riceville, Iowa. This critical analysis essay delves into the concept of praise within the documentary, exploring its underlying implications and impact on the participants. By examining the documentary's use of praise as a tool for social conditioning and its influence on individual and group behavior, we can gain insight into the complex dynamics of...
1 Page 560 Words

‘All Summer in a Day’: Theme Essay

Introduction Ray Bradbury's short story, "All Summer in a Day," delves into the human experience through the lens of loss and its profound impact on individuals. Set on the rain-soaked planet of Venus, the narrative explores the theme of loss, specifically the loss of childhood innocence, the loss of happiness, and the loss of empathy. Through the story's vivid imagery and poignant characterizations, Bradbury captures the fragile nature of happiness and the devastating consequences of its absence. Loss of Childhood...
1 Page 583 Words

A Story by Li Young Lee: Critical Analysis Essay

Introduction Li Young Lee is a renowned poet and writer whose works delve into themes of identity, memory, love, and family. This critical analysis essay examines the depth and complexity of Lee's stories, exploring the literary techniques, symbolism, and themes that define his narrative style. By delving into the intricacies of Lee's storytelling, we gain insight into the profound emotional resonance and universal human experiences present in his work. Symbolism and Imagery: Unveiling the Layers of Meaning Lee's stories are...
1 Page 557 Words

‘A Class Divided’: Summary Essay

Introduction  "A Class Divided" is a thought-provoking documentary that explores the profound impact of discrimination and prejudice on individuals and society. This essay provides a summary of the documentary, highlighting its key themes, lessons, and the lasting significance of its message. Through an experiment conducted by teacher Jane Elliott, the film offers a powerful glimpse into the effects of discrimination and the role of social psychology in shaping our perceptions and behaviors. Summary of the Documentary In 1968, in the...
1 Page 584 Words

Thomas King's 'Borders': Summary Essay

Over the past decade, the rights of Indigenous people have improved. Unfortunately, some rights and freedoms have not yet seen any improvement at all, and some have even worsened. Thomas King's 'Borders' is a short story demonstrating self-identity and the national pride of Indigenous people. Throughout the story, readers realize the theme is set to showcase the self-identity of the Mother and her difficulties in portraying herself as a 'Blackfoot.' However, pride plays a vital role in Aboriginal nationality, provoking...
1 Page 675 Words

Life and Death of a Serial Killer: Critical Essay

Many documentary narratives are heavily influenced by the unique relationship present between documentarian and their subject. Whether friendly, professional, neutral, or intimate, this connection ultimately skews the product’s position upon its’ subject matter and poses difficulties in exploring the subject matter in the manner intended by its’ documentarian. The choices in how each of the following documentarians presents their product in both narrative form and point of view, their relationship with their subject, and their subject’s agency in the final...
5 Pages 2268 Words

Interpretive Essay on “Some Dreamers of a Golden Dream”

Have you ever wanted something or someone so bad you would do anything for it, even kill? “Some Dreamers of a Golden Dream” by Joan Didion is about a murder trial that captivated the town of Rancho Cucamonga, California, in October 1964. Didion focuses on a woman, Lucille Miller, who ends up burning her husband, Gordon Miller, to death in their 1964 Volkswagen chasing her golden dream. According to Joan Didion in “Some Dreamers of a Golden Dream”, Lucille Miller...
2 Pages 1118 Words

The Narrator of Life Is Fine Considers Jumping From Reality: Critical Essay on 'Life is Fine' by Langston Hughes

He basically opposes hell in this poem in a way where he’s explaining the common challenges that the black community faces with themselves. Always looking down on their own figures and those around them, as well as blaming white individuals for their failures when pointing fingers at them shouldn’t be their way of overcoming this challenge. By preventing failure aka “opposing hell”, he explains the alternative way of moving forward other than pointing fingers which are to face your individual...
1 Page 424 Words

Lost' Critical Analysis Essay

Jack wakes up in a jungle. The setting of this episode is on a beach right outside the jungle on a deserted island, which they thought was at the time, when their plane had crashed. He runs toward the beach where the plane crash happened and begins to help the survivors. Kate helps sow up his wounds. The survivors are scared to see a seemingly huge creature knocking down trees in the jungle. Jack, Kate, and Charlie head through the...
3 Pages 1448 Words

Critical Essay on 'Being Country' by Bobbie Ann Mason

A personal understanding of one’s own identity begins to develop the moment we are born. Our identity is molded by our surroundings and the values that are present in our homes. Having an identity relates to the sense that we need to feel like we belong. Everyone in the world wants and almost needs to feel accepted and “at home” with a particular group. There are two short stories that express the major influences on how culture shapes one’s identity;...
1 Page 554 Words

Cat Lady: Critical Essay

What does the short story ‘Cat Person' (Roupenian, 2017) tell us about dating and hook-up culture from a sociological perspective? To start with, the story ‘Cat Person’, tells us about a 20-year-old woman Margot who meets a 34-year-old man, Robert, at the Artsy movie theater where Margot works at the concession stand. After some flirts and friendly banter, Robert gets her number. They proceed to text for a few weeks where she tried to keep the interest and excitement going....
3 Pages 1237 Words

The Storm' by Kate Chopin: Critical Analysis Essay

Literary analysis Married people having affairs is viewed as an immoral act in many cultures and societies. It’s viewed like that because it’s often something that can destroy families and relationships. However, in “The Storm” Kate Chopin demonstrates that an affair is not a very bad thing, perhaps it could even be a good thing depending on the circumstances. In “The Storm the main theme that sticks out is. That people get their fulfillment through the wrong means when they’re...
2 Pages 766 Words

The Runaway Slave at Pilgrim's Point': Summary Essay

An attempt to bring to light the cruel condition to which black slaves are destined in the plantations in the United States of America, Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s 1847 socio-political poem “The Runaway Slave of Pilgrim Point”, draws on the parallelism between black and white as a metaphor for the different conditions for the black and the white man. This essay will explore both the figures of speech and the meter used by the author to convey her message, but particularly...
3 Pages 1271 Words

No Second Troy' Poem Analysis: Critical Essay

No Second Troy is a poem by William Butler Yeats, and it is one of his most celebrated works. The poem is a typical lyric, and it expresses the feelings of a poet who is in a state of misery and pain. Overall, the poem centers on a single issue of his disappointment, pain, and agony. 'Her' in the poem indicates that the poet is addressing the woman he loves in his past days. Most of the sentences in the...
2 Pages 1030 Words

Life Is Fine' by Langston Hughes Meaning: Critical Essay

Life is Fine is considered to be Langston Hughes's most famous work. Written in 1949, Hughes tells the story of a man who remains optimistic even in the face of despair. This man is clearly depressed and contemplates suicide but is still able to see the beauty in life and completely turns around his point of view on life. This is the reason for the name of this poem ‘Life is Fine’, with fine being the operative word. The man...
3 Pages 1203 Words

Borders' by Thomas King: Book Summary

Characters of this story by Thomas King include the strong-willed mother who feels as if she declares herself a “Canadian” she is denouncing her native roots. She sees the Blackfoot as a whole and refuses to acknowledge the “border” around it. She is loyal and stands her ground as a member of the Blackfoot tribe. Her son who is also the Narrator is about 13 years old and also the brother of Laetitia. He mostly observes the conflict although he...
2 Pages 1043 Words

Going Back to School after Covid-19: Narrative Essay

Back To School Documentary: The covid-19 pandemic made us acknowledge the major global perplexes we are facing. Whether they are economic, political, social, or environmental issues; we are witnessing such aspects rapidly diminish and hit their lowest of low in terms of technicality, ethicality, and the pursuit of a normal day-to-day life. But most importantly, the pandemic affected students and education by many orders of magnitude. Education takes an essential segment of people's lives; depending on their future careers, either...
6 Pages 2622 Words

Falling in Love in the Story 'On the Beach': Critical Analysis Essay

Nevil Shute’s On The Beach is a thrilling story inspired by the possible outcome of nuclear war. Many changes are evident throughout the entire plot due to the situation; the end of the world. In addition to environmental changes, the lasting survivors go through profound mental, physical, and emotional changes. The character who goes through the most impactful change is Moira Davidson. From being a closed-minded victim of alcoholism to falling in love with a man she never thought she...
3 Pages 1418 Words

Analysis of Short Story “Cat Person” by Kristen Roupenian

In this day of age, everyone is on their phone texting each other. Human interaction is being limited and texting is the new way to have a conversation. But is texting the best way to interact with someone? In the story “Cat Person” by Kristen Roupenian, Cat Person tells the story of a college student, Margot, and the relationship she has with an older man, Robert. It is through Margot and Robert’s relationship that the effects that texting can have...
4 Pages 1682 Words

Those Winter Sundays': Critical Analysis Essay

'In oak terrace' tells the routine life of an isolated elderly woman whilst bringing sympathy to her situation from the reader and making them reflect. The poem begins with the blunt statement 'Old and alone' which perfectly introduces the protagonist. Clearly, it is evident that this woman is isolated and at the age where death awaits her, and this is only required by three words. This fronting introduces simplicity into both the poem and her life as she does not...
2 Pages 918 Words

Let America Be America Again: Critical Analysis Essay

In the poem “Let America Be America Again,” Langston Hughes, brings attention to inequality by making the Great Depression the main subject. Hughes begins the poem by using repetition throughout his poem: “Never was America to me” which places emphasis on how America is not the “America” it claims to be. The speaker seems to be pointing out the failure of the country to able to live up to the principles it was founded upon. Moreover, the speaker goes on...
1 Page 436 Words

Analysis of Values of Life in the Novel 'Let Me Go'

In the novel Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, Kathy was a young lady living a secret life. Everything she did seemed to be private but everyone around her seemed to be just like her. Many times in novels the cultural, physical, and geographical surroundings shape a character. Ishiguro uses Kathy ́s journey and realizations to show how one's surroundings, both cultural and physical affect one's thoughts and therefore actions and relationships. During the novel Kathy and her two...
2 Pages 709 Words

Why Is Macbeth Considered a Tragedy: Argumentative Essay

Because Macbeth is nothing on the different hand a killing machine, it is very difficult to view him as a tragic hero. But can one without a doubt inform whether or not or no longer or now not Macbeth is a two-faced hypocrite? This essay will speak about the public and personal persona of Macbeth and whether or not he is blamed for his very very personal movements or not. It will add, in addition, to communicate how the activities...
2 Pages 1116 Words

Why Is Creon Unable to Stop the Tragedy: Argumentative Essay

The play is called Antigone not because Antigone suffers the most, but because she suffers at all. The tragedy is befallen by both Antigone and Creon, yet the circumstances upon which they arrive there is where their similarities end. Antigone’s character is built on such a morally strong basis of fraternal love and reverence to the gods that she ends up choosing to die to protect the principles she stands for, evident in passages such as: “I/Will bury him. I...
1 Page 513 Words

Why Is 'Romeo and Juliet' a Tragedy: Argumentative Essay

Comedy vs. Tragedy: Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream vs. Romeo and Juliet According to Horace Walpole, “Life is a comedy to those who think, a tragedy to those who feel” (Wolterbeek). Over the course of many years, comedy and tragedy have been studied by various scholars, from Aristotle to Friedrich Nietzsche. In both of Shakespeare’s works, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Romeo and Juliet, the plays can be compared and contrasted in regard to their respective genres. Though both plays...
3 Pages 1410 Words

Why Is 'Oedipus the King' a Tragedy: Argumentative Essay

Long before daytime soap operas, Sophocles regaled the masses with the tragic tale of Oedipus the Tyrant. It is the first of its kind to enmesh the reader in a complicated web of incest, patricide, and regicide whilst featuring a protagonist who evokes rage and pity in the same breath. Centuries after its first performance, the tragedy remains a focus of political discourse, not only because it is one of the most celebrated plays of the ancient world, but also...
2 Pages 1067 Words

Why Is 'Hamlet' Considered a Tragedy: Argumentative Essay

Hamlet: An Existential Crisis in the Making Through the dawn of mankind, one thing has remained constant for humanity, and that is our crippling mortality. The tragedy of Hamlet by William Shakespeare is about the self-doubt of the tragic hero Hamlet and his journey towards revenge in order to honor his father. Shakespeare uses the popular ideology of the time, The Great Chain of Being, to demonstrate the flaws and irregularities of the ideology which attempted to deter evil and...
5 Pages 2263 Words

Why Is 'Hamlet' a Tragedy: Argumentative Essay

A tragedy enhances the destruction of characters leading to their downfall and often has an unhappy ending that can cause a form of loss. Every person experiences loss with varying degrees of severity. The play Hamlet by William Shakespeare is a tragedy written between the years 1599 and 1602. It revealed many themes, including this primary and crucial one, the theme of loss which is seen throughout the entire play. The story has the element of loss from the beginning...
3 Pages 1517 Words

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