Literature Essays

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Analysis of Section 24 of Walt Whitman’s Poem ‘Song of Myself’ and the Literary Devices Used in It

2 Pages 681 Words
In section 24 of Walt Whitman’s poem ‘Song of Myself’, Whitman announces himself as the speaker of the poem. This is the first time that he announces himself as the author and speaker in the poem and it is 24 sections in. Whitman calls himself a ‘kosmos’, meaning that he is very knowledgeable, especially about things that most people are...

Theme of Human Connections in Walt Whitman's Poem ‘Crossing Brooklyn Ferry’: Critical Essay

1 Page 647 Words
The poem ‘Crossing Brooklyn Ferry’ by Walt Whitman focuses on human beings as social creatures by stating that humans are connected through life and their interactions with one another. Whitman shows this in the poem in paragraph 3 where it is stated, “I am with you, you men and women of a generation, or ever so many generations hence;/ Just...

David Sheff’s Novel 'Beautiful Boy' and America's Opioid and Methamphetamine Epidemic: Reflective Essay

3 Pages 1175 Words
The book 'Beautiful Boy' is a father's journey through his son's addiction. David Sheff’s book is about his own son, who became addicted to meth and threw his life away. This story expressed his feelings along his journey throughout his son's addiction, steps to recovery, and early life. He was inspired to write this book so others with the same...

Moral and Sacrifice in William Golding's ‘Lord of the Flies’: Essay

3 Pages 1213 Words
The world-renowned author Stephen King once said: “It is better to be good than evil, but one achieves goodness at a terrific cost”. Throughout the novel ‘Lord of the Flies’, Golding suggests that being evil has more moral consequences than being virtuous, but one must sacrifice their comfort for the greater good to take a stance with righteousness. This is...

Theme of Mental Illness in Edgar Allan Poe's Works: Critical Essay

2 Pages 802 Words
The problem of mental illnesses has accompanied mankind for centuries. Many generations of thinkers, philosophers, artists, and doctors were analyzing the impact of mental illness on the mind of a human being and its various dimensions – psychological and physical – repeatedly emphasizing the relationships between them. Many authors have tried to use this subject in their works. Edgar Allan...

Maturing from Corruption in J.D. Salinger's Novel ‘The Catcher in the Rye': Critical Essay

2 Pages 836 Words
Innocence is something people want to keep, especially during or after adolescence. Holden goes through this transition because of losing his brother, Allie, and struggles to accept it. To Holden, losing Allie is a traumatic experience that affects him greatly enough to manipulate his views on adolescence. From this, he makes the effort to save his and others’ innocence. Holden...

Mob Mentality in Mark Twain’s ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’: Essay

3 Pages 1325 Words
Although there is debate on whether ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’ is able to properly critique all parts of Twain’s society, it successfully analyzes the immoral practices of his society through his descriptions of mob mentality. The most blatant way Twain critiques mob mentality is through the use of the character of Colonel Sherburn and the town’s attempt to lynch...

What Does Face Paint Symbolize in William Golding's 'Lord of the Flies': Critical Essay

2 Pages 783 Words
William Golding encompasses an abundance of symbolism in his book ​‘Lord of the Flies’.​ From the island to each and every kid, all are symbolic representations of Golding’s notion of the true nature of mankind. Mankind, depicted in an allegorical novel of a couple of boys from England between the ages of six and twelve who have crash landed on...

Symbolism of Simon's Death in William Golding's Novel 'Lord of the Flies': Critical Essay

1 Page 596 Words
“Maybe there is a beast… maybe it’s only us” (Golding, 89). In the novel ‘Lord of the Flies’ by William Golding, a group of schoolboys fights to the death to escape their fear of themselves. Golding uses the scene where Simon is murdered to show how fear can dehumanize a man. Throughout the novel fear becomes a much bigger idea...

Symbol of the Beast in William Golding's 'Lord of the Flies': Critical Essay

2 Pages 823 Words
All people are born evil. It is the environment and society that people grow up in that causes them to seem like they are virtuous and moral. However, in pressured situations, Golding claims that the natural evilness that is within people reveals itself. In his novel ‘Lord of the Flies’, William Golding paints the setting as an unknown island in...

Summary of Virginia Woolf's 'The Death of the Moth'

3 Pages 1383 Words
In ‘The Death of the Moth’, Virginia Woolf creates three clarifications to the story, where it’s the world outside the window, the moth trapped between the window panes, and her observing everything as it’s happening. At the beginning of the story, she stated: “It was a pleasant morning, mid-September, mild, benignant, yet with a keener breath than that of summer...

Rhetorical Analysis of Virginia Woolf’s ‘The Death of the Moth’: Essay

2 Pages 1095 Words
The existence of paradoxical literature can be traced back to the birth of literature. However, there are works and instances in which paradox explodes and it is almost impossible to pass them. Virginia Woolf’s ‘The Death of the Moth’ is a paradoxical piece of such, and her analysis would obviously overflow the particulars of limits or descriptions of inventory. Based...

Use of Animals in Edward Thomas's ‘As the Team’s Head Brass’ and James Wright's ‘A Blessing’: Comparative Analysis Essay

3 Pages 1207 Words
It can be said that animals bring out the best in humans. Paul Muldoon when introducing us to his anthology ‘Faber Book of Beasts’ believes this, but also feels that poetry does, so it so no surprise that there are volumes of poems published where animals are used literally and metaphorically as an elaborate link between themselves and humans. In...

Comparing Two Poems by Allen Ginsburg and Lawrence Ferlinghetti: Essay Example

2 Pages 726 Words
Both 'America' by Allen Ginsburg and 'I Am Waiting' by Lawrence Ferlinghetti respond to their American mainstream societies through the use of anaphora, form, and allusions. To begin, both poems effectively use anaphoras found in their titles that greatly emphasize their sentiments and opinions towards the society they lived in. For example, Ginsberg uses the term 'America' at the beginning...

Is the Narrator in Edgar Allan Poe's 'The Tell-Tale Heart' Insane: Critical Reflection Essay

1 Page 669 Words
The author intends to explain how the character rejects his mental state and appreciation of mortality. The character of ‘The Tell-Tale Heart’ exhibits signs of mental issues through a series of events described by the author. In the short story, the narrator doubts his sanity from the beginning. He says, “…but why will you say that I am mad? The...

Theme of Communication in Tobias Wolff’s ‘Bullet in the Brain’ and Flannery O’Connor’s ‘A Good Man is Hard to Find’

1 Page 558 Words
To understand the theme of communication, two appropriate stories to use are Tobias Wolff’s short story ‘Bullet in the Brain’ and Flannery O’Connor’s ‘A Good Man is Hard to Find’. In Wolff’s short story, Anders communicates with a bank robber cynically and sarcastically until he gets shot in the head. During the robbery, Anders is continuously mocking the robber's choice...

Hello Kitty as an Example of How Cuteness Contributes to Consumer Culture: Essay

2 Pages 873 Words
In modern societies, artists or manufacturers use elements of cuteness that are pleasing to create mass consumption. Merchandise that is worth millions and is sold across the world is partly due to its appeal of being ‘cute’. In this case, a recognizable animated character, Hello Kitty, is famous for representing what is known to be cute. Cuteness is an aesthetic...

Cultural Clash in Chinua Achebe's Novel 'Things Fall Apart': Critical Essay

2 Pages 1142 Words
Chinua Achebe published his first novel ‘Things Fall Apart’ in 1958. Achebe wrote his novel in response to European novels that depicted Africans as savages who needed to be enlightened by the Europeans. Achebe presents to the reader his people’s history with both strengths and imperfections by describing, for example, Igbo festivals, the worship of their gods and the practices...

Tragicomedy 'Hamlet' and the Oedipus Complex: Critical Essay

1 Page 594 Words
Shakespeare's tragicomedy 'Hamlet' is notable for only two female characters, both of whom are closely related to Hamlet as the protagonist: Gertrude, Hamlet's mother and matriarch of the play, and Ophelia, Hamlet's younger love. In this essay, the relationship between Hamlet and Gertrude will be explored in relation to the Freudian Oedipus complex. Hamlet’s toxic relationship with his mother can...

Scout's Path to Maturity in Harper Lee's Novel ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’: Critical Essay

2 Pages 884 Words
Elisabeth Kübler-Ross once said, “Learning lessons is a little like reaching maturity. You're not suddenly more happy, wealthy, or powerful, but you understand the world around you better, and you're at peace with yourself. Learning life's lessons is not about making your life perfect, but about seeing life as it was meant to be” (BrainyQuote). As Ross’ quote states, the...

Who Is the Black Man in Nathaniel Hawthorne's 'The Scarlet Letter': Critical Essay

3 Pages 1289 Words
In the world of literature, Roger Chillingworth stands, somewhat unceremoniously, as a symbol of true evil. In ‘The Scarlet Letter’ he is the living embodiment of the Black Man, who is, in the Puritan faith, a representation of the devil. He shares similar physical features to the Black Man and even shares similar desires. In ‘The Scarlet Letter’, the Black...

Theme of Alienation in Nathaniel Hawthorne's Novel 'The Scarlet Letter': Critical Essay

2 Pages 1052 Words
In Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel 'The Scarlet Letter', Hester is the perfect example of one who experiences alienation alongside her daughter from the Puritans she lives around. She separates herself from them to work and take care of Pearl. Dealing with the guilt from her grave sin, Hester grows to learn how to cope with a judgmental society, where everyone around...
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