Study Like a Boss
In the play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare Lord Capulet is a very prominent character. He is wealthy and a leader in his community. He is a very loving father to his daughter Juliet, he is a very contradictory person, and he trusts everyone to do as they are told and to act appropriately. … Read more
There are many different themes expressed in Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein. They vary with each reader but basically never change. These themes deal with the education that each character posses, the relationships formed or not formed in the novel, and the responsibility for ones own actions. This novel even with the age still has ideas that … Read more
The Epic of Gilgamesh compares to the Bible in many different ways. The epic has a different perspective than the Bible does. This paper is a contrast and comparison between the two books. The three main points of this paper will be the Creation, Flood and the Hero. The way these two books start out … Read more
In Mark Twain’s novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Twain develops the plot into Huck and Jim’s adventures allowing him to weave in his criticism of society. The two main characters, Huck and Jim, both run from social injustice and both are distrustful of the civilization around them. Huck is considered an uneducated backwards boy, … Read more
The Odyssey is an epic poem, which shows the maturation of Odysseus throughout his long journey home from the war at Troy. Odysseus grows from an arrogant, self-centered warrior to a more humble man. This mental odyssey is seen as the young Odysseus matures, learns values of and respect for nature and higher power to … Read more
After Hamlet has discovered the truth about his father, he goes through a very traumatic period, which is interpreted as madness by readers and characters. With the death of his father and the hasty, incestuous remarriage of his mother to his uncle, Hamlet is thrown into a suicidal frame of mind in which “the uses … Read more
When Rose of Sharon is first introduced in The Grapes of Wrath, we learn that she is expecting a child from her new husband, Connie Rivers. She is described as a mystical being whose primary concern is the well-being of her child, even at the almost ridiculously early stage of her pregnancy at the start … Read more
Walter is frustrated with his current position in life, and every disappointment he has encountered thus far. His position is symbolic of every black male struggling to provide for his family by any means necessary. Hansberry stated in her meeting with Robert Kennedy”the first thing that must be achieved is equal opportunities for Negroes… when … Read more
John Milton was an outstanding poet who wrote sonnets such as “On Shakespeare” and “On His Blindness. ” He also wrote poems such as “Comus” and “Lycidas. ” Milton is most known however, for the epics that he wrote. Some of his major epics included “Samson Agonistes” and “Paradise Regained. ” His most famous work … Read more
Often the actions of children are reflective of the attitudes of those who raised them. In the novel Frankenstein : Or the Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelly, Dr. Victor Frankenstein is the sole being that can take responsibility for the creature that he has created, as he is the only one that had any part … Read more
The Joy Luck Club, by Amy Tan, is a powerful portrayal of four Chinese women and the lives of their children in America. The book discusses the conflicting cultures between the United States and China, and how men treat women throughout their lives. People living in the United States usually take for granted their roles … Read more
Grendal, a descendant of Cain, is one of the main antagonist of the poem Beowulf. He lives under an inherited curse and is denied God’s presence. Throughout the story Grendal causes enormous grief and fear to the people of Herot. After so much pain and agony the king of Herot, Hrothgar, sends for the protagonist … Read more
The value of experience plays a major role in the poem The Waking by, Roethke and One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest by, Kesey. Both portray a similar message, which seems to suggest that in life you must learn to live by gaining different experiences, which contribute to making you the person that you are. … Read more
In Shakespeares play, Hamlet there are two main women characters (Ophelia- who ends up mad, and Gertrude- who ends up dead). is it simply a coincidence that these women, the only women in the play end up letting themselves bew, and are continually manipulate, controlled, and taked advantage of by the male characters in teh … Read more
Beowulf, one of the oldest English poems in existence today, was believed to be written sometime in the eighth century. The origins of the Beowulf poet are unknown but believed by some to be from what is Midland England today (Abrams 21). The poem, although written in English, deals with the Danes and the Geats … Read more
William Faulkner (1897-1962) is known for his portrayals of the tragic conflict between the old and the new South. The majority of Faulkner’s works are centered on his hometown of Oxford, in Lafayette County, Mississippi. In his works of fiction, his hometown is used, but is renamed to Jefferson, in Yoknapatawpha County. This author’s fiction … Read more
Henrik Ibsens A Dolls House opens with a playful atmosphere between Torvald and his wife Nora. They seem as a happy couple with nothing to hide from each other. As the play continues to develop, this idea of cheerfulness becomes a misconception. Torvald manipulates Nora and treats her like a doll. Nora seems to enjoy … Read more
Christopher Marlowe wrote many plays about the use of divinity and Magic in order for man to exceed the restrictions set by their society. This is a prime example in Doctor Faustus. Christopher Marlowe uses Black and White magic to show the good and evil. He uses practically Black magic and Divinity in Tamburlaine the … Read more
Protagonist: The protagonist in the novel is Victor Frankenstein. He is the main character who contends with the conflict in the novel. His decision to create life provides a problem that he attempts to escape but eventually marks his death. Antagonist: The antagonist in the novel is also the protagonist, Victor Frankenstein. Victor may have … Read more
The novel Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, illustrates the hardships of the common man in great detail. The one aspect of this book that displays life as it exists in the hostile real-world is the third chapter, in which the human plight is displayed by a turtle, and his struggle to reach the other … Read more
In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the author weaves a tale of deception, murder, and love into five dramatic acts. Maintaining a fierce plot of murder between both Claudius and Hamlet, in some way each leads to death in the end. Along the way, however, all the characters suffer form the slings and arrows of their devious … Read more
Mind control is more common then many people think. Take Television, for instance. Most people won’t admit that commercials and TV shows influence them, but of course they do. People buy cars, peanut butter, and soda because of the advertising they see in newspapers adds, magazines, and billboards. Many people don’t realize that the information … Read more
Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, written in approximately 1385, is a collection of twenty-four stories ostensibly told by various people who are going on a religious pilgrimage to Canterbury Cathedral from London, England. Prior to the actual tales, however, Chaucer offers the reader a glimpse of fourteenth century life by way of what he refers to … Read more
The Glass Menagerie, written in 1945 by Tennessee Williams, remains today as a great literary masterpiece. Williams gave unimaginable depth and uniqueness to each of his characters. Even though the play was written in the mid-forties it is timeless, in that the problems and troubles of the characters can be related to life today, more … Read more
For Whom the Bell Tolls is a novel loosely based on Ernest Hemingway’s own experiences in the Spanish Civil War in the 1930’s. Before I delve into the book itself, I thought it would be best to give some background information on Ernest Hemingway and on the Spanish Civil war and the circumstances surrounding it. … Read more
The theatre metaphor also helps to explain why, in the last analysis, Prospero has to surrender his magical powers. Life cannot be lived out in the world of illusions, delightful and educative as they can often be. Life must be lived in the real world, in Milan or in Naples, and Miranda cannot thus entirely … Read more
Othello, by William Shakespeare, is perhaps not as exciting as a ravishingly sexy poster of Laurence Fishburne and Irene Jacob. Yet, with its intoxicating mix of love, sexual passion and the deadly power of jealousy, Shakespeare has created an erotic thriller based on a human emotion that people are all familiar with. It all depends … Read more
An allegory is a work of fiction where all the elements are subservient to a single theme by designating them as symbols of abstract concepts in order to portray that theme. The interaction between these symbols creates an explicit statement on human nature or human relationships, usually in moral, religious, or political terms. In “Young … Read more
A dream is defined as a condition or achievement that is longed for; an aspiration. Throughout the book the “Great Gatsby” we see the dream of one man, Jay Gatsby. Gatsby’s dream is not merely what is known as the American Dream-the belief that anyone can rise to success no matter who they are or … Read more
For purposes of this discussion, it is the intent of this author to assess the plight of African Americans at a time when they were merely slaves, captives taken forcibly by rich white American merchants to a new and strange land called America. Right from the very beginning, slavery was a controversial issue. It was … Read more
Throughout each of Shakespeare’s dramas, the thematic inclusion of mistaken identities, hidden identities, and deceptive identities permeates many of the conflicts between the characters. While many times these characters experience a transformation in identity, be it physical, emotional, or spiritual, these transformations reflect the concept of an ever-changing society. As I once heard, “nothing is … Read more
The play Othello is a tale of jealousy, revenge, and deception. Iago, a disgruntled military officer, in a quest for revenge against Othello, lies, cheats, and bullys everyone around in order to get what he wants. He uses Roderigo, Brabantio, and just about every other character in the play to attain his goal of ruining … Read more
The main character of the book is Mr. Bilbo Baggins. He is the hobbit who led the dwarves to the Lonely Mountain to reclaim their treasure from the dragon named Smaug. Bilbo is middle aged and resides in a clean, warm burrow dug into the side of a hill. In the beginning of the story … Read more
In the Medieval Period, knights dedicated their lives to following the code of chivalry. In Sir Thomas Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur, a number of characters performed chivalrous acts to achieve the status of an ideal knight. Their characteristics of respect for women and courtesy for all, helpfulness to the weak, honor, and skill in battle … Read more
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy about two star crossed lovers whose love cannot apart them from their two feuding families. In this essay I will state who or what are responsible for their deaths, the main theme of the story is hatred and fate. Firstly I must introduce the two families because their attitude … Read more
Soon after the death of a loved one come many visitors to the bereaved. Some arrive early, bearing gifts of food and speaking words of consolation and comfort. Others appear late in the day, unable to say anything, but still comforting in their very presence. But when the comforters have gone away and we sit … Read more
In his short story, gA&Ph, John Updike presents the story through the view of an adolescent boy who is a supermarket checkout clerk of the gA&P. h The boy, Sammy, comes across three strange girls who come to the A&P to shop wearing nothing but bathing suits. This extraordinary happening in his dull everyday existence … Read more
The book The Scarlet Letter is all about symbolism. People and objects are symbolic of events and thoughts. Throughout the course of the book, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses Hester, Pearl, and Arthur Dimmesdale to signify Puritanic and Romantic philosophies. Hester Prynne, through the eyes of the Puritans, is an extreme sinner; she has gone against the … Read more
Beowulfs story is somewhat of an allegory in which he is depicted as the Christ figure. The theme of Beowulf is a contrast of good and evil which is manifest in both Christian and pagan elements; Beowulf represents good, while Grendel, his mother, and the dragon represent evil. The first monster our hero, Beowulf, faces … Read more
There have been many romantic films made in the past as well as now in the present, from Wuthering Heights to Pretty Woman. But, one of the most romantic of all films is the story of Romeo and Juliet. It is safe to say that most people are familiar with this story. A couple so … Read more
In the two stories, Jane Eyre and The Yellow Wallpaper, the main characters are faced with various encounters with authority. Jane and the Narrator are the central characters that are faced with these authority figures, and an external as well as an internal relationship is developed with the figures that have power over them. These … Read more
The Scarlet Letter and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest: What Makes Up A Work Of Literature A work of literature may be defined as a classic because it promotes deep insight into human behavior. Both The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, by Ken Kesey give a reader … Read more
“Everything is relative” or so the flippant motto of the post-modern generation would say. Interestingly enough, this aphorism is brilliantly applied by Henrik Ibsen to enhance his characters in the acclaimed drama, A Dolls House. Often, we see things relative to their surroundings, and as the contrast between objects heighten, each becomes more visible. Within … Read more
Long ago in Hrothgar’s Danish kingdom lived a gruesome monster-giant named Grendel, who nightly roamed the countryside. Rising from his marshy home, he would stalk to the King’s high hall, and there devour fifteen of Hrothgar’s sleeping warriors. Then, before departing, the monster would seize fifteen more men with his huge arms and bear them … Read more
1. What does Shakespeare accomplish by setting most of the action at night and in the wood? Explain thoroughly. Use examples. Setting most of the action at night and in the woods creates a dreamlike world. There is no other place that holds more myth than the forest. Obernon makes clear that nighttime is fairies’ … Read more
Supernatural occurrences show the abnormal behaviors of nature. In Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte uses the abnormal as an introduction to the novel and shows the desires of characters in the novel. We meet Lockwood in the beginning of the novel. He had absolutely no clue on the history of the Lintons and Earnshaws. A few … Read more
Dostoevsky introduces Part I of Notes from Underground. He tell us that in this first portion, the protagonist will introduce himself and explain the causes that led to his appearance before us in this text. He then explains that the subseque nt extract, “Apropos of the Wet Snow,” will record the protagonist’s own notes. The … Read more
The Epic of Gilgamesh leaves me somewhat discouraged when I finished the book. This pessimistic ending is not the happy ending I was expecting to see considering the tragedies throughout of the rest of the story. The entire last part of the book, starting with Enkidus death, is nothing but more sorrow for Gilgamesh. The … Read more
The characteristics of Holden from the book The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger, will be compared to the “modern teenager”. The characteristics of both sets of teenagers are basically similar, but in some parts, they are different. I chose myself as the modern teenager to be compared to Holden. There will be … Read more
As young children we all had our share of superheroes; whether they were a world saving Superman or the crime fighting Batman of Gotham City, we admired them. Then as we grew older, we realized that heroes didn’t have to save the world but just change the world for the better with their achievement or … Read more