Study Like a Boss
Comedy, Courtly Love, Drama, Fiction, Novel, Poetry, Protagonist, Tragedy, 1984, A Raisin in The Sun, Animal Farm, Beowulf, Fahrenheit 451, Frankenstein, George Orwell, Hamlet, Into The Wild, Lord of The Flies, Macbeth, Of Mice and Men, A Modest Proposal, All Quiet on The Western Front, Allegory, Antigone, Between The World and Me.
In the section I selected from ‘Us and Them,’ the author, David Sedaris, uses a plethora of literary devices to comedically depict a mundane conversation and a boy’s mother’s reaction to it. The conversation depicted in the passage, and its following few lines, are perfect representations of the flow of feelings produced by uncomfortable conversation. … Read more
In writing, descriptive language is used in order to engage the reader in the story. Most authors practice this is their writing, whether it be fiction or nonfiction. When authors include descriptive language, it helps tell the story that the reader is trying to communicate in a vivid manner. Blue Highways by William Least Heat-Moon, … Read more
There is not a single person in this world that does not want to belong to something. Every individual wants to feel like they have a purpose somewhere in life. in the poem “June 23rd 1973″ by Bruce Hunter two boys chase every teenage boys dream to fit in with the popular crowd and be … Read more
In the short story “In the Hour of the Wolf” (1949), Betty Louise Bell asserts that Native Americans have to be assimilated into the mainstream white culture which causes them to have serious identity crisis issues. When the Indian’s leave their tribe, it puts a major strain on how they perceive their old traditions which … Read more
In the short story “Cathedral,” by Raymond Carver, the narrator draws a cathedral with his blind guest and transforms from a narrow-minded, materialistic, and superficial individual to an individual who acknowledges the spiritual aspects of life and the lives of those around him. Before the egoist narrator meets the blind man, Bub is so closed-minded, … Read more
A lottery has always been described as a prosperous event for anybody who has ever played. However, it is not always as flourishing as it may seem. Shirley Jackson, the author of an enticing short story called The Lottery, proves this by displaying how a different culture views a lottery system much differently than your … Read more
During the time period in which the story takes place, Chicago held the nickname “The Back City” due to its heavily polluted air and the dark crimes that occurred on its streets. Women went missing each day, disappearing into the smoke of the city, and credit fraud was common. In building The World’s Fair upon … Read more
Some people in the world may believe that rebellion is way better than conformity. On the other hand, some believe that conformity is way better than rebellion. My primary sources, “The Bridegroom” and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, show that conformity causes or creates problems within the world while rebellion causes or … Read more
Wyrd Sisters: The Unwilling Hero There are many characters in Terry Pratchett’s Wyrd Sisters who can be considered the hero of the story. These include Tomjon and the witches. However, the Fool is the character who best exemplifies the hero archetype and the traits pertinent to all heroes. At first glance, it may seem like … Read more
In connection to a complete rebirth would be in the imagery of the invisible man waking up from the factory incident. “Mother, who was my mother? Mother, the one who screams when you suffer-but who? This was stupid, you always knew your mother’s name. Who was it that screamed? Mother? But the scream came from … Read more
A bromance is a “close, nonsexual relationship between men” (Merriamwebster. com). The male friendship is shown very diversely in both the short story “Hunters in the snow” and the film Superbad. In the article, “Bring back the Bromance” the author brings attention to what everyone is thinking. “To be close friends, men need to be … Read more
When it came to social inequalities, the African American community relied on drugs and music to overlook their struggles. “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin was a short story about living in poverty in Harlem. In the beginning of the story, the narrator discovers that his brother Sonny was imprisoned for selling and possessing drugs and … Read more
“Okay, everything looks good,” they nod and hand me a small plastic receipt, “Go ’round the corner and one of our technicians will be with you shortly. ” I’d been donating blood to ZLB plasma for the past few months, ever since I’d left Lana and the luxury of Kenwood for this small one bedroom … Read more
The People’s Champion Harlan Ellison’s “Repent, Harlequin! ‘ Said the Ticktockman” incorporates, and perfectly balances, a goofy silliness and foreboding seriousness. Ellison’s story invites readers to reflect upon their own values, and whether or not they are meaningful. The society within the story has many parallels with the reader’s, and encompasses many of the same … Read more
How does one give up on a dream they had once achieved? Some may move on, but for many, it is easy to remain stuck in those vivid moments they think of every time they close their eyes. Anything other than staying determined is unthinkable, although it is not an easy feat with every obstacle … Read more
“Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born. ” – Anais Nin The words of Anais Nin make me think of the Adiche single story we heard through her Ted Talk and then again through … Read more
The story of Old Yeller begins with a fourteen year old boy who goes by the name of Travis, and his younger brother Arliss and his mother who are left to fend for themselves after the husband has to leave for the cattle mart with plenty of other men in town as well. Travis’ father … Read more
“Distinctively visual texts use figurative language and other language devices to engage the responder and invite him/her to explore different places and experiences. ” Discuss the construction of images in relation to two of the short stories, which you have studied, and one related text. Distinctively visual texts are often used by composers to evoke … Read more
John Cheever’s short story, “The Swimmer,” was first published in 1964, and because of its popularity, a film was produced that told the story on the silver screen. The author, John Cheever, was born on May 27 1912 in Quincy, Massachusetts and began writing at the age of seventeen after being expelled from Thayer Academy. … Read more
In all actions and thoughts, Howard Roark never relinquishes his integrity: the central, guiding component of his life that Rand stresses is of utmost importance for any moral life. Roark maintains this integrity in the face of numerous challenges in his career that attempt to force him to compromise the guiding principle of his work: … Read more
When reading any work of fiction, it is highly important to consider what the themes of that particular story might be. The theme expresses the main purpose of the fictional work to the audience and essentially has some type of meaning. Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Flannery O’Conner both demonstrate in their works, “A Very Old … Read more
Ernest Hemingways, “Hills Like White Elephants,” is discussed by many people because of the way that Hemingway used dialogue that contained a lack of descriptions, unidentified characters, and barely any narration to convey the short storys meaning. In this case, the reader is required to read between the lines. In this short story, one can … Read more
Fannie Poteet sat cross-legged on her Uncle John’s front porch; her favorite rag doll clutched under one arm. The late afternoon sun shone through the leaves of the giant oak tree, casting its flickering light on the cabin. This golden motion of light entranced the child and she sat with her face turned upward, as … Read more
During the nineteenth century, two paralleling movements, Romanticism and Gothicism, intrigued many authors, leading them to use these styles in their works. An author named, Washington Irving, reflected both of these movements in his writing with a strong focus on the Romantic style. “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and “Rip Van Winkle” were two of … Read more
When a reader reads a short story they need to pay attention because even the smallest of details are important. This proves to be true due to analysis of the surroundings of the characters and how they react to them. In Ernest Hemingway’s short story “Hills Like White Elephants,” the main conflict is a man … Read more
Symbols are everywhere, embodying meanings larger than life. One can find symbolism in music, literature, and even in decoration! They play huge roles in specific themes or emotions in certain situations. In “Masque of the Red Death”, by Edgar Allan Poe, death is personified, terror reigns, and tragedy strikes, as he tells a short tale … Read more
The mood and tone to any well written story is essential, and without both devices, a story would not be as engaging as it could be. Often in stories, mood and tone are developed by diction, or the word choice that the author uses to help the readers define the feelings and emotions of the … Read more
Why does the mental health of the woman in The Yellow Wallpaper, written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, seem to deteriorate throughout the entirety of the short story? The woman does not seem to be very ill; but, as time progresses, it can be assumed that her state of mind is slowly worsening. While her husband, … Read more
Flannery O’Connor is a brilliant writer who constructs stories that most readers can easily relate to. O’Connor is known mostly for the religious views used throughout her short stories, but she routinely uses an abundance of other themes to convey messages and lessons to readers. Although her short stories consist of diverse characters who have … Read more
Because people only live once, they desire a happy and successful life, in other words, a “good life. ” To complete this goal of a good life, a majority of society will do nearly everything possible to be comfortable and be happy. The extremes, which people go to in order to achieve what they think … Read more
Southern Gothicism and Dark Romanticism Since the Southern Gothic movement in literature was originated in late 18th and early 19th century, it shares some similarities with Dark Romanticism such as death, decay, and toxic relationships; however, Southern Gothicism is a genre of literature that has a very distinctive style of writing. In other words, while … Read more
Published in 1941, “A Worn Path” was written in a time of great moral decline as WWII, the Holocaust, and civil rights for AfricanAmericans were all major issues. After being inspired by an old African-American lady she saw walking on the Natchez Trace, Eudora Welty wrote “A Worn Path” to remind the world of human … Read more
“… they got enough to put up with. ‘ [he said. ] I was surprised. I don’t surprise easy. ‘But that ain’t fair,’ I said finally. When the [expletive] did you start expecting anything to be fair? ‘ he asked. He didn’t sound bitter, only a little bit curious;” modern author S. E. Hinton, like … Read more
The House on Mango Street written by Sandra Cisneros emerges as a piece of literary mastery demonstrated through the multilevel narration and celebration of subjective representation. The author utilizes the unusual practice of thorough weaving of the tapestry containing the main character’s opinions and cognitive processes that exist within the matrix of three levels of … Read more
“But Fatima thought wretched years should be rounded out by a few good one, which she had yet to have” (72) Boo continues to characterize Fatima by showing the reader that she is slightly superstitious and believes in the balancing of life’s fair and unfair events. “… the rain came down like nails. ” (73) … Read more
“Things are rough all over”, think the greasers and Socs based on their situation. Mostly, the Greasers. The main character and narrator, Ponyboy thinks that the greasers have it rough. Because, they are poor. And based on Ponyboy’s conversation with cherry from the Socs, cherry said “we have troubles you’ve never even heard of “Which … Read more
Reflections That Show the Hidden Truth The use of reflections is common in pieces of literature so that authors can incorporate hidden meaning behind simple actions in their works. For example the eyes are commonly known as the windows to the soul making the simple action of looking into another’s eyes much more complicated in … Read more
In “The Lottery”, by Shirley Jackson, and “The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas”, by Ursula LeGuin, the two authors give the idea of sacrifice and that it is the only way to happiness. Through comparing and contrasting, the reader will see the ways in which the two societies go about sacrifice and how it … Read more
Townie Derrick wakes up. The hangover clings to his skull, his heart, which seems like it’s barely working this morning as he rolls off of Tim’s couch and searches wildly around the living room for that glass of water he could have sworn he filled, set beside his sleeping place for when he woke up. … Read more
In school there are always those that do not understand, but get passing grades. In Mary Sherry’s essay In Praise of the F Word she talks about the topic in more depth. The essay talks about how the American school system you get passed along without any consideration about your pace and skill level. She … Read more
34 years post-plague, Vasquez Landholdings, Southern Texas, fall of 2073 “Hey Giana, guess what? I’m going to give you a spanking! ” “What for? I’ll tell on you! ” “No one likes a tattletale and everyone knows that the birthday girl gets spankings on her birthday. ” Crossing her arms and shaking her head, looking … Read more
As Esperanza stared at Mama through her tears, she wondered if life would ever be the same as it once was. “No se preocupe,” whispered Abuelita, ” It’s going to be okay. ” Esperanza knew that Abuelita was just trying to get her to feel better, but she wanted to believe her. Later that night, … Read more
“Yay! ” I said when I got the goldfish. There were 2 of them. “I want to hold it, too. ” my sister said, politely. I was 8 years old at that time; so, I didn’t know that having fish was the worst idea EVER. We were in Alhambra, LA, and there was a fair. … Read more
The Turn of The Screw is a recurring concept throughout the story as sort of a motif, it is a saying that is repeated to gain your attention and make you question how it fits in the story. Not only is this meant to grab your attention but it is repeated at crucial parts in … Read more
The short story “A rose for Emily” published in 1930 by William Faulkner focuses on the life of Emily Grierson, a woman who is from a rich family and, now has to deal with her loneliness after her father’s death. Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” is a complex and dark story that keeps readers guessing … Read more
W. W. Jacobs wrote “The monkey’s paw” a very eerie that shows how one choice can change your life forever. In the story Mr. White plays a father who makes some unwise decisions. One night a normal family was talking to a sergeant while playing a game of chess. Everything was going well until they … Read more
How can someone else’s choices affect your life and the way you might live? It would be nice if we did not have to worry about anything where there was nothing wrong and everything went your way. Although we live in a world that we do not always get what we want. These struggles are … Read more
My person is Elijah. Elijah was a prophet during the reign of Ahab around 9th century BC. He was also a wonder-worker in the northern kingdom of Israel. First Adversity There was a Tishbite named Elijah, the Lord told him that to go hide by a stream and he did so. Everyday morning ravens will … Read more
Under enormous pressure, coal is able to transform into diamonds. In Alan Moore’s graphic novel V for Vendetta, Evey Hammond goes under a unique transformation, modeled after V’s traumatic experiences. By her twelfth birthday, she lost both of her parents. Subsequently, she had to provide for herself, causing her to grow in some ways and … Read more
In a cave full of many riches there is something special. It is something that every human wishes they can have for themselves. It is known as the Amethysts Key, it is called this because it is a key that has a hint of purple on the bottom of it. When someone comes into possession … Read more
