Free essays on books are academic papers that analyze various aspects of literature such as the plot, characters, themes, motifs, symbols, and literary devices used by authors to convey their messages. These essays can be found online and cover a wide range of literary genres including fiction, non-fiction, poetry, drama, and biographies. They offer insights into the literary techniques employed by authors, the cultural and historical contexts that inform their work, and the relevance of these texts to contemporary audiences. Students, researchers, and avid readers can use these essays as study materials, examples for their own writing, or sources of inspiration for their literary analysis.
“The Fall of the House of Usher”: A Haunting Tale of Madness and Decay
The eerie and suspenseful "The Fall of the House of Usher," a Gothic classic by Edgar Allan Poe, examines themes of lunacy, decay, and the strength of the human soul. This short tale, which was first published in 1839, never ceases to enthrall readers with its moody backdrop and psychological nuance. An unidentified protagonist who gets a traumatic letter from his boyhood buddy Roderick Usher tells the tale. The narrator hurries to the Usher house, a dilapidated and abandoned building…...
The Fall Of The House Of Usher
“A Raisin in the Sun”: Aspirations, Struggles, and Triumphs of the American Dream
Lorraine Hansberry's timeless play, "A Raisin in the Sun," first premiered on Broadway in 1959, and since then, it has become a classic of American literature. Set in the 1950s, the play delves into the struggles and dreams of the Younger family, an African-American family living in a cramped apartment on the south side of Chicago. "A Raisin in the Sun" explores themes of racial discrimination, family dynamics, and the pursuit of the elusive American Dream. The play revolves around…...
A Raisin In The Sun
“A Peoples History of the United States”: Unveiling the Untold Narratives
"A People's History of the United States," authored by Howard Zinn, stands as a revolutionary work that challenges traditional historical narratives and provides a fresh perspective on the history of the United States. First published in 1980, this thought-provoking book offers an alternative account of the country's past, highlighting the struggles, triumphs, and contributions of ordinary individuals, often marginalized or overlooked by mainstream historical accounts. The central premise of "A People's History of the United States" is to present history…...
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“The New Jim Crow”: Mass Incarceration and Racial Injustice
"The New Jim Crow," authored by Michelle Alexander, is a seminal and intellectually stimulating literary work that delves into the phenomenon of mass imprisonment inside the United States and its consequential effects on marginalized groups, particularly those of color. In her analysis, Alexander draws a noteworthy comparison between the contemporary criminal justice system and the historical Jim Crow laws, which were responsible for enforcing racial segregation in the past. Through this juxtaposition, she makes a persuasive case about the continuance…...
Books
The Lesson: A Stark Look at Socioeconomic Disparity by Toni Cade Bambara
"The Lesson" by Toni Cade Bambara is a poignant short story that paints a stark picture of economic disparity, social injustice, and the challenging process of awakening to inequality. This tale, narrated by a young, spirited girl named Sylvia, takes us on a transformative journey, revealing how a simple excursion can illuminate the deep-rooted divisions in our society.The story unfolds in a poor neighborhood in Harlem, where a group of children led by Miss Moore, a college-educated woman, venture out…...
The Lesson
Celie: The Blossoming Flower of ‘The Color Purple’
"The Color Purple", the celebrated novel by Alice Walker, introduces readers to an enduring character, Celie, a resilient African-American woman whose heartrending journey from oppression to liberation forms the book's core narrative. This profound exploration of her character provides readers a window into the struggles, strength, and spirit of African-American women in the early 20th century American South.From the outset, Celie's life is marked by hardship and cruelty. As a young teenager, she is subjected to unthinkable abuse from the…...
The Color Purple
The Civil War in Sierra Leone in 1991 in the Novel A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah
The novel A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah, is basically a description of the civil war in Sierra Leone, occurring in 1991. The twist is that the author (Beah) was 12 years old when he was officially “touched by the war"(6) in 1993, being forced to give up his childhood in order to survive the war. Until Beah gets into the army, fighting against the ‘Rebels’, his life seems only to get worse. When Beah begins to be rehabilitated…...
A Long Way GoneHealthMental HealthPsychology
A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah
In A Long Way Gone, Ishmael Beah‘s story of being a boy soldier in Sierra Leone are told, He goes from a scared child, to a feared soldier, wielding weapons made to kill, to a spokesperson to another civilian in just another war. He loses his family and friends, makes more and loses them too. Ishmael paints a gruesome image of a war without a cause, save for revenge. Ishmael’s story begins when be, his brother Junior, and their friends…...
A Long Way GoneMilitaryWar
A Reflection on A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah
In A Long Way Gone, Ishmael Beah narrates his own personal account of enduring the pain and anguish of living through man’s most virulent habit. wan Living as a peaceful child in a belligerent world, Ishmael's life of poverty did not affect his affection for American music and aspiration to be in a hip-hop group. Ignorant of the civil turmoil occurring in Central Africa, Ishmael was left unguarded against what would be the most unbearable perils and trials of his…...
A Long Way GoneEthicsPsychologySocial Psychology
A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah
In A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah. we are able to see the different aspects of family life along With the relationships that oneself makes with those close to them. Beah shows how one persons life can be influenced and changed by the people they surround them selves With. Webster dictionary states that family means a group of indivrduals livmg under one roof and usually under one head. This is evrdent iri Beahs story as we see how the…...
A Long Way GoneHopePsychology
The Qualities of the Characters in The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston
In The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston, qualities portrayed by various characters represent the same qualities necessary in a woman warrior, Brave Orchid and the Quiet Girl serve as foils to each other to help distinguish individual distinct traits. The qualities of a woman warrior are independence, and mental strength. and to have an assertive personality. The true definition of a woman warrior is displayed throughout the stories of Brave Orchid and the Quiet Girl, Independence is a large…...
CulturePsychologyThe Woman Warrior
Woman Warrior, a Book by Maxine Hong Kingston
Marine Kingston’s memoir, The Woman Warrior: Memories ofa GirlhoodAmong Ghosts, integrates Kingston‘s life experiences in cahoots with spoken stories that entail Chinese history, myths, and beliefs. The feminist autobiography, more specifically the “No Name Woman" chapter, underlies the issues of sexism in early Chinese culture. Sexism is defined as “attitudes or behavior based on traditional stereotypes of sexual rolesi” Through the dichotomy of myth and reality, Kingston reveals the Chinese tradition of male dominance and female oppression. Kingston‘s use of…...
CultureGenderSexismThe Woman Warrior
The Effects of the Time Period and Culture on the Writing Style Present in Maxine Hong Kingston’s The Woman Warrior
The purpose of Genre Crossing: Kingston's The Woman Warrior and its Discursive Community is to show the different way to analyze any text in a demeanor that is both sensitive in a political and cultural aspect. The author focuses on The Woman Warrior, as an example of how the time period and the culture heavily influenced the writing of the author’s writing style and the themes that are recurring in the novel. Kingston alludes to ideas such as Chinese American…...
CommunicationCulturePoliticsThe Woman Warrior
The Girl in the Book The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston
Even when faced with physical and verbal abuse, the silent girl in “A Song for a Barbarian Reed Pipe” refused to speak, By this act, the silent girl is the most sympathetic character in The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston Asian children, especially daughters, have a tendency to listen to their parents and do not dare to retort or fight back, “I reached up and took the fatty part of her cheek, not dough, but meat, between my thumb…...
CulturePoliticsSocial PsychologyThe Woman Warrior
A Critique of The Woman Warrior, a Book by Maxine Hong Kingston
What is a warrior? By definition, a warrior is a person who shows or has shown great vigor, courage, or aggressiveness We typically do not think of women when we hear the word ”warrior“ but many of the women in The Woman Warrior have these qualities. In the book, Maxine Hong Kingston writes about her experiences as a first» generation Chinese girl growing up in America, Maxine struggles to find her own identity in a culture where girls are expected…...
CourageCultureFictionThe Woman Warrior
The Troubled Relationship Between Kingston and Brave Orchid in The Woman Warrior, a Memoir by Maxine Hong Kingston
In Maxine Hong Kingston‘s memoir, The Woman Warrior, the author Kingston has a troubled relationship with her mother Brave Orchid. The memoir takes place during the Vietnam War when Chinese Americans are being discriminated against in America. Kingston, a California born Chinese American, is trying to fit in with the rest of the boys and girls her age. However, Kingston’s mother, A Chinese immigrant, believes it‘s important to incorporate traditional Chinese traditions to the American lifestyle Kingston and Brave Orchid…...
CultureMotherSocial PsychologyThe Woman Warrior
Symbolism of Characters’ Personalities in “Young Goodman Brown”
Within the "Young Goodman Brown" story, Nathaniel Hawthorne employs symbolism to highlight the personalities of various characters. For example, a certain character named Faith campaigns for religious purity. The name ‘Faith’ thus symbolizes the Godly inclination of its beareri Likewise, a certain unnamed man carries a snake-shaped walking stick Given that this character persuades Brown to attend a devilish meeting, the snake-shaped walking stick has symbolic meaning; this walking stick reflects the evil inclination of its bearer. This essay analyses…...
FaithReligionYoung Goodman Brown
The Conflict of Good and Evil in Young Goodman Brown by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Nathaniel Hawthorne draws on his puritanical upbringing in the story Young Goodman Brown. His familiarity with Puritans and the Salem Witch Trials probably inspired the underlying religious theme of the story. Although the story can be construed as the descent of man from Christian purity to evil as reflected by Goodman Brown being seduced by the devil, one may feel that much of the story revolves around the idea of the conflict between good and evil. In this story there…...
ChristianityCultureReligionYoung Goodman Brown
Hell in Young Goodman Brown and That Feeling You Can Only Say What It Is in French
American Gothic literature has an affinity for the dark side of human nature, but in over two centuries of writing, the vices discussed vary, reflecting the experiences of the era and beliefs of the era, A classic example of this dichotomy can be found when comparing Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman Brown,” published in 1835, and Stephen King’s “That Feeling You Can Only Say What It is in French,” written in 1998i In their writing, Hawthorne and King explore different forms…...
CultureReligionYoung Goodman Brown
Dark Storylines in Young Goodman Brown by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Nathaniel Hawthorne presents many dark themes in his short stories and novels In his work “Young Goodman Brown" -- dark spirits, visions, imagery, afterlife, and character names are utilized to support the story’s theme Nathaniel Hawthorne contradicts the names of characters in the tale, Without the use of these names, the chain of events would not be as suspenseful and influential, Hawthorne uses names, such as Faith, to connect belief in God to Goodman Brown, If this allegory were not…...
CulturePhilosophyReligionYoung Goodman Brown
Devil Statement in Young Goodman Brown by Nathaniel Hawthorne
This story by Nathaniel Hawthorne called, “Young Goodman Brown" is a faithful religious story that really test his faith. The story has major characters that have meaning to this story. Even some characters are symbolizing faith, the devil, and followers of the devil. The devil plays mind tricks on Young Goodman Brown to steal his faith away, Young Goodman starts to believe what the devil is saying about where the cruelest of evil resides in the hearts of all man.…...
FaithTheologyYoung Goodman Brown
A View on The Young Goodman Brown by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Young Goodman Brown" is presented as an allegory of the peril innate of one’s decisions not following his heart and the cause and effect of Young Goodman Brown’s decision to take the wrong road. Hawthorne’s use of symbolism is obvious throughout this story. Perfect examples of symbolism begin with Hawthorne’s use of Goodman’s wife Faith representing his religion, use of scenery to symbolize the mood setting and, sunset, light, the darkness of the woods, Young Goodman Brown…...
CultureFaithReligionYoung Goodman Brown
John Rosemond’s View on Self Esteem How It Feels To Be Colored Me in the Article Living With Children
In the article “Living with Children,” by John Rosemond he talks about self-esteem and how it works, He mentions in the article how people with high self-esteem usually have low value for people because they care too much about themselves. He proves this when he says, “people with high regard for themselves have equally low regards for others.” (Rosemond 1) He also talks about how humble people pay attention to others and look for any opportunities to help. He then…...
HealthHow It Feels To Be Colored MeHumilityPsychology
The Concept How It Feels To Be Colored Me of Stereotypes in American Culture
Stereotypes are common in American culture they infiltrate society and serve to alienate a people. Daily, people are cast into a group because of their skin color, clothing, accent, or family background. Although stereotypes are sometimes hurtful. one might argue that they are often founded in truth. A stereotype is generally an extreme or radical characterization of a group or of an individual. Matt Groening's 5 Family Portrait of the Simpsons reveals a great deal about stereotypes Within American culture.…...
ClothingDrawingHow It Feels To Be Colored Me
Annotated Bibliography of Zora Neale Hurston How It Feels To Be Colored Me
For my research paper I plan to focus on Zora Neale Hurston‘s essay How it Feels to be Colored me and Langston Hughes‘ essay Bop to look closer into African American lives during the Harlem Renaissance With using these two authors, I plan to address the issues of cultural identity, and if Hurston or Hughes had any bias in writing the essays that they did. I plan to answer the research question, “What was it like to be black in…...
CultureHarlem RenaissanceHow It Feels To Be Colored Me
Realizing Reality in How It Feels to Be Coloured Me by Zora Neal Hurston
At what moment in our childhood do we realize the real from the fantasy? Now a day the differences aren't as harsh as they were in the earlier times but they are still evident. For a simple example, once a child turns about 5 they realize that Santa Claus does not exist. Back in the day it was harsher like you realize that because your skin is darker, you won't be afforded simple things like education. How much does your…...
CultureEducationHow It Feels To Be Colored Me
An Examination of Zora Hurston’s How It Feels to Be Colored Me
Perhaps one of the most profound pieces of African American short story literature is Zora Hurstons' How It Feels to Be Colored Me. In the conclusion of her short story, Hurston depicts her own life experiences through the personification of a brown bag and its contents. To detail my life through the mere contents of a paper bag is a difficult task, however. I am a Simple man among many, trying not to drown in an ocean of complexity more…...
CultureHow It Feels To Be Colored MeOppression
Racial Identity in How It Feels To Be Colored Me by Zora Neale Hurston
Zora Neale Hurston’s autobiographical short story, “How It Feels To Be Colored Me" is a piece that uncovers the complexity of racial identity through the eyes of an African American woman in the 1920’s Hurston rejected the perceived idea that blacks were disadvantaged and refused to be part of “the sobbing school of Negrohood”. Instead, Hurston celebrates her cultural identity and uniqueness with an unwavering enthusiasm for life and the understanding that all races are cut from the same cloth…...
CultureHarlem RenaissanceHow It Feels To Be Colored MeMusic
The Theme of Naturalism in The Open Boat by Stephen Crane
In Stephen Crane‘s short story The Open Boat, the crew of a tragically small dinghy attempt to maintain their humanity and assert the significance of their existence as they are subjected to the cruel indifference of the sea that threatens their lives Crane’s poem above, titled A Man Said to the Universe, expresses the very human fear that nature and fate have no regard for human life, a concept that Crane presents likewise in his short story through the use…...
EmpathyMindPhilosophyThe Open Boat
A Comparison of Song of Myself by Walt Whitman and The Open Boat by Stephen Crane
One of the most common ideas explored in literature is man‘s connection to the universe. Both Walt Whitman’s Song ofMyseIfand Stephen Crane’s The Open Boat examine how man is connected to nature and the universe, but they take different stances on this subject. While Song of Myself is largely concerned with the idea that all people have some sort of deep connection to the universe, The Open Boat expresses the opposite opinion; The Open Boat is about man‘s insignificance in…...
CulturePhilosophyPsychologyThe Open Boat
The Personal Experiences of Stephen Crane in the Book, The Open Boat
The Open Boat is a very raw and vivid story based on Stephen Crane’s personal experience of which is believed to be very similar. Perhaps this is why it is written so well, because this is something from his heart, something that he knows first-hand One of the labels that coins this work is the term naturalism; and with good reason as naturalism is used to describe an accurate depiction of reality Most believe that the Open Boat is just…...
ExperiencePhilosophyPsychologyThe Open Boat
A Glimpse of the Power of Nature in Stephen Crane’s The Open Boat
Nature is known to play significant roles in Stephen Crane’s “The Open Boat”; it leaves a major impact on the lives and survival of the four main characters. Throughout the story, the characters’ lives are threatened after a shipwreck and seem to attribute their horrible experiences to nature. The author also uses language to suggest that nature can be a fifth character in the story meant to lead the group to their failure. The characters have a pessimistic view of…...
ExperienceNatureThe Open Boat
Stories “The Open Boat” by Stephen Crane and “The Secret Sharer” by Joseph Conrad
The compelling sea stories “The Open Boat" by Stephen Crane, and “The Secret Sharer” by Joseph Conrad, are about men on the open water experiencing a journey they are not properly equipped fort. The captain in “The Secret Sharer” is a very different character than the captain in “The Open Boat.” The captain of “The Secret Sharer” has characteristics more closely related to those of the correspondent than he does to the captain of “The Open Boats” He is out…...
FictionLonelinessThe Open BoatUniverse
Forces Beyond Our Control: Comparing and Contrasting “The Lottery” and “The Open Boat”
For most humans there is always a struggle about one'5 personal fate and their own mortality; especially with extremely random circumstances, camaraderie between individual participants experiencing the same thing, and the human quality of trying to understand a reason why things happen. In The Open Boat by Stephen Crane and Shirley Jackson's The Lottery, the reader can see each character individually and collectively struggle with their mortality and the concept of fate. Although The Open Boat character’s fate has mostly…...
DestinyThe LotteryThe Open BoatThought
A Comparative Analysis of The Interlopers by Saki and The Third Day of the Wolf by Edwin Morgan
The story The lnterlopers, is about two men fighting over a strip of land, Ulrich von Gradwitz was the owner of the land. Georg Znaeym was the intruder. For many years these two families have never gotten along. By the end of the story, both men realize the they were both fighting over petty things. They really didnt have a good reason to hate each other, So, as they were both forgive each other for the many years of hatred,…...
FictionLiteratureThe Interlopers
A Discussion on the A Jury Of Her Peers Sensationalism in the Media Being a Blessing in Disguise
American news media only focused on broad global issues and important international news, the news would be boring, and ratings would plummet. To the dismay of news purists, TV news media often report on human interest stories or more exciting and shocking news in order to keep ratings up. But critics of news media should not be so upset when ratings are put before pure news because so-called “sensationalism” in media is a blessing in disguise, Stories that boost ratings…...
A Jury Of Her PeersCriminal LawJury
A Subordination of Women in A Jury Of Her Peers the 19th and 20th Century Literature
In both The Yellow Wallpaper by Gilman and A Jury of Her Peers by Susan Glaspell, the main characters, women, are considered almost second-class. “‘Martha!’ now came her husband's impatient voice. ‘Don't keep folks waiting out here in the cold,” (Glaspell) Martha’s husband is demanding of her and does not give her any choice in the matter of whether or not she gets to clean up the house before she is rushed out. Her husband had made the decision to…...
A Jury Of Her PeersCultureSocial Psychology
The Theme A Jury Of Her Peers of Law in Triffles, a Play by Susan Glaspell
Trifles is a play that revolves around the law, Written by Susan Glaspell, a prominent leader of the American feminist movement, it highlights the gender biases within the law and the need for a fair jury in any case. A subsequent short story of Glaspell’s was published in 1917; it was based on Trifles and was appropriately entitled, A Jury of Her Peers. The term, “trifles”, has an important role in law, referenced to in the phrase, de minimis non…...
A Jury Of Her PeersGender EqualityJusticeSocial Issues
Susan Glaspell Story A Jury of Her Peers
In Susan Glaspell short story, "AJury of Her Peers," the role of men and women is distinctly realized. In the time period Susan Glaspell wrote this short story, 1917, the roles of men and women were defined. Kitchen and household work was woman's work and field work and working outside of the home was a man's job. In this time period. also. women were not encouraged to educate themselves, they were thought of as weak and unable to handle the…...
A Jury Of Her PeersFictionLiteratureLoneliness
A Report on the Story of A Jury of Her Peers by Susan Glaspell
As Mr. Peters stated, the murder of Mr. Wright is "queer” in "AJury of Her Peers" by Susan Glaspell. Mr. Wright is found strangled in his own bed by his own rope. Mrs. Wright claimed she is asleep beside him but never woke. "I sleep sound," she says. There were no signs of forced entry into the Wright home. The motive for the murder is uncertain creating a deeper investigation. Afound motive would condemn Mrs. Wright, creating lustice for the…...
A Jury Of Her PeersJuryPsychology
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