Essays on Literature

Free essays on literature refer to the writing pieces that are available to everyone online without any charges. These essays can cover a wide range of literary topics, such as the analysis of a character or a theme in a novel, a review of a poem or a play, or an interpretation of a literary movement. They can be written by students, scholars, or literary enthusiasts, and can offer diverse perspectives and insights into the world of literature. Free essays on literature can be useful for those interested in learning more about a specific literary work or genre or for those seeking inspiration for their own writing.
Epic Fantasy A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin
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A Song of and Fire is an epic fantasy comprised of five books, with seven ultimately planned for the complete series. The first volume, titled A Game of Thrones, is followed by A Clash of Kings. A Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crows, and a Dance with Dragons. The events of ASOIAF take place in a vast world spanning continents and islands each with its own mountains, rivers, and forests, and histories. The complexity of Planets (as fans like…...
A Song of Ice and FireCultureMasculinityPolitics
History of the Battle of Thermopylae
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Modern comforts have removed the calluses from strong working hands. The same hands that built empires are occupied by devices designed to do the same process without the work. Humans used to be builders. People love their high-speed internet but forget the struggles which led up to that achievement. Humans used to fight wars face to face, brothers standing together, spines straight like spears. 300 Spartans defended the gates of Thermopylae from hordes of invading Persians. The Persians with an…...
Battle Of ThermopylaeLiteratureMilitaryMotivation
The Impact of Rachel Scott’s Death in Rachel’s Tears
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In the biography, Rachel’s Tears by Beth Nimmo and Darrell Scott describes the events that led up to Rachel Scott’s horrible death and how it affected thousands of people around the world. Narrated by her parents, this book shows that standing up for your beliefs may cost you something, but the cost (in this case) was the only choice Rachel Scott had. As a high school student, Rachel Scott struggled like any other normal teenager temptations were all around her,…...
BullyingFictionLiteratureTears
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Prejudice, Dreams, and Maturity in Two Novels
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The House on Mango Street, written by Sandra Cisneros, and Bless Me Ultima, written by Rudolfo Anaya, have very similar themes within the novels. The House on Mango Street, which is about a young Mexican-American girl named Esperanza, and Bless Me Ultima, which is about the maturation of a young Mexican-American boy named Antonio, both deal with severe prejudice, fulfilling dreams, and growing up, Severe prejudice is quite apparent throughout both novels. In The House on Mango Street, there are…...
CultureFictionLiteratureMango
Book The Bite of the Mango by Mariatu Kamara and Susan McClelland
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During the Civil War between 1991 and 2004, Sierra Leone, located in the western horn of Africa had their own little war going on. Rebels were attacking local villages and injuring/killing residents in the villages. The rebels wanted a new government, one that didn’t give money to the refugees, and they were determined to get it at whatever cost. The rebels also wanted to gain control of all the diamond mines located in Sierra Leone. The men in this ‘tribe’…...
ChildFictionMangoRape
The Morals of the Story in A Poison Tree, a Poem by William Blake
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“A Poison Tree” is a poem written by William Blake, and it describes aspects of wrath. The first stanza states that if you keep your wrath a secret, it will deteriorate. The writer explains it in a common scenario, which has probably occurred to most people. In the second stanza, the writer explains how his wrath grows in an extended metaphor, which basically means that he compares wrath to a tree in a series of sentences throughout the poem/stanza.  The…...
EthicsLiteraturePhilosophyPoison
The Poison as a Symbol of Love in Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
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“Romeo and Juliet” by William Shakespeare is a tragic play about Romeo, a Montague, and Juliet, a Capulet, who fall in love with each other, but discover that they are meant to be enemies. This state between the families results in the death of these lovers, ironically ending the fetid between the two households Poison is present in several scenes of the play, such as Juliet taking the mixture to escape her marriage and Romeo requesting for a vital to…...
DramaFictionPoisonRomeo And Juliet
Poison by Roald Dahl: The Poison of Fear
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The story ”Poison" by Roald Dahl shows how the poison of fear can seep inside of one and torment one's mind Just like poison, fear can come from anything, varying from bad luck to death. In this story, Harry's mind tricks him into believing that while he was reading, he ' saw this little krait slide out of [his] pajamas Harry was already preoccupied late at night with a book before he "saw" the snake, so there's a good chance…...
FictionLiteratureMindPoison
Verbal Irony or Verbal Sarcasm
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In their research, Abercrombie and Hovy touch upon a very interesting topic involving Twitter data sentiment analysis and sarcasm. As we all know, verbal irony or verbal sarcasm is not very difficult to detect as it is usually coupled with intensified/different tonal stress, hand and other gestures (eye roll), as well as the use of positive words to describe negative occurrences and exaggeration. On the other hand, written sarcasm cannot be detected so easily. In their study, Abercrombie and Hovy…...
IronyLearningStatisticsTechnology
Real Life Irony
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I choose symbolism because i feel it is one of the most important tools as well as the rest of the devices i’ll be using in this presentation. The reason i feel this way is because symbolism is an important device that has an role to play in every story.Definition- the expression of one’s meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect Example-the baby beat up his dad and put him in a…...
IronyLanguageLiteratureReason
Irony in Novel’s Main Idea
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Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations follows the story of a boy who helps out a criminal and lives with his decision and his choice of deceit, while his great expectations carry him through his childhood. Pip lives in a small cottage with his sister who raises him under her stubborn, selfish rule, taking the role of a mother. Pip’s family belongs to the lower spectrum of the middle class, which later encourages Pip to better himself in order to improve his…...
ChildFictionIronyLiterature
Irony to Stop And Think About What Was Said
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Have you ever expected anything to happen but the total opposite happened? This is called irony. Authors use irony to make readers stop and think about what has been said. James Thurber and Liam O'Flaherty's purpose for using irony in “The Princess and the Tin box” and “The Sniper” was to bring an unexpected turn of events. James Thurbers purpose for using irony in “The Princess and the Tin box” is to entertain the reader. For instance, when the princess…...
CultureFictionIronyLiterature
The Key Role of Irony in John Updike’s Pygmalion and Robert Fox’s A Fable
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In “Pygmalion“ by John Updike, irony plays a critical role in deciphering the thoughts of the Pygmalion. Initially he is married to Marguerite, who bores him to some extent, always falling asleep right when they got to bed and enjoying his nightly back rubs. The one thing Pygmalion does enjoy about Marguerite is her impressions, which she expertly performs after the couple return from outings. Particularly, Marguerite imitates Gwen, not knowing that she is secretly having an affair with Pygmalion.…...
FictionIronyLiteratureWriting
A Literary Analysis of William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 130
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Shakespeare's sonnet 130 is part of the "Dark Lady" sonnets in which the speaker describes a woman he's in love with. In Sonnet 130, the poet compares the beauty of his lover to the traditional beauty standards that are typically written about during this time, things such as red lips, fair skin, and rosy cheeks. In the second stanza he goes on to describe that he loves the sound of her voice, but knows that music sounds better, and that…...
SonnetSonnet 130William Shakespeare
The Use of Hopeless Diction and Repetition to Portray Insecurities in Sonnet 29
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In Shakespeare's gloomy poem, "Sonnet 29," the speaker depressingly talks about his feelings of being an outcast through the use of hopeless diction and repetition, while portraying his insecurity around the people he envies. Through the use of a simile, the defeated tone shifts to a lighter tone when he is reminded of someone he loves, conveying that love is a powerful force that can bring someone who is having a hard time out of the dark. The speaker begins…...
PsychologySonnetWilliam Shakespeare
The Longing for a Woman in Sonnet 97, a Poem by William Shakespeare
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In Sonnet 97, Shakespeare's longing and separation from a women can be measured by the cold depressing times of winter, even though they are apart during the summer. Summer is winter without her and every pleasure is ultimately a sorrow. Shakespeare's Sonnet puts anyone in his shoes to show how much he misses a women. The speaker is a male adult and speaks in a tone of longing and depression throughout the first 8 lines. This tone changes to a…...
PoemsSonnetWilliam Shakespeare
A Critique of Sonnet 71 by William Shakespeare
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One of Shakespeare's Sonnets, Sonnet 71 is a bit of a dreadful poem which he really explains his feelings towards being dead. Shakespeare tries to tell his friends and family that they shall not worry when he is gone. Never forget him when he is gone and don't act like the other deaths and overreact. The poem starts off with the line saying "No longer mourn me when I am dead." Shakespeare is trying to say don't talk about me…...
PoetrySonnetWilliam Shakespeare
The Theme of Betrayal in The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner
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William Faulkner's The Sound and The Fury depicts multiple betrayals from family members. These betrayals eventually result in the downfall of the Compson family and the family name. In the novel, the entire Compson family betrays Caddy by disowning her. As soon as Caddy starts fooling around and having sex with Dalton Ames, her family refuses to speak to her. The Compsons, a traditional southern family, help Caddy, but only for their own purposes. Mother tries to find Caddy a…...
FictionLiteratureThe Sound And The Fury
Quentin Compson in The Sound and the Fury
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Quentin senses the lofty shadow that his ancestors cast on him, recognizing the present as an even more pathetic version of the past. Faulkner uses shadows to open Quentin's meditation of time as a critical and destructive agent in his life. From the onset of his day, his ability to decipher time using the location of shadows indicates his extreme fixation on time. To Quentin, his mornings serve as a rude awakening of his obsessions and insecurities. He describes that…...
CulturePsychologyThe Sound And The Fury
A Literary Analysis of the Novel The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner
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The Decent into Madness: A Character Analysis of The Sound and the Fury "Life's... a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing." (Shakespeare lines 24-28). This quote inspired the title for William Faulkner's novel The Sound and the Fury. In this narrative, Faulkner brilliantly uses the Stream-of- Consciousness style to tell a story centered on the decay of a Southern family, a recurring theme among his works. Critics and readers alike refer to this novel…...
Novels
Gender Role Defiance in The Sound and the Fury
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The Sound And The Fury is a brilliant novel of chaos, tragedy, loss, and search for love. Mr. and Mrs. Compson live in Mississippi with their four children, Quentin, Candace (Caddy), Jason, and Benjamin (Benjy). The novel takes place in the early twentieth century where lots of changes are occurring in the South, one of the most prominent changes being that of gender roles. Gender roles are simply the roles and attributes that are stereotypically placed with a specific gender.…...
Gender RolesPsychologyThe Sound And The Fury
Conscious Present in The Sound and the Fury
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No matter how rich, or how poor one is, there is one thing that no one in the world can afford to lose as there is no way to get it back. Time. No matter how much you dwell on the past or live in the present, the future is always looming, ready to crash upon you when you least expect it. This idea is prevalent in "The Sound and the Fury". With so much talk of the past and…...
FictionThe Sound And The FuryThought
The Importance of the Trade in the Indian Ocean in the Story of Sinbad
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The story in this article was written by anonymous Arab storytellers who had told the story of Sinbad and his adventures in the Indian Ocean. The stories were legends created around the 14th century and come from folk tales of Iraq and Egypt. The story in this article is one of seven voyages that Sinbad takes, each one getting more exciting and dangerous. Sinbad was a merchant from Baghdad, and had spent a lot of money in his youth so…...
FictionOceanWater Transport
Mankind’s Greatest Fears
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All creatures in this world have their own weaknesses in certain things, which can lead to fear. Human have plenty of fear. It can be fear of insects or anything that is bizarre. Oblivion, the end of being alive or the destruction, or extinction of life, hurt, irony of life, and also love is just but few of Men's greatest fear. A state of being forgotten also known as oblivion is one of men's greatest fears. They fear it because…...
FearIronyLiterature
Shawshank vs Glory
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Two of the well known movies that were the abolishinst movement in Amerrica were Glory and The Shawshank Redemption. On the surface, the movies the shawshank redemption and glory seem to be completely different. But, as the movies upfold, it is evident that both the prisoners of Shawshank and the soldiers of the 54th Massachusetts are in search of the same thing. For the prisoners of Shashank, normalcy is freedom. For the soldiers of the 54th, normalcy is equality. In…...
FictionPrisonShawshank Redemption
Andy’s Hope in Shawshank Redemption
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The movie 'Shawshank Redemption' is a 1994 American drama film by Frank Darabont, adapted from a Stephen King's novel. The film is about Andy Dufresne, a banker who is unjustly convicted for the murder of his wife and her lover, despite his claim of innocence. The theme of the film 'Hope for Freedom and Redemption' lies in the belief that good triumphs over evil even in a place as hopeless as Shawshank. Andy managed to stay hopeful because he believes…...
HopeLiteratureShawshank Redemption
A Personal Opinion on the Style, Tone, and Imagery of Edgar Allan Poe’s Poetry
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I first heard of Edgar Allen Poe through my father, he read poetry of his and he really liked a poem called “Annabel Lee”. When he first read it to me when I was younger I thought it was a cute little love poem and that was it, I didn't think much of it. When given this assignment, I felt this was the perfect time to do something I always wanted to do and I was very excited to look…...
Annabel LeeEdgar Allan PoeLiterature
A Review of Edgar Allan Poe’s Poem on His Love for His Lost Wife, Annabel Lee
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In Poes poem he describes his love for his lost wife, Annabel Lee. He knew the love that they shared was true and everlasting because they loved without restraint. Their love was so true that the seraphs of heaven even envied them. The seraphs jealousy caused them to take the life Annabel Lee. Their attempt to extinguish the love between Poe and her only backfired. The seraphs were angry because only the heavenly things were to be perfect. Not saying…...
Annabel LeeEdgar Allan PoeLove
Explanation of Art Project Based on Annabel Lee by Edgar Allan Poe
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Edgar Allan Poe was a well-known poet and short story author. His stories were usually written about his emotions or fears. One of his most commonly known poems was "Annabel Lee" possibly written because his wife, Virginia, who died of tuberculosis. Throughout the story, you learn that the narrator's partner died, and you can see the heartwarming and unique type of love they had. Based on this, I drew the two characters' love, then having it taken away by the…...
Annabel LeeLiteraturePoetry
The Ideal Love in Annabel Lee, a Poem by Edgar Allan Poe
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The speaker's love in Annabel Lee could be a normal love. With a melancholic tone but optimistic the speaker shows an ideal love; since the beginning the speaker idealize to Annabel Lee and their love; he calls her as "maiden" exalting the beautiful of Annabel Lee throughout the poem. Moreover, the speaker talks about the beauty and purity of their love and how it was so strong that it overcame the same death. The poem is like a story in…...
Annabel LeeLovePoetry
The Element of Dark Romanticism in Edgar Allan Poe’s Annabel Lee
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"Annabel Lee" is one of the literary pieces of work done by Edgar Allan Poe in 1849 just a few months before his death. Consequently, he was an American poet, critic and editor under the American Romantic Movement concept. This poem is purely all about the beautiful romantic and painful memories of the persona. As in the poem the persona remembers his long gone love of Annabel Lee. The narrator knew Annabel Lee as a young girl in many years…...
Annabel LeeEdgar Allan PoePoetry
American in Hills Like White Elephants
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Readers often enjoy characters than they can relate to or look up to. For example, heroes and characters with good intentions are commonly found to be the readers favorites. However, characters who are insensitive or rude can also be memorable characters. In Ernest Hemingway's short story, "Hills Like White Elephants", The American is insensitive towards Jig, which makes him an unsympathetic character. In the beginning, the American is insensitive when he states his opinion about the the decision Jig must…...
Ernest HemingwayFictionHills Like White Elephants
Girl in Hemingway’s Hills Like White Elephants
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It's very telling that the female protagonist in Ernest Hemingway's "Hills Like White Elephants" is referred to as "the girl" instead of the woman. While the central conflict of the story is her pregnancy, she "has allowed herself to be guided like a child," which is why she has earned the title of "the girl" throughout the story (Renner 39). She exemplifies problematic ideals of femininity by being completely subservient and dependent on the American, like a child, or a…...
CultureHills Like White ElephantsPsychology
Symbolism in Hills Like White Elephants
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Ernest Hemingway uses the setting, symbolism, imagery, genre, tone, and the title in Hills like White Elephants to illustrate the tension that can be brought to a relationship when there is an unwanted unborn child. The setting of the story is a railroad station in a valley called the valley of Ebro in South America. You can infer the main characters are on a vacation. The couple stops at a small station bar and gets a drink while making light…...
CultureHills Like White ElephantsLiterature
Sukhanov vs Maus: Theme Comparison
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While the book The Dream Life ofSukhanov by Olga Grushin and the graphic novel MULlS by Art Spiegelman are two different stories separated by time, they share two common themes. These themes of art and trauma appear many times throughout both works of fiction, Grushin and Spiegelman compliment each others novels brilliantly in the way that by looking at one novel, you can gain a better understanding for some of the choices made in the other novel. The main character…...
ArtMausPaintingPsychology
The Different Elements of Survival in Maus, a Novel by Art Spiegelman
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Courage is always shown as the most important quality of survival, but I disagree with this statement. Survival is not always depending on one thing. What I think is, there are some important qualities, which courage is one of them. In the story of Maus by Art Spiegelman, Vladek is the main character who has shown as a survivor of World War 2. First of all, your knowledge and intelligence would be the first two things in order to survive…...
CourageIntelligenceMausPhilosophy
A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
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Studies show that the human race cannot survive without the water produced by rain. This precipitation provides the earth with not only a plentiful supply of drinking water but also a means for trees to flourish and emit oxygen. Moreover, rain essentially plays a crucial role in literary classics; however, its significance drastically differs from its importance in actuality. In Ernest Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms, the motif of rain conveys the main characters' attitudes about love and war through…...
A Farewell To ArmsErnest HemingwayLiterature
Technology, Social Media, Playfulness, and Human Affect
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With social media becoming an even more prominent factor in our lives, play has evolved from the physical realm to the digital. One such trajectory of play is narrative play. Bakioğlu (2014) attempts to explore how the creation of video blogs (vlogs) fully explores the narrative possibilities of internet technologies. Even though the article chronicles a specific vlog that became one of the first social media franchises on YouTube, the fundamentals of the article hold true for any social media…...
CommunicationFictionSocial MediaTechnology
Earl Pomerantz’s Theory on Nature vs. Nurture
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The ongoing debate within psychology in regards to the affect of nature vi nurture in shaping a person’s personality has finally been solved. The omniscient Earl Pomerantz has settled years of scientific questioning and debate surrounding the matter of nature v. nurture in the matter of 5 words: “Nature is everything, Case closed,” Not so fast Earl, you don‘t mind if we reopen the case for cross examination, right? Let’s start with definitions. Nature as Pomerantz states, implies something that…...
NatureNature Vs NurturePersonalityPsychology
Nature vs. Nurture Argument in What Makes You Who You Are by Matt Ridley
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Matt Ridley‘s What Makes You Who You Are argues that we're influenced by our genes, but our genes are influenced by our behavior More accurately, it describes how experience can change the way we express our genes 7 that we don't genetically inherit certain traits, but we do inherit a predisposition to develop certain traits based on experience, The author supports this by research done in the Human Genome Project and the work of Craig Venter. The strongest point in…...
HomosexualityNature Vs NurturePhilosophyTheory
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FAQ about Literature

Irony to Stop And Think About What Was Said
...This is ironic because people who are family usually share the same beliefs. Since the brothers didn’t have a healthy relationship, one of them lost their life due to the war. As a result, Liam O'Flaherty used irony to inform readers about the cons...
Nature vs. Nurture Argument in What Makes You Who You Are by Matt Ridley
...How certain is the evidence in favor of it, and does it leave any question unanswered? The article has an authoritative tone, but then notes that genes are “still mysterious" and admits that science doesn't yet know everything. which makes me quest...
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