Literature Essays

This act commences with the murder of King Duncan. It is in this act that the reader is first convinced of Macbeth’s weakness, as contrasted by Lady Macbeth’s strength. Whereas Macbeth feels remorse for his actions, and wishes that his king could once more wake, Lady Macbeth contemplates on how …

Throughout history tyrants have come and gone. They come into position with knowledge and power. When the tyrant holds such power, he also holds a great responsibility. Because of the power, the tyrants ego will become very large causing his thinking to be camouflaged. However, since the mental state of …

The opposition of light and dark as symbols for life and death is the foundation upon which much of Shakespeare’s Macbeth is built. Darkness in our society is indicative of many symbols of evil. For instance, a black cat, dark night, and dark place are all ominous symbols. Light, as …

Harper Lee uses many literary elements and techniques that make her novel appealing to a reader. Foreshadowing, use of setting, many themes (or motifs), and well-developed characters are prevalent in this novel. Lee uses many motifs in this novel. The reoccurring symbols can also be interpreted as foreshadowing. Hands and …

As human beings, we are changing each and every moment as we are introduced to new ideas, values and challenges by our surroundings. In Alistair MacLeod’s short story, “To Everything There Is a Season”, the author depicts the anxieties and reservations of the narrator’s transition between childhood and the adult …

The setting of Leon Rooke’s “A Bolt of White Cloth” is imperative to better interpreting the story. Although the story could have been situated merely anywhere and still had the same effect; it is easier to relate to with it being located where it is. With the wife listing off …

Throughout four of Washington Irving’s short stories, characters manipulate the beliefs and superstitions of others for self-beneficence. A predominant sub-theme in these stories is romanticism. The four stories that will be discussed are “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”, “Rip Van Winkle”, “The Devil and Tom Walker”, and “The Spectre Bridegroom.” …

The general plot of King Lear revolves mainly around the conflict between the King and his daughters, although there is a definite and distinct sub-plot dealing with the plight and tragedy of Gloucester as well. One of the main themes that Shakespeare chooses to focus on in King Lear is …

Have we ever thought why most of us are interested in the story we read? I can surely say that writing a story is a complicated process. The writer has to think of how the story must be told, what effect must it have on a reader, and what is …

War stories before Erich Maria Remarque’s times still leaned toward themes of glory, adventure, and honor. In presenting his realistic version of a soldier’s experience, Remarque stripped that from war novels in his antiwar novel, All Quiet on the Western Front. Remarque accurately depicts both the physical and mental hardships …