Literature Essays

In literature, all stories are written so that they convey to readers a central idea or theme. Writers compose their works so that the theme they are writing about is brought out in a story in such a manner that the various elements of the story work together in communicating …

In the play “Hamlet,” Shakespeare’s characters are confronted with the timeless question: How can one determine what is actually true from what only seems to be true? Throughout the play, the theme of appearance versus reality is constant. This theme is played out from the beginning, with Claudius’ attempt to …

Ben Jonson was an English dramatist and poet, born in 1572 and whose classical learning, gift for satire, and brilliant style made him one of the great figures of English literature. Although he had very little formal education he had a vast knowledge of Latin and Greek literature. His work …

In the poem “This Is a Photograph of Me”, Margaret Atwood attempts to depict the parallels between a picture slowly developing and the narrators realization of her death. This poem is divided into two parts with the second half separated by brackets. The elements of the picture begin to emerge …

The short story ‘A Pair of Tickets’ is a component of a novel ‘The Joy Luck Club’ by Amy Tan which focuses on a woman fulfilling the lifelong wish of her mother. The title symbolizes the discovery of the narrator’s identity, and the soul of her emotional nature and feelings …

In The Crucible, John Proctor initially portrayed a sinful man whom had an affair, struggling to prove to his wife that he should be trusted again. The dishonesty of the betrayal of Elizabeth and his marriage to her changed, though, by the end of the play. This transition in Proctor’s …

For a short story to be effective, it must be able to produce high levels of intensity, emotion and drama. To do this, it must convey a great deal of information in a short space of time. As a result, the short story usually leaves a great deal of its …

Upon Odysseus’ return to Ithaca from his long and dangerous crusade, he discovers suitors raiding his palace. Due to the fact that these suitors are posing a great threat to Ithaca, Odysseus is justified in taking his revenge. Since these suitors try to steal his property, assume his wealth, and …

A hero is “a man noted for his special achievements” according to the dictionary, but if you ask most people what a hero is, you will get the same general response. They will probably say “someone who does something for other people out of the goodness of his heart.” Odysseus, …

Muriel Spark likes to use an omniscient third person narrator, when she writes her books, as a way for the reader to experience all the character’s thoughts and views. The narrator in “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” acts as a sort of fly on the wall, letting the reader …