Novel Essays

“The best laid schemes of mice and men, Go oft astray”. This quote is taken from the 1785 poem “To A Mouse.” The poem depicts the fleeing of a mouse in terror as a plow, driven by Robert Burns, the author, destroys its nest. Through the mouse’s tribulations Burns proceeds …

Charles Dickens is known for criticizing the social class system of the Victorian era, and the exploitation of the poor. Hard Times is no exception to this rule. Dickens attacks the Utilitarian education, the arrogance of the middle and upper class, and the industrial revolution. He praises the working class …

“We thought it was better to go under the high wire fence at the rear of the Radley lot, we stood less change of being seen. The fence enclosed a large garden and a narrow wooden out-house. Jem held up the bottom wire and motioned to Dill under it. I …

The three basic plot twists in the novel Great Expectations grip the reader’s attention and add impact to the moral themes of the story. The major twists help divide the story into three parts, known in the novel as: The stages of Pip’s great expectations. The first twist appears when …

What is the definition of hero? Is it a person who performs a courageous act? Some may say that this is so, but what if the act was done out of fear? What if it was done because of an instinct? Would one still be considered a hero? These are …

The Pearl , written by John Steinbeck, has caught the eyes of many literary critics. The Pearl is a novel about a young man named Kino whose som is bitten by a scorpion. When the son is taken to the doctor , the physician refuses to treat him because the …

Often, the theme of a novel extends into a deeper significance than what is first apparent on the surface. In the novel Night by Elie Wiesel, the theme of night and darkness is prevalent throughout the story and is used as a primary tool to convey symbolism, foreshadowing, and the …

In all great novels besides telling the normal story, the author tries to express something else. This something else would be known as the theme. The theme in Dickens A Tale of Two Cities would be Resurrection, or “recalled to life”. When receiving the message from Jerry Cruncher, Mr. Lorry …

“Character Commentary The character of Mama Elena presented in the novel Like Water for Chocolate, was not developed to its fullest potential. Mama Elena, while a central character, is surprisingly shallow. Because of the one-dimensional quality of the character Esquivel has created, Mama Elena is at times little more than …

It can be seen that “The Great Gatsby,” by Scott Fitzgerald is one the greatest novels of all time. Its method to depict The American Dream has been attempted to be matched an uncountable amount of times. Other aspects used in “The Great Gatsby,” by Scott Fitzgerald, have also been …