Some people argue that Antigone is a feminist play. Antigone, the main character, challenges the traditional gender roles of her time and stands up for what she believes in, even if it means going against society. She is willing to fight and die for what she believes in, which is a very powerful statement. Antigone … Read more
The Swimmer, by John Cheever, is a short story about a man named Neddy Merrill who decides to swim home from a party by swimming through the backyard pools of his neighbors. As he makes his way home, Neddy recalls events from his past and how they relate to his current situation. Neddy is a … Read more
Once Upon Time is a short story by Nadine Gordimer. It tells the story of two people, Eva and Alex, who are in a relationship that is on the rocks. Eva is trying to figure out whether she should stay in the relationship or leave it, and Alex is trying to figure out how he … Read more
I love English language. It’s one of my favorite things in the world. I think it’s amazing how such a complex and nuanced language can be learned by anyone who is willing to put in the effort. English has truly opened up opportunities for me both professionally and personally. I’ve been able to travel to … Read more
A Midsummer Nights Dream is a play by William Shakespeare that is set in the forest outside of Athens. The play features four different groups of characters who are all interacting with each other in some way. These groups include the fairies, the mortals, the Mechanicals, and finally, Oberon and Titania. Each group of characters … Read more
The Richest Man In Babylon is a book written by George S. Clason that tells the story of how an ordinary man named Arkad became the richest man in Babylon. The book is filled with tips and advice on how to become financially successful, and it has remained popular over the years thanks to its … Read more
Siddhartha, by Hermann Hesse, is a novel about a man’s journey to find enlightenment. The main theme of the novel is Siddhartha’s search for self-knowledge. Siddhartha is constantly on the move, seeking new experiences and knowledge. He eventually learns that true knowledge comes from within. Siddhartha also learns that the world is full of suffering, … Read more
Edgar Allan Poe is considered one of the most important Gothic writers of all time. His work is filled with Gothic elements, which have helped to make his writing some of the most iconic in history. Some of the most famous examples of these elements can be found in his short stories, such as “The … Read more
Pop Art challenged beliefs about consumerism by depicting everyday objects in a new and unique way. For example, Roy Lichtenstein’s work “I.D. Bracelet” shows a simple metal bracelet in a Pop Art style that makes it look like an important piece of jewelry. By portraying consumer items in this way, Pop Art showed that they … Read more
In John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, George and Lennie’s dream of owning their own ranch is destroyed. This is due to a number of factors, including Curley’s wife, Lennie’s death, and George being forced to kill Lennie. One of the main reasons that George and Lennie’s dream is destroyed is Curley’s wife. She represents … Read more
Marry Me is a novel by John Updike that was published in 1957. The novel tells the story of a young man named Henry Bech who is struggling to find meaning in his life. Bech is married to a woman named Joan, but he is not happy with his marriage. He decides to divorce Joan … Read more
The Memory Keeper’s Daughter is a novel by Kim Edwards that tells the story of a doctor who keeps his daughter’s Down Syndrome diagnosis a secret from her family. The book was published in 2004 and won the National Book Award for Fiction. The story is narrated by David, the doctor who kept his daughter’s … Read more
Conflict is a central theme in Othello. Othello has to deal with conflicts with other characters, as well as his inner conflict about whether or not he is truly capable of being a great leader. This leads to Othello’s tragic downfall. Shakespeare was very skilled at writing about complex human emotions and the psychological effects … Read more
Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 is a novel about a future society in which books are outlawed and “firemen” burn any that are found. The main character, Guy Montag, struggles with his role in this society and eventually decides to rebel against it. Montag is a fascinating character who undergoes a significant transformation over the course … Read more
The Yellow Wallpaper is a short story written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. The story is about a woman who is struggling with postpartum depression and is prescribed to stay in a room with yellow wallpaper. The woman starts to see patterns in the wallpaper and becomes obsessed with it. The major theme in The Yellow … Read more
Of Mice and Men is a novel written by John Steinbeck. It was published in 1937. The novel tells the story of two migrant workers, George and Lennie, who travel together from ranch to ranch looking for work. The men are very close, but Lennie is always getting into trouble because he is not very … Read more
Louis Armstrong was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on August 4, 1901. Louis had a difficult childhood, and experienced a great deal of poverty. However, Louis’ passion for music helped him overcome these struggles. Louis began playing the cornet (a type of trumpet) at the age of twelve, and he quickly developed into an incredible … Read more
In A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry tackles the difficult issue of dreams deferred. The play tells the story of the Younger family, who are struggling to make ends meet in Chicago’s South Side. When patriarch Walter Lee receives a life-changing insurance check, he hatches a plan to use the money to buy a … Read more
Young Goodman Brown is a moral story written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The story is about Young Goodman Brown’s journey into the forest and his encounter with the Devil. On his journey, Young Goodman Brown meets several other people who are also going to meet with the Devil. Young Goodman Brown is overcome with fear and … Read more
Emily Dickinson’s “Much Madness is divinest Sense” is a poem about the line between sanity and insanity. Dickinson suggests that there is a lot of wisdom to be found in madness, and that it can be a source of divine inspiration. She argues that those who are considered to be insane are often the ones … Read more
Edgar Allan Poe is one of the most well-known Gothic writers of all time. His works are full of Gothic elements, which add to the suspense and mystery of his stories. Some of these Gothic elements include dark and stormy nights, spooky settings, gothic architecture, and ghosts. These elements create a tense and spooky atmosphere … Read more
Nadine Gordimer is one of South Africa’s most important writers. Once Upon Time, her short story about apartheid in South Africa, was published in 1957. Once upon time there was a town named Johannesburg. Once upon time the people who lived in it were white and black; but by law they had to be very … Read more
The European Renaissance is the broad cultural movement that started in Italy with the returns from trading cities to their European home-towns after being in Middle East, esp. Constantinople. The European Renaissance was spurred by the rebuilding of culture and awareness of past great civilizations including Greek and Roman civilizations. A lot of the artists … Read more
Medea, written by Euripides in 431 B.C., is the story of Medea (Greek: Μήδεια), a woman scorned by her unfaithful husband Jason, who vows revenge not only against him but all that he holds dear including his new wife and family. Medea was originally written as a tragedy, but it has also been adapted to … Read more
Ben and Jerry’s is an ice cream company that was founded in 1978. Ben & Jerry’s mission statement is “to make the best possible ice cream while being socially responsible” (Ben & Jerry’s). Ben and Jerry’s marketing campaigns always revolved around their social responsibility, as well as Ben and Jerry themselves. Ben and Jerry’s has … Read more
Amy Tan is a Chinese American writer whose Mother Tongue, a novel, was published in 1990. Mother Tongue has gained popularity and critical acclaim, winning the American Book Award for first fiction in 1991 and becoming a New York Times Bestseller shortly after its release. Mother Tongue was Amy Tan’s debut novel, but it is … Read more
Edgar Allan Poe is known to have written many gothic poems with darkness, death, or gloomy themes. According to Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore, Edgar Allan Poe is considered the inventor of detective fiction genre in his mysterious “Thou Art the Man” (1844). His most famous poem might be “The Raven”, published in 1845. … Read more
William Faulkner’s A Rose for Emily begins with the citizens of a small town, Miss Emily Grierson and her father. The citizens of the town remember Miss Grierson as a beautiful young woman; however, we soon learn she was not only beautiful but very shrewd and manipulative as well. Now an old woman, she is … Read more
Many people today associate Babe Ruth with baseball rather than his contributions to society. Babe Ruth, the iconic hero of the early 20th century baseball scene who is often referred to as “the Sultan of Swat”, used his time during the Great Depression to help many less fortunate citizens get through some particularly tough times. … Read more
The tone of The Awakening is melancholy. The book is not a happy one. The protagonist is so unhappy in her marriage that she contemplates suicide, and eventually dies by drowning herself. The novel’s tone is also one of resignation. The main character is so resigned to the confines of Victorian womanhood, she doesn’t even … Read more
Girl is a short story by Jamaica Kincaid and was published in the book called At the Bottom of the River. Girl is told from a first-person perspective, as an unnamed girl recounts her memories of working under several mean mistresses at Madame Duclos’ House of Repose for Young Ladies. Each mistress had their own … Read more
Kubla Khan by Samuel Taylor Coleridge is a poem which at first glance appears to be an epic poem. However, Kubla Khan is actually the introduction of the poem and only describes how Kublai Khan came to power. Kublai was the grandson of Genghis Khan and inherited his grandfather’s empire. Kublai was ruler of the … Read more
Renaissance: a movement in Europe in the 14th century characterized by a new interest in ancient Greek and Roman thought, literature, art, and architecture. William Shakespeare: an English poet and playwright of the late 16th and early 17th centuries; his plays are noted for their insight into human nature and wide appeal (also spelled Shakspere … Read more
The Grapes of Wrath is a novel written by John Steinbeck and published in 1939. The novel tells the story of a shipload of dispossessed farm families from Oklahoma who are attempting to seek better lives for themselves as migrant workers in California during The Great Depression and Dust Bowl. The novel was awarded the … Read more
Cyberbullying can happen in today’s society due to the latest addition of social networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Cyberbullying is usually defined as an aggressive or hostile behavior occurring via electronic means between peers who are not current partners or spouses [1]. This type of bullying was a huge issue a couple … Read more
Karen Anne Carpenter (March 2, 1950 – February 4, 1983) was an American singer and drummer. She and her brother, Richard Carpenter, formed the 1970s duo The Carpenters. Karen’s voice was identified as one of the most widely recognisable in United States during the 20th-century. Karen died at age 32 from heart failure caused by … Read more
William Wordsworth’s poem Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey recalls a blissful time William had spent with his sister and William Cook on a stroll through the Wye Valley in 1798. William first describes how he is ‘half-sad’ because of the happiness he experienced, but also half-happy because it was not permanent. William … Read more
Animal testing is a process in which animals are used to test cosmetics, household products and other chemicals. Animal testing has become an extensively discussed topic since the 1960s when Animal rights activists protested in different ways against Animal Research Centres (ARC). Animal research centers are places where Animal experimentation occurs. Animal tests are also … Read more
Frank McCourt was born to Angela and Malachy McCourt in Brooklyn, New York City on 19 August 1930. Frank’s family consists of his three brothers: Malachy, Michael and Alphie and himself. Angela is pregnant with Frank when she and her husband move from Ireland to America because Angela believes that the streets in America are … Read more
Lord of the Flies is a book written by William Golding. It was published in 1954. Lord of the Flies is an allegorical novel, which means that it has symbolic references to deeper message or meaning. This deeper message or meaning can be implied through symbolism. In Lord of the Flies, there are very obvious … Read more
The Glass Menagerie is one of Tennessee Williams’s earlier works, consisting of three acts. The play is often seen as autobiographical, because it draws on the author’s own life experiences. The main character Tom Wingfield is based on Tennessee himself. The Glass Menagerie tells the story about a family that struggles with fulfilling its dreams … Read more
A Dolls House Nora Helmer is an example of a modern feminist. She leaves her husband and children behind to save herself from the role that has been given to her. Nora goes through many changes throughout Ibsens A Dolls House. Nora Helmers journey in this play is one full of self discovery, which she … Read more
William Shakespeare wrote the play Romeo and Juliet. William Shakespeare was best known for his comedies, histories, and tragedies.The William Shakespeare biography continues with William’s death. William was buried in Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-on-Avon, where he was baptized in 1564 and also married and buried later on in life. William met women and had … Read more
The Brothers Karamazov is a novel by Fyodor Dostoevsky which depicts the story of three brothers, Dmitri, Ivan and Alyosha. The novel is prefaced with The Grand Inquisitor section from The Brothers Karamazov, where the main character, Dmitri has been arrested for murdering his father after he catches Dmitri with the family’s fortune. The novel … Read more
Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare is a tragedy that portrays Julius Caesar’s assassination in 44 BC, the downfall of the Roman Republic, an empire under Julius Caesar’s adopted son, Octavianus Augustus, and wars between various characters. Mark Antony played a major role in Julius Caesar’s assassination. After Julius Caesar was murdered by his former friend … Read more
A Midsummer Night’s Dream character, Demetrius is a fickle man who seems to have little regard for his own promises. A natural reaction might be that this comes from having been swayed by Oberon’s potion while under the spell of Titania’s passion for him, however A Midsummer Night’s Dream character, Demetrius still continues to act … Read more
Hera was the queen of Olympus and the wife of Zeus. Hera was known as Hera Teleia (the married woman) because she presided over marriage ceremonies which took place in her temples, where brides asked Hera for help, and bridal chambers were decorated with her likenesses. Hera also protected women during childbirth.(1) Hera was the … Read more
“The Glass Menagerie” is a memory play written by Tennessee Williams. The play introduced the word “liminal”, which describes something being in between two different states. The play, set in St. Louis Missouri in the year 1937 during The Great Depression, tells the story of the Wingfield family: Amanda, who struggles to find her place … Read more
Chapter One of The Catcher in The Rye begins with Holden Caulfield on the top of a hill watching some children playing baseball below him. The first line is “If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you’ll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood … Read more
Measure For Measure was written in the early 1600s by English writer William Shakespeare. He wrote Measure For Measure to be performed at Whitehall Palace for King James I and his courtiers. The play has been categorized as both a tragicomedy and a problem-play. A tragicomedy is defined as a drama that contains aspects of … Read more
