Not many people know of the used-to-be 150-mile excursion that the Glen Canyon had to offer. Not many people know how to sail a raft down a river for a week. Glen Canyon was a grand thing; its grandeur is now buried with the silt of the Glen Canyon Dam. Glen Canyon is now filled … Read more
Romeo and Juliet is a play written by William Shakespeare portraying the story of Romeo, a young man who falls in love with Juliet, only for their love to get killed by Romeo’s family. The action takes place in Verona, Italy. The imagery used throughout the play mainly revolves around dreams, stars, blood and death. … Read more
The Catcher In The Rye is a novel written by J. D. Salinger, who was born as Jerome David Salinger on January 1st, 1919. The protagonist of the story, Holden Caulfield, is a teenager going through a rough time in his life. He looks back to his past and decides that he must go out … Read more
Charley is a minor character in Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller’s classic stage play. He is the family dog. Charley was originally played on Broadway by four Cairn Terriers: “Lucky”, “Ringwood Tart” (1949–1950), “Danny” (1950–1951) and then finally “Andy” (1951–1952). The first dog to appear on Broadway was “Lucky”, who performed the role for … Read more
Constantinople was the capital of the Byzantine Empire and some scholars say that Constantinople was one of the largest cities in history. Constantinople had a population estimated between 400,000 and 500,000 inhabitants. Constantinople played a crucial role during several periods in history; Constantinople witnessed the separation of Christianity into its Eastern and Western branches (the … Read more
The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman presents the struggle of a woman who is suffering through depression and postpartum psychosis, yet she must overcome her mental illness in order to save herself. The protagonist’s identity crisis becomes apparent when her physician assigns her to bed rest for her own health. The introduction of the … Read more
The protagonist of Things Fall Apart (1958), Okonkwo, is a powerful and respected tribal leader in Umuofia. He is the son of a successful farmer and lives with his seven wives and three children. He is a violent man who does not hesitate to commit murder or use violence as a solution. He is difficult … Read more
Conflict in A Worn Path A major theme in A Worn Path is revealed through the conflict that occurs between Phoenix, the main character, and her surrounding characters. An analysis of the external forces acting on Phoenix propels her to new levels of understanding of herself and the world she inhabits. Conflict within A Worn … Read more
Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote many short stories, novels, and poems. Nathaniel Hawthorne was a key figure of the romanticism movement in American literature. Nathaniel Hawthorne’s works often addressed the themes of guilt and sin. Many Nathaniel Hawthorne works feature characters that are “morally ambiguous”. Nathaniel Hawthorne’s setting for The Scarlet Letter takes place during the seventeenth-century. … Read more
Basketball is one of my favorite sports along with soccer. Basketball can be played by men, women, and children alike. Basketball was invented in 1891 by James Naismith to entertain fans during the winter. Basketball has become an extremely popular sport throughout the world. Basketball players are able to practice for countless hours so they … Read more
Babe Ruth was born in Baltimore, Maryland on February 6, 1895. His father was a professional bar owner who moved his family to Boston when he retired in 1902. The young George Herman “Babe” Ruth quickly gained stature as the best baseball player in the area, and he played for various local teams until 1914 … Read more
The Grandfather by Gary Soto is an account of an old man who has lived his entire life in the town he was born, but now wants to go see his long lost family. The story starts with the old man thinking about what brought him to this point in his life, and how it … Read more
Two authors best who typify a Romantic style of writing are Edgar Allan Poe, and Nathaniel Hawthorne. Poe and Hawthorne share many concerns in their works, mainly death, the effects of social isolation, and the desire to create art. Edgar Allan Poe’s short story about a young man whose lover has died is “Ligeia,” while … Read more
The Catcher in The Rye is a book about the main character, Holden Caulfield. The story was written by J. D. Salinger, who published it in 1951 . The novel is the most censored book in high schools across America. Drug and alcohol abuse plays a big part throughout the story because that’s how Holden … Read more
The Great Gatsby is a novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald about the American Dream, The Roaring ’20s, and social class in Long Island during The Jazz Age. The story follows wealthy Jay Gatsby as he tries to win over Daisy Buchanan. The Dustbowl of The Great Depression, in reference to The Great Gatsby, was used … Read more
1984 By George Orwell is a novel that deals with figurative language extensively. 1984 was written in the mid-twentieth century, and 1984 is now considered a classic. The book is famous for its powerful portrayal of a grim totalitarian society as well as its insight on how to keep people under control by means of … Read more
Hamlet is a drama written by Shakespeare in early 1600s. Hamlet was the Prince of Denmark. Hamlet, Hamlet’s father died leaving his mother Gertrude to marry Claudius who then became the new King of Denmark and Hamlet’s uncle. Hamlet’s father, the previous king had no brothers so therefore this made Hamlet the rightful heir, Hamlet’s … Read more
The two main themes of The Joy Luck Club are mother/daughter relationships and the conflict between individual desires and family obligations. It is a novel that deals with topics common to most families, including divorce, remarriage, death, illness, sibling rivalry and resentment toward parents. The book explores these universal experiences and examines how the struggle … Read more
Barn Burning, written by William Faulkner, is a story about the Sartoris family and their youngest son, Abner. Barn Burning takes place during an unspecified time period in Yoknapatawpha County (located in Mississippi). By focusing on Barn Burning as a short story with specific literary elements, we can come to understand how Barn Burning is … Read more
Suffering is a part of life. However, there are many differing concepts of suffering. In some religions, suffering is a punishment for wrong doing or lack of faith. Some view suffering as the driving force behind our actions and accomplishments because without it we would not have any motivation to do good things unlike in … Read more
Fydor Dostoevsky’s novel Crime and Punishment features several allusions to Masonic rituals, along with information about the Freemasons. This article discusses these references. Fydor Dostoevsky was a successful novelist of Russian literature in his day and is still widely read and recognized today. However, Fydor Dostoevsky was actually opposed to the Freemasons in his writings. … Read more
There are many types of rainforests, but they are all important to the world. Rainforests grow on rainforest land which is usually very warm and close to the equator. Rainforests form in places where there is at least 60 inches of rain per year. The rainforests have a lot of rain each year because they … Read more
Bill Gates is a Renaissance man, a person who is skilled in multiple fields or has a broad base of knowledge. Renaissance means “rebirth” because it is viewed as a time when art and literature reinvented itself. The Renaissance began in Italy in the late 1400s & began to spread throughout Europe during the 1500s. … Read more
Hamlet is a classic tragedy by William Shakespeare, set in Denmark and telling Hamlet’s story as he attempts to avenge his father’s murder. It focuses on Hamlet’s journey into adulthood, where he learns many difficult life lessons about virtue and society. The play begins with Hamlet learning of the ghost who tells him that King … Read more
Barbara Ehrenreich is a cancer survivor who has written about her experiences with cancer treatment over the years she was afflicted with the cancer. She is now cancer-free and has written about her experience, as well as the cancer culture in the United States. Ehrenreich writes about cancer as a business, and how it has … Read more
Death of a Salesman is play written by Arthur Miller, who won the Pulitzer Prize for Death of a Salesman. Death of a Salesman reflects America’s struggle between truth and illusion during the post-WWII era. Death of a Salesman was first performed on February 10, 1949 at the Morosco Theater in New York City. Death … Read more
“No schoolboy (or schoolgirl) ever wishes to be reminded that the education of which he receives such generous measure is not education in its true sense; that it aims not at developing men who will be able to do new things, but merely at cramming boys with knowledge which they might just as well have … Read more
Antigone is an ancient Greek play written by Sophocles that follows Antigone, a young woman who chooses to defy the laws of Thebes in order to bury her brother. Antigone is viewed as a feminist play by some and as anti-feminist by others because she defies a law that would ultimately benefit her sister, Ismene’s … Read more
The story “A Jury of Her Peers” was first published in 1917 and was based on a authors one act play “Trifles”. “Trifles” was written in 1916 by Susan Glaspell. Susan Glaspell was a Nobel Prize winner for literature and Trifles is seen as one of her most famous works. Trifles tells the story of … Read more
Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare was a tragedy about Julius Caesar’s death. Julius Caesar is the central character of this play. He was murdered by his own friend Brutus and other Roman senators. Julius Caesar was assassinated at Brutus’ request, because he believed Julius Caesar was becoming too powerful and would start a monarchy; Julius … Read more
While Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale is perhaps best known for its starkly futuristic dystopian society, plants are at the forefront of several important scenes. As women’s rights are stripped away, plants become symbols of life and power, or—eventually—symbols of death. A garden belonging to Offred’s predecessor, Mrs. Reddy, becomes a point of contention between … Read more
The book ‘ The Summer I Turned Pretty’ is written by Jenny Han, who was born in Richmond, Virginia. This book is her first book. Jenny attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and graduated with a degree in advertising (Staples-Morton 3). “The book actually started off as three different book ideas. While … Read more
The Awakening is a novel written by Kate Chopin in 1899. The book starts off on the Grand Isle, a place where Edna spends her summer with Robert, and their children. The Grand Isle is a new setting for Edna, who has spent summers with her children at The Creole House. The Grand Isle symbolizes … Read more
Amy Tan’s novel, The Joy Luck Club , follows the stories of four immigrant Chinese women and their American born daughters. Throughout her book Amy Tan emphasizes that modern Chinese-American families are a combination of old traditions and new ideas. The novel shows how mothers connect with their daughters through different means while maintaining relationships … Read more
The poem The Epic of Gilgamesh is the oldest poem in existent. It contains a story about Enkidu, friend and equal to Gilgamesh, King of Uruk in ancient Mesopotamia. The poem tells us how Enkidu is portrayed: He has animal origins and is unspoiled by civilization but he is also a wild man who knows … Read more
Oedipus is a classic Greek tragedy written by Sophocles. Oedipus the King is one of three famous plays that make up Sophocles’ Oedipodea, followed by Oedipus at Colonus and Antigone. Oedipus The King starts with Oedipus and his wife Jocasta having a conversation about Oedpius’ father, Polybus. Oedipus states that his parents told him he … Read more
Lady Macbeth and the witches are essential for Shakespeare’s tragedy, Macbeth. Lady Macbeth acts as a driving force towards the murder of Duncan while the witches control Lady Macbeth to commit these crimes. Lady Macbeth is also influenced by fate which leads to Lady Macbeth’s eventual suicide at the end of Act V. The witches … Read more
It is not very often that Romeo and Juliet are portrayed as two people who are willing to disobey their parents for the sake of their love. The film Romeo + Juliet is a Shakespearean tragedy adapted by modern-day director Baz Luhrmann, Romeo + Juliet was released in 1996 starring Leonardo DiCaprio (Romeo) and Claire … Read more
“The Bull Moose” was a poem written in the 1970s by Alden Nowlan. It talks about a situation where two people, who are very close and haven’t seen each other for a while, meet again. A “bull moose” is an animal that lives in Canada. They aren’t called this anywhere else in the world. The … Read more
Health (and medicine) during the Elizabethan era was often dictated by social class and gender, with the lower classes more easily succumbing to illnesses. Men were considered superior to women in both health and intellect, although some people believed that women had a special connection with their own bodies. Health also depended upon one’s social … Read more
Huckleberry Finn, a novel written by Mark Twain, has been one of the most controversial novels in American Literature. Throughout Huckleberry Finn there are many instances that show Huckleberry’s development throughout the story and his changes from a boy who doesn’t give a damn to a respectable young man. Huckleberry Finn follows the life of … Read more
When I was 18, my grandmother passed away from a very long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. She had been in the hospital for a few weeks fighting pneumonia and other issues. But she only made it to the age of 80, which to others may seem like a long time, but when you struggle with … Read more
This article is about Romeo and Juliet, the famous story of young love by William Shakespeare. Romeo and Juliet are characters who fall in love with each other despite their families trying to keep them apart. Romeo Montague meets Juliet Capulet at a party where they exchange some words before falling madly in love with … Read more
The Great Gatsby , by F. Scott Fitzgerald, tells the story of the fabulously wealthy Jay Gatsby and his beloved Daisy Buchanan’s brief relationship after World War I through their eventual reunion seven years later at a party held by one of Gatsby’s old war buddies. The novel explores themes involving decadence, idealism, social upheaval, … Read more
The Great Gatsby is a story that mainly reflects American society through the 1920s. The major topics of The Great Gatsby encompass religion, class and social status, gender roles, and corruption, all deeply rooted in American culture. These themes are depicted by Fitzgerald throughout the novel The main symbol of The Great Gatsby is The … Read more
The Catcher in the Rye is one of American author J.D. Salinger’s most controversial works. The novel is narrated by Holden Caulfield, a sixteen-year-old who has just been kicked out of his fourth school. The novel tells the story of Holden’s misadventures with sex and alcohol in New York City as he attempts to find … Read more
A long time ago, in a place far away called Greece, Antigone, the daughter of Oedipus, was faced with an impossible decision. Antigone’s brother Polyneikes had died in battle for his country. Antigone’s two brothers fought on opposite sides of the war – one for their native Thebes and the other for their country’s arch … Read more
Julius Caesar is fatally stabbed as he kneels to pray in the senate Julius Caesar , one of William Shakespeare’s most recognised plays, is about a powerful man who makes the mistake of believing that everyone loves him for who he is and that he can bend any rule. Julius Caesar was a real person … Read more
Romeo and Juliet are two lovers whose deaths have been attributed to the actions of several people who stood in between their love. The decision by Romeo’s father to exile Romeo after he kills Tybalt is considered a major reason for Romeo’s suicide because Romeo now knows that he can never be with his true … Read more
In the novel, “Beloved”, by Toni Morrison, a female slave tries to escape from her plantation home down south to Ohio with two young children in tow after their father is killed for helping other slaves escape. She hopes to find a community of African Americans who understand the horror of slavery and will help … Read more
