Eudora Welty drew on her personal experiences during the Great Depression in Jackson, Mississippi for writing A Worn Path. Eudora was born in Jackson in 1909. Eudora grew up with her parents and eleven siblings. Eudora’s father worked as a clerk for L & N Railroad Company, which provided enough money to Eudora’s family to … Read more
Bill Gates is a role model in the modern day and age, with his work in Microsoft and his various philanthropic efforts around the world. He has redefined what it means to be a modern day Renaissance man by building on the work of others, improving their ideas and his own, and helping others all … Read more
Eleven is a book by Sandra Cisneros, which came out in 1984. The main character of Eleven is Esperanza, an eleven year old girl. Eleven was chosen for this year’s One Book, One Philadelphia program because it is about the life of a young Hispanic girl living in Chicago during 1969. Author Sandra Cisneros was … Read more
The Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf is the most important work of OldEnglish literature, and is well deserved of the distinction. Beowulf is anepic poem which was composed orally and recorded in written form aroundthe 8th century. Beowulf tells the story of Beowulf, a hero who savesthe Danish people from the creature Grendel and his revengeful mother … Read more
To start off, you need some background information for this writing assignment. Defender of the Faith , by Philip Roth, is a short story about an Army sergeant named Kossmeyer who has to determine if Private Witt’s religion is legitimate or not so he can be transferred to another Army battalion. Throughout the story Sergeant … Read more
Oedipus Rex, written by Sophocles and performed in the late fifth century BC, is an ancient Greek tragedy that follows Oedipus, a man who fulfilled a prophecy that he would kill his father and marry his mother. Oedipus willingly left home after this prophecy was given to him, but ended up killing his father and … Read more
This article discusses the various conflicts that Frankenstein faces throughout Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Frankenstein is a novel packed with emotions, struggles, and dark moments. The main theme of Frankenstein is definitely depression. Frankenstein has many personal struggles with his family being so far away, being engaged to one woman but in love with another, trying … Read more
Gilgamesh is the main character of Sumerian mythology. Gilgamesh was prince of Uruk, a city in ancient Mesopotamia. Gilgamesh became king after his father’s death and Gilgamesh’s best friend was Enkidu. Gilamgesh and Enkidu are introduced in the tablet when Gilgamesh is king of Uruk and people are complaining about Gilgamesh’s rought behavior. Gilgamesh orders … Read more
The Pardoner’s tale is one of Geoffrey Chaucer’s “Canterbury Tales” about three men, the Pardoner, the Merchant, and the Franklin. The Pardoner is described as being portly with a tendency to drink too much wine, but also vicious when he doesn’t get his way. He has hair on his head, but none on the rest … Read more
Today Romeo and Juliet the movie is being critiqued. Romeo and Juliet is about two teenagers, Romeo and Juliet, who fall in love with each other despite their family’s hatred for one another. The play Romeo and Juliet has been around since 1597 by William Shakespeare , so of course a lot of things have … Read more
Gambling is illegal in most parts of the world, although it can be decriminalized or allowed only under certain conditions. Gambling is both a game of chance and skill, making for an interesting blend that has lead to heated debate over whether Gambling should be legalized or not. Gambling is typically defined as betting money … Read more
Native American mascots in sports have been the center of much controversy over the last several decades, but it seems as though not enough progress has been made to give up on this campaign. – racism in sports – racism in America – racism in society Before I begin, let me say that this issue … Read more
The Scarlet Letter , written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, is a novel set in seventeenth century Boston. The main character of The Scarlet Letter is Hester Prynne who has an illegitimate daughter, Pearl . The father of Pearl, Roger Chillingworth , becomes a major antagonist in The Scarlet Letter . The book also features a Puritan … Read more
The Renaissance period in European history was a time of great cultural change. It began in the 14th century and lasted until the 16th. The Renaissance led to an increase in literature, art, music, science, exploration, and technology. The Renaissance began in Italy around 1345 when many people were seeking knowledge that had been lost … Read more
Sonnet 130 is a poem written by William Shakespeare. Sonnet 130 is part of the Fair Youth Sonnets. Sonnet 130 talks about how the speaker will never love anyone as much as he loves his beloved (the “Fair Youth”). Sonnets are lyric poems that people commonly try to analyze through certain perspectives. Sonnets are usually … Read more
Ancient civilization is the given name for civilizations before the invention of writing. The first civilization was created in Mesopotamia (modern day Iraq) sometime between 3500 BC and 3100 BC. While civilization existed earlier, civilization as we know it today was created by these early civilizations that began to trade with one another across land … Read more
Food is a prevalent element in the story “ Like Water For Chocolate . ” Food has many uses and meanings throughout this novel, and it demonstrates the significance of food in this book. Food is used as a way to express emotion and how something feels, while also being used to help convey understanding … Read more
The Scarlet Letter is a novel set in the Puritan history of Massachusetts and tells the story of Hester Prynne, who has committed adultery and must wear a scarlet “A” on her chest as punishment. The letter “A” stands for adulterer, but it can also mean “adultery. ” The letters on her clothing reflect Hester’s … Read more
The right to vote is a fundamental part of being an American citizen. Prisoners are not only denied the right to vote, they are even denied visitation rights with family members who have committed minor drug-related offenses. Prisoners are often excluded from society entirely both by law and public opinion. The most common argument against … Read more
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is an epic poem of 14th century England. It tells of Sir Gawain, a knight of King Arthur’s court, who must accept a challenge to behead the Green Knight and return three days later to meet his head on the green hill. Sir Gawain accepts this challenge and beheads … Read more
The Iliad is an epic poem written by Homer. The story follows the Trojan prince, Paris as he abducts Helen, wife of Menelaus. The Greeks eventually mobilize to retrieve her and a great war begins between the two sides with all their allies. The Iliad also features Diomedes or Ulysses as main character in the … Read more
Hamlet, one of William Shakespeare’s most famous plays, follows Hamlet as he searches for meaning in his life following the death of his father. Hamlet seeks revenge on his uncle after it is revealed that Hamlet’s father was murdered by Hamlet’s uncle and mother to ascend the throne of Denmark. Comedy is a major aspect … Read more
In the late 1800’s, Charlotte Perkins Gilman wrote two famous short stories that explored a woman’s mental state. The first is called ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’ and it has to do with a woman going mad after being forced to stay inside her room by her husband. The second story is called ‘The Story of an … Read more
Jane Eyre is a novel written by English author Charlotte Bronte. The novel was originally published in London, England, in 1847. Jane Eyre is about Jane Eliot who faces many adversities throughout her life. Jane learns to develop into the person that she wants to be because of the encouragement and leadership she receives from … Read more
When A Doll’s House was first performed in 1879, the central character of Nora Helmer caused a sensation. A woman who walked out on her husband and three children seemed so outrageous that many could not accept it. Many people went to see A Doll’s House just to find out what happened next, and when … Read more
– Of the many Russian writers in the 19th Century, there are three that stand out as having their works be representative of all other Russian literature. These three writers never met one another, yet they shared similar themes within their writing. – The first writer is Alexander Pushkin (1799-1837) whose work focused on two … Read more
Eleven by Sandra Cisneros is a poem that explores the life of an eleven-year-old girl who feels emotionally neglected. Eleven’s name comes from the fact that, although she has experienced very little of life, it has already done her wrong enough times to leave her feeling at least 11 years old. Eleven does not have … Read more
Huckleberry Finn was the young son of a shiftless father and a pious mother. He ran away from his adopted family on Jackson’s Island, where he grew up with the Widow Douglas and her sister, Miss Watson. Huckleberry is known for his ‘lit’l har’, or little hair, as well as being an avid reader. Huckleberry … Read more
“ Grendel was suffering from an unbridled contempt for all things under heaven, but there was nothing he hated worse than the race of man. ” Grendel (John Gardner) Gardner’s Grendel tells the story of Beowulf through Grendel’s eyes–although Grendel is not capable of speech or writing, Grendel is still quite the storyteller. Grendel’s hatred … Read more
The book The Godfather, by Mario Puzo, was published in 1969. The two most popularly known movies The Godfather are both based on that novel. The first movie released in 1972 and the second followed in 1974. The story of The Godfather is about an Italian-American Mafia family, headed by Don Vito Corleone, based around … Read more
A Rose for Emily takes place in the South. A man named Homer Barron is supposed to marry Emily Grierson, but he never shows up; this lets everyone know that he’s not going to marry her and that they’ll have to find someone else. A few days later, she disappears. For a while, no one … Read more
“The Jacket,” by Gary Soto tells the story of fifteen-year-old Tony Mendez living in a California ghetto. The book begins with Tony hearing that his friend had been stabbed defending him against bullies at school. The principal of the high school calls Tony’s father to let him know what happened and the police are called. … Read more
The novel The Catcher in the Rye (By J. D. Salinger) tells the story of 16-year-old Holden Caulfield as he desperately seeks to preserve innocence and avoid corruption until his younger sister Phoebe is old enough to guard herself from the same fate that has consumed him. The book was published by a New York … Read more
The Color Purple is a novel that discusses the different cultural and social aspects of living as a woman in the early 1900’s. The setting takes place in rural Georgia and shows how double standards for gender roles can negatively affect people, especially women. The main character is Celie, a young girl who has to … Read more
A Midsummer Night’s Dream is written by William Shakespeare. A play that was first published in the year 1600, A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of Shakespeare’s most popular and enduring works. A fantasy tale revolving around four lovers who are doomed to be unfortunate due to supernatural forces beyond their control, A Midsummer Night’s … Read more
The following The Road Not Taken essay discusses the figurative and literal meaning of the poem. The poem The Road Not Taken was written by Robert Frost in 1920. The poem has many interpretations that are based on multiple factors, including diction choice, tone, meter, and symbols used in the poem. The following The Road … Read more
Theodore Roethke’s poem “My Papa’s Waltz” begins with a simple observation, yet ends in intense emotion. The tone of the poem starts off fairly light with an emphasis on words that describe happy memories. He refers to his father as being “not lanky,” and describes him in similar terms when he says, “He held me … Read more
Beowulf is an Old English epic poem that was composed somewhere between the 8th and 11th century. Beowulf follows a great hero who comes to the aid of Hroðgar, the king of the Danes, whose mead hall in Heorot has been under attack by a man-eating creature known as Grendel. Beowulf kills Grendel and, too … Read more
Frankenstein is a story about betrayal. Frankenstein would not have been able to create his monster if all of those who helped him were not selfish, but that’s just what happened. Frankenstein’s closest friends betrayed him and Frankenstein betrayed the monster as well. Frankenstein was also betrayed by his family and even his own parents! … Read more
Lolita is an American novel written by Vladimir Nabokov in 1955. Lolita has also been adapted into two movies, Lolita in 1962 and Lolita in 1997. The Lolita novels are based on the true story of Lolita Lempkii who abducted by her father across state lines to marry her when she was only thirteen years … Read more
The first lines of The Fall of the House of Usher, “During the whole of a dull, dark, and soundless day in the autumn of the year,” instantly grab attention, as they suggest an important event will occur. The reader is immediately intrigued by what this event may be and how it might develop throughout … Read more
Jonas’s world is perfect. There is no war or fear or pain. There are no choices. Every person is assigned a role in the Community. When Jonas turns twelve, The Elders take him from his family and send him to The Receiver: an old man who teaches him about The past — a time when … Read more
Nathaniel Hawthorne, one of America’s greatest novelists, wrote The Scarlet Letter in 1850. The book takes place in the Puritan Massachusetts Bay Colony during 1642-1649. The protagonist of this story is Hester Prynne; who is an adulterer and has an illegitimate child. Unfortunately, it is a great sin in The Scarlet Letter for an adulteress … Read more
Hamlet’s madness is a key element to the play Hamlet. Hamlet, the protagonist of Hamlet, becomes depressed and horrified after discovering that his uncle Claudius has murdered his father and married Hamlet’s mother. Hamlet seeks revenge on Claudius for this transgression but feels like he has lost all agency because he can’t be sure if … Read more
Cyberbullying is a type of bullying that occurs using information technology to harass or intimidate others. Cyberbullying includes sending or posting harmful text messages, emails, images, video, and online posts. Cyberbullying can cause psychological harm to adolescents generally resulting in poor school performance and lower self-esteem. Cyberbullying has been associated with depression, suicidal thoughts, and … Read more
Wheat Field With Cypresses is a painting by Vincent van Gogh – painted in 1889. Wheat Field With Cypresses is one of Van Gogh’s most famous paintings, and the first work where the artist was overjoyed about painting . Wheat Field With Cypresses was made using oil paints and has broken records for selling paintings … Read more
Title IX (Title 9) is a US federal statute that prohibits discrimination based on gender in any educational programs which receive federal funds. Title IX states: “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any … Read more
Oedipus Rex, a tragedy written by Sophocles, is a prime example on how Oedipus fulfills the requirements of a tragic hero. Oedipus’ character embodies all of Aristotle’s characteristics of a tragic hero from Oedipus’ hubris to Oedipus’ self-blinding as he realized his true identity. Oedipus himself realizes that he is the protagonist of the story … Read more
Audre Lorde was born on February 18, 1934 in New York City Coal is one of her greatest poems Coal deals with themes such as discrimination, oppression and racism Coal deals with life and death Coal deals with hatred Coal deals with anger Coal deals with the black community Coal tells us about Audre Lorde’s … Read more
Beowulf, a heroic poem written around 1000 A. D. , tells of Beowulf’s epic battles, his quest to kill monsters and beasts, his friendships with the Geats, and ultimately his descent into death at the hands of a dragon [1]. Beowulf was believed to have been passed down orally for over 300 years before finally … Read more
