For Jennifer Lopez, her life has always had more than its fair share of drama. Jennifer Lopez was born on July 24, 1969 in the South Bronx area of New York City to Puerto Rican parents Guadalupe Rodriguez and David Lopez. Jennifer Lopez spent most of her childhood living with family members after her parents … Read more
An Arrangement in Black and White, written by Dorothy Parker, was first published in the June 1922 issue of The New Yorker. An Arrangement in Black and White is a satire on race relations at the turn of the twentieth century. It follows the story of an older black woman who is eagerly trying to … Read more
Edgar Allan Poe was an American writer, poet, editor and literary critic. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Edgar Allan Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective fiction genre. He is further credited with contributing to the emerging … Read more
Coco Chanel was a French fashion designer and founder of the Coco Chanel brand and style. She was born on 19 August 1883 in Saumur, France, where her father worked as a wine merchant. Coco’s mother, Jeanne Devolle, died when Coco was 6 years old which forced Coco to grow up very quickly. Coco did … Read more
Food culture is integrated into French society. When French people are asked why French food is so good, the reason they most often give is that French cuisine comes from set of traditions that have been passed down for centuries. Today French cuisine has not only spread across France but also around the world. It’s … Read more
Greek and Norse mythology are two of the most famous mythologies in history. Greek mythology is well known for its association with Greek culture, art, politics, theatre, literature, religion etc. Greek mythology is so influential that Greek words form the root of all European languages today (and even many non-European ones!). The Greek pantheon includes … Read more
The major theme in The Yellow Wallpaper is the deteriorating mind of a woman. The narrator, who is never named but referred to as “the woman”, descends into madness after spending time confined to her bedroom with nothing to do and too weak from not eating. The wallpaper she views, which she begins to see … Read more
Serial killers are talked about quite often, especially if their name keeps coming up in the news. Serial Killers are people who kill multiple people (usually several), usually one by one. They make a “cooling off” period between their crimes; this may be anywhere from days to decades. Serial killers may work alone or with … Read more
Keanu Reeves is a Canadian actor and musician known for portraying Ted Logan in Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989), Neo in The Matrix Trilogy (1999–2003) and John Constantine in the 2005 film adaptation of the DC comic book, Hellblazer. He has also appeared in successful films such as Point Break (1991), My Own Private … Read more
“After Apple-Picking” is a poem written by Robert Frost in 1922. The poem is about the day after it has been apple picking season, and reflects on the nature of life outside of farming. “After Apple-picking” begins with the speaker coming down from his orchard to a farm covered with frost. Although at first he … Read more
Daniel Defoe was born in the year 1660 to Alice and James Foe. Daniel’s father James Foe was a tallow chandler and a member of the Butchers’ Company. Daniel later changed his last name to Defoe, the name of his maternal grandfather. Daniel had no schooling until he was approximately twelve years old. Daniel was … Read more
The Glass Menagerie is a 1945 play written by Tennessee Williams. The play premiered in Chicago and had its Broadway debut with star Jessica Tandy. The Gentleman Caller (or The Young Man) symbolizes the idea of opportunity, especially for Amanda Wingfield, who desires to escape her oppressive life through him. The Gentlemen Caller’s interactions with … Read more
Othello’s opening scene is an effective introduction to Othello, Desdemona, Iago and the themes of Othello. The audience are given a sense of Othello’s great military record and his position in society while understanding that he does not necessarily completely embody this image. He is also presented as being very straightforward in his dealings with … Read more
Pop Art is a genre of art that challenges people’s ways of seeing and understanding the world around them. Pop Art emerged in the 1950s and challenged assumptions about consumerism, which had been widely accepted by many artists at the time. Pop Art was often characterized by its use of bright colors and flat representations … Read more
Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury, is a dystopian novel that greatly focuses on the importance of books and censorship. Fahrenheit 451 pits the main character, Guy Montag, against his reality as he grasps what it truly means to live life. Fahrenheit 451 is characterized by constant tension and excitement; most notably through its characters. Fahrenheit … Read more
Achilles and Hector are two characters from Greek mythology that have great similarities, but they also have their differences. The Iliad follows Achilles’ rage against the Trojan army because of his best friend, Patroclus, was killed in battle by Hector. Achilles commands the Myrmidons (his faithful group of soldiers) through many battles until Hector is … Read more
Once upon a time, there was a girl who lived with her father. One day, this girl’s father said to her, “Hey you! I’m sick of living here! Pack your stuff and let’s move!” And the girl did as told. They moved across the world, never settling in one place for too long. For a … Read more
Road safety is an important issue for many drivers, cyclists and pedestrians alike. The number of cycling accidents has increased by 55% in the past 10 years. The rising cost of oil is causing more people to switch to bicycles as their main mode of transport or simply as one of their preferred methods of … Read more
The love of art, love of country, love of family, love of another—the love that is experienced in more than one way. Love is defined as a strong affection based on admiration for someone or something occasioned by the superior qualities or the achievements of that person or thing. However, love has been very ambiguously … Read more
The book, “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” was written by Mark Haddon. The book starts out with Christopher Boone explaining that on the night before his birthday he heard a noise outside. When he looked to see what it was, he saw his neighbor’s dog, Wellington, stabbed fatally with a garden … Read more
Pygmalion is a play written by George Bernard Shaw in 1912, and Pygmalion is the title of the book variant. Pygmalion was later turned into a movie, titled My Fair Lady. Pygmalion tells the story of a phonetics professor who bets other people that he can turn someone from lower class to upper class in … Read more
Gun violence is an ongoing issue in the United States. Gun control laws attempt to reduce the amount of gun-related crime that occurs by placing restrictions on who can own guns, where they can be sold, and how they are sold. Gun rights supporters argue that gun control restricts their Constitutional right to bear arms … Read more
Les Miserables is a book written by French author Victor Hugo and published in 1862. Symbolism can be found throughout the novel, with many of the characters donning names with symbolic significance. Below are some quotes from Les Miserables that show instances of symbolism, along with brief explanations on what each quote means or stands … Read more
Iago is a hero of Othello because Iago does not fit the classical idea of a tragic hero. Iago does not have flaws that lead to his downfall nor does Iago seem to develop any change in perspective throughout the play. The role Iago plays instead is much more similar to that of a protagonist … Read more
Edgar Allan Poe is widely considered to be one the most influential and successful American writers of short stories and poems. His works, such as “The Tell-Tale Heart” and “The Raven,” have been read, taught, and studied for years for their poetic style and clever plots. Edgar Allan Poe’s poems are studied for their tone, … Read more
Mathematics is a certain way of thinking and doing that has been around since the dawn of humanity. Mathematics as a whole can be seen through history as a steady evolution, starting from simple hand calculations to modern-day computing machinery. Mathematics allows people to understand not only what’s happening in the world but also why … Read more
The poem starts off with an image of the son recalling the past memories of his father, who is now passed. Although it seems very simple, Roethke’s use of language creates a strong impression that evokes nostalgia, sadness, but at the same time happiness. The first stanza reads: My papa’s Waltz was the saddest ever … Read more
Today’s society is vastly different than it was twenty years ago, and the change hasn’t stopped as many new technologies such as social media continue to develop. Cyberbullying, a huge problem in today’s society, has become one of the most controversial issues that parents, students, and lawmakers are fighting to control. Cyberbullying impacts thousands of … Read more
Barn Burning is a short story written by William Faulkner. Barn Burning was published in the June and July 1940 edition of The American Mercury magazine. Barn Burning is one of Faulkner’s most famous pieces and has continued to be influential today. This tale takes place during the height of the Great Depression and follows … Read more
The tone in The Awakening is generally interpreted as hopelessness because the protagonist, Edna Pontellier, has no control over her life and fails to fulfill expectations. The novel opens with Edna gathering children’s clothes for charity (a traditional act), but then she talks about how society should be run by women instead of men. The … Read more
When A Doll’s House debuted in 1879, some people were shocked. A woman leaving her husband? A young woman stealing money from her father to help her husband? A woman rejecting children, domestic bliss, and a life of servitude? What kind of lady was Nora Helmer? A bit of social context is necessary. At the … Read more
The Brothers Karamazov, one of his most celebrated works, is the final novel by Fyodor Dostoevsky. The author wrote it between 1880 and 1881 (mostly in Staraya Russa) and died less than four months after its publication, on 28 January 1881. The book portrays a parricide in which each of a murdered man’s sons shares … Read more
The Glass Menagerie is a play written by Tennessee Williams in 1944. The play takes place in St. Louis, Missouri, over one week of Tom Wingfield’s life during the Great Depression. The story focuses on Laura Wingfield and her struggle with mental illness/schizophrenia while being constantly reminded of the past by her mother Amanda Wingfield, … Read more
The story The Cask of Amontillado was written by Edgar Allen Poe. The time period the story takes place is after people have died, but before bodies are buried. The setting is an underground crypt. The main character is Montresor and the secondary character is The man in The Cask of Amontillado. The mood is … Read more
David Copperfield has two friends that David admires throughout the novel: Mr. Heep and Mr. Steerforth. David is always chasing after one of these friends, but David’s relationship with Heep is a little more complicated than David’s relationship with Steerforth because David does not know what to do about his feelings towards both of them. … Read more
Odysseus and Achilles are two of the most well known Greek heroes. Odysseus was a Greek king during the Trojan War and hero of Homer’s epic poem “The Odyssey”. Odysseus was able to return home after his struggle began in Troy, unlike Achilles who died at Troy during the Trojan War. Odysseus is well known … Read more
” The Glass Menagerie” by Tennessee Williams is a play that takes place in 1936. The characters in the story are the mother Amanda Wingfield, her daughter Laura and her son Tom . The story is set in St. Louis, Missouri . The play has been produced over 50 films , plays and an opera. … Read more
Antigone is a tragedy by Sophocles depicting Antigone’s defiance of Creon, the King of Thebes. Antigonus, Antigone’s father and ruler of Thebes had died in a battle with the neighboring city-state, Argos. Antigone’s brother Polynices had led an attack on his native city, Thebes in an attempt to seize power. Antigone and her sister Ismene … Read more
The character development in The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is superb. The protagonist, Hester Prynne, develops over the course of the book from someone who rebels against society’s standards to a woman who accepts herself and life with open arms. The antagonist, Chillingworth, also develops from someone who seeks revenge on all sinners to … Read more
Walter is a man who ultimately cares about himself and his family and tries to keep this conceit and their well-being as central as possible even in the face of change. Walter, A Raisin in the Sun’s protagonist, is an economically ambitious man. He buys into mythic ideals such as those he associates with Ahab, … Read more
The Grapes of Wrath is a novel written by John Steinbeck. The story begins with Al Joad and his family, who were farmers in Oklahoma. They decided to leave because the land was not good for farming anymore. The dust storms ruined the crops and there was no money left after buying food for their … Read more
In William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Romeo kills himself after mistakenly believing his lover, Juliet, has died. This occurs in Act 5 , Scene 3 of the play. Romeo had previously consumed a poison called “death-cap mushroom” while at the Capulets’ mansion with Friar Lawrence in order to make him appear dead for a short … Read more
Hermes is the god of financial gain, communication and thieves. Hermes was the son of Zeus and Maia and Hermes was born in a cave on Mount Cyllene in Arcadia. Hermes’ con artist skill became apparent at his birth – Hermes stole some cattle from Apollo who happened to be Hermes’ older brother. Hermes then … Read more
Odysseus, a Greek hero of the Trojan War and the central character in The Odyssey , is known for his bravery and cleverness. Odysseus’ greatest feat is his journey home to Ithaca, after spending ten years fighting with the Greeks in Troy (see note 1). Odysseus travels through different lands and across bodies of water … Read more
Heart of Darkness is a novel written by Joseph Conrad. Heart of Darkness serves as the center point to which all other characters and story arcs revolve. Heart Of Darkness was written during a time when realism was just coming into play with novels, making Heart Of Darkness one of the first pieces of fiction … Read more
Angela’s Ashes follows the memoirs of Frank McCourt and details his childhood in Brooklyn and Limerick. The memoir spans from Angela’s (Frank’s mother) childhood until she returns to Ireland after her husband dies. The memoir begins by detailing Angela’s childhood in Ireland, writing about how poverty stricken the family was, the lack of food that … Read more
Holden Caulfield, protagonist of the Holden Caulfield wants to be a child forever and imagines his family as “phony” people, unhappy with their job as parents. The Holden’s family is too much like the rest of adults he sees: phony. Holden believes that children are innocent and thus they don’t lie; Holden wishes he was … Read more
For Canterbury Tales , Geoffrey Chaucer drew on an existing tradition of storytelling—most notably, The Canterbury Tales’ frame story is the tale of a group of 30 people who tell stories to each other as they travel together on a pilgrimage from London to Canterbury in fourteenth-century England. The Canterbury Tales consists of both manifest … Read more
Hard times in the novel are presented through irony via an unsteady economy, social deprivation, and suffocating relationships. These three elements work together to show how life is not always easy when surrounded by people who are unwilling to help or be kind. The first example of irony was Crawley being evicted from his house … Read more
Othello is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare about Othello, a Moorish general in the Venetian army. Othello has been tricked into believing that his wife, Desdemona, has been having an affair with his lieutenant Michael Cassio and kills her. Othello then discovers that the “affair” was all a lie. Othello is then killed by … Read more