The poem The Boy Died in My Alley by Gwendolyn Brooks tells a story of a woman finding a young boy dead in her alley after gunshots were heard. In this article, we will take a look at The Boy Died in My Alley and discuss the meaning of the poem. The Boy Died In My … Read more
Julius Caesar is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare around 1599. Julius Caesar can be categorized as historical fiction, modernized to fit in with the time period. Julius Caesar is set in ancient Rome, at the time of Julius Ceasar’s rule. Julius Ceasar was betrayed and murdered by his closest friends and political allies. Julius … Read more
The Vietnam War is one of the most contentious wars in United States history. When it ended, Vietnam was split into two states, communist Vietnam and non-communist Vietnam. Today, Vietnam remains a communist state while South Vietnam has for the most part embraced capitalism. The Vietnam War was a military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, … Read more
Professionalism has been defined as “the practice of being careful and thorough in one’s work, adherence to the standards of a profession, and courtesy to others” (Dictionary. com). Professionalism is a very important part of getting ahead in an office/workplace setting. Professionalism can be displayed through both actions and appearance. Professional appearance and behavior can … Read more
Music plays a pivotal role in both our personal and society lives. Music is an outlet for many people, especially those who may not have the opportunity to express themselves through words or other means. Music also has profound effects on moods and physiological responses. As such, music can be considered one of the most … Read more
The short story The Lottery has a lot going on – subtle clues, foreshadowing, and dramatic irony – making it quite complicated. The theme is unquestionably one of the strongest in The Lottery, but there are several literary devices that make this story what it is. The most prominent device used in The Lottery is … Read more
King Lear is regarded by many to be the Bard of Avon’s greatest play, and King Lear himself one of his most tragic, compelling characters. King Lear was written around 1605-1606. King Lear , King of Britain, decides to retire from rule due to his age, give up half of his kingdom to two of … Read more
Death Of A Salesman is a play written by Arthur Miller in 1949. Death Of A Salesman has been in Broadway for a performance run in 1999, and also was in a movie released in 1951 which stars Fredric March as the main character Willie Loman. Death Of A Salesman is about a man named … Read more
Iago is Othello’s right-hand man and Othello trusts him completely. Iago seems friendly and harmless, but Othello doesn’t know about the evil plans that he has up his sleeve. Iago wants Othello to think that his wife Desdemona is cheating on him with another man because Othello really likes Desdemona and Iago is insanely jealous … Read more
A prime example is his decision to buy a house out in the white neighborhood and plan to flip it for a profit. His inexperience causes him to be cheated of the money from his real estate agent, causing Walter to become understandably angry. While being angry is more often than not an irresponsible emotion, … Read more
– The words that are used in The Yellow Wallpaper are all part of the meaning. The words paint a picture for readers to understand what is happening without having to invent the details themselves. The language is very metaphorical, always using comparisons or metaphors, similes or other ways of comparing or explaining rather than … Read more
Macbeth is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare about the downfall of Macbeth, a Scottish lord and later King. Macbeth goes through three stages in his life: initially noble and just, then corrupted into committing regicide to attain power and eventually suffering from guilt. Macbeth’s tragic flaw or error is his ambition which leads him … Read more
Irony has been used since the beginning of time to describe a situation where words, actions or events belie real meaning. Canterbury Tales , written by Geoffrey Chaucer about 1380-1400, contains ironic situations and irony is also apparent in its characters and storytelling. Irony occurs when we think we know what will happen, but we … Read more
Abortion is the ending of pregnancy by removing an embryo or fetus before it can survive outside the uterus. Abortion has been a practice since ancient times, and abortion techniques were widely known. Abortion practices differed depending on location and legality, but the basic procedure was largely similar. Abortion is also common in many animal … Read more
Macbeth by William Shakespeare has many examples of imagery which help to develop the mood and tone of Macbeth’s tragedy, and overall play that Macbeth is. Imagery in Macbeth commonly includes references to blood, such as Macduff saying “For mine own good/All causes shall give way: I’ll not be guiltless/Of Macbeth’s blood” (Act II, scene … Read more
A Doll’s House, A play written by Henrik Ibsen which was first performed in 1879 at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen. A Doll’s House is about a married couple who appear to have everything they need: money and a nice house, but there is one problem: the wife wants her husband to be more than … Read more
Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi are two of the most well-known nonviolent activists in history, yet they led rather different lives. Martin Luther King Jr. was an African American born in Atlanta, Georgia on January 15, 1929. He attended segregated public schools until he was fifteen years old when he enrolled at the … Read more
Apocalypse Now (1979) and Heart of Darkness (1899) are both works of fiction that follow the same pattern, Apocalypse Now is set during the Vietnam War whereas Heart of Darkness follows events in Congo. Apocalypse Now has been listed as one of the greatest films ever made. Apocalypse Now is based on Heart of Darkness, Apocalypse … Read more
Tomahawk racism out of sports teams! A fight over whether some names of sports Native Americans have been fighting for a while to change the racist Washington Redskins mascot. Native American groups are asking that Native Americans be recognized in all aspects of America’s system. Some Native American names already changed, but many still remain … Read more
The Iliad features the interactions of the Greek gods and how they affect the mortals on The Iliad’s stage, The Trojan War. The Greek pantheon is a family structure with Zeus as their leader. The main goal for all of these gods was to ensure that The Trojan War happened. The Greeks believed that The … Read more
A&P is a short story written by John Updike in 1961. A&P, or A Kind of Store, tells the story of a young cashier’s thoughts as he works through an average day at his local A&P supermarket. The protagonist, Sammy, befriends three girls who are dressed immodestly for the A&P, and he is given a … Read more
Macbeth has been depicted in various ways since its first appearance on stage, and is widely known as a tragedy, about the downfall of Macbeth and his lady. Macbeth’s ambition leads him to kill King Duncan, after he is visited by three witches who tell Macbeth that he will be king. Macbeth murders the king … Read more
Othello and Iago have a complex relationship. Othello’s trust of Iago makes him feel betrayed by him, Othello feels that Iago is his friend however Iago has tricked Othello into believing this. Othello does not understand how his friend could do such a thing to him. Othello thinks that he has been tricked because someone … Read more
The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant is a short story written in eighteen eighty nine. The narrator, Madame Loisel, tells a tale of a necklace that she had to return ten years after it was originally purchased in the name of her husband. The events leading up to her having to give back the necklace … Read more
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