Essays and Research Papers on American Literature

This 5 page report discusses Steven Barnes 2002 book, “Lion’s Blood” which deals with an alternate history universe in which Africa colonized the Americas, bringing European slaves with them. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

For any who have endured the history of robots on television, the possibility of artificial intelligence in conjunction with the needs of society is very real. This 5 page paper explores the opinion of Neil Frude in his essay, The Intimate Machine, when he argues that the computer is certainly capable of evolving to the point where it does, ...

This 9 page paper discusses two books about Union General George McClellan: “Ordeal by Fire” by James McPherson; and “George B. McClellan and Civil War History: In the Shadow of Grant and Sherman” by Thomas Rowland. It describes the authors’ arguments, their sources; and argues that while both books are very fine, McPherson’s explanation of ...

A 4 page essay that discusses this period in American literary history. The wrier defines the period and discusses it in terms of the work of Emerson, Whitman, Lincoln, Dickinson and others. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

A 6 page research paper that examines Michael Cunningham's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Hours, which focuses on the stories of three women who each face enormous struggles against sexism and societal preconceptions of gender. In so doing, his novel is rather like a thumbnail sketch of the history of feminism in the twentieth century. Therefore, ...

This 3-page paper is a review of Ellis Hawley's The Great War and the Search for a Modern Order: A History of the American People and Their Institutions 1917-1933.

This 6 page paper discusses Edward Ayers' civil war narrative history, "In the Presence of Mine Enemies." Bibliography lists 1 source.

A 5 page discussion of the factors causing the extreme poverty and hardship illustrated in this book by Alex Kotliwitz. Far from fictional the gangs, violence, and drugs depicted in this book are very real and to overcome them we have to somehow dissolve the social stratification which has separated mainstream America from the ...

This 3-page book examines Davis' City of Quartz, and discusses the history of and comparison with the various parts of the city of Fontana.

A 3 page paper which examines the American novel and what it tells the reader about history, culture, ideals and other themes. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

This 2.5-page paper is a book review of John M Barry's book, "The Great Influenza: The Epic of the Deadliest Plague in History." There are 3 sources cited.

An 8 page paper which discusses the experimental or postmodern techniques presented by Toni Morrison in "Beloved" as they involve communicating the reality of black slavery in history. Bibliography lists 6 sources.

A 4 page paper which examines the values of the Natives and the values of the Europeans in James Michener’s novel Chesapeake. No additional sources cited.

A 3 page essay that examines the role of Duncan Heyward in James Fenimore Cooper's Last of the Mohicans. The character of the Major Duncan Heyward, new to the States and very English, provides Cooper with a means of making these points. Through Heyward, Cooper illustrates that many of the values of Europe do not ...

A 6 page overview of the life and accomplishments of Henry James, the author who although born American spent most of his time in London and other parts of Europe. Discusses the many factors which shaped James' literary style and concludes that, as his own brother observed, James' was a native to no country, ...

A 12 page research paper/essay that contrasts and compares Ruth L. Ozeki's novel My Year of Meats and Tony Bui's film Three Seasons. The writer argues that each work address how Western influences intermix with two Asian cultures, that of Japan and Vietnam. Examination of these two works shows how Ozeki's novel and Bui's ...

A 12 page research paper/essay that contrasts and compares Ruth L. Ozeki's novel My Year of Meats and Tony Bui's film Three Seasons. The writer argues that each work address how Western influences intermix with two Asian cultures, that of Japan and Vietnam. Examination of these two works shows how Ozeki's novel and Bui's ...

A 3 page paper which examines how Lawrence represents love in the short story The Horse Dealer’s Daughter. No additional sources cited.

This 6 page paper compares Laura in The Glass Menagerie with Mabel in The Horse Dealer’s Daughter. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

Willie Talos is a classic hero in the book All the King's Men, but he had one fatal flaw. The flaw is discussed in the context of this 5 page paper. No additional sources cited.

A 3 page paper which examines the theme and symbolism of greed in D.H. Lawrence’s “The Rocking-Horse Winner.” No additional sources cited.

This 4 page paper discusses Charles Fishman's book "The Wal-Mart Effect" and argues that the "Wal-Mart effect" is a good example of the law of unintended consequences. Bibliography lists 1 source.

A 3 page essay that argues that the main theme in both Sophocles' Antigone and Herman Melville's Billy Budd is a warning that the society that ignores humanitarian issues does so at its own peril. These narratives warn us that the society that puts punitive justice ahead of all else may be enacting a ...

A 4 page essay that defends Thoreau’s position in his essay “Civil Disobedience.” Thoreau argued against adhering to the dictates of any society or obeying any law simply because it is a law. Rather than blindly accepting the authority of the state, Thoreau felt that people were obligated to obey a higher law, one that ...

This 4 page report discusses two of the best-known American authors of the 19th century. Both Melville and Stowe were able to encapsulate many more sensibilities and awarenesses in their characters than would be readily evident in the story of an old “Negro” slave or the story being told by a “rather elderly man” about a “law-copyist or scrivener” ...