| Papers [331-340] of 18763 :: [Page 34 of 1877] | | Go to page : <— 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 —> | |
|
|
American Literature, 2008.
A review of classical American literature and how it shaped America today.
2,270 words (approx. 9.1 pages), 10 sources, MLA, $ 70.95
»
Click here to show/hide summary
Abstract
This paper discusses how any American literature class is important today because it offers students the opportunity to view how the culture of America has been shaped and transformed. The paper begins with a review of early colonial and Puritan writings and expands on American history through the women's rights movement and time of slavery and freedom. It also discusses how the early writings of Americans helped shaped America by explaining how America has always given man the opportunity to express him or herself liberally, and offered the right to freedom, democracy and eventually justice for all. For this reason many today look up to America still as a land of opportunity, and is the reason these writings are essential to understanding this opinion of America today.
Outline
Introduction
Early Literature - A Reflection of Hope
Enlightenment and Deism
The 19th Century and Beyond
Conclusion
From the Paper
"Much of early literature including works like William Bradford's, "Of Plymouth Plantation" and John Winthrop's, "A Model of Christian Charity" reflect what America was about in the earliest stages of its growth, or its infancy using our initial analogy. In his original manuscript, Bradford attempts to explain life during the early puritan period as he states, "with singular regard unto ye simple trueth in all things, at least as near as my slender judgmente can attaine the same" (Bradford 3). This early document demonstrates the early spelling and phonetic writing of early authors, but more importantly demonstrates Bradford's attempts to describe the "truth in all things" as he saw them, admitting his own judgment may be "slender" but truthful. Bradford goes on to describe the, "Honourable Nation of England," the first nation purportedly adorned by God, and the transgressions that had led to wars and opposition, imprisonments and banishments that occurred in early times, forcing the people of American to return to churches of God that, "reverte to their anciente pruitie, and recover primitive order, libertie & bewtie" (Bradford 3). "
| |
|
"Great Expectations" and "A Clockwork Orange", 2008.
A review of the novels "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens and "A Clockwork Orange" by Anthony Burgess.
1,098 words (approx. 4.4 pages), 6 sources, MLA, $ 38.95
»
Click here to show/hide summary
Abstract
This paper examines two great works, "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens and "A Clockwork Orange" by Anthony Burgess, as novels that fall under the Bildungsroman genre, which is a genre of novel that deals with the growth of the protagonist. The paper explains that the Bildungsroman novel chronicles the life of the hero from childhood to adulthood and the conflict that he meets and resolves on his way to wisdom. The paper then points out that some novels come under the umbrella of Bildungsroman but may contain few deviations such as Burgess' "A Clockwork Orange" and Dickens' "Great Expectations". The paper also looks at how compared to "A Clockwork Orange", "Great Expectations" is certainly a more conformist form of Bildungsroman but the one place where it deviates from tradition is the choice of narrator. The paper analyzes each novel in relation to Bildungsroman, and concludes that both novels are masterpieces in their own right, but Dickens's work is a better example of a true English Bildungsroman than Burgess' work.
From the Paper
"Dickens has used an adult voice to narrate the experiences of a child which is starkly different from other examples of the genre where narrator is either a third person or is the protagonist himself who grows with the novel. Buckley, in his book, Seasons of Youth explains the origin of Bildungsroman and its three distinct categories. He further adds that English Bildungsroman tradition was different from that of German's since the former was "in its broadest sense . . . a convenient synonym for the novel of youth or apprenticeship" (13). Buckley's intensive research indicates that English bildungsroman was not always completely autobiographical."
| |
|
"Krapp's Last Tape", 2008.
An analysis of Samuel Beckett's play "Krapp's Last Tape".
1,270 words (approx. 5.1 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 43.95
»
Click here to show/hide summary
Abstract
This paper discusses how "Krapp's Last Tape" is a play about endings, about old age and memory. It looks at how, when analyzing what the protagonist, Krapp, perceives as the single most important incident in his life, and examining how this affected his character and the direction of his life, it is perhaps most important to ask how live events did not effect Krapp, or rather how Krapp allowed his life to remain at a standstill. It also examines how Krapp marks the passage of his years not by spending time with loved ones or moving forward, but listening to his own voice on tape. The character's life is like an endless loop, on a spool of recorded sound.
From the Paper
"The repetitive and static nature of Krapp's life finds its most potent metaphor in an encounter Krapp had with a woman on a barge. But rather than a long, lost love that has affected Krapp in a positive or negative way, this seems more like a relationship that never really deepened, and is only yet another thwarted possibility in a life that is a succession of thwarted possibilities. Krapp's haunting by many images from his past that fleetingly promised happiness are demonstrated by his obsessive listening to a tape recording of his own voice. The tape contains a journal entry from long ago, to which Krapp reacts, verbally and physically. Krapp cannot let go of the past, and even the past has few concrete memories of significance, he can only listen to his younger self's articulation of hopes that things will get better."
| |
|
Mikael Niemi's "Popular Music from Vittula", 2008.
Reviews Swedish author Mikael Niemi's first novel "Popular Music from Vittula".
1,200 words (approx. 4.8 pages), 8 sources, MLA, $ 41.95
»
Click here to show/hide summary
Abstract
This paper explains that Swedish author Mikael Niemi's novel "Popular Music from Vittula", about coming of age in rural Sweden in the 1960s, is an example of postcolonialism literature that has a perfect blend of protagonist, subject and aesthetic. The paer describes postcolonialism literature as having a theme of ideological and psychological change; whereby, the original cultural world of the postcolonial author has been changed forever by an outside nation or culture so it cannot be rejected. The paper then states that in this book the harsh climate and the values of the land seem isolated from the rest of mainstream Swedish society; however, as in other novels of colonialism, the larger culture is always intruding in visible and invisible ways, just as the boys on the cusp of adolescence and adulthood are being forced to grow up.
From the Paper
"Niemi's tale takes place in the Swedish town of Pajala, a place so remote it might be another nation to many readers, including Swedes. On reviewer observed that the residents are: "looked down upon by the Swedes for being too Finnish and by the Finnish for being too Swedish, the people of Pajala share a universally accepted inferiority complex that is dutifully passed on to the next generation." In short, the residents embody the colonial paradox of being despised for their origins, yet those who attempt to assume any of the culture or follow the rules of the occupiers or dominant culture are mocked by members of that culture."
| |
|
"Flowers in the Attic", 2008.
This paper analyzes the book "Flowers in the Attic" by V. C. Andrews.
1,765 words (approx. 7.1 pages), 4 sources, APA, $ 56.95
»
Click here to show/hide summary
Abstract
The paper discusses the maltreatment of the children including beatings, intentional incarceration, neglect, incest and death in "Flowers in the Attic". The paper discusses the lessons a social worker can learn from this novel and apply to his or her practice. The paper posits that this book offers an important lesson on the dark side of human nature and how that nature can affect innocent children.
From the Paper
"The author knows at least some of what she writes about in this novel. One author notes, "Her books, like Flowers in the Attic, as well as its sequels and prequels, concern hidden incest. Clearly, what is taken to be unnatural here is unnatural and repulsive from a moral standpoint" (Carroll, 1990, p. 40). When she was in high school, she fell down a flight of stairs and injured her back so severely that she will spend the rest of her life in a wheelchair. She has felt isolation and unhappiness in her own life, and clearly brings those feelings to her novels. She may have even felt repulsive and unnatural, prompting her to write this book about her own experiences and isolation after her accident. This book was her first novel, and because of the violence, rape, and incest it contains, it has come under controversy ever since it was written in 1979 (Editors, 2005)."
| |
|
Mario Livio's "The Golden Ratio", 2008.
A review of Mario Livio's book "The Golden Ratio: The Story of Phi, the World's Most Astonishing Number', which chronicles the history of this number.
1,260 words (approx. 5.0 pages), 1 source, APA, $ 42.95
»
Click here to show/hide summary
Abstract
This paper explains that Mario Livio's book "The Golden Ratio: The Story of Phi, the World's Most Astonishing Number", chronicles the history of, not of a person, thing, or concept, but a number. The paper then relates that this number phi, or notion of proportionality or the 'Golden Ratio', however, has been invested with so much cultural, emotional, and religious importance that it has taken on a character of its own. Next, the paper points out that the reason that phi is astonishing is because, for centuries, our fascination with proportion and beauty has made its properties an object of wonder. The paper concludes that, although Livio ultimately deflates the mystery of phi, his book is a helpful explanation not just of the number but also of why balance and symmetry dominates so many modern discussions of art and architecture.
From the Paper
"But ultimately, astrophysicist Mario Livio says that creating this mysterious proportion is no different than a person cutting a piece of string into pieces. While the 'Golden Ratio' appears in many natural phenomena, some supposed appearances are really not true 'Golden Ratios' (such as the Pyramids and Parthenon) and all appearance of perfection is based in human notions of proportionality. It is evidence of humans looking at nature, not that nature or God through nature looking back at us. We see perfection and proportionality because we are looking for it in nature."
| |
|
H.E. Huntley's "The Divine Proportion", 2008.
A review of H.E. Huntley's book, "The Divine Proportion", which argues that mathematics can be beautiful.
1,175 words (approx. 4.7 pages), 1 source, APA, $ 40.95
»
Click here to show/hide summary
Abstract
This paper explains that H.E. Huntley, in his book "The Divine Proportion" claims that beauty exists as a principle, which is external and transcendent to any individual human being's ability to create either equations or art. The paper also discusses Huntley's arguement that the 'Golden Ratio', also known as phi, is the supreme proof that God is a mathematician and that the mathematician and creator God appreciates nature. The paper concludes that Huntley's book is clearly not aimed at mathematicians, given that he is trying to defend his profession and the beauty of math; however, most people lacking fairly solid math skills would find this book a very difficult read, except for its first and last chapters.
From the Paper
"Huntley's last chapters shift somewhat from the defense of the 'Golden Ratio' as proof of the existence of universal ideals of beauty and proportionality, and moves on into a more general defense of mathematics as a discipline that is in pursuit of beauty no less than sculpture or art. But why does mathematics need to defend itself as beautiful, to hold its place beside art, poetry, and philosophy? The divisions between the disciplines that did not exist for the ancient Greeks say more about the development of our culture into a split between the sciences and the arts than a failure to recognize the capabilities of mathematics' contribution to the world in general."
| |
|
Protagonists and Their Roles, 2008.
A comparative analysis of the development of the protagonist in "Huckleberry Finn" by Mark Twain, "Emma" by Jane Austen, and "My Name is Asher Lev" by Chaim Potok.
1,617 words (approx. 6.5 pages), 3 sources, MLA, $ 52.95
»
Click here to show/hide summary
Abstract
This paper introduces, discusses, and analyzes the novels "Huckleberry Finn" by Mark Twain, "Emma" by Jane Austen, and "My Name is Asher Lev" by Chaim Potok. Specifically it examines the role of the protagonist in these three novels and how each of them grows and develops in some way during these novels. The paper concludes that these novels are novels about coming of age or transformations, as they all concentrate on the growth and increasing awareness of the characters to their surroundings and their own maturity and self-awareness, as the evidence shows.
From the Paper
"Emma's growth is similar to Huck's in that she matures and learns to question certain aspects of society. However, her circumstances are far different from Huck's. She is wealthy and pampered, and a bit selfish and self-centered at the beginning of the novel. In comparison, Huck has never had it easy, and he continues to struggle throughout the novel, actively seeking a place for himself and his friend. He is also a loveable character, even if he is mischievous and impish, while there are times when Emma is decidedly unlovable and not open to learning about herself throughout much of the novel, because she is too busy meddling in other's affairs. Inside, she is a good person, just as Huck is, and so the reader hopes she will learn from her mistakes and find love."
| |
|
J. D. Salinger's War Fiction, 2008.
Compares J. D. Salinger's use of war themes in his short stories "The Stranger" and "A Perfect Day for Bananafish".
1,015 words (approx. 4.1 pages), 5 sources, MLA, $ 35.95
»
Click here to show/hide summary
Abstract
This paper relates that J. D. Salinger's short fiction was influenced to a great extent by his participation in World War II and by the nervous breakdown he suffered when he returned from the battlefield. The paper then points out that, although their setting and main plot differ, his two short stories, "The Stranger" and "A Perfect Day for Bananafish", have many common elements. The paper also relates that both texts have as main characters young men who recently returned from the war suffering from psychological stress. The paper concludes that, in both stories, war is seen as more than a mere experience of death and anguish; it is indicative of inhumanity, corruption and extreme violence as opposed to the world of innocence, which infancy represents.
From the Paper
"Thus, the stories converge in a few points, the most important of which being the former soldier's emotional stress after the war and the refuge they try to take in the innocent world of the two girls, Sybil and Mattie. Thus, Babe notices with surprise the beautiful way in which his little sister makes a playful jump from the curve of the highway to its surface and listens to her innocent babble about some plays they could go and see. The apparently nonsense talk of the child is the most important part of the story as it stands in contrast with the crimes of the war."
| |
|
Eugene O'Neill's "Desire under the Elms", 2008.
Looks at realism in Eugene O'Neill's "Desire under the Elms".
2,030 words (approx. 8.1 pages), 5 sources, MLA, $ 64.95
»
Click here to show/hide summary
Abstract
This paper briefly examines Eugene O'Neill's use of various types of realism in several of his plays. The paper points out that, in general, O'Neill did not deal with the preoccupations of the external world but rather with his own preoccupations, which were derived not from these personal demons but from his religious treatment of them. The paper then relates that the realism in "Desire under the Elms" involves aspects of Freudian psychology, as seen in the character Eben's Oedipal complex. The author concludes that the realism of the setting and of the speech patterns of the play makes the action seem all the more universal and a mirror of human psychology more than anything separate and unique to the characters in the play.
From the Paper
"As O'Neill became more famous in his early years as a playwright, he also became increasingly conscious of his public position and increasingly articulate about his ideals and hopes for American drama. As often happens, after his initial success he achieved notoriety as critics questioned some of his work, such as "All God's Chillun" for its racial theme or "Desire Under the Elms" for its supposed immorality. His reputation then reached new heights with the production of "Strange Interlude" in 1928, a play that took more than five hours to present."
|
|
|