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Feminist Revision, 2008.
This paper compares and discusses two works about women: Gustave Flaubert's 'Madame Bovary' and Kate Chopin's 'The Awakening'.
1,955 words (approx. 7.8 pages), 2 sources, MLA, $ 62.95
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Abstract
In this article, the writer notes that works about women written by men are frequently compared to later works written by women. There is a clear line of reasoning in many cases that the later works are attempts by women to seek redress for the manner in which their gender was depicted in the earlier work. The writer points out that there is a clear sense that two works that deserve comparison on this theme are Gustave Flaubert's 'Madame Bovary' and the much shorter novella Kate Chopin's 'The Awakening'. In both works the point of view and lead character are that of a woman, seeking redress in a provincial world for a life that did not meet the expectations she had set for herself or her life in her youth. The writer maintains that to argue that 'The Awakening' is a feminist revision of 'Madame Bovary', requires a deeper analysis of plot and scenes within the works as well as narrative style and method and lastly the representation of the heroine in each work.
From the Paper
"Her last moments of life are spent in fear, as she sees an old blind poet, from her past standing near her window. Her death scene is then followed closely by funereal preparations and many descriptive details, described to her husband of the vast level of degradation she had experienced prior to her death. The point of view, switches contemptuously from Emma to her husband who unravels her infidelity and lack of providence, bit by bit, changing the perception of her death and her life accordingly.
"In comparison, Edna, in The Awakening takes her life by swimming into the gulf to far for any chance of return, has a clean introspective death, where she discovers herself and challenges her roles. She came to the realization that she no longer had longing fro her own life, and she had been unable to fulfill her desires as an independent artist."
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"Tortilla Curtain" and the American Dream, 2008.
An analysis of T. Coraghessan Boyle's 1995 novel "Tortilla Curtain".
1,250 words (approx. 5.0 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 42.95
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Abstract
The paper discusses how Boyle's novel "Tortilla Curtain" evolves in a series of juxtapositions between two couples, one white, affluent, and jaded about the rewards of success (the Mossbachers) and the other poor, Spanish-speaking, yet filled with hope in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds (the Rincons). The paper analyzes the symbolism and irony present in the book and the focus on the American dream that turns out to be a lie. The paper comments that this work is both persuasive and sadly relevant to current immigration debates in America today.
From the Paper
"T. Coraghessan Boyle's 1995 novel Tortilla Curtain depicts the growing embitterment of the protagonist Delaney Mossbacher with illegal immigrants and Mexicans over the course of three clearly divided sections with the Spanish names, "Arroyo Blanco", "El Tenksgeeve", and "Socorro." The novel begins with Mossbacher hitting an illegal immigrant named Candido. At first, Delaney thinks that Candido is a wild animal, a coyote. Then he realizes that Candido is a man."
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"The Metamorphosis", 2008.
This paper looks at Franz Kafka's short story "The Metamorphosis" and analyzes its interpretation.
1,678 words (approx. 6.7 pages), 4 sources, MLA, $ 54.95
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Abstract
The paper discusses how Kafka's story "The Metamorphosis" can be interpreted in a variety of ways. The paper focuses on the central metamorphosis of Gregor into a creature and shows how there are many meanings attached to this event. The paper points out that what is most remarkable is that Gregor's positive feelings towards his family remain unchanged even while everything else changes unrecognizably.
From the Paper
"Kafka's short story, "Metamorphosis", presents a number of interesting obstacles for attempts at interpretation. Some interpreters for example focus on the fact that Kafka never indicates what kind of bug Gregor Samsa becomes. While the maid once refers to him as a "dung beetle", this is never corroborated by the rest of the text. While some hold that the main character is transformed into a cockroach, others note that the description of Gregor's form does not substantiate this. Indeed, Vladimir Nabokov even provides a sketch to illustrate this point in his lecture on Kafka's work. A further problematic issue is that Kafka never directly states the reasons for Gregor's transformation - either in symbolic or in realistic terms. Indeed, the reader is left to his or her own devices in providing a suitable interpretation and reasons for the strange event."
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Franz Kafka's Works, 2008.
A comparison of Franz Kafka's "A Hunger Artist" and "The Metamorphosis".
1,442 words (approx. 5.8 pages), 3 sources, MLA, $ 47.95
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Abstract
The paper analyzes Franz Kafka's stories "A Hunger Artist" and "The Metamorphosis", which are similar in theme and are reflections of the author's persona of self-destruction. The paper explains how alienation is a theme in both stories where the main character decides to separate himself from his surroundings. The paper also notes several minor differences between these stories.
Outline:
Franz Kafka's "A Hunger Artist"
Franz Kafka's "The Metamorphosis"
Comparison-contrast of the Kafka Theme of Self-Destruction in "A Hunger Artist" and "Metamorphosis"
Characters causing their own Destruction
From the Paper
"A Hunger Artist by Franz Kafka was first written in the year 1922 and also got published in a compilation entitled "A Hunger Artist". Kafka died in 1924, as he was completely involved in the process of correcting the galley proofs, however the collection was published the same year. Kafka's " A Hunger Artist" is considered to be one of the few scripts which Kafka did not request his friends to destroy or otherwise to burn after his death."
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Barack Obama Memoir, 2008.
This paper provides a book review on the work 'Dreams from my Father' by Barack Obama.
1,550 words (approx. 6.2 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 50.95
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Abstract
In this article, the writer notes that for a memoir written by a senator and an aspiring presidential candidate, 'Dreams from my Father' by Barack Obama is a brilliantly candid document. True, the writer points out, that Obama was not a candidate when he penned the work in 1998. Still, he was clearly ambitious and had a future political and legal career on his mind and a potential agenda. He was a graduate of Harvard Law School, the editor of the prestigious Harvard Law Review, and in only two years he would be the Democratic junior senator from the largely Republican state of Illinois. The writer discusses that rather than affirm homilies about the goodness of America, Obama speaks openly about the difficulties of negotiating a viable sense of self and identity in contemporary America.
From the Paper
"Obama discusses how he struggled to know who he was as a young man, racially and in terms of his future. He grew up in a divided America, still polarized by the ideological revolutions of the Civil Rights movement and the ant-war movement. The quest for stability and identity is something that most adolescents can relate to, but this intense self-examination is rarely expressed by politicians who often want to project a secure sense of self, to avoid being accused of waffling. Now that Obama's youth and supposed inexperience are an issue in the Democratic campaign for the nomination, he might regret some of his words in Dreams from my Father, but from the point of view of telling a good story, his tale is compelling because it is so easy to relate to his struggle, whether a reader is black or white, or of mixed race."
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"The Panther", 2008.
A line-by-line explication of the poem "The Panther" by Rainer Marie Rilke.
1,327 words (approx. 5.3 pages), 1 source, APA, $ 44.95
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Abstract
The paper analyzes Rainer Marie Rilke's use of rhyme in his poem "The Panther" as well as the poem's central image of the animal behind the bars. The paper looks at the vision of containment and Rilke's attempts to capture the essence of a wild thing in a zoo and put it on display before the public. The paper suggests that this sense of wildness 'caught' may be why this poem still captivates readers today and strikes a chord with anyone who has visited a zoo or a place where animals are kept in captivity.
From the Paper
"When doing a line-by-line explication of the poem by Rainer Marie Rilke, entitled "The Panther," it is important to remember that the reader is dealing with a translation, not with the original text. In other words, when constructing the interpretation, the reader who cannot speak German can only understand the poem through the translator's imperfect rendition of the poem into English. In this case, the translator has chosen to create an ABAB rhyming structure in the first stanza, rhyming the words "bars" and "are." Then, the translator uses a slant, or slightly 'off' rhyme of the words "hold" and "world" to pair the second and fourth lines Although these words are not perfect rhymes, they still exhibit consonance, or similar consonant, hard sounds. Rhyming these words stresses the importance of the bars which 'are' impenetrable, and real, and that the entire world of the animal is contained or held."
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Guests and Strangers in Homer's Works, 2008.
A discussion of the treatment of guests and strangers in Homer's works "Hymn to Demeter", "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey".
766 words (approx. 3.1 pages), 3 sources, MLA, $ 27.95
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Abstract
This paper analyzes how Homer's "Hymn to Demeter", "The Iliad", and "The Odyssey" all explore the traditional customs of providing shelter for strangers and the consequences for breaking such customs. The paper points out that, in these three tales, one can see the importance placed on good hospitality. They are a reflection of the ancient tradition of receiving guests with kindness and generosity. Breaking these traditions proved disruptive of the rest of the community, and efforts were then taken to restore order. The paper concludes that Homer's writings give us key insight into the everyday values of Greek life and culture.
From the Paper
"These traditions are also highlighted in the breaking of them by the characters in Homer's tales. He highlights the action which broke these taboos, but also a negative response to it by the other figures in the story. When Demeter refused to allow healthy harvests, Zeus had to step in to stop her from taking the lives of millions of people in order to save her single daughter, (Morford and Lanardon 313). This shows the general negative attitude towards disregarding the health and welfare of strangers. Another prime example of breaking this taboo is the account of Achilles and his actions towards Hector's body. Many cultures showed respect to guests, even forced guests as in the case of prisoners of war. It was custom out of respect for fallen soldiers to return the body in order to get the proper funereal rites. In The Iliad, Achilles refuses this custom when he drags Hectors body and refuses to surrender it to the Trojans, (Homer Book 22, line 494). This was a taboo, despite the fact that Hector was an enemy."
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"Notes from Underground" as Social Critique, 2008.
A discussion of the social criticism found Fyodor Dostoevsky's "Notes from Underground".
940 words (approx. 3.8 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 33.95
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Abstract
This paper examines how Dostoevsky's "Notes from Underground" offers the underground man as a highly astute critic of society. The paper claims that the underground man celebrates freedom in the face of all adversity, seeks freedom in his every action. It argues that the philosophy he espouses centers on the distinction between the rational and the irrational faculties and what follows from the conflict between the two. He specifically rejects the rational and finds that those who accept the rational as a basis for their lives are reduced as human beings and made less natural and more mechanical. The paper maintains that what the underground man celebrates instead is emotion, the irrational, and in a sense the unexamined. The paper holds that he withdraws from the social order, lives on his own terms, and celebrates freedom above governance in all things. The paper concludes that he does not mourn for the fact that long-term governance is not possible, but only observes that this is so and suggests that living outside the norms of society is a better choice in any case.
From the Paper
"The underground man chooses freedom over structure, but this choice is ironic. He chooses the freedom to do whatever he wants to do, but he says that the only answer for the intelligent man is to do nothing at all. Still, he sees the human being as made up of impulses that make the individual unpredictable. It might be best for the intelligent man to do nothing at all, but this might not be the decision the intelligent man makes. The underground man seems to have been shaped by forces that have determined what his decisions will be, but he is still able to make those decisions and is still influenced by both rational and irrational impulses as he does so."
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Joseph Howe Article 1865, 2008.
A review of the article "The Botheration Scheme" written by Joseph Howe in the "Halifax Morning Chronicle" in 1865.
822 words (approx. 3.3 pages), 3 sources, MLA, $ 29.95
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Abstract
This paper examines an article written by Joseph Howe, "The Botheration Scheme", and discusses how the context of Howe's column, which argues strongly for Nova Scotia's continued self-rule, continued British sponsorship, and opposition to confederation, is a mirror on the debates raging in Nova Scotia and the rest of Canada at that time.
From the Paper
"Howe's viewpoint was clear, but he had a more beneficent view of 10 Downing Street than many of his confreres at the Quebec Convention. Either because of geographic vicinity, or because of his successful efforts at the Court of St. James, Howe enjoyed the ear of British politicians and diplomats. Subsequent to the success of the Confederation, Howe took royal appointments, which required close collaboration with Great Britain. He also took a leading role in the building of a railway between Halifax and Windsor; since most funding for railway projects originated in London, one can be certain that Howe's good connections would also benefit there as well. "
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Emily and Mr. Mallard: The Torture of Love, 2008.
An examination of the negative aspects of love, as portrayed in "A Rose for Emily" written by William Faulkner and "Story of an Hour" written by Kate Chopin.
1,330 words (approx. 5.3 pages), 6 sources, MLA, $ 44.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses the contradictory emotions surrounding love in the form of fiction. It specifically explores the "nasty underbelly" to love through the prism of two short stories that grapple with these less pleasant aspects of love. It examines "A Rose for Emily" written by William Faulkner and "Story of an Hour" written by Kate Chopin.
From the Paper
"Both Mrs. Mallard and Emily are victims of more than just lost love or broken hearts - they are presented as victims of extreme circumstances. Both Faulkner and Chopin seem to infer, through their characters, that the rights of women in the south were so restricted by the roles they were expected to play that their freedom was inevitably stifled. This restriction would prove to be a major interference in their love lives, in addition to their general well being. Emily feels the effects psychologically - by turning into a psychopathic, necrophiliac murderer - while Mrs. Mallard internalizes her oppression to the extent that her heart ultimately gives out on her. As Anais Nin once wrote, "Love never dies a natural death. It dies because we don't know how to replenish its source." This is a lesson that both Mrs. Mallard and Emily must learn the hard way."
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Robert Walton and Victor Frankenstein, 2008.
A comparison between the characters of Robert Walton and Victor Frankenstein in Mary Shelley's famous novel, "Frankenstein".
1,703 words (approx. 6.8 pages), 5 sources, APA, $ 55.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses Mary Shelley's famous novel "Frankenstein" and looks at the similarities between the characters, Robert Walton and Victor Frankenstein. The paper relates that the the two primary concerns of the text are the Faustian or Satanic desire for scientific, God-like knowledge, and that of the self or the identity, and how it relates to the others.
From the Paper
"Mary Shelley's famous novel Frankenstein remains one of the most famous horror fictions of all times. Drawing on some of the literature's greatest masterpieces such as Milton's Paradise Lost or Percy Bysshe Shelley's Prometheus Unbound, as well as on the rich Romantic and Gothic traditions to which it belongs, the novel displays a complex system of meanings, allusions and interpolations. Essentially, the text is made up of three autobiographies: that of Robert Walton who writes to his sister in England and tells her about his North Pole expedition, that of Victor Frankenstein, the scientist who manages to create life in the form of a monster and who tells his story to Walton, and that of the monster who tells his story to his creator, Frankenstein. Not accidentally, these three autobiographers resemble each other to the greatest degree. On the one hand, the same desire for knowledge pursues all three of them: Walton is fascinated by the yet unknown lands of the North Pole, Frankenstein is enthralled by the mystery of life itself and the monster is naturally curious about everything surrounding him. The other thing that unites them, this time only Frankenstein and Walton is their common role as animators: while Frankenstein creates new life, intending surely to make a replica of himself, Walton rescues and reanimates Frankenstein, who is also a replica of himself. Thus, the two primary concerns of the text are the Faustian or Satanic desire for scientific, God-like knowledge, and that of the self or the identity, and how it relates to the others."
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Delaney Mossbacher of "Tortilla Curtain", 2008.
A character study of Delaney Mossbacher in T. Coraghessan Boyle's 1995 novel "Tortilla Curtain".
706 words (approx. 2.8 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 25.95
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Abstract
The paper paints a picture of a white, privileged individual who is compassionate about the environment but is utterly insensitive to the implications of his lifestyle upon the lives of others. The paper highlights the contrast between Delaney Mossbacher's liberal, environmental and humanist ideals and his actions and lifestyle. The paper shows how he is fanatical about recycling, yet essentially treats another human life like a piece of trash.
From the Paper
"White, privileged, compassionate about the environment--and utterly insensitive to the implications of his lifestyle upon the lives of others. All of this is embodied in the first actions of Delaney Mossbacher in T. Coraghessan Boyle's 1995 novel Tortilla Curtain. At the beginning of the book, Delaney accidently hits an illegal immigrant and injures him. He offers Candido money in compensation, only 20 dollars, and because Candido cannot go to the hospital for fear of being discovered by the authorities, the man accepts the offering. Candido's wife is pregnant, and now that Candido is injured, he will be unable to earn money to support America."
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