The presence of supernatural elements is a defining characteristic of Gothic literature, serving not only to create an atmosphere of fear and suspense but also to explore deeper themes of human psychology, morality, and the unknown. By integrating ghosts, curses, and other unearthly phenomena, Gothic novels delve into the complexities ...Read More
The presence of supernatural elements is a defining characteristic of Gothic literature, serving not only to create an atmosphere of fear and suspense but also to explore deeper themes of human psychology, morality, and the unknown. By integrating ghosts, curses, and other unearthly phenomena, Gothic novels delve into the complexities of the human mind, societal fears, and the thin line between reality and the supernatural.
Analyzing the role of supernatural elements in Gothic literature offers valuable insights into the historical and cultural contexts from which these works emerged. It allows for an exploration of how authors use the supernatural to challenge readers' perceptions and to comment on issues of their time. Furthermore, such an essay can illuminate the enduring appeal of the supernatural in storytelling and its impact on readers' engagement and imagination. Writing on this theme encourages critical thinking about the ways in which the supernatural influences narrative structure, character development, and themes, making it a rich topic for literary analysis.
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In the novel Reef, there are a series of events that mark Triton’s (the protagonist's) coming of age. To understand Gunesekera's novel, a reader should heed these events and consider how these occurrences have shaped and affected the protagonist’s life. In the novel Triton holds...
Within The Namesake, Lahiri presents the relationship between men and women as heavily shaped by their environment, heritage and socio-economic background. The relationship between the Ratliffs, Maxine’s parents, Gerald and Lydia, is directly juxtaposed against the relationship of Ashoke and Ashima as being more loving...
Viewed as a Naturalist novel, with its realistic prose, indifferent environment, and an aesthetic network built around motifs, the narrative of Ann Petry’s The Street reads like a mid-century black version of Theodore Dreiser’s Sister Carrie: a woman (Carrie is single; Lutie Johnson is saddled...
Untouchable describes a day in the life of a young sweeper boy, Bakha, who has been denied even a chance for a free and open-air walk because of his occupation. The novel introduces the caste system of rural India as the setting, and portrays a...
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The fictional novel Fever 1793 written by Laurie Halse Anderson is narrated through the protagonist, Matilda “Mattie” Cook. Mattie is a fourteen year old, who lives with her mother and grandfather; as a family, they run a popular coffeehouse. Made-to-order essay as fast as you...
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The novel The Jungle by Upton Sinclair narrates the life story of Jurgis and the tortures and destruction that he suffers since his arrival to Chicago with his family. Throughout the story, Sinclair describes the cruelties that Jurgis and his family faces in this capitalist...
In Kate Chopin’s novel, The Awakening, Edna, the protagonist faces a dilemma of solitude and confusion in which no one can seem to grasp and understand, not even her. Taking place during the 1800’s, in a time filled with strict societal laws, women juxtapose to...
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You know that feeling you get when you read a really good book. The feeling of excitement and eagerness washes over you like an ocean wave. The feeling that you want and need to know what is going to happen next. I got that wonderful...
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Introduction Imagine a world where everything and everyone is the same, a world where there is no freedom to make your own visions or live your own decisions. This is the cruel reality of Equality. Anthem is a dystopian novel written by Ayn Rand, which...
Loss of life and the grief that follows it are huge parts of Oskar Schell’s life in the novel Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer. Even as a nine-year-old, Oskar has had to mature die to his dads death on 9/11. He...
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Set in two different continents and spanning over 250 years, Homegoing is a historical fiction novel written by Yaa Gyasi. The novel follows the stories of two families descended from half-sisters, Effia and Essi, who never meet each other. Although the families have immensely different...
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Octavia E. Butler’s novel Kindred details the harrowing journey of 26-year-old Dana Franklin. A modern black woman from 1970s Los Angeles, Dana is continuously jerked back through time to the land of her ancestors: early 1800s Maryland. Her task? Save her white ancestor, Rufus Weylin,...
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In Jack Kerouac’s novels and poetry he is always searching for something to believe in, be it himself, God, or something else. Surprisingly, he manages to also simultaneously be constantly running away. Fear of responsibility and conformity is present in the majority of his works;...
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In his novel Franny and Zooey, Salinger effectively portrays the troubled lifestyles of the Glass family, particularly those of Franny and Zooey, the two youngest Glass children. These two characters were raised with an education that promoted religious knowledge and awareness while being featured on...
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Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson portrays the life of its narrator, Ruthie, alongside her sister Lucille as the two grow from mere children to young women while being surrounded by the confusion of shifting guardians, as well as the influence of transiency. Once the final guardian...
Les Miserables is a story of redemption, forgiveness, charity, salvation and moral obligation. The main character, Jean Valjean, enters the novel as a thief, having spent nineteen years in prison. He is given this second chance by M. Myriel, a prominent bishop, who offers Jean...
