Tension between a protagonist and the society in which he lives is an element of storytelling which can be found in many texts across many millennia. The story of Jesus Christ's crucifixion is a particularly notable example, though the great novels of 19th century realism...
I like to let books choose me, instead of me choosing them. So when The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold came out in 2002 and people couldn’t be quiet about it, I tried to ignore everyone telling me, “You’ve absolutely got to read this book!”...
In the Count of Monte Cristo written by Alexander Dumas, the protagonist, Edmond Dantes, was falsely imprisoned for 14 years until he escaped. Ferdnand, Danglers, and Villefort were his conspirators, writing a letter a denunciation that would denounce him as a Bonapartist. Edmond would later...
United States Olympic medalist Dara Torres once said, “Setbacks have an upside; they fuel new dreams.” Like Dara, many people believe that while losing hurts, it also does more for people than cause pain and sadness. Losing strengthens one’s sense of resilience, motivates one to...
“When I was Puerto Rican” by Esmeralda Santiago is an autobiography that shows how Negi goes through many changes based on the challenges she endures by moving to new areas where society is different. Whether Negi was living in the Santurce, Macun, or Brooklyn, Santiago...
Benito Cereno is a story written by Herman Melville that follows the events of Captain Delano. While his trading ship is anchored, he sees a mysterious flagless ship that seems in peril and decides to offer his aid. He discovers this mysterious ship is a...
In many books, movies, or plays, a writer sometimes includes an outside perspective aside from the perspectives of the main characters, that of someone who recalls specific details or events of that storyline. Generally in these stories, this is known as a narrator but in...
