English Essays

Tale of Two Cities
Tale of Two Cities A TALE OF TWO CITIES A Tale of Two Cities has long been one of Charles Dickens’ most favored books. This book opens in the year 1775 by contrasting two cities: Paris, France and London, England. Throughout this story various characters are “recalled to life”, meaning that they have had a new chance at life. Dr. Manette is clearly mad after being in prison for eighteen years. When Lucie, the Dr.’s daughter, and Mr. Lorry eventually nurs...

Tale of two cities brilliant plot
Tale of two cities - brilliant plot In the fictitious novel Tale of Two Cities, the author, Charles Dickens, lays out a brilliant plot. Charles Dickens was born in England on February 7, 1812 near the south coast. His family moved to London when he was ten years old and quickly went into debt. To help support himself, Charles went to work at a blacking warehouse when he was twelve. His father was soon imprisoned for debt and shortly thereafter the rest of the family split apart....

Taming of the shrew
Taming of the shrew The Renaissance Woman Pablo Picasso once said there are two kinds of women; there are goddesses and doormats. This quote perfectly reflects the outlook of Renaissance women. Shakespeare fully illustrates this in his novel, Taming of The Shrew. By portraying the darker side of the Renaissance life of Elizabethan women, the concept of marriage as a business agreement, and by using animal imagery, Shakepeare demonstrates that the Elizabethan era ...

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Sir Gawain was known as a noble and honest man who was willing to stare death in the face to protect King Arthur. However, the courtly Sir Gawain is submitted to the unexpected—not to the test he expects, but to one he does not expect (qtd. in Spearing). The underlying theme throughout the entire poem is temptation, which, is Sir Gawain’s greatest challenge because he is not aware of it. He faltered not nor feared But quickly we...

Skoal ad
Skoal ad “At Least It’s Not Cocaine” Staring blankly out of the passenger window of my friend’s car, I realize that I am bored out of my mind. Hours from my destination I reach for my friend’s bookbag. I pull out a popular men’s magazine “Maxim” and flip through the pages. I come across an article that catches my attention. It is a smokeless tobacco advertisement loaded with subliminal messages. The bright lights of a sporting event cause a silhouette o...

Slaughter House Five
Slaughter House-Five Slaughter house-Five, written by Kurt Vonnegut is a post modern novel, attempting to undermine the reader’s expectations. The novel does not have smooth transitions from one event to the next. The reason is, because the novel reflects modern man’s life. Since the novel is not smooth it is confusing. This is just like modern man’s life, confusing. Another literary device is, it is difficult to follow. When the novel is hard to read the reade...

Slaughterhouse Five 1
Slaughterhouse Five This first chapter, a preface, is insistent on the fact that the book is based on real events. Vonnegut, like our narrator, is a veteran of World War II, a former prisoner of war, and a witness to a great massacre, and that fact lends a certain authority to what follows. Vonnegut shares with us his enduring inability to render in writing the horror of Dresden. There is nothing intelligent to say about a massacre, yet he feels the need to say something. The b...

Slaughterhouse five comparison to the stone angel
Slaughterhouse five comparison to the stone angel Introduction The book that I read for my ISU was ‘Slaughterhouse-Five’ by Kurt Vonnegut. The reason I chose this book was that I read ‘Cat’s Cradle’ by the same author previously. Both books share the similar anti war themes. Cats Cradle paralleled the Cuban missile crisis of 1963. His unique writing style was what interested me in reading another book by him. Kurt VONNEGUT, Jr.’s innovative sixth novel, Slaug...

Slavery
Slavery The issue of slavery has been touched upon often in the course of history. The institution of slavery was addressed by French intellectuals during the Enlightenment. Later, during the French Revolution, the National Assembly issued the Declaration of the Rights of Man, which declared the equality of all men. Issues were raised concerning the application of this statement to the French colonies in the West Indies, which used slaves to work the land. As they had ...

Snake by DH Lawrence
Snake by DH Lawrence Michael Giese English IV-4 Mr. Russow SNAKE David Herbert Richards Lawrence was born in Eastwood, Nottinghamshire, England on September 11, 1885. His poem Snake was written while he was living in Taormina, Sicily in 1920. The poem is actually derived from an experience there(Groliers). In all, Lawrence published 11 novels in his lifetime, 5 volumes of plays, 9 volumes of essays, and several short story collections. Of these, Snake was one of his most f...

Socrates Apology
Socrates Apology Is Socrates correct in the assertion that Athens will suffer more than he upon his death? In the Apology, Socrates states that the city of Athens will suffer far more than he, if he is put to death. He is able to say this because he does not have a fear of death, as he feels it is foolish to fear the unknown. Also, he knew that he had lived the good life, the examined life, having the nerve to analyze and ponder the unheard of, taboo questions. Never had he...

Soldiers Home
Soldier’s Home Soldier’s Home Many of the titles of Ernest Hemingway’s stories are ironic, and can be read on a number of levels; Soldier’s Home is no exception. Our first impression, having read the title only, is that this story will be about a old soldier leaving out the remainder of his life in an institution where veterans go to die. We soon find out that the story has nothing to do with the elderly, or institutions; rather, it tells the story of a y...

Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison Throughout the centuries many authors have attempted to capture the individuals quest for self-authenticity. In the novel Song of Solomon, Toni Morrison depicts the many aspects of self-actualization, as well as the tormenting road that leads to the shaping of an individual. Through beautiful language, with immense reality, she is able to describe young black mans journey as he uncovers his personal history, myth, and essence. The story revolves ...

Speech in the Virginia Convention
Speech in the Virginia Convention Patrick Henry In “Speech in the Virginia Convention, Patrick Henry attempted to persuade the delegates to fight and to convince them that the war had already begun and talking would do no good since the longer they wait the harder it will be to win. In this exquisite speech Patrick uses several different techniques such as opinions, repetition and rhetorical questions. Patrick Henry used opinions, which he stated as facts, to persuade th...

Star wars 1
Star wars May The Force Be With You! Your sitting in a darkened theatre and the movie previews have already been played. It is now time for the main feature. All of a sudden big blue letters appear on a starscape background. The letters read “Along time ago in a galaxy far far away…” Just then the screen changes, loud, inspiring, energetic music plays while huge yellow letters rise from the bottom of the screen. The letters scroll towards the top, all the while shrinking a...

Stephen Crane
Stephen Crane Stephen Crane was an American writer who wrote novels, short stories, poems, and plenty of journals. Crane’s technique of writing was based on realism, a technique that is able to explore within the character’s mind. His work has been said to mark the beginning of modern American Naturalism. Stephen Crane was born on November 1, 1871 in Newark, New Jersey. (Sufrin pg.9) His father, Jonathan Crane, had decided he was going to name his child after his ancestor...

Stephen King 1
Stephen King “If you have an imagination, let it run free.” - Steven King, 1963 The King of Terror Stephen Edwin King is one of today’s most popular and best selling writers. King combines the elements of psychological thrillers, science fiction, the paranormal, and detective themes into his stories. In addition to these themes, King sticks to using great and vivid detail that is set in a realistic everyday place. Stephen King who is mainly known for his novels, has bro...

Steppenwolf
Steppenwolf The story of Steppenwolf is the story of a long spiritual journey that can be related to mostly everybody. Everyone, either for their entire lives, or for just one specific point in their lives, searches for their true selves and tries to find out who they really are. This story of the Steppenwolf, Harry Haller, is all about finding out who he really is. Even though I believe the whole story, from the time Harry received the Treatise of the Steppenwolf, to the end...

Stone Angel
Stone Angel Just Wanting A Dream To Come True It was a beautiful day when I woke up one morning in late July. I decided to wake up and go for a hike since I had taken this week off work to get out of the city and enjoy the wilderness. I started off on a path that is just down the road from my uncle’s log cabin. I entered it looking up at the blue sky and towering trees around me. I walked for about five maybe ten minutes and to the right of me there is a waterfall that ...

Strange News From Another Star Symbolism
Strange News From Another Star - Symbolism “Strange News from another Star” is found to be a story which contains numerous symbols which in many cases contain some important, abstract information. Symbolism is something which is very difficult to explain due to the fact that not everyone sees the so mentioned symbol. They don’t quite see it as you, because no two minds are the same, which implies the fact that they don’t react equally to something which must be internall...

Struggles faced in Death of a Salesman and Fences
Struggles faced in Death of a Salesman and Fences In drama, struggles and tensions within the lives of characters and the situations they face are important for the building of the plot and maintaining the attention of the audience. In Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller and Fences by August Wilson, the main characters of the plays face struggles which move the plot along, while adding anticipation and excitement. Willy and Troy face struggles internally and externally with s...

Style of JD Salinger
Style of JD Salinger Many critics consider J.D. Salinger a very controversial writer, for the subject matters that he writes.. J.D. Salinger’s works were generally written during two time periods. The first time period was during World War II, and the second time period was during the 1960’s. Critics feel that the works during the 1960 time period were very inappropriate, because of the problems for which he wrote. The main characters were generally misfits of society. I...

Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s classic novel The Scarlet Letter, the lives of three people are deeply altered by a single act of passion. After Hester Prynne has an illegitimate child, Pearl, from an undisclosed father, Hester is isolated from the Puritan community she resides in and forced to wear a token of her sin on her bosom. Ironically, the well-loved and revered Reverend Dimmesdale is Pearl’s father and Hester’s partner in sin. Ano...

Scarlet letter symbolism
Scarlet letter symbolism Symbolism The Scarlet Letter is a book of much symbolism. One of the most complex and misunderstood symbols in the book is Pearl, the daughter of Hester Prynne. Pearl, throughout the story, develops into a dynamic symbol - one that is always changing. In the following essay, I will explore some of the symbolism which Pearl came to represent throughout the novel. In The Scarlet Letter, Hester, for her sins, received a scarlet letter,...

Scary Short Story
Scary Short Story It was a Friday night, snowing. It was odd weather for March. One week earlier it was 60 degrees, now it’s snowing. She got ready for school, god she hated school. Sometimes thoughts of blowing it up or shooting it up crossed her mind. Then the realization of columbine came, not a good idea. Showering, dressing, and finally makeup. The two-hour process that happened every morning. She was kind of happy; today she knew her English teacher was not goi...