Indeed, when I informed people that I was writing a critical essay on Stephen King the most common response was laughter. ... His writing is subtle enough to make one believe in things that other horror writers of lesser powers simply cannot. ... While in time this does become a part of the overall plot, there at the very start of the novel it seems to serve two purposes. ... Why, therefore, is JRR Tolkien or Terry Pratchett not the world's bestselling author? ... Reading a King novel, we know we are on the "right" side, because we are on the side of the author. ...

• Word Count: 2261
• Approx Pages: 9
• Grade Level: High School

The theme of a story conveys the idea of the author, but it is not usually clearly stated in the novel. ... According to Sherry Lee Linkon, Animal Dreams has a main theme of the importance of women's relationships with each other and states how several other women authors with a contemporary writing style have dealt with connections and trials between women in their own works of fiction (3). ... As noted by Paul Gray, Barbara Kingsolver's novel contains a theme of eco-feminism; a kind, gentle type of writing with women relying on themselves and one another, trying to save the...

• Word Count: 1050
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

Being raised Roman Catholic (Priola 1), the author Cormac McCarthy adopted the spoon fed philosophy of his parents, later coming to his own conclusions, expressed in his novels. ... His unique writing style of vivid imagery and integrating Spanish gives McCarthy a few constant and signature traits. ... (McCarthy 48) "The writing is as good as the shooting- (Donoghue 11) because of his great technique. ... The author shows John's reaction to the sight of Alejandra, John "had meant to speak but those eyes had altered the world forever in the space of a heartbeat- (McCarthy 108). Even w...

• Word Count: 2102
• Approx Pages: 8
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

Faulkner, however, narrates this story in way that is unique to his writing, and revolutionary for the time. Although Faulkner sums up the entire plot in a mere fifty-eight pages, the author narrates the story through the perspective of numerous individuals. ... Compson's purpose as narrator is to give the reader another view of the story that was already told, or in a sense to give the reader another historical look at the same event. ... He received immense praise as well as disdain for his unique style of writing. One either loves or hates Faulkner's writing, there is no median. ...

• Word Count: 1384
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

She earned a reputation with French and English critics who ranked her close to authors like Faulkner and Hemingway. ... The author repeatedly used colors to describe the characters and their environment around them. ... The author expressed the theme of an adolescent's discomforts clearly and successfully. Her purpose of writing was very worthwhile. ...

• Word Count: 1396
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

Experience is what connects us with others The very personal tone of the novel Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom is essentially influenced by the author's purpose for readers to establish a direct connection with its main characters. ... "No more writing songs in my apartment, songs that no one would hear. ...

• Word Count: 825
• Approx Pages: 3
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

Judith Guest began writing the second she was able to pick up a pencil, it was her secret passion. ... After spending time painting and attending writing seminars to improve her hobby, she came to terms with her next goal. ... She went from being turned down and told her story was not good enough, to being an author of the most successful book published in 1976. ... As Conrad's mental state is improving, his feelings toward life and his purpose for being alive are still unclear, which leads him to several near death episodes. ... Some call Judith Guest's approach to writing safe and ...

• Word Count: 2059
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: High School

So many of the authors of his time used the war as the back ground or main conflict in their books, but not Golding, he is able to use the war as his inspiration and write about the most primitive and basic struggles that man has. ... Lord of the Flies, one of William Golding's many novels, is a well written, well thought out writing that depicts the evils of human nature. ... The frame work of a Golding novel is simple and most often copied from an outside source, then reshape to fit his purpose. Finally I think Wilfrid Sheed said it best when he said "Golding's writing is not ideal...

• Word Count: 1092
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

While working as an editor and a writer for The United States Information Service and The Manila Times Magazine in Manila, Jose also engaged in writing short stories and eventually novels. ... Sionil Jose at the forefront of Philippine writing in English. ... It is all too common in novels advocating revolutions to saturate the reader with characters whose mere purpose in life seems to revolve around the battle against oppression. ... I appreciate the fact that the author recognized the sense of helplessness that most of us feel about the problem. ...

• Word Count: 1766
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

In spite of this, he just gave up, thus began roaming around with no purpose; much like a zombie. ... His writing style conveyed throughout the novel is significantly articulate and intellectual, however, he is a zombie with no knowledge or understanding. ... Warm Bodies however, provides a confusing layout and structure through how the author Isaac Marion has written it. ...

• Word Count: 1193
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

This critical article was written by Lionel Stevenson and he was very descriptive in his writing. He thinks that Charles Dickens (the author of the novel) did a poor job of developing the characters throughout the novel. ... Stevenson thinks that the novel is not written well and that most of the text throughout the novel is very misleading and that Charles Dickens has don't this on purpose. ...

• Word Count: 984
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

Its author Jane Austen is able to create a type of gothic parody that through out the novel is integrated into the characterization and able to show the realities of a young girl growing up in a complicated and complex adult society. ... Coleridge thought that gothic novels provide unfathomable characters that the gothic romance authors have come up with very quickly and have not put much thought into. ... He may have felt that in order to gain readership he needed to include some gothic elements, but include them in a way that does not leave the writing mindless. ...

• Word Count: 2803
• Approx Pages: 11
• Grade Level: High School