Ernest Hemingway's novella "The Old Man and the Sea" and Jack London's short story "To build a Fire" put both powers on display. Man tragically struggling against the elements is the key theme to both stories. ... London's character decides to ignore the advice of the old man. The old-timer had instructed the man not to hike alone in "those parts". ... Unique to the story of the Old Man and the Sea is the imagery of the crucifixion. ...

• Word Count: 1216
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

There are several themes present in this novel, the two most prominent I feel being Jody's journey to manhood, and the theme of life and death, and how interrelated they are. ... But soon Jody sees the parallel between him and the old horse, Easter. ... The buzzards, (p 35), the old cypress tree, and the bird he kills with his slingshot. ... "Then we came down to the sea, and it was done." ... By the end of the novel, Jody has grown into a young man, able to learn from the older generation in order to be prepared for life. ...

• Word Count: 749
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

This theme of hardships and death is carried throughout Poe's writings. ... The reader is told that the narrator appears to be a happily married man, who has always been exceedingly kind and gentle. ... To the narrator in "Heart", that fear is represented by the old man's eye. The belief in the evil eye dates back to ancient times, and even today, is fairly common in India and the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. ... This is what makes Poe an extremely intriguing man from all viewpoints. ...

• Word Count: 932
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

This story begins by telling about a twenty seven year old man named Henry. ... One day, Henry went out too far in the bay, and the current carried him to the sea. ... The critic, Lilly, Tom, believes that the whole theme of this story is anxiety. ... They found a dead man lying in the corner. ... He says that Twain uses repetition and previous themes in the novel to make it more interesting. ...

• Word Count: 1889
• Approx Pages: 8
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

The distinction between right and wrong in Poe's stories is a very powerful theme, ever present in his horrific accounts. ... The reader is told that the narrator appears to be a happily married man, who has always been exceedingly kind and gentle. ... As the narrator begins to depict his story in the form of a rather subtle flashback, the reader discovers that the man's personality has undergone a drastic transformation, which he attributes to his abuse of alcohol and the perverse side of his nature, which the alcohol apparently evoked, as it serves as a catalyst. ...

• Word Count: 4324
• Approx Pages: 17
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School