In many of the stories we have read in class, the theme of mental illness has been present. We see a man who kills another man for seemingly no reason, a victim of depression becoming infatuated and obsessed over a supposed woman in a wall, and we witness an elderly woman having a mental break from reality. ... He knows exactly how to lure Fortunado down into the crypt and strokes his ego in order to keep him moving on. ... Even when telling us that he feels ill immediately after leaving a man to die, he is quick to let us know it has nothing to do with that. ... When her father dies, she refu...

• Word Count: 799
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

The characters articulate against the paternalistic practices, and how the usage of it in real life is as devastating as applications of it in stories. ... Since Gawain was most likely to end in expulsion due to his lack of self-confidence, the headmaster says "we must consider the greater good. We are responsible for the formation of this lad's character", believing that sending him to slay the dragons uphill will help his abilities into becoming a man. ... In an effort to save the school's reputation from harm, "the headmaster and the assistant professor of pleasance...

• Word Count: 529
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Based how Emily is described in the story when she was dead as pale, drowned, small and skeletal. ... This is even described with gruesome imagery in the text to really remind the reader how death of tradition changed society. ... At one point of the story, the speaker addressing gossip about Emily states, " When her father died, it got about that the house was all that was left to her; and in a way, people were glad. ... Today, we want to be the best but, we will always be flawed; yet we critique everyone. ... Therefore, we might be ignoring what is actually beautiful, and not just a p...

• Word Count: 1189
• Approx Pages: 5
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

The story is narrated in first person plural; a commentary of the narrator says: "We did not say she was crazy then" therefore, it is evidence that people from the town are telling the story. ... She died at the age of 74 years, many people from the town went to the funeral; Ones went because they felt affection, a kind of respect for her, others, especially women, were curious to know the mystery Miss Grierson's house hid. ... But once Colonel Sartoris died and the next generation became majors, this arrangement created dissatisfaction, thus, they mailed Miss Grierson many tim...

• Word Count: 1289
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

It is becoming increasingly difficult to get away from the materialistic facets of the ever-changing society we live in today. ... He eerily stalks her every day, he waits from behind his window to see when she leaves her house so he can follow her, always keeping in mind how "[he] did not know whether [he] would ever speak to her or not or how [he] would tell her of [his] confused adoration.... The narrator feels a sense of helplessness here, how he knows not a way to confess his "confused adoration.... " (Joyce, 204) Gabriel goes on to reminisce about how "we were living...

• Word Count: 1081
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

The narrator's opinion is not even swayed by the fact that the blind man's wife has just died, and although he is still polite to him and feels some pity at times, he never falters from his biased opinion of blind people. ... What surprised me most is how firmly the narrator stuck to his beliefs about blind people. ... I can honestly say that this story has really made me more aware of just how serious prejudice can be and how much of an impact it can have on a person. ... This is the first bit of contact we have seen the two share since the handshake in the beginning of the story! ...

• Word Count: 1441
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Again, in "Traits of Indian Character," Irving emphasizes how imperative it is to treat all human beings as equal. At the end of the sketch, Irving quotes, " '. . . a little longer and the white man will cease to persecute us--for we shall cease to exist!" ... Likewise, Irving invites the reader to reflect on how society exploits the minorities to preserve the power of the majorities. ... This previous statement does not reflect his viewpoint, but rather it reflects the reality of how life keeps going and how people forget and are forgotten. ... The story narrates the short life of a girl...

• Word Count: 2209
• Approx Pages: 9
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Many believe that a person's character and integrity lie deep within, dating back to what was seen as a child and how they were brought up. ... At first, Nick is speechless and does not know what to say or even how to react; nevertheless, he does his best not to allow his father to know the hurt he is feeling inside. ... This goes to show how big of an influence a father had on both Nick's as well as Ernest Hemingway's life. ... The self-mutilation of the Indian prepares the reader for such stories as The Battler in which we see Adolph Francis, a prized World Champion Boxer...

• Word Count: 1254
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

How many times would we have used this statement in our lives if we had no fear of the repercussions? ... His though process begins with the suggestion that, allowing Bartleby's occupation of his offices would result in him having to "mason up his remains in the wall", when he died. ...

• Word Count: 925
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: Undergraduate