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I'm having some issues with the website, but I do have the analysis saved if you end up needing a hard copy :)

Argument: John Stinson suggests that through allusion Anthony Burgess displays different facets of himself throughout his novels. Stinson focuses on three of Burgess' works centering on how his identification with other artists allows him to confront his own contradictions as an artist. Stinson also argues that Burgess' use of an alter-ego gives him an outlet of manageability in his own life. Evidence:"...alike in their evident feeling that the novel of a consistent tone, moving through a recognized and restricted cycle of emotional keys was outdated . . . their attempt has been to combine the violent and the absurd, the grotesque and the romantic, the farcical and the horrific within a single novel" (Amis).  "What hurts me . . . is the allegation . . . that there is a gratuitous indulgence in violence which turns an intended homiletic work into a pornographic one" (Burgess). "The artist's desire to reconcile the apparent opposites is, somewhat paradoxically, often what provides the motive force for his art, but it also makes his personal life very difficult" (Stinson). Thoughts: Stinson offers a unique view on Burgess' writing style and use of allusion. By focusing on Burgess' lesser known works (known being A Clockwork Orange) he gives a greater sense of the writer's analogy between his own life and his artist persona. Stinson achieves his assertions in a clear and logical manner, first denoting Burgess' relationship with the artist, then by providing examples from three of Burgess' works.

"The Decay of Lying" by Oscar Wilde is a criticism based solely on the topics of Aestheticism. Aestheticism was an ideal that Oscar was passionate about, as he was one of the more influential people of the Aesthetic movement during the late 1800's. The ideal held that art should not be used as a form of social education and enlightenment, that "art need not any other purpose than being beautiful". This essay is very critical in enforcing Oscar Wilde's views and opinions, as many of the points made in "The Decay of Lying" parallel those inside "The Picture of Dorian Gray." One quote stands out when it comes to Aestheticism, and it is this: "Lying and poetry are arts-arts, as Plato saw, not unconnected from each other-and they require the most careful study, the most disinterested devotion" (Wilde). This sentiment was very evident in "The Picture of Dorian Gray": in the novel, the painter would end up making the portrait of Dorian Gray a very personal work of art, one that goes against the rules of Aestheticism. In the end, the painter would face the consequences of this, dying in the end in result of caring so much of the painting. The other part of Aestheticism dealing with the idea that Art should not be used as a form of learning and enlightenment is seen here, in which he uses an example to reinforce it. He states that "the most obvious and the vulgarest from in which this is shown is in the case of the silly boys, who, after reading the adventures of Jack Sheppard… pillage the stalls…, break into sweetshops at night,… etc" (Wilde). Again, this parallels Dorian Gray: in the beginning of the book, there is this yellow book that Lord Henry gives Dorian Gray. This piece of literature would soon change Dorian's life: he becomes obsessed with it, living the way it says to live, and would become an evil, corrupt man because of it. Here, it is obvious of the lesson Wilde is trying to convey to the audience: that literature

Argument: Lists and explains in detail the characters that play a role in Ernest Hemingway's novel, A Farewell to Arms. Justifies that the protagonist of the novel is Lieutenant Frederic Henry, and that the woman he loves is named Catherine Barkley. Argues that the protagonist, Frederic Henry, feels pity and sorrow at the end of the novel (similar to the sorrow that Hemingway feels in his life). Evidence: "Henry is a protagonist who is sensitive to the horrors and beauties of life and war" ("A Farewell to Arms"). "Henry feels sorrow and pity…" ("A Farewell to Arms"). "When she falls in love with Henry, she gives herself freely to him" ("A Farewell to Arms"). Thoughts: The two main characters, Frederic Henry and Catherine Barkley in A Farewell to Arms are reflections of Ernest Hemingway in real life and of the love affair he once had with an Italian nurse, Agnus Von Kurowsky. Both characters in the novel are mirror images of what once existed in Hemingway's life. He nearly tells his life story over again A Farewell to Arms. However, he uses other characters to present his story. For example, he plays the protagonist character (Frederic Henry), and his one-time lover, Agnus, plays Catherine Barkley. Because of this, Hemingway has the opportunity to recount his life, let his feelings out, and put a little twist on the story if he pleases. However, the story of his life is tremendously similar to his books. He changes little of his real life and puts it into novels, and merely changes the characters' names. Quotes: "American who has volunteered to serve with an Italian ambulance unit during World War I. Like his Italian companions, he enjoys drinking, trying to treat the war as a joke…" ("A Farewell to Arms"). "…he is wounded, has an operation on his knee, and is sent to recuperate in Milan, where he again meets Miss Barkley, falls in love with her…" ("A Farewell to Arms").

Argument: Krakauer does superb research before writing his books, often digging into the past of the people or issues he writes about. This research manifests itself in his writing through an intricate understanding of the subject. Claim: In Under the Banner of Heaven, "proving his capacity for exhaustive research, Krakauer does an impressive job of chronicling the early history of the [Mormon] faith". This research can be seen in other books as well. Evidence: Krakauer chronicles how Joseph Smith went about "receiving a message from an angel named Moroni leading him to a hillside near his home in Palmyra, New York" and he "examines the Mountain Meadows Massacre of 1857, wherein Saints disguised as Indians slaughtered 120 of 137 settlers who ventured onto Mormon turf". All this proves Krakauer's research capabilities. PURL: http://go.galegroup.com.lib.chandleraz.gov/ps/retrieve.do?sgHitCountType=None&sort=RELEVANCE&inPS=true&prodId=LitRC&userGroupName=chandler_main&tabID=T001&searchId=R1&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&contentSegment=&searchType=BasicSearchForm&currentPosition=5&contentSet=GALE|H1100080168&&docId=GALE|H1100080168&docType=GALE&role=LitRC

Argument: The character's process of maturing creates the motivating force of the novel. Evidence: Each story has one narrator whom all have an idealized view of the world. All three stories mentioned play on the imagery of darkness. Own Thoughts: Galloway has indeed made an interesting observation from reading Conrad's works. She does a great job staying on topic along with tying the three novels together. Quotes: "These contrasting doubles all "pull" on the narrators; the narrators are either attracted by certain positive qualities or repelled by their double's lack of "moral restraint" or both." "All three stories deal with a process of maturing that involves the loss of youthful illusions, a process usually precipitated by an actual "trial" that challenges the protagonist's professional skills as well as his assumptions about his identity and sanity."

Argument: Khaled Hosseini gives a face to the Afghan people in The Kite Runner. It humanizes the culture and gives outsiders to the culture a little insight to the fact that we may not be that different from each other after all. The novel offers the theme of personal redemption that many have dealt. Literary critics have seen this book as being an allegory but Jefferess takes this a step farther by pointing out how this novel is really a political allegory that uses a humans shot at redemption in comparison to that of the country Afghanistan's chance to fix itself. Evidence: "Hence the novel "humanizes" Afghan culture, providing depth and meaning to the sign "Afghanistan" for the non-Afghan reader, otherwise a mere signifier of post-9/11 conflict" (Jefferess). "While Amir's quest for personal redemption may be read as an allegory of Afghanistan's national project of healing, I read the novel as a political allegory that reflects the way in which the "third world", marked by its difference from the "West", becomes a site to be transformed through the project of nation-building" (Jefferess). "This project is presented in the West as an ethical demand that is paradoxically conceived of as both a humanitarian project and a disciplinary one; to be recognized as human, Afghanistan must conform to particular western expectations of democracy, liberalism, and multiculturalism. While the novel's reception reflects an openness to, and a desire for, understanding the Other, it also reflects the limits of acceptable difference"(Jefferess) Thoughts: The view that Jefferess took on The Kite Runner is extremely interesting. Not many have seen the novel as merely an ethical allegory, but he argues this point well. The fact that since the US has entered the war in Afghanistan, many people view that the end of the war will be when Afghanistan becomes a democracy and adopts western ideals, but what isn't always understood is that with change, comes

C. L. Chua analyzes A Thousand Splendid Suns in an attempt to find out if it was as much of a success as The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini's first novel. The different literary devices that Hosseini used are mentioned to perhaps give validity to the various arguments Chua makes. A shortfall of the critique is that perhaps not enough emphasis was actually placed on an argument; a majority of the essay was a very well written summary of the novel with only a light touch at the very beginning and end of the essay on the actual argument. "He [Hosseini] felt impelled to tell an Afghan story different from The Kite Runner's. That book had been about men-fathers and sons, male friendship, male treachery. Hosseini now felt drawn to tell a contemporaneous story about Afghanistan's women." Chua uses a clear and logical argument to assert his opinion that Hosseini really delved into the life of an Afghanistan woman in the current times. The critique remains coherent but I wish it was more focused and consistent in the argument. It would have been overall better if Chua has also given more of their insight of this novel. I'm not sure if the author of this article is male or female but depending on their gender, it could create a bias. Another bias that may exist is that the author of this critique really enjoy Hosseini's first novel The Kite Runner so they may be more inclined to say that his second novel was just as good since they are already a fan. "Hosseini's two women are strategic contrasts physically, socially, and psychologically. Socially, Mariam is from the rural lower class; Laila, the urban middle class. Psychologically, Mariam is accustomed to humiliation; Laila, to consideration. Physically, Mariam's features are "unshapely," "flat," "unmemorable," "coarse," while Laila is a green-eyed blond beauty." The stark differences that Chua notes about Hosseini's protagonists help to understand a main theme of the novel which could

The Secrets and Lies of the Glass Menagerie By: Tyler Thomas In his criticism, Mr. Debusscher tries to prove the personal struggles with alcoholism and how those struggles affected the writing of The Glass Menagerie. The way that he formats his essay makes it very effective. He begins by stating his thesis and providing page upon page of supportive content. I think he does an excellent job of proving his theories. He also pontificates on the lack of truth shared between the family members. The family seems to be built on a foundation of lies. Debusscher feels strongly about his opinion on Tennessee William's playwright that most people consider to be his autobiography. When researching Tennessee Williams and his background, I found that he was an alcoholic. He spent many years dealing with the disease. In the Glass menagerie Williams also takes aim at the way the heterosexual society functions. After further research I found that Tennessee was a "closet-gay." He didn't admit it until later in life that he was in fact a homosexual. I found this article incredibly helpful in understanding the meaning of Williams play. It was an article that wasn't that hard to read either. The article was full of quotes that really supplemented the reading.

Argument: The heated passion within Wuthering Heights is a product of the intense relationship between Heathcliff and Catherine. Claim: Passion is an essential element of a Romantic novel. Catherine is, in some ways, addicted to Heathcliff. Catherine's addiction to Heathcliff is bold, especially for society at the time. Catherine is somewhat reckless. Catherine has an empty soul. Evidence: "Intensity arises out of the bond between Catherine and Heathcliff, a bond which can best be described as an addiction rather than as a 'theme' of a traditional Romantic Gothic novel. The addictive nature of the relationship is illuminated by Catherine's cry of 'I am Heathcliff!' (98). Lacking any inner resources, Catherine attempts to capture Heathcliff's psyche to fulfill the emptiness in her own soul. This then is sexual addiction--the need to possess another being." http://go.galegroup.com.lib.chandleraz.gov/ps/i.do?&id=GALE%7CA18290969&v=2.1&u=chandler_main&it=r&p=LitRC&sw=w

Argument: Wealth is dangerous to society because it leads to moral deterioration in the form of drugs and alcohol. Claims:-Wealth skews personal identity leading to feelings of superiority and entitlement -Wealth provokes an unattainable desire for happiness through the forms of luxury and indulgence Evidence: -"Alcohol or drugs are used to escape the pain brought on by a warped perspective, and the rich have no trouble getting more, whenever desired." -"For example, in cases of inheritance, where wealthy individuals didn't really earn their money at all, there are high rates of abuse and addiction." -"However, happiness soon becomes an unattainable ideal when it gets tied up with an insatiable desire for personal possessions and luxurious living. When you always want more, you're never satisfied, and the dissatisfied are more likely to turn to drugs or alcohol."

Cody Villanueva Jensen AP LIT 20 January 2011 Literary Analysis #2 The novel not only portrays a sense of classic literature, but for Bill Robinson Life of Pi is presumably an award winner. Based on what Robinson says is "straightforward and innocent in a way that is entertaining and highly engaging," he praises this novel for its mere simplicity and uniqueness that not only is carried through Martel's text but his overall idea and organization of the novel. As perceived to be a novel of such grace and simplicity, it seems as if Robinson connects more intimately to this novel due to the fact of its heavy affiliation with religion. Within his review not only does he state Martel's thoughts , in this case being "This is a novel of such rare and wondrous storytelling that it may, as one character claims, make you believe in God." but praises it by saying "Could a reader ask for anything more?" Due to Robinson's religious arousal this is a possible bias toward readers of religious ambiguity or unaffiliated preference. Even though Robinson's praise Martel for such a genius novel, he rarely comments on any of the downsides the novel contains. It takes him to the end where he finally comments on a small portion of the novels ending and how it "drags a bit at the end," but is simply reinstating what other reviews may say. The author in conclusion contains an overall affectionate appeal to this novel with rare and minimal critiques, possibly due to a assumed bias. Robinson not only praise's this novel in words but it seems as he pushes this novels to review for an accredited award based on his overall high ratings for the novel.

Argument: 1984 is a bad book, but will survive because it will always have relevance to society. Claims: 1984 has moral force as an early political warning; it is the Uncle Tom's Cabin of our time. Overall though, the book is poorly written with only the parody of the political slogans being decent aspects. Evidence: -1984's biggest reason for success is because society is moving towards the society portrayed in the book. -"Uncle Tom is a more interesting martyr than Orwell's failed martyr, the drab Winston Smith" -"Wyndham Lewis sensibly compared Orwell as a writer to H.G. Wells, but Wells was consistently more inventive and entertaining" -"A great pamphleteer, like Jonathan Swift, is a master of irony and satire. Here again, Orwell plainly is deficient. His literalness defeats his wit" -"He was a moral and political essayist who had the instincts of a pamphleteer" http://search.ebscohost.com.lib.chandleraz.gov/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lfh&AN=16405585&site=lrc-live

Argument: Bram Stoker's relgious and cultural customs influence the characterization of the women in his novel Dracula; there are two types of women he writes about - the New Woman and 'classical' woman - and makes clear distinctions between the two. Claim: Bram Stoker condems the New Woman in Dracula by making the four of five women in the novel Vampires, however, he saves the 'classical' nature of Mina harker and uses her as a key factor that leads to the death of dracula. Evidence: Bram Stoker makes the vampire women out to be savage in order to exaggerate the difference between the New Woman and more traditional female. "Accustomed to seeing themselves portrayed in literature as either angels or monsters, women may wonder why Dracula is the single male vampire in the novel while four of the five women characters are portrayed as vampires - aggressive, inhuman, wildly erotic, and motivated by only an insatiable thirst for blood." http://search.ebscohost.com.lib.chandleraz.gov/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lfh&AN=6888397&site=lrc-live.

Argument:As Clark started developing more mystery novels in the 1970's, she became more successful and found her strength in writing.  Claim:Edward D. Hoch states that Clark's form of mystery is not simple murder or crime cases, but rather suspenseful plot lines that keep the tone of the book like something that cannot be put down. Hoch also claims that Clark's use of characters and victims that are somewhat related to real life people bring a different atmosphere to the novel. Clark's use of a heroine throughout her characters brings in an audience of women, and allows her books to be more successful with this specific audience.  Evidence: "But it is the suspense rather than the mystery that makes the book so compulsively readable."  "The idea of children in jeopardy strikes a responsive chord with women readers.." "The plot and its motivation are somewhat reminiscent of the sort of hospital thrillers Robin Cook excels at, but clark produces a few new twists of her own." "The story of a young woman who marries a man without really knowing him, and then goes off to live in an isolated house, is one of the classic themes of fiction." 

Argument: Salinger's greatest struggle has been his search for right living and how to define the right path through his art. Claim: Salinger's characters have a great dissastisfaction with those around them. Evidence: "Salinger's art, especially the later fiction, is an attempt to dramatize his own version of right living. Ultimately his 'silence' becomes the culminating gesture when his life becomes the message, a testament of the values his art hitherto professed. "

Argument: Jane Austen discreetly demonstrates her moral and religious perspective in her novels. Claim: The inferiority of the heroines allow them to assume the role of the moral observer; therefore, allowing the degrees of 'self-contempt' of the characters in Austen's novels to portray a moral reflection on their flaws. Evidence: ". . . heroines come within easy reach of one of the great archetypes--Cinderella . . . What we get more of is the pains of the heroine in her role of compelled observer." http://search.ebscohost.com.lib.chandleraz.gov/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lfh&AN=16242517&site=lrc-live.