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Argument: Fitzgeralds use of certain items in the novel are inferred as symbolic from past times to portray the social ranks aswell as trying to illustrate other psychological human qualities. Claim: Mentioning the eggs and the fowls at these Saturday night parties have some kind of resemblence to "The Feast of Trimalchio" in Petronius's The Satyricon. Evidence: "Fitzgerald first pays homage to his classical indebtedness by writing that "his career as Trimalchio was over" when Gatsby stops his Saturday night parties (119). He then adds a satiric bite to the egg and fowl allusions with the aid of the idiomatic meanings of "chicken" when he describes Nick's glimpse of Tom and Daisy "sitting opposite each other at the kitchen table with a plate of cold fried chicken between them and two bottles of ale [...] conspiring together" (152-53). "

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

Beresford states that The Time Machine is a romance, and he uses the time machine as a literary device in order to prove that time travel is possible. Beresford argues that Wells uses the future to criticize the social status of England of his era. The Eloi and Morlocks represented the haves and have-nots. Also further into future the earth is degrading and the question arises, whether the human race had a major impact in the decline of the earth, or if the earth had reached its end of existence. Beresford argues that The Time Machine lacked certain aspects of imagination and style, but it was a brilliant fantasy. The novella represents Wells' views on the world during his time and his experiments with the improbable. It uses the improbable and imaginative to create a satire of the social system in his time.

Purpose: The author shows how Lady Bertram's pet Pug is a symbol of society and the role of Women at the time. She argues that Austen demonstrates the indolence and growing modernization of society and its roles by means of the lapdog ever so present throughout the novel (although a subtle presence). Evidence: "she [Austen] also subtly highlights most of the revolutionary issues of the day: women's nature and place, social class, nationalism and the Empire, Darwinian physiognomy, religion and morality, urbanization, and slavery." "She shows Lady Bertram treating her pug like a baby, always in her lap or in her arms…much as a young mother spends her afternoons watching a toddler." "All this, added to the failures of Lady Bertram's children, serves to illustrate the moral that a woman's duty is to mother her children not to waste her time with pets." "Katherine McDonogh's argument that pet dogs in the French Revolution were shown to be superior to kennel dogs, in being pedigreed and therefore elite, and to symbolize the idle and dissolute aristocracy." "Yet the pug also symbolizes the decadence and laziness of the idle rich." "Beth Dixon points out that women being connected to animals in literature shows that women are bodily, natural, and emotional, therefore closer to being animals themselves than men are." "the pug, while an understandable presence, still evokes and symbolizes the evils of modernity which it has been adopted to alleviate" "it also reprimands traditional culture for keeping women like her daughters Maria and Julia repressed to the point where they erupt in rebellion against strictures of all kinds, especially those prescribing lives as human lapdogs for themselves." Thoughts: I agree with the arguments presented in this criticism and I also find it interesting that such a subtle thing as a lapdog can have so much to say about Austen's purpose or at least one of her purposes to Mansfield Park.

Literary analyst Sumangali Morhall argues that author Eiji Yoshikawa humanizes the man Miyamoto Musashi rather than the ledgend, Musashi. In her analysis, she states, "This is ostensibly a book of swordsmanship, and includes its share of martial combat, but that element is neither gratuitous nor glamourised - it serves to support rather than blemish the story's purpose" (Morhall). Overall, Morhall delivers her argument in a descriptive manner, elaborating on the logos of the novel along with her personal opinion and perception of the novel. Her evidence is fluid and does not contradict itself whatsoever. Morhall originally states that Yoshikawa turns the legend of Musashi into the man, Musashi, and continues to support her statement while describing the accomplishments of Yoshikawa, both poetically and historically. The information provided is nothing out of the ordinary from what the majority of critical analysts agree over Yoshikawa's writings. Yoshikawa is praised for his historical accuracy on martial arts and culture included in Musashi. Morhall concludes her article praising Yoshikawa, but also explaining that the reader will get more "gracefulness" than "grisly." This statement would be hard to argue with seeing that Yoshikawa does somewhat glamorize the life of a swordsman, not necessarily in unrealistic terms, but in how Yoshikawa chooses to craft his syntax in his story as seen in this passage from the chapter entitled Art of War: "While he felt pity for this obstinate tenacity characteristic of orphans, he was aware of a void deep within their stubborn hearts. They seemed to him doomed to yearn desperately for that which they could not have, for the parental love with which they were never blessed" (Yoshikawa, 63). The only implicit bias that may be discovered within this analysis would be that Morhall does not indicate any faults present within Yoshikawa's Musashi. Morhall even goes as far to say that Yoshikawa is a "master," whi

Literary Analysis #2 Argument: In his work analysis, Kellman argues about the difficulties that Indian/East Indian immigrants face in the course of their American lives. Most of the characters in Lahiri's novel were either born in the United States or immigrated at a young age. Kellman argues that through the transition, these characters have lost their Bengali roots. Kellman critiques the thoughts and actions between the main characters and their familes who have retained a strong hold on their Bengali roots and ideals. He depicts the clash of cultures and how Lahiri's charcters struggle to thrive in "Unaccustomed Earth." Evidence: "If her Indians are everywhere, they are at home nowhere"(Kellman). "Lahiri's characters strike their roots in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Washington State, corners of the earth unaccustomed to Bengalis. However, the transplantation does not produce the vigor Hawthorne expects in relocated tubers. Most of the characters in these pensive stories are transplants who never find a soil in which to thrive" (Kellman). "Her characters belong to generation 1.5; children of immigrants, they were either born in the United States or arrived too young to have formed an Indian identity" (Kellman). "Though dragged along on family visits to Calcutta, they lack an appetite for Indian foods, languages, and spouses" (Kellman). "For Lahiri's characters, the tension between Old World and New World identities is often embodied in the generation gap between parents who look back to India for models of behavior and of thought and of children who strive, however futilely, to pass for unhyphenated Americans" (Kellman). "Nevertheless, even those children who manage to attain worldly success are haunted by a sense of loss"(Kellman). "However, the problem for Lahiri's characters is only in part an unbridgeable chasm between cultures. She depicts a world in which to be human is to fail" (Kellman). Thoughts: Kellman present

Robert Young takes an interesting perspective on the book Catch 22 as he offers his criticisms of the logic that Heller used within the novel. The basis of the criticism focuses on this "unconscious logic" that Young believes Heller has used. He believes that the novel really focuses on a world "where everyone lives perpetually in projective identification, and the only value is survival." Furthermore, he establishes that the book is essentially about ideals, and how the in the real world it is hard for anyone to behave in a paranoid world, especially in groups and under the pressure of the war. There is this sort of overarching theme that decency is not at the mainstream of societies core values. Within the text Major Danby advises his soldiers, "And you must never let them change your values. Ideals are good, but people are sometimes not so good. You must try to look up at the big picture." I thought that from the criticism that it was interesting how it was stated that there was only one real Catch 22, that specified that a concern for your own safety in the face of dangers were real and immediate and in the process of a rational mind. In general, this criticism is very analytical on the methods of logic that Heller uses in the book. However, Young is very hard to follow and his reasoning is sparely related. His point is clear to understand however, because he opens the argument with his general ideology that the book is about a society that acts in a certain way because they are faced with the possibility of annihilation daily.

Purpose: The primary literary critiques that the authors target is: the setting of the novel, the characteristics of Lennie and George, followed by multiple themes of the book. The story Of Mice and Men takes place in a town called "Soledad" which translated into English means solitude or loneliness. The setting is quite clever considering that all but two characters in the novel face a lifestyle of solitude; ironically, the two that don't suffer loneliness are the main subjects of the story. Lennie and George represent a committed companionship, which in many ways, complete and compliment one another. According to Howard Levant, "The good life is impossible because humanity is flawed" however throughout the entire novel the strong duo, Lennie and George, express a high level of dedication to reach their ultimate goal, which leads to the theme of the story, commitment. Evidence: "One of the themes of Of Mice and Men is that men fear loneliness, that they need someone to be with and to talk to who will offer understanding and companionship."(Pizer) "The dream of the farm merely symbolizes their deep mutual commitment, a commitment that is immediately sensed by the other characters in the novel."(Owens) "Lennie has been seen as representing "the frail nature of primeval innocence" and as the id to George's ego or the body to George's brain."(Owens) ""Ain't many guys travel around together.... I don't know why. Maybe everybody in the whole damn world is scared of each other." (Steinbeck) Reflection: The evidence is nicely organized along with carefully placed throughout the article. Louis Owens and Harold Bloom used several affective quotes from the novel itself to help support their ideas in response to past criticisms of the book. The authors did not simply claim past criticisms as incorrect however used sufficient evidence to reinforce their own thoughts as true. I did not notice any bias present in the article but only a well-organized analys

Argument: John Steinbeck shows not just the Great Depression in his stories but he tells about depression. In Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck explains his characters as depressed and lonely; even though they have each other they show signs of loneliness. In the book Lennie and George, just like everyone in American wants to achieve the American Dream. "…the gulf between the gritty struggle for survival and the ideal dream life can never be bridged, except in death." (Reith). I agree with the author that Steinbeck illustrates that the American Dream is hard to achieve without any happiness. Evidence: "The magnitude of this failure is recorded by the extent to which Lennie, a cipher for America, is denied life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." (Reith). "But for Steinbeck the American Dream of self-sufficiency and living off the fat of the land, premised as it is on a gun culture which involves brutality and the exploitation of the weak, is doomed to failure." (Reith). "While Steinbeck exposes the inequalities in society and encourages the reader to sympathies with the plight of poor migrant workers, his depiction of the inherent will to power in human nature shows us that attempts to change the social system will be futile." (Reith). Thoughts: Based on the article Steinbeck is described of having a gloomy story but having a great way of showing the life of people living in the Great Depression. It was hard enough for a man to live in this time let alone a men trying to proved for his family. Steinbeck described the friendship of two men who realized it's better to stick together then to separate in a time like this. With Lennies strength and George's smarts it seems so cliché but a well rounded story. The article provides the insight on the story and the opinions on Steinbeck's thoughts that the American Dream is almost impossible to achieve. I believe that if you live up to your standard then that's all the dreams you

This article takes the coping mechanisms in the lovely bones and is connecting it to real life and gives more insight to why the acted the way they did and also how their different ways of coping lead to a divided family. 

Presenting a new perspective on the minimalism in Beckett's works, Dr. Bai explore the ways we find existentialism within "Endgame". Specifically, Bai dissects the work to show how the stage directions, stage setting, and self-reflective dialogue. Ironically, it is the smallest details of the work which in this case present the greatest amount of information. Because the nature of Beckett's plays are so deeply minimalistic, sometimes to the point of nothing, it would seem that in fact the only place to find the deeper meaning of the plays he has written would be in the only things present, which in this case are the self-dialogue and stage directions. For instance, Bai uses the interaction between trash bin ridden Nagg and Nell to help show that their inability to kiss and touch further exemplifies how the tragic comedy of the play comes to focus. The comedic presence as both struggle to reunite, even though there is literally maybe a foot between the two bins. In this case, "so close, yet so far" would accurately describe the situation. Basically, existentialism is the ideology of human nature, and what better way to explore these thoughts and tendencies than through a work such as "Endgame" that breaks the stage down to a meta-physical and psychological presentation.

This literary critic by Steven R. Centola investigates the "timeless human dilemma" that Arthur Miller portrays through his tragic character of Willy Loman, which is the quest to justify one's life. In order to fully examine this idea, the author progresses through the plot of the play and analyzes the occurrences that support this claim. Moreover, all the supporting characters are fully scrutinized to show their influence over Willy, especially his brother Ben who supplements the characterization of Willy due to his sharply contrasting ideals. Centola specifically mentions Willy's pursuit of a seemingly impossible dream as a tactic to justify his life and self-worth; however, Willy's desire for the love and respect of his family is noted as the ultimate indication of his success in life. There is a "tremendous variance between his [Willy's] deep feelings about and inadequate understanding of fatherhood, salesmanship, and success in one's personal life as well as in the business world in American society" though, which contributes to his eventual demise. With his textual support and intricate analysis of minute details and overarching themes, Centola concludes that Willy fails to fulfill his dreams pertaining to business and, more importantly, family. Despite his drastic choice to end his life, death does not defeat Willy because he was definitely loved by his family even if he never realized it; therefore, his memory and legacy will continue to live on and he will always influence his two sons - both positively and negatively. This facet connects to a major assumption made by Centola, which is that Willy wanted to sell himself more than any individual product hence why Miller never names the product he is trying to sell in his days as a salesman.

Argument: The novels, Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights, two novels written by the two Bronte sisters, Charlotte and Emily, both contain similar details and characteristics that suggest their literary greatness. Key components concerning the setting, major characters, and overall theme contribute to the social issues of the Victorian time period. The sisters all wrote on similar premise of changing the world through their feminist ideas and the further promotion of woman's rights and equality. Evidence: This point is thoroughly suggested in the analysis of the sisters' use of a gothic style, the Byronic hero, the feminist sentiments, and the industrialization of the British Empire. The gothic style is portrayed through the primary theme of both novels being the "suppressed sexual longing and forbidden love." The dark setting of Wuthering Heights, the manor, and the mansion that is depicted in Jane Eyre further portray the gothic tone. The Byronic hero is portrayed through the two key male parts of each novel, being Heathcliff and Rochester. A Byronic hero is one who is not necessarily depicted as being attractive or handsome gentlemen, but in spite of this characteristic they are able to contribute to the theme. The feminist question and search for woman independence is greatly mentioned in both Eyre and Heights, however, the time period is perhaps against this. For instance, the author of this source mentions that "Queen Victoria herself, who was a strong supporter of women's education and even helped establish a college for women…was against giving women the right to vote, calling the suffrage campaign "a mad folly." Thoughts: Overall, this source has several key components that are further going to push my paper along greatly. Most importantly are the very similar aspects of the two novels will help prove my point that both pieces of literature were probably more of a collaboration, where the two sisters perhaps discussed their societal problems and

Argument: Marple argues that there is a similarity between the novels Franny and Zooey and The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger. She states that since Salinger already incorporated the theme of innocence in The Catcher in the Rye, then it is inevitable for him to input it in his other novels. Also, Salinger is able to portray innocence and growing up in characters such as Holden and Zooey through their actions and decisions. Evidence: "Franny's quest for purity ties Franny and Zooey to a subterranean theme that underlies most of the work Salinger has published during the last twenty-one years" "There is evident, throughout Salinger's writing, a consistent preoccupation with innocence, a preference for the chaste, complemented by the inability of his adult characters to reconcile physical and spiritual love. It is obvious on a re-examination of Salinger's work that his characters are extremely limited in their choice of sexual expression" "There is certain logic in Salinger's choice of an adolescent protagonist. The chastity of adolescence needs little explanation--idealism will suffice" "What is suggested or hinted at in Salinger's earlier work is full grown in his novel the idealization of the celibate, the chaste, and the innocent" "…it is difficult to see how the avoidance of so obvious a part of human life cannot impede the free flow of Salinger's creative life" Thoughts: Even though the criticism states that "Marple offers a generally positive assessment of Franny and Zooey" she is able to support her ideas through examples and direct quotes. I think she makes some valid points on the theme of innocence found in the two stories and I'll be able to use this criticism as support for my paper. The structure of Marple's argument was organized and coherent with the examples. Overall the criticism is useful and reliable.

Argument: H.G. Wells writes about science fiction, more specifically, a higher power or a powerful controller in his books War of the Worlds and The Time Machine. Claim: Wells socialist views show his concern for the future of the world. Evidence:"Since the Morlocks on one level stand for the late nineteenth century proletariat, the Traveller's attitude towards them symbolizes a contemporary bourgeois fear of the working class."