Literature Research Paper Topics and Ideas

Literature Research Paper Topics and Ideas A research paper in literature is an assignment that will not leave you bored and indifferent. Here, you have an opportunity to pick a book that you like and share your opinion and findings of it with others. In your paper, you can focus on various topics, including the development or peculiarities of characters’ personalities, a primary message or theme of the writing or you can even concentrate on the examination of various literary techniques, templates of storytelling, or symbolic essence of the chosen literary piece. Besides, the research paper in literature also allows you to put an author in the first place by conducting your research on studying his or her biography and then correlating it to the topics from their oeuvre. Do not forget, however, that a research paper implies a thorough study of the subject and demands referencing to corresponding credible sources, which are connected directly to the origins of the theme you chose to study. However, you should understand that it can be hard to add something new to researches of already established scholars, but you should also strive to make your point original since your perception of a book you read is unique. In your research paper, you ought to show a mindful insight and interpretation of the literary work. Topics: With this in mind, consider the following topics for your literature research paper: Character’s Code of Life Code of life is something that defines values, beliefs, morals of a character. Choose a book that you like or that is in your curriculum and pick one character for analysis. Try to explain how that character conducts his or her life and how they see themselves in connection to the external world. Keep in mind that you have to provide textual evidence from the source. Artificial Language in Literature Fantasy and science fiction usually present entirely new languages developed by its authors, and this fact can pass for a great topic of your research. However, be sure that you are acquainted with or at least interested in linguistics before building your paper on studying languages. If you do, you can pick, for instance, J. R. R. Tolkien’s books as a source, and examine the elvish language by showing a correlation of it with English or other languages. Feminism in Literature Feminism in literature can be either vividly expressed or hidden between the lines. Think about whether you have ever noticed a tough or eccentric woman in the books you read; recall whether her behavior breaks the rules of the social standards depicted in the text. If yes, then try to explain what is uncommon about her character and why you consider it to be feminist. You should also pay attention to the author’s biography and the period in which the book was published since it can explain a lot. Modern Myth in Literature Actually, ancient myths are the representation of an ancient nation’s values just like the Greek epic is filled with heroic figures. There are also many modern myths that represent the values of today’s people. For instance, the American Dream is one of the modern myths that are common to literature, so you can focus on studying it in, for example, Scott Fitzgerald’s â€Å"The Great Gatsby.† Archetypes in Literature Archetypes are the patterns of behavior and images that are rooted in the human unconscious and travel through centuries. For instance, the mother figure is a carrying, protective and selfless character that can be either actual mother to the protagonist or just a person who meets these qualities. There are many similar archetypes that you can find online and then distinguish and analyze them. Be sure, however, to support your research by referring to Carl Jung’s studies, since he was the particular scientist to develop this theory. Tricksters in Literature Trickster is a universal figure in literature, which will make your task interesting and entertaining. He is the one who breaks social conventions and disobeys standards of behavior. You can notice such character by his craving for pranks, cunning, and eccentricity. For instance, a king’s jester is in most cases a trickster. You should refer to credible sources when analyzing a figure of Trickster, such as Carl Jung and his study of the Trickster archetype. Hero’s Journey The hero’s journey is a common template used in literature, which is applied in fantasy quite often. It includes several stages of plot development, such as when the protagonist is called to adventures, faces challenges, experiences an inner transformation, and returns to the initial point. You can notice this template in â€Å"Harry Potter† books and many others of the same genre. In your research paper, try to compare each stage to the parts of the chosen book by bringing textual pieces of evidence. Metaphors in Literature Every successful writer ought to create unique ways of describing the surrounding world in his or her books, so they usually create unique metaphors that were never used before. Pick a book you like and try to find such parts in the text. You can analyze how accurately they are used, and how well they express the author’s thought. Dystopian Literature Dystopian literature is aimed at exploring the darkest parts of political and social structures. Frequently, in such book authors tend to allude to the existing but hyperbolized version of nations all over the world. George Orwell’s â€Å"1984† can serve as a perfect basis for your research. In your paper, try to draw connections between the fiction and the real world. Mythology in Literature Not only do writers create unique languages, but they also make up worlds and their mythologies. In fact, since in most cases authors are inspired by real-world history, they usually mix or transform existing mythologies. For instance, in this research paper, you can show a correlation between Celtic and J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth mythologies. Philosophy in Literature Frequently, you can notice that famous philosophers such as Plato, Friedrich Nietzsche, Rene Descartes, and many others speak through the characters in the books you read, and this fact opens an opportunity for research. This topic, however, demands thorough knowledge of the subject and a lot of research. At first, you should pick a character or characters that tend to fall into philosophical ponders, and then strive to find the source of the paraphrased expression, if there is such. Psychological Disorders in Literature While trying to provide their characters with unique personalities, many authors tend to grace their personalities with various psychological disorders. The most used ones are post-traumatic stress disorder, the delusion of grandeur, and bipolar disorder. In your research, you can analyze how accurately a character’s behavior corresponds to the clinical manifestation of the disorder; you can take â€Å"Fight Club† by Chuck Palahniuk as an example. Satire in Literature In literature, satire is usually used to ridicule the regime of a government, as it did George Orwell in â€Å"Animal Farm.† In this book, the author criticized the Soviet Union by using the animal personification of political figures and illustrated events from that time. If you decide to write a literature research paper on this topic, then you should define the target of satire and draw connections between real events and people, and the author’s creation. Iceberg Theory This theory was coined by Ernest Hemingway and implies that a story should have a hidden deeper meaning. You can choose, for instance, one or several Hemingway’s works, such as â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants† or â€Å"A Clean, Well-Lighted Place,† and strive to give meaning to the text that from the first sight can be seen to be plain. You should provide quotes from the book and explain how you have understood it. War in Literature The first and second World Wars had a critical impact on the writers of Lost Generation. The events of that time have significantly affected their worldview, and therefore their creations. Describe how the war is depicted in the book you choose, and strive to understand whether the author appeals to war or whether he or she stood against it. The most famous names of the Lost Generation are Erich Maria Remarque and Ernest Hemingway, the works of whom might be vital for your research. Holy Grail in Literature Holy Grail is a motif that came from a legend about King Arthur, and that symbolizes endless and pointless searches for the unworthy. In a story built on this template, a character or characters strive to achieve or find something, and it is either they experience inner changes and prove to be worthy, or they fail. In your research paper, you should describe the search for â€Å"Holy Grail† and, by refereeing to stories about the fellowship of the King Arthur, explain why the characters from your chosen book succeed or fail. Arthurian Melancholy Arthurian Melancholy is another template borrowed from legends about the King. This method of bookending implies both happy and tragic end of a story and thus creates the feeling of melancholy. J. R. R. Tolkien masterfully incorporated this template in his â€Å"The Lord of the Rings† trilogy, since its ending was relieving and sad at the same time. For such a topic, you have to be acquainted with a credible source about King Arthur, like Thomas Malory’s â€Å"Le Morte dArthur,† to be able to compare it with a book you want to choose. Racism in Literature In their works, authors often argue against racism, present its nonsense through the prism of fantastic images, or even accidentally offend a certain group of people. For this topic, it is important to pay attention to the author’s biography and historical period in which the writing was published. Only after this, you will be able to explain what was the author’s true message and what were the prerequisites of his or her claims. Transformation of Human Personality The environment can have a huge impact on a character’s personality. In some cases, a hero can cross the horizon of despair and turn into completely another person or even a villain. Try to follow each step of a character’s development and comment of them. Explain what the reasons for a change were. â€Å"The Heart of Darkness† by Joseph Conrad, where the protagonist experienced an inner breakdown, might put you on the right track. Divine Intervention Divine intervention or â€Å"Deus ex-machine† is a tradition of unexpected and mysterious resolution of a particular problem that was started in ancient Greek drama. In fact, writers use it even nowadays, if there is no other way to resolve a conflict. However, it transformed and gained different manifestations. In your research paper, try to analyze moments from a book or books where the characters are saved or assisted by divine or supernatural forces. Explain how the tradition has changed through ages. You can also write whether this method is still valuable for writers or appreciated by readers. Conclusion As you might have mentioned, although a research paper in literature gives you a wide specter of choice and creative freedom, it also demands a thorough study of the subject under discussion. You have to both – read the chosen book attentively, as well as to be familiar with everything that your topic includes. For instance, if you want to analyze the relation of a character to a particular archetype, then you would better examine the studies of Carl Jung and reference them accordingly to provide credibility to your claims. Similarly, while exploring the similarities between an emotional ambivalence of the book-ending and the Arthurian melancholy, then you ought to be familiar with the literature devoted to this legendary British leader and cite your sources with due attention. Otherwise, it is likely that your claims will seem superficial or even inappropriate, and your research paper will fail to match the required instruction. That is why, to consider every critical point f rom the reading, you have to prepare your mind by studying theory and only then take on practice.

Osteoarthritis essays

Osteoarthritis essays The Pathophysiology of osteoarthritis is the affection of articular cartilage, along with the synovial fluid in the joint, permitting almost frictionless movement of joint bones at their points of contact. The frictional resistance of normal joints is the cartilage layer to absorb the shock associated with joint use. When weight is loaded onto the joint, the cartilage layer compresses. Once the weight is removed, the cartilage rebounds to its original dimensions. The articular cartilage is firmly attached to its underlying subchondral bone by a subchondral plate. This allows the subchondral plate to act as a shock absorber, which protects the joint from applied stresses. A thin layer of calcified cartilage separates the noncalcified or articular cartilage from its bony subchondral bed. The interface between the calcified cartilage and articular cartilage is known as the tidemark. The articular cartilage, with the subchondral bone and the surrounding skeletal muscles, supports even di stribution of weight loading across the entire joint structure. Osteoarthritis is a very common condition where the joints are affected by degeneration, often described as "wear and tear" arthritis. This can start from our early teens and gets worse as we grow older into adulthood. Wear and tear" does account for a large percentage of the problem, but there are many examples of people who have had very similar lives, one of whom will have virtually perfect joints, while the other will have really quite severe osteoarthritis. Thus there must be an inbuilt susceptibility in the protection against such disease. Symptoms in OA tend to get worse with activity, so that the end of the day is the worst time (in contrast to inflammatory arthritis). There may be hard, bony swelling of the joints, and a gritty feeling (or even noise) when the joint is moved (this is called crepitus). The symptoms of osteoarthritis are mainly pain, swe ...

John Tylers Presidency and the Tyler Precedent

John Tylers Presidency and the Tyler Precedent John Tyler, the first vice president to finish the term of a president who had died in office, established a pattern in 1841 that would be followed for more than a century. The Constitution was not entirely clear about what would happen if a president died. And when William Henry Harrison died in the White House on April 4, 1841, some in the government believed his vice president would only become an acting president whose decisions would need the approval of Harrisons cabinet. Fast Facts: Tyler Precedent Named for John Tyler, the first vice president to become president upon the death of a president.Tyler was told by members of William Henrys Harrison that he was essentially only an acting president.Cabinet members insisted any decisions made by Tyler had to meet with their approval.Tyler stuck to his position, and the precedent he set remained in forced until the Constitution was amended in 1967. As funeral preparations began for President Harrison, the federal government was thrown into a crisis. On one side, members of Harrisons cabinet, who had no great trust in Tyler, did not want to see him exercise the full powers of the presidency. John Tyler, who possessed a fiery temper, forcefully disagreed. His stubborn assertion that he had rightfully inherited the full powers of the office became known as the Tyler Precedent. Not only did Tyler become the president, exercising all the powers of the office, but the precedent he set remained the blueprint for presidential succession until the Constitution was amended in 1967. Vice Presidency Considered Unimportant For the first five decades of the United States, the vice presidency was not considered a vitally important office. While the first two vice presidents, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, were later elected president, they both found the vice presidency to be a frustrating position. In the controversial election of 1800, when Jefferson became president, Aaron Burr became vice president. Burr is the best-known vice president of the early 1800s, though he is mainly remembered for killing Alexander Hamilton in a duel while vice president. Some vice presidents took the jobs one defined duty, presiding over the Senate, quite seriously. Others were said to hardly care about it. Martin Van Buren’s vice president, Richard Mentor Johnson, had a very relaxed view of the job. He owned a tavern in his home state of Kentucky, and while vice president he took a lengthy leave of absence from Washington to go home and run his tavern. The man who followed Johnson in the office, John Tyler, became the first vice president to show how important the person in the job could become. Death of a President John Tyler had started his political career as a Jeffersonian Republican, serving in the Virginia legislature and as the state’s governor. He eventually was elected to the US Senate, and when he became an opponent of Andrew Jackson’s policies he resigned his Senate seat in 1836 and switched parties, becoming a Whig. Tyler was tapped as the running mate of Whig candidate William Henry Harrison in 1840. The legendary â€Å"Log Cabin and Hard Cider† campaign was fairly free of issues, and Tyler’s name was featured in the legendary campaign slogan, â€Å"Tippecanoe and Tyler Too!† Harrison was elected, and caught a cold at his inauguration while delivering a lengthy inaugural address in very bad weather. His illness developed into pneumonia, and died on April 4, 1841, a month after taking office. Vice president John Tyler, at home in Virginia and unaware of the seriousness of the presidents illness, was informed that the president had died. The Constitution Was Unclear Tyler returned to Washington, believing he was the president of the United States. But he was informed that the Constitution wasnt precisely clear about that. The relevant wording in the Constitution, in Article II, section 1, said: â€Å"In case of removal of the President from office, or of his death, or inability to discharge the powers and duties of said office, the same shall devolve on the Vice President†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The question arose: what did the framers mean by the word â€Å"same†? Did it mean the presidency itself, or merely duties of the office? In other words, in the event of a president’s death, would the vice president become an acting president, and not actually the president? Back in Washington, Tyler found himself being referred to as â€Å"the vice president, acting as president.† Critics referred to him as â€Å"His Accidency.† Tyler, who was staying at a Washington hotel (there was no vice presidential residence until modern times), summoned Harrison’s cabinet. The cabinet informed Tyler that he was not actually the president, and any decisions he would make in office would have to be approved by them. John Tyler Held His Ground â€Å"I beg your pardon, gentlemen,† Tyler said. â€Å"I am sure I am very glad to have in my cabinet such able statesmen as you have proved yourselves to be, and I shall be pleased to avail myself of your counsel and advice, but I can never consent to being dictated to as to what I shall or shall not do. I, as president, will be responsible for my administration. I hope to have your cooperation in carrying out its measures. So long as you see fit to do this I shall be glad to have you with me. When you think otherwise, your resignations will be accepted.† Tyler thus claimed the full powers of the presidency. And the members of his cabinet backed down from their threat. A compromise suggested by Daniel Webster, the secretary of state, was that Tyler would take the oath of office, and would then be the president. After the oath was administered, on April 6, 1841, all the officers of the government accepted that Tyler was the president and possessed the full powers of the office. The taking of the oath thus came to be seen as the moment when a vice president becomes president. Tylers Rough Term In Office A headstrong individual, Tyler clashed mightily with the Congress and with his own cabinet, and his single term in office was very rocky. Tyler’s cabinet changed several times. And he became estranged from the Whigs and was essentially a president without a party. His one noteworthy achievement as president would have been the annexation of Texas, but the Senate, out of spite, delayed that until the next president, James K. Polk, could take credit for it. The Tyler Precedent Was Established The presidency of John Tyler was most significant for the way it began. By establishing the â€Å"Tyler Precedent,† he ensured that future vice presidents would not become acting presidents with restricted authority. It was under the Tyler Precedent that the following vice presidents became president: Millard Fillmore, following the death of Zachary Taylor in 1850Andrew Johnson, following the assassination of Abraham Lincoln in 1865Chester Alan Arthur, following the assassination of James Garfield in 1881Theodore Roosevelt, following the assassination of William McKinley in 1901Calvin Coolidge, following the death of Warren G. Harding in 1923Harry Truman, following the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1945Lyndon B. Johnson, following the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963 Tyler’s action was essentially affirmed, 126 years later, by the 25th Amendment, which was ratified in 1967. After serving his term in office, Tyler returned to Virginia. He remained politically active, and sought to forestall the Civil War by convening a controversial peace conference. When efforts to avoid war failed, he was elected to the Confederate congress, but died in January 1862, before he could take his seat.

The Lottery by Shirley Jackson Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Lottery by Shirley Jackson - Essay Example It rose to significance in the early 20th century as a sort of reaction towards the romanticist theories related to literature. The romanticist theories focused on the author and his or her creative genius, previous works, personal history, etc. However, Meyer and Gardner point out that formalism is aimed at analyzing, interpreting, or evaluating the very inherent characteristics of a text. Technical issues related to grammar and syntax and literary tools like tropes and meter are important from the perspective of formalism. Formalism reduces the significance of a text’s cultural, historical, and biographical backgrounds (1541). Formalism has played an influential role in the field of literary study in USA approximately from the end of World War II through the 1970s. Of late, this approach of literary criticism is resurging once again. In such a state of affair, the concepts related to this approach must be reflected on. There are two major concepts in formalism: The first one is the intentional fallacy that puts forward that an author’s purpose or plan (i.e., intension) in creating a literary work is not relevant in evaluating or analyzing that work since the value and meaning of a work of literature should lie in the text only. In this regard, the formalist critic does not pay much attention to the â€Å"intent of the author† (Meyer and Gardner, 1539). The second important concept entailed in this critical approach is that of the affective fallacy, which holds that the very evaluation of a literary work cannot be based on its psychosomatic effects on the reader or the audience. Instead, constructive criticism should be concentrated towards the very qualities of the text itself, which might produce such sort of effects. (Meyer and Gardner, 1540) Consequently, formalist approach of criticism must entail close reading and analysis of the text. Further, it requires that all the opinions about the literary work should be properly referenced to the text. In the present paper, the formalist approach of criticism has been adopted to evaluate and analyze â€Å"The Lottery†. This piece of literary work can be categorized under short story. The work involves fiction, which has been empowered by a structured approach that involves visualization of certain situations by the means of vivid expressions. This sort of language skills is displayed at the very beginning of the story as Jackson writes, â€Å"The morning of June 27th was clear and sunny, with the fresh warmth of a full-summer day; the flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green.† (5) The concept of the affective fallacy entailed in formalism can readily be applied to the text as extracted above. The phrases like â€Å"richly green† (5), â€Å"fresh warmth† (5), and â€Å"blossoming profusely† (5) are the certain quality pieces of text, which are capable of producing profound emotional effects by the me ans of detailed description. Since the short story is based on fiction and formal approach does not give much importance to any historical context, this piece of writing qualifies as an effective literary text with distinguished taste. The concept of intentional fallacy can be applied to evaluate the value and meaning of the text throughout. The author’s intensions are rightly not of prime importance, since the creation of mystery and horror has been accomplished in a skillful way. â€Å"The Witchcraft of Salem Village came out in 1956, offering a simple history of witchcraft and a chronicle of the early puritan’s fear of the evil spirits.† (Jackson, 30). The carefully repeated use of the word â€Å"

Pride and Prejudice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Pride and Prejudice - Essay Example Elizabeth had asserted her love, and her experience can also be useful for women today. Austen's use of irony in her novel offers important insights to her attitude about life through the experiences of her characters. This paper will discuss what Jane Austen had to say about women, class mobility, and marriage based in the experiences of Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice. In addition to that, the nature of Elizabeth Bennet's experience and lessons she "learned" from it will be estimated. The experience of women today and that of Elizabeth Bennet will be analyzed, as well as the reasons of Elizabeth Bennet's experience relevance for women position in our days. 2. Elizabeth Bennet is one of the main protagonists in Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Her experience in the novel is largely influenced by her nature and her personality, as well as appropriate traits of her character which allowed her to win her real love and destiny. Elizabeth is the second daughter in the family of the Bennets and the most clever and intelligent among them. Her positive traits allowed her to resist current bourgeois norms and traditions and to be higher than these norms. Mr Darcy noticed her charm and evaluated her as a woman who had interesting and unique individuality, but at their first meet they didn't had any romantic feelings towards each other - so, first impression can be not true. Darcy said that "She is tolerable, but not so handsome enough to tempt me; I am in no humour at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men" (Chapter 3, p.7). It happened because of Elizabeth Bennet's pride and Darcy's prejudice about her social bac kground. So, in that moment Jane Austen depicted about the common social norms which were spread between men and women in that time, and those norms often asserted women to marry men who would provide high social status for their future wives. There are some characters in the novel who made different obstacles towards the relationships development between Elizabeth and Darcy, such as Mrs Bennet, Lady Catherine, Miss Bingley and Wickham, and the motifs which these people followed interfered to romantic relationships between Elizabeth and Darcy. Lady Catherine tried to control Darcy who was her nephew, Mrs Bennet tried to get married her daughters, including Elizabeth, by all means, and it led to numerous foolishness displayed by Mrs Bennet. Wickham deceived Elizabeth telling her that Darcy had taken his money, and that caused her mistrust to Darcy: "How abominable! I wonder that the very pride of this Mr. Darcy has not made him just to you! If from no better motive, that he should no t have been too proud to be dishonest - for dishonesty I must call it" (Chapter 16, p.60). So, Austen has showed that there are many obstacles for people who love each other to be together, and that there are some women whose motifs for marriage are not love but social class advantages. The author tried to show that love and true affections of those who really love each other are able to be higher than any obstacles. But the author also showed that social class and aspiration towards money and success can be a basis for marriage for

Prophets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Prophets - Essay Example This shows that he stayed between 755Bc to 715Bc making a modern day prophet Micah and Isaiah. Hosea channeled his early part of his warnings to king Jeroboam 2, one amongst the many from Jehu’s house. As the prophecy against Jeroboam’s descendants involved Hosea’s children birth, it can be finalized that he existed in the north kingdom where his children’s naming would have great impact. Compared to other prophets, Hosea linked the information he relayed with is private life. Through marrying a lady he forecasted to deceive his trust and naming his children names that directed judgment message to Israel, his prophetic word moved from his family life. The repentance cycle, restoration and redemption evident in the prophecy of Hosea and his marriage remained closely attached to our daily lives. The sequence plays in real people’s lives, reminding them that the bible is a collection of statements related to real life situation and not mere abstracts. The scriptures have their way in our daily existence touching on issues that have got impact on all our relationships and action. Built around five phases of restoration and judgment, Hosea brings out the clarity on the repetitious theme that as much as God will pronounce judgment on man’s sinful nature, he will ever reconcile his people with himself. God is Israel’s love, a people’s nation where they are mostly interested in their lifestyle than in direction of God for their living. They shine via clarity against their injustice and idolatry darkness. (Dearman, pp.334). Through the book of Hosea, the prophet of God viewed the people of Israel giving God their backs and going to other gods. The inclination towards idolatry insinuated that these people lived a life that contradicted God’s ways. Moreover, during the Lo-Ammi’s birth, who was Hosea’s third child, God promised to restore his relationship with Israel. God used the personal and

Transplant Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Transplant - Essay Example t patient in the following years through to the 1970’s was poor anti-rejection drugs, which changed by the end of 1970’s when better anti-rejection drugs were developed giving patients up to five years after transplant. The effectiveness of organ transplant improved after that, and its use has augmented over the years. Organ transplantation is referred to as one of the health practices that whose results are often lifesaving. The process involved removal and replacement of a failing or damaged organ in the recipient body and replaced with a fully functioning one (Ethics of Organ Transplantation, 2004). In most occasions, transplantation takes places when the life of the recipient is at stake, and the only hope for survival of the recipient is the replacement of an organ or tissue (Alvaro, Siegel, 2009). Despite its advantages, it is apparent that transplantation has many challenges that may result not only in health complications, but also the loss of life. In relation to this assertion, the paper will expound on the many factors that prevent people from taking part in organ donation. Issues that will be addressed by the paper include the belief that organ donors fail to provide care to their families because of the complications associated with organ donation. In addition, it can cause traumatic disorders, the persistence of donor’s discomfort, in addition to psychological torture experienced after donation of an organ. The heart, lungs, pancreas as well as intestines, kidney and liver are transplantable in humans. The Canadian Medical Association has a specific policy that guides physicians and health care providers to issues regarding organ donation. Organ donors, as well as prospective organ donors, should be provided with relevant, understandable information related to the decision. Occasionally, this involves informing the donor about the benefits as well as risks of transplantation, procedures associated with the determination of death, and testing of