Abstract
This paper offers a review of the though provoking novel "Montana 1948" by Larry Watson. The writer shows how racism, as seen in the novel, can result in tragedy. The book is the retrospective tale of a childhood event told by the protagonist David Hayden forty years later. The story evolves around the alleged professionally unacceptable behavior of a physician towards his Indian patients.

From the Paper
"Among David's primary recollections concerning the events of 1948 is the realization that Marie Little Soldier's bedroom was "a small room off the kitchen," despite the fact that there was a "third bedroom" vacant on the second floor the floor where the white people slept. "Who decided that room should not be Marie's?" Despite the Hayden's tolerant and benevolent appearance, and their adequate treatment of Marie, they obviously are subtly influenced by the prejudice based on the belief in the superiority of a particular race. Wesley "was not a hate filled bigot he probably thought he was free of prejudice." Wes was able to "treat Indians with generosity, kindness, and respect" nevertheless he believed Indians' were ignorant, lazy, superstitious and irresponsible."

Tags:david, malouf, prejudice, racism, indian, native

Abstract
This paper looks at the many similarities in Emily Bronte's "Wuthering Heights", and Charlotte Bronte's novel, "Jane Eyre". The author discusses the gothic elements present in both books: the dark, the hidden, the secrets, and the brooding characters like Heathcliff and Mr. Rochester. The paper examines the element of the occult in both novels: ghosts, visions, the dead Catharine, and insane Bertha Mason Rochester.

From the Paper:

"
Traditionally, Gothic elements were constituted by the ambiguous, the chaotic, the unenlightened, the supposedly irrational, the dark, the hidden, and the secret. According to literary handbooks, Gothic is a matter of d?cor and mood, of an obscurely pleasurable terror, of the nostalgic melancholy of ruins and of remote times and places. Conventions familiar in Gothic narratives include a vulnerable/curious heroine, a wealthy/enigmatic hero/villain, and a grand, mysterious dwelling concealing violent secrets."

Tags:bronte, genre, ghost, moors, yorkshire, heathcliff, bertha, rochester, catharine, lockwood

Abstract
This paper analyzes the similarities and differences between Virginia Woolf's "Mrs Dalloway" and Michael Cunningham's "The Hours". The paper explains that in the elements of content, narrative technique, and imagery, there are many examples of dependence and independence between the two texts. The writer suggests that the structure of the novel, more specifically, formal chapter divisions, is one example of where "The Hours" can be seen as an independent novel without influence from "Mrs. Dalloway". The writer also looks at one of the most recognised elements of "Mrs. Dalloway" - Woolf's utilisation of 'stream of consciousness'. The writer concludes that what is most apparent from this analysis is that although "The Hours" can be read as a stand-alone novel, the significance of many of the elements of "The Hours" cannot be truly appreciated without the context and comparison provided for it by "Mrs. Dalloway".

From the Paper
"Mrs. Dalloway was written by Virginia Woolf in the 1920's, and since this time has been rewritten on numerous occasions, in various forms. In 1999, Michael Cunningham wrote The Hours, a Pulitzer Prize winning novel that reignited interest in Mrs. Dalloway. Although a prior knowledge of Mrs. Dalloway is not essential to a reading of Michael Cunningham's The Hours, Spengler argues that it is the invitation to find the similarities and differences between the two novels that entices the reader to view both texts (75)."

Tags:monologue, narrative, techniques, 'stream, of, consciousness', sexual, identity

Abstract
This paper examines how, after the end of reconstruction in 1877, African-Americans, particularly in the South, faced an uncertain time. It looks at how the late 19th and early 20th centuries were a dark time in history where racism and segregation were running rampant and how this was enforced, especially in the South by the Jim Crow laws which legalized segregation with the supposed policy of "separate but equal". The paper also examines how, in order to confront and overcome the effects of Jim Crow and racism the black middle class resorted to several tactics. These included using the politics and law, media exposure, economic support and preserving safety.

From the Paper
"Politics and law played a large role in the black middle class attempting to confront and overcome Jim Crow and racism. Middle class blacks were determined to have their say in politics and encouraged the poorer class to vote. In some places such as Holy Springs, Mississippi they even went to the extent of coloring the Republican voting ballot a different color so that illiterate blacks would be able to know who they were voting for. When Tennessee replaced older laws that condoned segregation in response to the Civil Rights Act, four African Americans on the state legislature fought back. They attempted to repeal the laws but ultimately failed. They did however gain a compromise from the white legislators that granted first class accommodation for blacks on railroads. This accommodation led to blacks attempting to use the law to further their cause for fair treatment. Many lawsuits were filed against railroad companies for throwing out blacks who were holding first class tickets. "

Tags:Jim, Crow, laws, segregation, blacks

Abstract
An examination of Randolph Campbell's book, "An Empire for Slavery". The paper discusses the book which looks at the history of slavery in Texas. The author gives an overview of the main points in the book and illustrates how Campbell commands an impressive amount of data to prove his thesis. Campbell's cultural and statistical contributions to this issue are mentioned.

From the Paper
"Randolph Campbell's book An Empire for Slavery, details the specific nature of the history of slavery in the state of Texas, the youngest slaveholding state in the Southern part of the Union. It is common to view "the peculiar institution," as its practitioners, according to Campbell, often called it, as simply uniquely Southern institution. However, Campbell makes it clear that slavery was not simply a Southern institution, but a specific series of practices that existed within a unique cultural context in every state where it was practiced. Texas is a particularly interesting case, Campbell suggests, because in Texas, there were threatened and ineffectual attempts by both Spanish and later the state government of Texas prohibit the practice of slavery on a mass level. Texas had existed as an independent country and thus had its own history apart from the rest of the more genteel South, supposedly. Texans clearly identified themselves as frontier dwellers, rather than inhabitants of an agricultural, aristocratic elite. However, because of the richness of the Texas soil, the use of slaves proved too tempting to be ignored. Slavery spread rapidly, although contemporary Texans would often wish to forget this."

Tags:slave, Texas, Randolph, Campbell, peculiar, institution

Abstract
A paper contrasting "The Chimney Sweeper" poems from William Blake's "Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience" with "The Ecchoing Green" and "London". The paper focuses on the portrayal of the contrary states of innocence and experience, but the paper suggests that in a greater thematic sense all poems carry Blakes social criticism of the hypocritical Romantic society.

From the Paper
"William Blake, from a young age, displayed a vivid imagination which was not looked upon favorably during the pre Romantic period. He continued throughout his writing to radically question religion and politics, especially critical of the church, putting forth his views on the world. Perhaps what Blake is most famous for are his contrasting Songs of Experience and Songs of Innocence poems, which have either been paired by Blake himself, or by critics in their interpretations. In plate three of "The Marriage of Heaven and Hell" Blake wrote, "Without contraries is no progression", this statement defining the contrary states of Innocence and Experience, regarded as necessary to both human existence and human progress."

Tags:chimney, exploitation, hypocrisy, london, religion

Abstract
This paper examines Michael Drayton's sonnet "Since There's No Help" which describes the uncertainty associated with ending a relationship. It analyzes how Drayton begins by asserting that the relationship is ending and by trying to convince himself that he is glad of this. Then he surrenders to his real feelings and offers the real sadness of the situation. It looks at how, overall, the poem shows the process of being powerless to another person, fighting this power because of pride and then eventually admitting true feelings and begging for love to continue.

From the Paper
"The first eight lines set up the problem, with these lines focusing on the confusion of the individual. The first line introduces the fact that the relationship is ending, "Since there's no help, come let us kiss and part." This line expresses the certainty that the relationship is ending. There is no question in this line over whether or not the relationship will end. Instead, it is clear that the two will part. This introduces a tone of needing to accept the situation. This is important because the following seven lines all suggest uncertainty. This assurance that the relationship will ends means that the poem is not focused on whether or not they are parting, but on how the individual feels about their parting."

Tags:relationship, love

Abstract
This paper discusses the essay "Killings" by Andre Dubus about how Matt Fowler, struggles externally with the task of murdering another man in an effort to avenge the death of his son. It examines how Andre Dubus tells the story of a group of people who are faced with conflict on a daily basis and how the dominant idea or theme of the story is that all men will act on their emotions and every emotion exhibited in the story is anger. The end result is a group of characters that can only be classified as murderers and no one is truly better than the other. It shows how the story revolves around inner and external conflict and how the plot, setting and characters all reflect a dominant theme of darkness and despair.

From the Paper
"The story later describes how each of the characters had experienced many emotional changes that caused their violent and sometimes bizarre behavior. Matt Fowlers aggressive and revengeful behavior certainly resulted from his feelings of remorse over the loss of his son. But what of the character that killed his son. What type of conflict did he face, and what caused him to be able to commit such a terrible act without any feelings of guilt or sorrow? What type of conflict did the other characters in the story feel, such as Matt Fowlers relations? Interestingly, Dubus describes each of these characters in great detail, elaborating on the ideas of conflict, and intertwining conflict with the mood and dreary theme of the story."

Tags:murder, revenge, conflict

Abstract
This paper argues that any text is a source of endless speculation, argument and debate in relation to three poems by William Butler Yeats: "Sailing to Byzantium", "Easter 1916" and "Wild Swans at Coole". Each poem is analysed through two critical approaches, namely New Critical, which focuses on the specific devices used by the poet in the actual poems and Marxist, which looks at the context of the poet and poem to extract meaning.

From the Paper
""Sailing to Byzantium" is not an exception to the fact that any text is a source of endless speculation, argument and debate. The debate in this poem arises over the interpretation of the golden bird that is "set upon a bough to sing". A New Critical reading of the golden bird holds that it is a symbol of the "artifice of eternity" and the ideal world of art. The golden bird defies all change and, as apart of art, comments on life and the natural world which is subject to mutability and transformation. A Marxism, however, argues that the golden bird along with the "holy city of Byzantium" represent aristocratic values, and the stability and immutability of the aristocracy is what Yeats yearns for. To a Marxist, nature symbolizes a society that changes."

Tags:new, critical, marxist

Abstract
This essay suggests that Hamlet was not insane, but emotionally devastated by what he perceived as betrayal by those closest to him. Quotes from the play are used skillfully to support this theory.

From the Paper
"As the curtain opens on Shakespeare's "Hamlet," the audience is introduced to an extremely bleak young man. The grief triggered by the death of his father and the hasty re-marriage of his mother to his uncle, has left Hamlet feeling disorientated. It is in this state of emotional vulnerability that Hamlet begins to distort reality and doubt the intentions of those around him. Hamlet's initial sense of hopelessness deepens as the play progresses and more of the people in his life appear to betray him. He is left alone in a world where he is unable to trust anyone and even begins to doubt the strength of his own character. The perceived betrayal by those closest to Hamlet, causes him to become disillusioned about himself and others."

Tags:betrayal, disillusioned, gertrude, hamlet, insane, ophelia, shakespeare