... cock my head in his direction, studying his emotionless expression. I suddenly have a wave of grief wash over my body as I pity the reaction I receive from the boy named Adam. I change the subject. "Did you save me?" "Yes. You were unconscious and it concerned me," he mutters barely loud ... , and everything turns into slow motion. Instead of a scream escaping from my lips, my hands involuntarily go to the gun I picked up on seconds ago. My body shakes in anxiousness as I elbow the stranger behind me. His grip becoming loose as I turn and shoot with an awful aim, not once, not twice, ......

• Word Count: 2252
• Approx Pages: 9
• Grade Level: High School

... of colored smoke?" "That's it. What a nice way to describe them" (91). She now feels appreciated and attractive to the stranger. His compliment to her about her flowers leads her to feel forced to allow him to fix her pots. Right after the stranger leaves, she is full of confidence in her womanhood and goes to do a complete makeover. "After a while she began to ... think I look nice? What do you mean by nice" (95)? Elisa obviously goes on the offense and wonders why she just looks nice. The last scene of symbolism , Elisa sees her precious chrysanthemums on the ground, but without the p...

• Word Count: 1318
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... rape a big issue and is being viewed everywhere, like the movies, radio, T.V., and magazines. in this story the narrator that is called Estelle in the story claims that the ideas that the other women in at their table are considering rape fantasies isn't rape at all, but a fantasy that they have about having sex with a complete stranger. She continues to prove them wrong and decides to ... tell them her stories, rape fantasies that she has had. The basis of the story is rape. Rape, as defined in the Gale Encyclopedia of Psychology, is an act of power and dominance; although 15% to40% of...

• Word Count: 1334
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... this turn in direction of their conversation with the following lines: "What's them plants, ma"am?" The irritation and resistance melted from Elisa's face. "Oh, those are chrysanthemums, giant whites and yellows. I raise them every year, bigger than anybody around here" (249). Notice how Steinbeck describes how Elisa's irritated face has vanished as a result from the stranger's question, which is Elisa's interest. From ... that moment further, Elisa began to "open up" to the man, feeling more comfortable and leaving her irritation behind her. This moment in the story illustrates how her...

• Word Count: 1566
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... psychopathic killer or Satan incarnate, he is actually a collection of Connie's unconscious thoughts and desires in human form. Some readers have come to the conclusion that Arnold Friend is a psychopathic murderer who has come abduct Connie. This is most likely due to his character's strong resemblance to real ... some evidence in the text of the story that could lead to the conclusion that Arnold is a murderer. Arnold states to Connie that he "knows all about [her]" (Oates 1229), and then proceeds to give her information about her family and friends. Such invested time and effort into ...

• Word Count: 1264
• Approx Pages: 5
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... is simply a dream and nothing else. There are some critics who give evidence that it is a dream and one in particular is Larry Rubin. Giving proof from the story and Larry Rubin's critical essay there are points that make me think Connie's encounter with Arnold Friend is a without a doubt a dream. This girl is ... into black, scuffed boots, a belt that pulled his waist in and showed how lean he was, and a white pullover shirt that was a little soiled and showed the hard small muscles of his arms and shoulders". His face was familiar to her somehow, too (Oates 707). When he smiles it looks...

• Word Count: 1446
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... to elaborate with an example in the short story "My Son the Murderer," written by Bernard Malamud. This story is about a distant father and son relationship, which is based on silence. The father, Leo, considers his son, Harry, to be a stranger in his own house because of ... his private nature. Harry begins to show that something is wrong by either being disrespectful to his father or by showing his depression on the subject of the ... war and the draft. " Sometimes I lean over and touch the war with the ... well as others. It's time for teenagers to realize that their parents love the...

• Word Count: 1446
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... room almost shrinks when she enters. " Mrs. Turpin, who was very large, made it look smaller by her presence. She stood looming at the head of the magazine table the room was inadequate and ridiculous" (340). The narrator helps the reader know that she sees herself superior to most other people and gets truly confused when she tries to classify people who might actually be ... these characters show that although Mrs. Turpin wanted to be noticed and respected, she wanted it on her own terms. In the end, Mrs. Turpin gets her revelation. After snubbing the other characters, admiring her pl...

• Word Count: 1464
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... generation since its inception. It creates themes and characters that take people out of their reality, and into a world where things are much simpler. As the main character, Van Winkle, being loved by all that know him is also a stagnant character. He takes little interest in taking charge of his household ... and a father, moreover, their lives and livelihood. "His fences were continually falling to pieces; his cow would either go astray or get among the cabbages; weeds were sure to grow quicker in his fields than anywhere else" (Baym 33). To me, Rips desire to help everyone other than...

• Word Count: 1834
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

... literature, scribbling original short tales based on his translations. On one inspired day he produced "Rip Van Winkle," which most scholars describe as the first American short story. In "Rip Van Winkle,"" Washington Irving creates his masterful story by using imagery, irony, moralism, mysticism, and symbolism ... the scene really looks like. Irving Washington has created a story full of description by using imagery. Next, Washington develops the plot of the story by using irony. After wandering with his gun and his close companion, Wolf, Rip tracks himself into the upper parts of the mo...

• Word Count: 1583
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... uncertainty-a headless and thus unidentifiable figure killed in a "nameless" battle, surrounded by "floating facts" (p. 273), who, after all, seems little related to either the Dutch or the Yankee protagonist currently inhabiting the area. The haunting at the core of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" is directly connected to social and historical dislocations attendant upon a contemporary phenomenon that at first would seem antithetical to ghost stories ... with the neighborhood and the neighbors. The Dutch are comfortable in this place in ways the itinerant Ichabod is not. Specifically, bec...

• Word Count: 1590
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: Undergraduate