Theme In Literature Essay

Theme in Literature Essay
Mr. JuddName__________________ CH. 14 America and World War II Study Guide It was the bloodiest, deadliest war the world had ever seen.
More than 38 million people died, many of them innocent civilians. It also was the most destructive war in history. Fighting raged in many parts of
the world. More than 50 nations took part in the war, which changed the world forever. For Americans, World War II had a clear
–cut purpose. People
knew why they were fighting: to defeat tyranny. Most of Europe had been conquered by Nazi Germany, which was under the iron grip of dictator
Adolf Hitler. The war in Europe began with Germany's invasion of Poland in 1939. Wherever the Nazis went, they waged a campaign of terror, mainly
against Jews, but...show more content...
507 Pg. 507 * Celebrities help raise funds (war bonds) * * Pg. 504 & 06 Pg. 504 & 06 * In 1940, Congress approved plans for the first
peacetime draft in American History called the Selective Service and Training Act * * Pg. 490–93 Pg. 490–93 World War II Propaganda Guns were
the principal weapon of World War II , but there were other more subtle weapons that the U.S. government used. This included propaganda messages
in posters, radio, and film. Propaganda is a message put out by a government or organization to promote a policy, idea, or cause. During World War II
, the U.S. government wanted the public to wholeheartedly support the war efforts. They also wanted to maintain a good public morale and a public
commitment for the war. Persuading the American public became a wartime industry. The government launched an aggressive propaganda campaign to
galvanize public support for the war or to encourage particular actions. The basic message was simpl e–we're on the side of good, the enemy is the side
of evil. These images and messages were designed to tug at human emotions. These types of messages included: Warnings of what could happen if
America lost the war. Many of these messages were intended to scare people. They tried to motivate through fear to make sure Americans felt strongly
about what the country was fighting for. Pleas for
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The Universal theme of good vs. evil
The universal theme of good and evil is one of the most commonly used themes in literature. In literature some writers choose to directly state themes of
confidence, while others allow them to indirectly develop. English literature often tends to concern itself more and more with the intended meanings of
the work through common stories of good and evil those are holding specific symbolic meanings, whether these meanings represent good or evil,
the readers continue to see the true meanings of select works. Writers most often develop works using themes of good and evil, whether they state
them symbolically or directly. Readers may determine a theme as an idea, point of view, or perception, embodied and expanded upon in a work.
Good and Evil in Terms of Religious Beliefs Good is usually associated with ideas of God. Evil is usually associated with ideas of the devil. When
the writer conveys messages of good and evil, they commonly use the symbols of light and dark, or general opposites. Light, remaining the universal
symbol of good, may be defined as love, happiness, or even as a heavenly presence. As Opposing to darkness which continues to represent evil as
anything threatening, cold hearted, or aggressive. Light tends to expresses a positive affirmation while darkness carries the negative sense of chaos.
In the Epic of Gilgamesh there are examples of good vs. evil such as the external values of pagan culture (heroism). Gilgamesh is a

Literature Essay It's a kind of complex essay that gives the reader the depth of what you have written. Its helps the reader in enhancing their
knowledge and understanding. Its not simple as other essays it has different elements that needs to be taken care of and if they are not applied
carefully whole essay gets affected. In this chapter we will explore those elements and conventions that are essential and must be there in a literature
essay. The literature essay must consist of 5 essential elements that are : Tone Thesis Motive Evidence Coherent Structure Tone it's the base of any
essay we can say like when we talk to our friends we talk in different tone and when we talk to our friends we talk in different tone. In the same...show
more content...
Then comes thesis it should be very effective and appealing as it's the main theme of the work there can be more than one themes but its good if
we use only one theme in the whole work. The theme should be answering all the relevant answers that can be raised after reading the whole
content. Than there is evaluation we write literature essay to help people understand the content or the particular work in a better way and there are
claims which we do in the essay those are . Wether the content is helpful or not wether it's important or not and than the claim is that we should not
write things from our own perspective should write in a general way why where what happened and etc. The third claim is that is the content morally
correct and making sense which character is good and admirable which is not and why is it that. The evaluation is not only to make us write our own
views on particular thing but its more just if we answer the other questions that are raised after reading them and we should kept people in view and
their thinking while writing a review personal touch should be

Themes in Early American Literature Essays
Themes of Early American Literature
Early American literature does a tremendous job of revealing the exact conditions and challenges that were faced by the explorers and later by the
colonists of the New World. From early shipwrecks to the later years of small colonies barely surviving through dreadful winters, the literary works of
the time period focus on some very recognizable themes. The theme of any given work – being simply the unifying subject or idea – is a very
important element of any piece of writing. As one reviews some of this early literature, it becomes obvious that several themes appear repeatedly, and
it is these subjects that were clearly very common among people from all over the New World. While a number of themes...show more content...
The explorer narratives, however, were not the only ones which described a dark and forbidding quality of the New World. The colonists at
Jamestown and all along the eastern coast suffered through harsh winters with minimal supplies, causing many deaths and making life in the New
World extremely challenging. For example, in William Bradford's Of Plymouth Plantation he remarks that 50 of the 102 Pilgrims who landed at
Plymouth had died within the first year (Perkins and Perkins 50). The reasons for the high number of deaths in the colonies vary, but disease and
harsh winters certainly claimed their share. In addition, the colonies struggled to establish crops and solid dwellings for months or years after they
first landed, and supply ships proved to be unreliable at best. John Smith of the Jamestown Colony is responsible for writing The General History of
Virginia, New England, and the Summer Isles in which he depicted the grievous condition of the colonists only days after the ships departed and left
them to the mercy of the land (Reuben 6). He wrote, "Being thus left to our fortunes, it fortuned that within ten days scarce ten amongst us could either
go, or well stand, such extreme weakness and sickness oppressed us." (Perkins and Perkins 36). In the same piece of literature, Smith also noted
another very ominous threat to the well–being of the

Theme, characters, conflict, and setting are literary terms that are essential to any story you may read. Each literary term is important to the
development of the plot. The lesson or moral that you take away from the story is the theme. The time and place in which the story happens is the
setting. The conflict is the issue or the main problem in the story. The characters are just the people who are involved in the story. All four of those
terms can often be compared or contrasted throughout different stories. Three stories that have similarities and differences with those four literary
terms are "Contents of the Dead Man's Pocket", "The Leap", and "The Trip". The literary elements – characters, conflict, theme, and setting – are each
...show more content...
But, unfortunately, Murad got caught. In the text, it said, "It will be hard to convince his mother, but in the end he knows he will prevail on her to
sell her gold bracelets. If she sells all seven of them, it will pay for another trip. And next time, he'll make it." The theme of this story would be to
never lose hope and don't give up. The main character, Tom Benecke, had been working on a paper for his job, for a couple months. All of the
information that he needed for his promotion was on that piece of paper. So, when it flew out of the window, he was so devastated that he walked out
onto the ledge of his 11–story high apartment. When he almost falls off, he comes a near death experience, which made him realize that he has
been wasting his life on work. He hadn't been paying attention to his personal life and the time he has left for his life. But, even after realizing that,
he still made an effort to save his paper. In the text, it says, "He understood fully that he might actually be going to die; his arms, maintaining his
balance on the ledge, were trembling steadily now. And it occurred to him then with all the force of a revelation that, if he fell, all he was ever going
to have out of life he would then, abruptly, have had." He still pressed to continue his journey to get that sheet of paper for his job. He was so
determined and motivated to get his raise. The themes of those three stories have similarities and differences.

Harrison Bergeron Theme Essay
Theme is a concept that can be related to all works of literature ranging from short stories to novels. Theme, which is sometimes used in the same
sense as motif to signify recurring concepts in literature, refers mainly to the arguments or general ideas expressed by a literary work, whether it is
implied or explicitly stated. In the short story "Harrison Bergeron" by Kurt VonnegutJr. theme played a vital role in the stories general setup. "Harrison
Bergeron" theme was on a general basic of equality. Equality is a subject that is very touchy and most do not know how to conquer or talk about it, but
Vonnegut captured it in his story "Harrison Bergeron." According to Vonnegut and his them equality could be obtained by these three main
...show more
content...
And George, while his intelligence was way above normal, had a little mental handicap radio in his ear. . . Every twenty seconds or so, the transmitter
would send out some sharp noise to keep people . . . from taking advantage of their brains (Vonnegut 235)." This showed in the story how the author
tried to make everyone have the same intelligence.
Another one of the main objectives in the story "Harrison Bergeron" was that everyone must have the same strengths and weaknesses. It was shown
an ample amount of times in the story that "all this quality was due to the 211th, 212th, and 213th Amendments to the constitution (Vonnegut 234)."
One person that was really affected by this amendment, because he was considered strong, was Harrison. He was taken from his parents at the
young age of 14, and had many handicaps. "Nobody had ever borne heavier handicaps (Vonnegut 236)" than Harrison. The government knew that he
was of the strong, and the ladies considered him handsome, so they made sure that his handicaps would make him look as if he was a hideous
creature. This is one main point which showed that everyone must have the same strengths and weaknesses and if they did not and broke loss of the
handicaps they would die or be kill like Harrison was.
Last but not least, one of the themes objectives was to make everyone look alike and be or the normal and not elite. This is something that truly can not

Reoccurring Themes In Literature
Human behavior is something that has remained relatively constant over hundreds of years. This habituality is made especially apparent in literature.
The fact that we still see displays of themes written about in the 14th century shows the lack of change. Also, we are still being entertained by these
themes. Literature of a time period usually displays various aspects of daily life, especially the texts we have read this semester.
One example of a reoccurring behavior is being power hungry. This is not only a frequent theme in literature, but in history as well. We see ambitious
and dominating characteristics in The Canterbury Tales, The Tragedy of Doctor Faustus, and the Tragedy of Mariam. TheWife of Bath wanting her
husbands to be submissive...show more content...
People are constantly searching for more. More money, more power, more resources, whatever it may be. It seems that no one talks the time to
reflect on what they have before the go searching for more. A catalyst of this is technology increasing so rapidly. We constantly "need" the newest
and best thing. People are constantly trying to figure out how to obtain more money and material goods. We have created a society so fixated on
instant gratification that we don't even realize how we are behaving. In the literature we have read and in my observation of society, happiness
seems almost unreachable. Happiness is made to be about completing objectives, material or not, but once those objectives are met, they still aren't
happy. We seem to try to fill the void of happiness with material goods or relationships with others, and this has not changed for hundreds of years.
Big businesses are obsessed with saving money, time or work in any way possible, turning a blind eye to anyone being negatively affected by these
decisions.The earth is being destroyed because humans "need" more land, stores, houses, fill in the blank. We are not thinking of the effects that we
have on the animals in these habitats or the generations that will come after us. It is the same mentality that has gone on for years of "why should I
try to change it? It is not affecting me!" Just as the characters in these stories we feel so superior to, we do not take into consideration how anyone or
anything is feeling but

The Themes Of Commonwealth Literature
Commonwealth literature is a Literature of ex–colonies, being the result of various types of migrations and cross–cultural accidents. The very existence
and the meanings of the ex–colonial literature are rooted in history and the colonial aftermath. With its multi–dimensional subject of study,
Commonwealth literature includes the whole complex fate of man in time, space, history and ecology. It records the process that changed the life and
status of the natives, and bought slaves under centuries of domination. It pin points the existential reality of inhabiting a multi–cultural, polycentric
society, full of question marks. What indeed constitutes the triumph of Commonwealth literature is its having enabled continents, cultures and
traditions to come together, interact and move towards a new creative vitality. In the hands of White and non–White writers, it has emerged as a very
powerful and promising response to human situation in a world of change, pulls and...show more content...
The basic attitudes were left unaltered. Consequently, the Negro's or a Black's attempt to make himself educated or civilized was looked at with
contempt and mockery. This is one of the standard themes in Lamming and Naipaul, where either the protagonists migrate to London, or they
fancifully follow the White values manners. Spiritual, cultural and individual alienation and the feeling of being a deracinated recluse were the direct
results, particularly in Africa and Caribbean. The plight of the indentured labourers from India to the Caribbean was no less acute. It was another facet
of the economic exploitation under the colonial system, as pioneered by Hugh Tinker in his, A New system of slavery. The theme forms the major
fictional impulse in Naipaul, and to a lesser extent, in Samuel Selvon and Edger

The theme death has always played a crucial role in literature. Death surrounds us and our everyday life, something that we must adapt and accept.
Whether its on television or newpaper, you'll probobly hear about the death of an individual or even a group. Most people have their own ideas and
attitude towards it, but many consider this to be a tragic event due to many reasons. For those who suffered greatly from despair, living their life
miserably and hopelessly, it could actually be a relief to them. Death effects not only you, but also those around you, while some people may stay
unaffected depending on how they perceive it.
Death is often displayed in literature, showing how would people react towards it . Whether its in "The Story of An Hour" by Kate Chopin, "The
Masque of the Red Death" by Edgar Allan Poe, "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson, or even "The Garden Party" by Katherine Mansfield, death appears to
be unavoidable. Although these are different short stories, death is applied, but the author's interpretations differentiate.
Within "The Story of An Hour", Chopin talks about death and illustrates the significance of it. This story implies that death may actually be a blessing
under certain circumstances. The narration begins with Louise getting informed that her husband had past away in an accident. She's no ordinary
women, but someone with heart disease. It leads the reader into thinking that she would be in great pain, suffering from the lost of her other

Theme of Alienation in Literature Essay
AAlienation is a common theme in literature as it can elicit many deep emotions. It can be attached to characters who have acted very drastically or
who need to do so. Either way, alienated characters create a sense of intrigue with the personal reliance that they are faced with. Receiving help from
others is not as applicable to these people. Nathaniel Hawthorne's, "The Minister's Black Veil," Anne Sexton's, "The Farmer's Wife," and T.S. Eliot's "
The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" each magnificently create their own sense of character alienation. In Nathaniel Hawthorne's, "The Minister's
Black Veil," the story is told of the isolation of a man draped with a black veil over his face. At the beginning when the minister, Mr. Hooper,
...show
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Though so much darkness was attributed to Hooper when he wore the veil, he gave off a glimmering of light when around others. For example,
when Hooper's wife tried to get him to remove the veil, he stayed firm in his veil wearing with his smile being used as a reminder that this was his
choice and he had his reasons. Although it might have increased his alienation, Hooper never changed the portrayal of his emotions,. However, the
veil did make Hooper a better clergymen. More people would demand to see him to repent their sins or to speak when on their deathbed. Here, the
difficulty in Hooper's veiled life was demonstrated. He gave tremendous help and donated ample time to these people, yet in return he received
nothing. He was both feared and unloved, making him unreachable in facets of life where joy could be shared. Hooper was alienated both socially
and physically. When Hooper's wife, the closest person in his life, left him he somehow smiled at these disastrous events. He was able to oddly laugh
to himself that it was a simple garment that kept him physically detached from others. At this point, Hooper attempted to find solace in whatever he
could to offset the damages of his actions. Hawthorne let the audience realize that this alienation, although caused by such a simple thing, was of
Hawthorne's self–infliction. The course of Hooper's life became very sad

Common Themes In American Literature Unit
A common theme I have seen continually throughout the American Literature unit is the theme of searching for a place or meaning in the world. In
the native unit many of the stories were about how they thought the earth and people came to be. They come up with stories that get passed down from
generation to generation because it is part of their culture and unique history. It gives them something of their own, one story was about how nature
gave them the things they had and for that they must always be grateful for the nature and respect it. Stories mean different things for people and
stories for the Natives was a part of their culture and how they preserved it, they could get hope, courage, wisdom ,etc., out of the stories to help guide
them

The Theme of Loss in Poetry Essay
The Theme of Loss in Poetry Provide a sample of poetry from a range of authors each of whom portray the theme of loss in some way. Anthology
Introduction The object of this collection is to provide a sample of poetry from a range of authors each of whom portray the theme of 'loss' in some
way. 'Loss' has been a recurring theme in literature for centuries, from early poets such as William Shakespeare who portrays loss in many of his
tragedies including the loss of sanity in 'King Lear' and the loss of reputation in 'Othello', through to Keats's 'Odes' and into the twentieth and
twenty–first century. Loss is an important aspect of life and many modern poets find it to be an interesting theme to deal with in their work. The...show
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The verse of 'We are Seven' is not at all difficult to understand as the language is simple and drawn from a common rhetoric. The structure of the
stanza is also straightforward with an ordinary poetic meter and rhyming pattern, typical of Wordsworth in the 'Lyrical Ballads'. These techniques
render the poems accessible to all people of all backgrounds, which in turn emphasises the fact that everyone experiences death. Yet the intricacies
of the poem are to which character the reader most readily associates themselves with. Whilst the girl could be said to have idealised the
relationship she believes she now has with her dead brother and sister, there is an innocence in attitude towards death that most people would prefer
to sympathise with, rather than the often cold and final view of the narrator. The maid's determination that 'their graves are green, they may be
seen', ie they are still part of her everyday life as she can still interact with them to a certain degree, shows death to be merely another stage of life
and not a loss at all. However, to most readers it is the lack of awareness that makes the poem touching as it is clear that to the reader that the girl
doesn't have the same relationship with her siblings as she used to no

Queer Themes In Literature
Queer themes within literature can be seen hidden throughout works in the 18th, 19th, and 21st centuries. Novels such as The Monk, by Matthew G.
Lewis, and Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, and short stories like "Feminine Endings" by Neil Gaiman, show these hidden social taboos of the times
within them. Diverging sexualities and gender identities were major social offenses and had to be hidden, especially in literature. The sexualities shown
within these pieces can be seen as homosexual and/or bisexual in nature; these sexualities falling outside of the heterosexual normativity of society.
Gender in these works can be seen as ranging from being on the transgender spectrum, being non–existent at all, or sticking to the cisgender normative.
These themes are usually implied in literature written prior to the late 20th century, as they were social taboos during these times of society. Queer
readings can be done in all three works, as they all show these subtle themes and practices in unique ways throughout them, like gender identity and
sexuality issues in The Monk, possible sexuality divergence in Frankenstein, and having to infer about gender and sexuality in "Feminine Endings."
First, a gender identity different from a cisgender male or female is shown in The Monk, by Matthew G. Lewis, throughout the beginning of the
novel. This gender divergence is shown by Rosario, who is later known as Matilda, in the novel. It can be inferred that Matilda, or Rosario, could be
seen as queer

Silence Theme In Literature
'Silence' is a recurring theme in post–colonial literature. It is a form of communication. It is a notable concept in Literature that attracts many readers.
Not all silences sound same. The expression of silence reveals different meaning s to different persons on different situations. Silence arising in the
midst of a conversation can sometimes be comfortable and meaningful, whereas in other situations they remain as an obstacle between the
communicators. Especially silence of women may express agreement without any objection, fear, pain, suffering, endurance or a means of protest 1
but the mode of breaking the silence is important on the part of women. If the partner is unable to read the silence it is very unfortunate and the other
one has to reconcile. But according to Shakespeare "Silence is the perfect herald of joy" in Much Ado about Nothing. 2 Many women writers put their
best effort in giving vent to the long silence and aloofness of women which at last turned them into an insignificant being. Deep psychological study of
their characters are exposed . They either created unreal over–romantic instances or finally succumbed to the temptation of giving voice to the feminist
ideology. In the novels of Shashi Despande, Silence is the theme which can easily be felt by the readers throughout her novels. Breaking of silence by
her protagonists in different ways makes their voice heard by everyone. So far as women's work, speech, acts and aspirations are concerned the male

How to Write a Theme Analysis
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– How to Write a Theme Analysis Essay (5–Paragraphs)
The theme is a recurring element throughout literature, movies, and art, which offers the reader/viewer a deeper meaning, a deeper understanding
about fundamental ideas in life, and a moral or life lesson.
Essay writing
When writing about the theme, the writer should keep in mind that he/she will write an analysis of a theme that appears in either a text or movie that
argues a specific point. The writer's aim in this type of essay is to pick a theme from a text or movie and write about what that theme does for the
story or what that theme makes the reader realize about that story and/or life itself. The best way to come up with such an...show more content...
SECOND
Follow the format/recipe for the FIRST BODY paragraph.
a) Pick one scene from the text or movie that shows how the theme relates to the aspect that you are writing about (e.g. character, plot, setting, life, etc).
Write no more than 2–3 sentences to summarize this scene. For example, if you are applying the theme to a character, then pick one scene that strictly
connects the theme with this character.
b) Pick one brief quote from this scene that supports the direction of your essay. The quote from the text or movie should show how this theme reveals
the aspect that you are writing about.
c) Write 3–4 sentences that provide an analysis of the scene and quote. The analysis should include an explication of this scene and quote, and it should
tell what this scene and quote reveal about the theme and aspect that you are writing about.
d) Write 1 closing sentence that will seal off the paragraph.
THIRD
Follow the format/recipe for the SECOND BODY paragraph.
a) Use a transitional phrase and pick another scene from the text or movie that shows how the theme relates to the aspect that you are writing about.
Write no more than 2–3 sentences to summarize this scene.
b) Pick another brief quote from this scene that supports your discussion of the theme and its relation to the aspect that you are writing about.

Common Themes in American Literature Essays
Common Themes in American Literature Common Themes throughout American Literature
Many authors contributed to American literature between 1865 and 1914. Although these authors came from all over the country and lived different
life styles, they still managed to include similar themes in their works. A theme is considered to be the main idea of the work, or a meaning behind the
story. Within this period of American literature, three themes continued to emerge: the concept of true beauty, protection of nature, and perception
versus reality.
The first theme, the concept of true beauty is evident in "The White Heron" and "The Real Thing". "The White Heron" presents a little girl torn between
material items (money) or saving a...show more content...
While the couple can only allow themselves to stand and look "pretty". Each of the characters eventually comes to terms with the true meaning of
beauty and it changes them both. "The White Heron" also advocates the second theme, protection of nature. The little girl becomes aware of the heron's
view and she is protecting nature by deciding to give in to the hunter and turn the bird in. Cochise writes in "I am alone" about the Spanish arriving and
pushing them off their land. Although the Mimbreno Apache did not do anything themselves to destroy their land, the Spanish did reek havoc on it.
Protection of nature is still a theme that is ever present in today's society and well as during the Reconstruction period. The final theme, perception
versus reality is presented through "The Yellow Wall
–paper" and "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge". The woman in "The Yellow Wall
–paper" is
placed inside a room by her husband in order for her to get over her illness. While in the room she notices the wallpaper is tearing at the bottom and
there seems to be a woman stuck behind it, so she begins to peel away at the paper. The woman's perception and reality are confused, the woman
behind the paper and the woman peeling eventually become one in the woman's mind, but the woman peeling never realizes that she was the woman
stuck behind the paper the whole time. In "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" a man, Peyton Farquahar, is set to be hung.

Common Themes In Gothic Literature
Common themes of distorted reality Most Romantic Literature seem to have formulated a communal moral or theme when closely looked at. "The
Black Cat" by Edgar Allen Poe, "Prey" by Richard Matheson, and "The Feather Pillow" by Horacio Quiroga are three short stories that are all in the
genre of gothic literature; that have at least two common themes. The two themes that intertwine all these stories together are: a supernatural force
being among characters, and the unsightly presences of violence or revenge. All three writings have the use of supernatural forces and some sort of
violence or revenge to demonstrate that good things may not always be what they seem and if you underestimate how dangerous or powerful
something is it might end up hurting your stature or reputation in the end. All three stories have at least one character that encounters a supernatural
figure that, at first seems harmless but is soon discovered to be the complete opposite. For example in Poe's story "for another pet of the same species,
and of somewhat similar appearance, with which to supply its place" (Poe 3). Another brilliant writer ounce said...show more content...
Characters in each story commonly are attacked by an act of violence or revenge from someone or something. The character in Poe's story is
illustrated to be an alcoholic "even Pluto began to experience the effects of my ill temper" (Poe 1). In Matheson's novel it was the supernatural figure
that was pursuing violence "It was the head of the dolls spear that was stuck in my index finger nail" (Matheson 3). And in Quiroga's story short story it
was a symbolic character that had been doing hateful acts "Human blood is something they particularly favor, and it is not unusual to find them in a
feather pillow" (Quiroga 2). All three quotes were significant to the story; and way to show violence so that the reader can know that using quick
judgment on how kind a situation is in your favor could end up hurting you in the

Fairy Tales Themes In Literature
Over time, classic literary works we once knew and love have been reformed by different creative authors. These authors add their own twists and
kinks to make the story much more personal to them. They are able to add their own literary elements where they see fit. As a result, many of these
new fairy tales revolve around challenging the themes of the stories, analyzing and revamping them. Therefore, I have to agree with Frus' statement
because the story is being retold, but simultaneously it is reformed in numerous ways. Primary examples can be seen in Angela Carter's "The
Werewolf" and Anne Sexton's "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." In Carter's "The Werewolf," she uses the plot of "TheLittle Red Riding Hood," but
she adds an element of surprise with the ending in her version. As for Snow White, the premise is similar to the original; however, Sexton adds her
own interpretation and contemporary style in this version. Fairy tales function to entertain, inspire, enlighten, and in some cases condition our beliefs
and behavior by teaching a lesson or having a theme. As literature progresses and becomes more modernized, most authors still follow this general
concept for newer versions. However, contemporary authors create diversions from the classic tales by making them more intriguing and interesting.
Even though the plots are fairly similar, some of the retold versions critique and reformulate the themes and messages. This is significant because it
shows how each author

Themes in Literature
Often in literature there are common themes that occur throughout eras and genres to link two otherwise different pieces of writing. One particular
example of this occurrance can be seen in Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale and William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. Although
these works have been written in very different time periods and use separate styles, there are two themes which link both stories and convey a very
similar message. Strict societal roles and the treatment of women in patriarchal societies are prevalent ideas in both Shakespeare's play and Atwood's
novel. These themes are approached and dealt with differently in each work, but ultimately convey the same meaning. There are some aspects of
humanity that are...show more content...
The Handmaid's Tale and The Taming of the Shrew offer very different views on the matter: Atwood gives a more sympathetic and feminist outlook,
whereas Shakespeare tends to lean towards misogyny. In The Handmaid's Tale, the Gileadean government oppressesed the women of the country as
the new theocracy gains more power. Women are deprived of the right to vote, to have jobs, to hold money or property, to have an education and
even the right to read. Initially there is an angry outburst at this, and the women fight to get their freedom back, but as the totalitarian state grows
stronger, they find that there is less and less that they are able to do about their predicament. Eventually, women are reduced to being considered a
'national resource,' valued for their wombs and ability to reproduce, and seen as potential mothers rather than individuals. Rebellious behaviour is
punished by death or banishment to work in camps; cleaning up toxic waste, so the oppressed women are limited to the smallest acts of rebellion, such
as whispering among themselves when they are supposed to be silent. The Taming of the Shrew was written during the Elizabethan Era in England, so
most of the attitudes towards women in the play are reflective of the established beliefs

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