good literary essay titles

‌How to Title an Essay with Literary Analysis Examples

How to Write a Controlling Idea Essay

You may have spent hours brainstorming your thesis, searching for quotations and polishing your final draft, but a good title can make the difference between someone reading your literary essay and tossing it aside. Good literary essay titles not only capture your reader's interest, but they also preview the argument you'll be making in the paper itself. They capture the central idea that is presented in your work, and entice the viewer to read. Creativity, humor and innovative plays on the work you're writing about can transform a dull title into one that piques your audience's curiosity.

Include the Subject and Focus

Your title should not just name the literary work that is the ​ subject ​ of your essay but also describe its ​ focus ​, the target idea, literary device or theme that the piece explores. This is sometimes referred to as a "working title" as well, since it focuses heavily on the main part of your essay, and can remind you of your focus as you read. In an essay about morality in "To Kill a Mockingbird," for example, Harper Lee's novel would be the subject of the paper, while morality would be the essay's focus. Including the phrase "Morality in 'To Kill a Mockingbird' " somewhere in your title would clearly indicate to audiences what themes your essay will deal with. This is a more basic example of an essay title, but effective in most all cases.

Link Two Ideas With a Colon

While including the subject and focus in the title gives a good summary of your essay topic, it's not enough to pull readers in. Using a colon to punctuate the subject with a catchy explanation of the focus can not only add an air of professionalism to your paper but also give a more in-depth, eye-catching preview of your topic for readers. An essay about Holden Caulfield's painful transition to adulthood, for example, might be titled "The Precarious Edge of the Cliff: Loss of Innocence in J.D. Salinger's 'The Catcher in the Rye.' "

This title choice also allows you to present two ideas that are key parts of your essay, if you choose to. Maybe you can't decide on just one, because both are equally important. This choice would be a good tool for featuring both ideas and connecting them to each other. Displaying a longer, more developed essay title, can also give you the freedom to discuss these ideas in your essay with more detail since they are featured in the title.

Include a Quotation from the Work

Sometimes, a quotation from the book can provide inspiration for your essay's title. Try adding a brief, snappy portion of this quote to your title's focus statement. For example, the title for an essay about mother-daughter relationships in Flannery O'Connor's short stories might borrow from a quote in the story "Good Country People," in which the central character, Hulga, tells her overbearing, critical mother, "If you want me, here I am -- like I am." The title of this essay might read, "Like I Am: Mother-Daughter Dysfunction in Flannery O'Connor's Short Stories."

Use Wordplay

While the tone of your literary essay should ultimately be professional and credible, using puns or humor to play off an aspect of the title can be a friendly way to entice your audience to read further. For example, an essay about the symbolic villages of East and West Egg in "The Great Gatsby" might be titled "The Eggs Came First: Settings as Symbols in F. Scott Fitzgerald's 'The Great Gatsby.' "

You can be assured your teacher, or whoever is viewing your paper, is going to sift through many boring and unoriginal essay titles, so making sure that yours will pop is important.

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Kori Morgan holds a Bachelor of Arts in professional writing and a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing and has been crafting online and print educational materials since 2006. She taught creative writing and composition at West Virginia University and the University of Akron and her fiction, poetry and essays have appeared in numerous literary journals.

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Forging good titles in academic writing

Published on March 20, 2015 by Shane Bryson . Revised on July 23, 2023.

The title is the first thing your reader will see, and most readers will make their first judgements of your work based on it. For this reason, it’s important to think about your titles carefully.

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Informative, striking, appropriate, title templates, writing effective headings, other interesting articles, informative title.

Your title should, above all else, convey the topic of your paper. In other words, no matter how witty, clever, original, or otherwise appealing your title may be, it fails if it is not informative.

Decide whether you’ve given a sense of the paper’s topic and claims by comparing your title’s content to the most important aspect(s) of your dissertation statement or hypothesis and conclusions.

Striking title

A striking title is one that entices your audience to read, so know your audience’s tastes.

The analogy of cultivating sexual attraction in a prospective mate is useful here: some audiences will be enticed by a title’s edginess (as with, for example, V. Alneng’s “‘What the Fuck is a Vietnam?’ Touristic Phantasms and the Popcolonization of [the] Vietnam [War],” published in Critique on Anthropology ); others will almost always prefer a more straightforward title (as with J.C. Henderson’s “War as a tourist attraction: The case of Vietnam,” published in the International Journal of Tourism Research ).

You should be able to gauge how edgy your title can be by the tone of your discipline or the publication you’re submitting to, and your main concern should be forming a title that appeals to your readers’ specific tastes.

Consider also that a title that highlights the paper’s fresh insights will often be striking.

An endocrinologist, for example, might become very excited upon seeing the collaboratively authored article “Comparison of the effects on glycaemic control and β-cell function in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients of treatment with exenatide, insulin or pioglitazone: A multicentre randomized parallel-group trial,” published in 2015 in the Journal of Internal Medicine .

This rather long title is more acceptable in the sciences, where what readers tend to find provocative in a title is the degree to which it reveals the paper’s specifics.

Appropriate title

Ensuring that your title is appropriate in a way of making sure not only that your audience understands it, but also that its appeal contributes to its meaning. To make sure the title will be understood, you need to consider how familiar your research topic will be to your audience.

In an academic essay, you can use highly technical terms in your title, but generally avoid terms that the average well-read person in your discipline might not know.

In any writing that has a broad audience, titles need to avoid language that is too sophisticated; a news article, for example, should be easily understood by all.

As a second consideration of appropriateness, make sure that your title does not entice without substance.

The title of Alneng’s paper, for example, does not use “fuck” merely to shock and therefore entice the reader; the uncommon use of a swearword here helps convey the topic of the article: more or less vulgar representations of Vietnam.

The same is true for other striking titles, such as Nancy Tuana’s “Coming to Understand: Orgasm and the Epistemology of Ignorance,” published in Hypatia .

The title’s sexually charged play on words (“coming to understand”) hooks the audience, but is not merely a hook. The pun is directly relevant to the essay’s argument, which is that sexual pleasure offers an important form of knowledge.

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• Use key terms. Find words that your audience can easily identify as markers of the topic matter. These will include, for example, terms that convey the field of research, central concepts, or subjects of study.
• Identify the context (sometimes called “the location”). By context, I mean the source or the setting of the discussion, depending on discipline. In a history paper this might be a certain century or era; in literary studies a certain book or author; and in the sciences an organism or compound.

The following is a list of title formats, with examples of each. I’ve given the names of the publications in brackets to give a sense of how different disciplines treat titles.

Note that these are not mutually exclusive patterns (i.e. it’s possible to have various combinations; e.g. General & interesting: Informative & specific). Note also that this is not meant to be an exhaustive list.

• Striking: Informative – The Specter of Wall Street: “Bartleby, the Scrivener” and the Language of Commodities ( American Literature )
• Informative: Striking – Carbon capture and storage: How green can black be? ( Science )
• General: Specific – The issues of the sixties: An exploratory study in the dynamics of public opinion ( Public Opinion Quarterly )
• “Quotation”: Discussion (social studies) – “I’d rather not talk about it”: Adolescents’ and young adults’ use of topic avoidance in stepfamilies ( Journal of Applied Communication Research )
• “Quotation”: Discussion (literary studies) – “I Would Prefer Not To”: Giorgio Agamben, Bartleby and the Potentiality of the Law ( Law and Critique )
• Simple and precise – Methodological issues in the use of Tsimshian oral Traditions (Adawx) in Archaeology ( Canadian Journal of Archaeology )
• Topic: Method – Mortality in sleep apnea patients: A multivariate analysis of risk factors ( Sleep )
• Topic: Significance – LC3 binds externalized cardiolipin on injured mitochondria to signal mitophagy in neurons: Implications for Parkinson disease ( Autophagy )
• Technical and very specific – Single-shot quantum nondemolition measurement of a quantum-dot electron spin using cavity exciton-polaritons ( Physical Review )

Although similar, headings are not the same as titles. Headings head paragraphs and help structure a document. Effective headings make your paper easily scannable.

Common high level headings in dissertations and research papers are “Methods”, “Research results”, and “Discussion”. Lower level headings are often more descriptive.

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Literary Analysis Essay Writing

Literary Analysis Essay Topics

Interesting Literary Analysis Essay Topics & Ideas

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Good Literary Analysis Essay Topic Ideas

How to choose a literary analysis essay topic , tips to write a compelling literary analysis essay.

You’re a literature student, and you’ve been assigned to work on a literature analysis essay, but you’re not sure which topic to go for. It’s a tricky situation!

We understand that choosing a worthy topic for a literary analysis essay is never an easy task. But don’t you worry!

For literature students, we know the importance of drafting an excellent literary analysis essay . And for an exceptional essay, one needs a standout topic.

That’s why in this blog, we have gathered more than 200 exciting and interesting literary analysis essay ideas for you to get started. 

Read on! 

If you are a high school or a college student, and you’re having difficulty coming up with a good topic for your essay, choose from the topic list below.  

Literary Analysis Essay Topics Middle School

• The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane 
• Reservation Blues by Sherman Alexie
• Harry Potter’s powers in the Harry Potter novels by J.K. Rowling 
• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee 
• Allegory in Lord Byron’s Vision of Judgement 
• Impact of Henry Miller and Gordon Byron’s life on their legacy 
• Comparative analysis of Dickens VS Thackeray 
• Canterbury Tales VS Decameron 
• The irony in Jerome’s stories
• Mood expressions in Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

Literary Analysis Essay Topics for High School

• The representation of justice in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird
• Analyze the theme of friendship in John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men
• Explore the theme of identity in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series
• The role of nature in Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights
• Discuss the concept of heroism in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings
• The use of foreshadowing in George Orwell's Animal Farm
• The representation of mental health in Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar
• The impact of war on individuals in Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried
• The use of symbolism and allegory in Lois Lowry's The Giver
• Discuss the role of cultural identity in Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club

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Literary Analysis Essay Topics For College

• Literary devices used in The Night by Elie Wiesel 
• The portrayal of the escape theme in Into The Wild by Jon Krakauer 
• The evolution of Celie's character in 'The Color Purple' by Alice Walker
• Jane Austen's critique of social class and marriage in Pride and Prejudice
• Shed light on the theme of chaos in Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
• Examine the historical events of World War II and their significance in Elie Wiesel's “Night.”
• The power of love in The Princess Bride by William Goldman 
• The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain 
• Presentation of dreams in Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck 
• The Rocking Horse Winner by D.H. Lawrence 

Literary Analysis Essay Prompts in Classics

• The portrayal of fate in Romeo and Juliet 
• The portrayal of love in Romeo and Juliet 
• Concept of mortality in Shakespeare’s play Hamlet 
• Misogyny in Hamlet 
• Witchcraft in Shakespeare’s play Macbeth 
• The tragic flaws and character development of King Lear in William Shakespeare's play
• The philosophical underpinnings of justice and governance in Plato's 'The Republic
• Exploring the theme of civil disobedience and consequences in Sophocles' 'Antigone’
• Exploring the conflict between illusion and reality in 'A Streetcar Named Desire'
• The complex character relationships and moral dilemmas in 'Montana' by Larry Watson

Social Literary Analysis Essay Topics

• Social injustice in Oliver Twist 
• Ethnicity in Burmese Days by Orwell
• Torture and injustice in Night by Elie Wiesel
• Vanity Fair - the culture of the 19th century according to Thackeray 
• The portrayal of the Civil Western Society in Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
• The role of women in society in the 18th Century according to Jane Austen 
• Escape from society and its rules in Into the Wild by John Krakauer 
• The place of women in the society in Hamlet 
• Social status of women in the 17th century portrayed by Jane Austen in Emma 
• The wrongs of the modern society in Fight Club by Palahniuk 

War and Peace Topics for Literary Analysis Essay

• The portrayal of war and violence in the poems of Stephen Crane
• Literary works during WWI
• War setting in Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
• The depiction of war in Homer’s plays
• Toni Morrison’s views on the civil war
• The war between demons and angels in Paradise Lost
• War in the Mother Courage and Her Child by Bertolt Brecht
• The portrayal of war and peace by George Orwell
• Concept of war in A Fable by Faulkner
• Steinbeck’s presentation of injustice in The Grapes of Wrath

Literary Analysis Essay Topics for Movies

• Comparison between the book and film “Sense and Sensibility.” 
• The portrayal of women in the “Little Women.” 
• Imitation of society and class in “The Great Gatsby.”
• The ideas of love and trust in “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” 
• The good and evil in “A Wrinkle in Time.” 
• Feminity in Sense and Sensibility 
• The role of Saruman and Gandalf 
• Spirituality and religion in “Lord of the Flies.” 
• Oskar’s struggle to find a sense of home in “The Tin Drum.”
• Jealousy and male pride in “The Dead.” 

Literary Analysis Essay Topics for the Subject of Race

• “Waiting for the Barbarians” by J.M. Coetzee
• Race and Injustice in Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird
• Race and fellowship in Melville’s Moby Dick
• “Under The Feet Of Jesus”
• Description of culture and tradition in “Girl” by Jamaica Kincaid
• Interracial relationship in Back to Life by Wendy Coakley
• Bridge of Scarlet Leaves by McMorris
• The Art Of Love by Hong Ying
• Multiculturalism in the Captain Underpants series by Dev Pilkey
• Imitation of slavery in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

General Literary Analysis Essay Topics

• Focalization techniques in When I Lay Dying
• Historical background of Duma’s Novels
• The use of imagery in Walt Whitman’s works
• Male and female characters in Beowulf
• Character analysis of Emmy in Vanity Fair
• Character analysis of Rebeca in Vanity Fair
• The complicated relationship between mother and daughter in Beloved
• Beauty standards in The Bluest Eye
• Comparison in the portrayal of death by Keats and Blake
• The idea of death in Renaissance literature

1984 Literary Analysis Essay Topics

• Roles of genders in the novel
• What role does the Ministry of Truth play in the story?
• The theme of subversion of love in 1984
• The importance of memory in 1984
• Totalitarian society in George Orwell's 1984
• Analyze the role O'Brien plays in Winston's life
• An in-depth analysis of the novel 1984 by George Orwell
• How is the historical background reflected in 1984?
• Lack of privacy in 1984
• Propaganda and totalitarianism in Orwell’s “1984”

Hamlet Literary Analysis Essay Topics

• A theme of revenge in Hamlet
• Explore Hamlet’s relationship with Ophelia
• Explore Hamlet’s mental state
• Discuss Hamlet's relationship with Gertrude
• Ghost in Hamlet
• Was Hamlet truly mad?
• Is Hamlet a villain or a hero?
• How does Shakespeare present the idea of madness in Hamlet?
• Is Hamlet’s love for Ophelia genuine?
• Tragedies in Hamlet VS Romeo and Juliet

Romeo and Juliet Literary Analysis Essay Topics

• Discuss the development of characters during the play
• Examine the role of women in Romeo and Juliet.
• What is the role of history in Romeo and Juliet?
• Analyze the Romeo and Juliet play
• Romeo and Juliet: Fate or Free Will?
• Why did Juliet warn of danger?
• Rosaline in Romeo and Juliet
• The love language of Romeo and Juliet
• A fate analysis essay on Romeo and Juliet
• The death of Romeo and Juliet

Macbeth Literary Analysis Essay Topics

• Macbeth’s mental state
• The role of morality in the play “Macbeth”
• Describe the use of figurative language in Macbeth
• The symbolism of blood in Macbeth
• Applying imagery in Macbeth to advance the story
• Lady Macbeth character analysis
• What role did social hierarchies play in the play?
• Analysis of gender roles in Macbeth
• Role of women in Macbeth by William Shakespeare
• Is Lady Macbeth a dominant heroine?

Beowulf Literary Analysis Essay Topics

• Why is Beowulf a work of Christian propaganda?
• What is the main idea of the story?
• The meaning of rings in Beowulf
• Which of Beowulf's fights was most heroic?
• How do Beowulf’s heroic qualities affect the story?
• Discuss the digression's role in Beowulf
• Analyze the significance of the mead hall in Beowulf.
• The difference between Beowulf and Modern-Day Heroes
• Beowulf’s personality traits in the epic story
• Analysis of Beowulf's symbols and their importance

Frankenstein Literary Analysis Essay Topics

• Analyze what fire is trying to symbolize.
• Frankenstein: The theme of guilt
• Discuss any romantic elements in “Frankenstein”
• The family relationship in Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
• Who is more human, Frankenstein or the monster?
• Romantic and gothic Frankenstein elements
• Sacrifices for ambitions in the novel Frankenstein
• Relationship between Victor and Frankenstein
• Romanticism in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein
• Family Values and Frankenstein

The Great Gatsby Literary Analysis Essay Topics

• Discuss the novel as a cautionary tale
• The meaning of wealth in the novel
• What is the novel’s title meaning?
• Explain how the novel demonstrates the characteristics of modernism
• Explore the symbolism of the “green light” in “The Great Gatsby”
• Discuss the role of women in the 1920s society as portrayed in “The Great Gatsby”
• Dreams are the main theme in “The Great Gatsby”
• What makes The Great Gatsby great?
• The Great Gatsby: Winter Thoughts
• What role does money play in Fitzgerald’s novel?

The Crucible Literary Analysis Essay Topics

• Relate the Crucible to modern society
• Analyze the most important theme of 'The Crucible.'
• What are the dynamics of puritanism?
• Examine the importance of religion in 1953 in work
• The use of fear tactics in “The Crucible”
• John Hale in The Crucible
• Morality and The Crucible
• The Crucible Critical Lens
• The sinful confessions in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible

Fahrenheit 451 Literary Analysis Essay Topics

• History of the Fireman in Fahrenheit 451
• Discuss the roles of both nature and technology play in Fahrenheit 451
• The use of Parallelism in Fahrenheit 451
• Analyze the three parts of Fahrenheit 451
• Discuss the dual image of fire in the novel
• How relevant is Fahrenheit 451 today?
• The role of Clarisse McClellan in “Fahrenheit 451”
• Analyze Mildred Montag
• Discuss the usage of literary quotes in Fahrenheit 451
• Examine the novel's main title

Literary Analysis Essay Topics For Othello

• Examine the portrayal of women in ‘Othello’
• A true reason for Othello's demise
• Consider Othello’s suicide
• The real motives of Iago in Othello
• Women's roles in Shakespeare’s Othello and Hamlet
• Gender roles and racism in “Othello”
• Discuss Othello's relationship
• Analysis of The Film “Othello” By Oliver Parker
• Explore themes of love and betrayal within Shakespeare's work of literature, “Othello”
• How was Emilia treated by the men in the play “Othello”?

Lord of The Flies Literary Analysis Essay Topics

• The symbolism of the conch shell and its significance in the novel
• Analyze the themes of civilization versus savagery in “Lord of the Flies”
• Explore the character development of Ralph and Jack in the story
• Discuss the role of fear and the “beast” in the boys' descent into chaos
• The portrayal of innate human nature and its consequences on the deserted island
• Analyze the role of Piggy and his glasses as symbols of knowledge and reason
• Analyze the use of irony in the story and its implications for the characters
• Discuss the themes of power and leadership in the struggle for dominance
• Examine the relationship between the boys' names and their personalities
• The role of the island's setting in shaping the events and characters of the story

Literary Analysis Essay Topics For The Catcher In The Rye

• Analyze the novel from the perspective of Bildungsroman
• Analyze literary devices used in “The Catcher in the Rye”
• Discuss the theme of death in the novel
• Analyze the theme of self-discovery from the novel
• Describe the story's topic of loneliness
• Analyze growing up in the novel
• Why does Holden love the Museum of Natural History?
• The Role of Dialogue in The Catcher in the Rye
• Describe the novel's portrayal of phoniness and naivety
• Describe the character of Holden

Interesting Literary Analysis Essay Topics

• War, existentialism, and love in “A Farewell to Arms”
• Sense of Sin in The Scarlet Letter 
• Analyze the use of biblical allusions and religious symbolism in William Golding's novels
• Analyze the symbolism of the “white whale” in Melville's work of literature, “Moby-Dick”
• Lies and deceit in “The Godfather” 
• Analyze the portrayal of fear and the human psyche in William Golding's novels
• The symbols used to describe nature by William Wordsworth
• Comparison between urban and rural settings of nature in the dystopia of Huxley
• Decay and revival in post-apocalyptic novels
• A religious and spiritual journey in “Jude the Obscure”

Now that you have the liberty to choose from a wide range of literary analysis example topics, you could use some help on how to opt for a good topic. 

To select a good and worthy topic for your literary analysis essay, follow the tips provided below:

• Always go for an interesting topic for an engaging piece of paper
• Look for an idea with available research material to support your analysis
• Ensure your topic allows for an in-depth analysis rather than a surface-level summary
• Choose an idea that challenges you to think critically and make meaningful connections
• Avoid overly broad topics; instead, focus on a specific aspect or element of the work.
• Choose an idea that best reflects your stance on the chosen work.
• Analyze the topic deeply before you start writing about it
• Balance personal interest with the potential appeal to your target audience
• Make sure that the theme of the work is visible in your essay topic 

Here are some tips for you to pen down a compelling literary analysis essay!

Essay writing is an essential part of academics. Students always require some tips and tricks to draft perfect essays and score good grades.

To make your literary analysis essay impeccable, follow the tips provided below:

• Thoroughly read the chosen literary work
• Identify the main themes, settings, and characters
• Understand the purpose of the work 
• Pay attention to the tools and techniques used by the author to deliver the message
• Pick an interesting literary analytical essay topic for your essay.
• To write an analytical essay effectively, draft a perfect literary analysis essay outline
• Develop a strong thesis statement 
• Craft strong topic sentences to guide and structure your analysis effectively
• Prove and support all your statements using phrases and quotes from work
• Write your literary essay from the third-person perspective
• Write in the present tense
• Avoid writing a plot summary of the work
• Use multiple literary terms to write your essay professionally
• Always cite properly

Literary Analysis Essay Example

To sum it up , writing a literary analysis essay can be extremely daunting if your analyzing abilities are weak. From selecting the right literary analysis topic to writing a conclusion for your essay, the process is lengthy.

To score well in academics, get a professional’s help drafting your essays. MyPerfectWords.com is an expert essay writing service that provides top-level assistance and guidance to students. 

Our experienced and credible writers will deliver you a literary analysis essay while strictly sticking to your requirements. 

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Keep reading

How to Write a Literary Analysis Essay - A Step-by-Step Guide

Literary Analysis Essay Outline - A Step By Step Guide

Best Tips on How to Title an Essay

How to Make a Good Title for an Essay

The success of an essay heavily depends on its title. This may not come as a surprise given that the essay title is the first aspect to provide the reader with a sneak peek into the text. It piques our interest to read the paper in the first place and gives us a preview of what to expect from the author.

Our research paper writing help prepared a thorough guide on how to title an essay. Here you may find tips and tricks for developing an effective APA or MLA essay title. So, let's dive straight into the article for more exciting details!

Essay Title Format

During your essay writing process, ensure you know the stylistic requirements before beginning an essay. Knowing the format you need to employ is crucial because different style manuals may have varying requirements. Mostly, you could have used an APA or MLA essay title format. Our service, where you can buy essay online , explains these two in more detail below.

Essay Title MLA

If you're required to create an essay title MLA format, check whether your instructor wants you to make a separate cover page. If not, put a heading at the beginning of your work that includes your name, the name of your professor, the course ID, and, lastly, the date.

On the other hand, if you must present a cover page for your essay title MLA, then you need to include the following:

• The name of the college
• The title of your paper
• The subtitle of your paper, if applicable
• Your first and last name
• Your teacher or professor's name
• The class name or course number
• The date the paper is due

The formatting instructions are as follows:

• Double-spaced
• Times New Roman font
• Size 12 font
• Apart from very short terms, each word's initial letter should be capitalized. The initial word, however, must always be uppercase.
• The title page shouldn't include a header with the page numbers.

Essay Title APA

Having discussed the MLA format essay title, let's explore what the APA student title page includes:

• The paper title
• Author names
• Institutional affiliation where the author carried out the study
• Name and number of the course
• Professor name
• Page number

The title of an essay format instructions:

• double-spaced
• 1" margins
• 12-point Times New Roman
• According to APA, your title should be targeted and brief, without unnecessary words or abbreviations

How to Choose a Good Title for an Essay: Important Qualities

Nobody will read a dull headline. Your title should grab your audience's attention and encourage them to read the rest of the work. As it is one of the initial things readers see, having a strong attention grabber is essential when writing an essay from scratch. To fully understand how to come up with a title for essay that is strong and exciting, let's consider a few following factors:

Employ a Catchy Hook - Usually, the title of essay format follows a similar basic structure, especially if they are used for an academic article. The hook serves as a unique component that attracts the reader. It's a captivating statement informing others about the topic of the essay. You can also explore several types of sentences with examples that can help you develop the ideal hook structure.

Consider Topic Keywords - These are essential terms or expressions pertinent to your subject and help your reader understand the focus and body of your article. These focus keywords should serve as a brief, one- to two-word article summary. You can choose some terms from the research topic your instructor gave you, but after your thesis statement is formed, this is where you should hunt for ideas.

Use a Colon - A colon is frequently used in academic titles to separate concepts and sentences. The standard procedure is to place a clever remark or brief quotation before the colon. Although these beginning words offer flavor, they can be overdone. Because of this, some individuals find using the colon to be repugnant. Therefore be careful not to misuse this method.

Ask a Question - To write essay title that is strong, consider asking a question. But, use it with caution because posing a question will make your tone less formal. As long as the question is suitably phrased to meet the subject of your essay, feel free to employ it. Always check to see if the title question still applies to your points in the essay's body. The thesis statement should be appropriately reflected as well.

Find Inspirational Quotes - There is no formula for selecting essay titles from the textual content. You may get playful and choose any quotation, proverb, or catchphrase that applies to your particular publication and works as a title. You may also create a great essay title using well-known expressions or idioms. Doing so will help your readers relate to and feel more comfortable discussing your subject.

Here are other rules for how to create a good title:

• Title every section of writing: In the process of writing, create interesting subheadings to give your paragraphs an identity. Also, they make your text look ordered and clear. 
• The title must bear the theme of the text: choose a title that summarizes the essay. 
• Capitalize all words with certain exceptions: Capitalize the first letter of every word in the title, but do not capitalize pronouns, articles, prepositions, and conjunctions.
• Avoid underlining the title: Since topics come in boldface, underlining it will amount to overemphasis. Some authorities say that if you must underline it, do not bolden it.
• Review the final version of the title: Do not forget to do a quick review of the final version of the title—check for grammar, structure, spelling and so on. Re-read it to determine if the title has given justice to the essay. Confirm if the topic is catchy enough to attract your reader’s attention. 
• When using a colon in your title, follow the rules: Since we are dealing with punctuation rules here, let us talk about the colon – when you have two eye-catching topics, separate them with a colon.

Student’s Guide on How to Come Up with a Title for an Essay

Titling an essay can be easy, but there are a few core principles to be taken into account. The following tips will help you stay on track and avoid any common pitfalls.

Essay Goes First

Never start with a title! If you write it before the rest of the text, it will be based on it, and it should be vice versa. Writing an essay before choosing a heading will give you a clear understanding of what should make sense to the reader. Re-read the finished paper several times to decide on the title. The last thing to create is a title - such strategy will give more time to spend on crafting an essay outline, conducting research, or writing the paper itself.

What are you writing about? What is the style of your paper, and is it an academic essay or a free-form essay like a narrative essay? If the topic of your essay is “Do people who commit heinous crimes deserve the death penalty?” your title should not be humorous; it should be strict and to the point.

If your topic is “Why do people like watching funny cat videos?”, feel free to craft a funny title. Determine the tone of your essay and base your title on it—in consideration with the essay’s topic.

The tone can be:

• Serious - “The implications of global warming”
• Funny - “How cats and dogs love their masters”
• Amiable - “Ways to fight depression”
• Persuasive - “Why positive thinking is a must have skill for every person”
• Informative - “Ten rules for creating a chemical at home”

The main goal of a title is to name its paper. There is no need to tell an entire story in the title, or provide any useless details. Sum up your paper in a few words! Another way to do this is to sum up your thesis statement, as it represents the main idea of your essay. Take your thesis and squeeze it into 3-4 words. Imagine that you are creating a title for your favourite newspaper or a slogan for Coca-Cola.

Don’t use fancy words! Take 2-3 main words (keywords), put them together, and stop wasting your time. Avoid jargon and abbreviations.

Search engine optimization (SEO) is something that can help any student and young writer reap benefits. While working on a title, detect the words related to the central idea of the paper. Type the words into the search field of Google and add the word “quote.” A search engine will show numerous web pages with in-text quotations that could be useful. Select the fragment you like. It is possible to learn how to make a creative title for an essay in this way.

Discover several more tips from experts:

• Never forget the “What,” “Who,” “When,” “How,” “Why,” and “Where” questions (if you start with one of these questions, your title has a chance of getting noticed);
• Come up with an unexpected image not related to the selected topic;
• Sometimes, starting with a lie increases the chances of a title being able to catch an eye;
• Review our catchy essay title examples.

Need Some Help With Your Essay's Title?

Feel free to contact EssayPro and we will provide you with a writing help at a moment’s notice. With the years of essay writing experience, titling becomes second nature, so you no longer need to worry about having a catchy headline on your paper.

Essay Title Examples: Bad vs Good

The strongest essay titles condense lengthy essays into concise statements. When wondering how to make an essay title, think carefully about your stylistic choices and essay format to produce an excellent one. Our dissertation help has provided essay title examples to let you understand the difference between good and bad ones more vividly.

Bad Essay Title Examples

As we discussed how to create an essay title and the specific elements that go into it, you should have a clear idea of how important it is to craft a strong title. In contrast, first, look at weak essay title ideas that can break your paper. This should serve as an example of why your heading should not be like this:

Ex 1: ' How Television Has Changed Our World ' - too vast and not informative

Ex 2: 'The Ara Pacis Augustae' - unclear for those who don't know Latin

Ex 3: 'The Most Poisonous Frog' - does not provide any insight

Ex 4: 'A Brief History of Subcultures and How They Manifest Themselves in a Constantly Changing Socio-Economic Environment' - too long and complicated

Ex 5: 'The Little Mermaid 29 Years Later: Selling a Harmful Sexist Message Through a Naughty Image' - inappropriate language

Good Essay Title Examples

Now that you know what a bad essay title looks like, let's explore good essay title examples as their substitutes. Examine the following essay title format styles that will give you a clear understanding.

Ex 1: ' The Electronic Babysitter: A Social History of Uses of the Television' - gives an exact description of what the essay will be about

Ex 2: ' The Modern Historical Significance of the Ara Pacis Augustae to the City of Rome' - here, the reader can understand what they will be reading about

Ex 3: ' A Deadly Beauty: The Evolution of Skin Coloration and Toxicity of the Poisonous Dart Frog' - clear, informative, and on-point.

Ex 4: 'Reconsidering Counterculture in Contemporary Society' - informative enough and brief

Ex 5: 'The Projection of Gender Stereotypes in The Little Mermaid' - employs appropriate language

Catchy Essay Title Ideas

You now understand that long, complicated headlines do not accurately convey the paper's main idea. Take ample time to consider the word choice before tilting your work. How do you create good essay titles? Think creatively and with common sense. But meanwhile, for your convenience, we compiled title ideas for essays you may use as inspiration.

Persuasive Essay Titles

• Why Receiving College Education is Important: Examining Long-term Benefits
• Face-to-Face Courses Cannot Be Replaced by Online Learning
• An MBA Does Not Ensure Corporate Success.
• Every Company Should Adopt a Green Strategy.
• Energy Drinks Represent a Lucrative Market Segment.
• Aircraft, Excess Weight Charges, Need to be Prohibited.
• Patients' Life Shouldn't be Put to Death by Nurses.
• Google Glasses May Increase the Number of Auto Accidents.
• All of the Conventional Malls Will Soon be Replaced By Online Shopping
• How Do Team-building Exercises Contribute to the Development of Inventions?
• Illegal immigrants are entitled to remain in the US.

Academic Essay Titles

• Several English Dialects: The Link Between Various Cultures
• Instagram: A social media innovation
• Is it possible to reverse drug-induced brain damage, and if so, how?
• What the Future Holds for Humans in the Light of Artificial Intelligence
• The Story of Two Nations after Decades of Conflict: North and South Korea
• Video Games and Their Learning Context in Schools
• Free Wi-Fi: Strategies for Enhancing the City's Economy

Strong Research Paper Titles

• Digital World Cybersecurity
• E-business to Provide New Paths for Booksellers
• Outsourcing for Large Businesses
• Preparing for College Costs for High School Students
• What News Reporters Should Do in the Digital Age and How to Do It: Examples
• The Transformative Power of Music: How Heavy Metal Impacted My Life

Best Essay Titles for College Students

• The Possible Benefits and Risks of Artificial Intelligence for Humans
• The Potential for Time Travel in Virtual Reality
• What Role Has Mathematics Played in Human History?
• How to Succeed in the Real Estate Industry
• E-Commerce: An Empire of Virtual Businesses Worth Millions of Dollars
• How to Achieve Financial Independence in the Digital Age Without Opening a Real Business

More Creative Titles for Essays

• When getting rewarded for their grades, would kids do better left alone?
• How Does Fake News Impact the Mainstream press?
• Homelessness in Contemporary Society: A Dilemma
• What News Reporters' Best Job Is in the Digital Age and How to Uphold It
• Elon Musk: Brilliant Mind or Insane Person?
• Positives and Negatives of Employing a Smoker
• Do We Employ the Appropriate Student Success Metrics?

Professional Academic Help

Now that you know how to make a good title for an essay, you should also understand that you should approach the task as a process. While composing your essay title, you must condense your whole thesis and point of discussion into a single, concise, yet powerful sentence. If you have time before your deadline, give it some thought and don't hurry.

Don't forget that you can always rely on our professional academic assistance, whether you need a reflection paper , ideas for a strong essay title, or any other academic papers. Consider the following words - write my essay for me - magic keywords for delegating your most complex tasks to our skilled writers!

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Related Articles

644 Literary Analysis Essay Topics & Good Ideas

18 January 2024

last updated

Literary analysis essay topics include a diverse landscape of genres, time periods, authors, and themes. They can explore the subtle nuances of symbolism in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby,” the treatment of femininity in Charlotte Bronte’s “Jane Eyre,” or the depiction of dystopia in George Orwell’s “1984.” Various themes may dissect the function of soliloquy in Shakespeare’s plays or delve into the role of realism and magic in Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s “One Hundred Years of Solitude.” Discussions on contemporary works might question the societal implications found in Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale.” Analysis can also touch on broader aspects, such as the influence of historical context on literary development or the intersectionality of race, class, and gender in literature. Hence, literary analysis essay topics facilitate a profound exploration of literature’s multi-faceted nature.

Best Literary Analysis Essay Topics

• Exploring Symbolism and Other Themes in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
• Decoding Gothic Elements in Bram Stoker’s “Dracula”
• Interpreting Allegorical Meanings in George Orwell’s “Animal Farm”
• Investigating Feminist Themes in Charlotte Bronte’s “Jane Eyre”
• Scrutinizing Social Constructs in Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice”
• Unveiling Cultural Commentary in Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart”
• Revealing Dystopian Elements in Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale”
• Examining Existentialism in Albert Camus’ “The Stranger”
• Analyzing Satire in Jonathan Swift’s “Gulliver’s Travels”
• Highlighting Racial Prejudice in Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird”
• Assessing Immigrant Experiences in Jhumpa Lahiri’s “The Namesake”
• Dissecting Historical Context in Ernest Hemingway’s “For Whom the Bell Tolls”
• Pondering on the Paradox of Freedom in Anthony Burgess’ “A Clockwork Orange”
• Surveying Eco-Criticism in Barbara Kingsolver’s “The Poisonwood Bible”
• Detailing Magic Realism in Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s “One Hundred Years of Solitude”
• Probing the Clash of Ideologies in Ayn Rand’s “Atlas Shrugged”
• Delineating Human Nature in William Golding’s “Lord of the Flies”
• Comparing the Past and Present in George Eliot’s “Middlemarch”
• Contrasting Class and Gender in Kate Chopin’s “The Awakening”
• Understanding the Subversion of Gender Roles in Virginia Woolf’s “Orlando”
• Decoding Satirical Portrayal of American Society in Mark Twain’s “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”
• Evaluating the Concept of Heroism in Ernest Hemingway’s “The Old Man and the Sea”

Easy Literary Analysis Essay Topics

• Unraveling the Psychology of Fear in Stephen King’s “It”
• Comprehending Trauma and Healing in Khaled Hosseini’s “The Kite Runner”
• Investigating Environmental Ethics in Rick Bass’s “The Watch”
• Clarifying Absurdism in Samuel Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot”
• Appraising Romanticism in Emily Bronte’s “Wuthering Heights”
• Gauging the Effects of Colonialism in Joseph Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness”
• Judging War’s Consequences in Kurt Vonnegut’s “Slaughterhouse-Five”
• Differentiating Reality and Fantasy in Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”
• Parsing Faith and Doubt in Yann Martel’s “Life of Pi”
• Scrutinizing the Concept of Time in Marcel Proust’s “In Search of Lost Time”
• Inspecting Self-Identity in J.D. Salinger’s “The Catcher in the Rye”
• Delving Into the Power of Language in George Orwell’s “1984”
• Analyzing Love and Sacrifice in Charles Dickens’ “A Tale of Two Cities”
• Extrapolating Class Conflict in Thomas Hardy’s “Tess of the d’Urbervilles”
• Measuring Human Connection in Virginia Woolf’s “Mrs. Dalloway”
• Studying the Influence of Cultural Heritage in Amy Tan’s “The Joy Luck Club”
• Surveying the Pursuit of Happiness in Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World”
• Deciphering the Intricacies of Memory in Toni Morrison’s “Beloved”
• Contemplating Maturation in Mark Twain’s “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”
• Disentangling Illusion and Reality in Tennessee Williams’s “A Streetcar Named Desire”
• Decoding the Dilemma of Choice in Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken”
• Analyzing Symbolism in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter”
• Discussing Themes of the Human Spirit in John Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath”
• Probing Into the Conflict of Science and Religion in Ian McEwan’s “Enduring Love”

Interesting Literary Analysis Essay Topics

• Probing Into Ethical Ambiguity in Herman Melville’s “Billy Budd”
• Grasping Loss and Acceptance in Kazuo Ishiguro’s “Never Let Me Go”
• Decoding Southern Identity in William Faulkner’s “The Sound and the Fury”
• Tracing the Evolution of Feminine Independence in Henrik Ibsen’s “A Doll’s House”
• Dissecting Political Machinations in Robert Penn Warren’s “All the King’s Men”
• Understanding Postmodernism in Thomas Pynchon’s “The Crying of Lot 49”
• Interpreting the Influence of Tradition in Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s “Love in the Time of Cholera”
• Deconstructing the Dystopian Society in Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451”
• Appreciating Nature and Transcendentalism in Henry David Thoreau’s “Walden”
• Evaluating the Role of Innocence in J.D. Salinger’s “Franny and Zooey”
• Probing the Concept of Morality in Fyodor Dostoevsky’s “Crime and Punishment”
• Assessing the Impact of Alienation in Franz Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis”
• Investigating the Clash of Cultures in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s “Americanah”
• Analyzing the Absurdity of War in Joseph Heller’s “Catch-22”
• Scrutinizing the Power of Ambition in William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”
• Critiquing Gender Stereotypes in Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper”
• Interpreting the Notion of Justice in Harper Lee’s “Go Set a Watchman”
• Dissecting Existentialist Themes in Jean-Paul Sartre’s “Nausea”
• Exploring Rebirth and Redemption in Fyodor Dostoevsky’s “The Brothers Karamazov”
• Examining Racial Identity in Ralph Ellison’s “Invisible Man”
• Disentangling the Theme of Prejudice in Mark Twain’s “Pudd’nhead Wilson”
• Investigating Power Dynamics in Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein”

Literary Analysis Essay Topics for High School

• Exploration of Heroism in Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird”
• The Portrayal of Society in Mark Twain’s “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”
• Symbolic Themes in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
• Understanding Gender Roles in Louisa May Alcott’s “Little Women”
• Romanticism vs. Realism in Emily Bronte’s “Wuthering Heights”
• Dystopian Themes in George Orwell’s “1984”
• The Power of Fate in Sophocles’ “Oedipus Rex”
• Fear of the Unknown in William Golding’s “Lord of the Flies”
• The Influence of Setting in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter”
• Love and Betrayal in William Shakespeare’s “Othello”
• The Struggle for Identity in J.D. Salinger’s “The Catcher in the Rye”
• The Interplay of Power and Corruption in George Orwell’s “Animal Farm”
• Evolution of Characters in Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible”
• Roles of Dreams in John Steinbeck’s “Of Mice and Men”
• Unveiling Racism Through Narrative in Toni Morrison’s “Beloved”
• Contrasting Morality in Fyodor Dostoevsky’s “Crime and Punishment”
• Death as a Motif in Emily Dickinson’s Poetry
• The Psychology of the Characters in Robert Louis Stevenson’s “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”
• Irony and Satire in Jonathan Swift’s “Gulliver’s Travels”
• The Dilemma of Choice in Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken”
• Class and Social Conflict in Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice”

Literary Analysis Essay Topics for Middle School

• Disillusionment in Ernest Hemingway’s “The Old Man and the Sea”
• Ambition and Its Consequences in William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”
• The Concept of Time in Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s “One Hundred Years of Solitude”
• Reflection of Society in Charles Dickens’ “Great Expectations”
• The Role of Prophecy in Homer’s “The Iliad”
• Humanity’s Inherent Goodness in Anne Frank’s “The Diary of a Young Girl”
• Illusion vs. Reality in Tennessee Williams’ “A Streetcar Named Desire”
• Examination of Nihilism in Fyodor Dostoevsky’s “Notes From Underground”
• Survival and Hope in Elie Wiesel’s “Night”
• Nature and Self-Discovery in Henry David Thoreau’s “Walden”
• Exploration of Mental Health in Sylvia Plath’s “The Bell Jar”
• Tragedy and Redemption in John Green’s “The Fault in Our Stars”
• Individual vs. Society in Ken Kesey’s “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”
• Parenting and Childhood in Harper Lee’s “Go Set a Watchman”
• Unveiling Gender Stereotypes in Virginia Woolf’s “Orlando”
• The Impact of Isolation in Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein”
• Quest for Immortality in Oscar Wilde’s “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
• Depicting Class Struggle in John Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath”
• The Paradox of Freedom in Anthony Burgess’ “A Clockwork Orange”
• The Weight of Guilt in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The House of the Seven Gables”

Literary Analysis Essay Topics for College Students

• Postcolonial Perspectives in Salman Rushdie’s “Midnight’s Children”
• Gothic Elements in Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein”
• Feminist Critique of Virginia Woolf’s “To The Lighthouse”
• Satirical Devices in Jonathan Swift’s “Gulliver’s Travels”
• Existential Themes in Albert Camus’s “The Stranger”
• Racism and Identity in Toni Morrison’s “Beloved”
• Narrative Structure in “Wuthering Heights” by Emily Bronte
• Exploration of Consciousness in James Joyce’s “Ulysses”
• Religious Allegory in John Milton’s “Paradise Lost”
• Examining Sexuality in E. M. Forster’s “Maurice”
• Romanticism in Wordsworth’s “The Prelude”
• Imperialism Critique in Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness”
• Roles of Nature in Henry David Thoreau’s “Walden”
• Impact of Industrial Revolution on Dickens’s “Hard Times”
• Commentary on Social Class in Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice”
• Nihilism in Fyodor Dostoevsky’s “Notes from Underground”
• Exploration of Southern Gothic in Flannery O’Connor’s Stories
• Influence of the American Dream on Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
• Power Dynamics in George Orwell’s “1984”
• War Commentary in Kurt Vonnegut’s “Slaughterhouse-Five”
• The Concept of Time in Virginia Woolf’s “Mrs. Dalloway”

Literary Analysis Essay Topics for University

• Commentary on Materialism in Theodore Dreiser’s “Sister Carrie”
• Rebellion against Victorian Norms in Thomas Hardy’s “Tess of the d’Urbervilles”
• Individualism in Ayn Rand’s “Atlas Shrugged”
• Struggles of the Immigrant Experience in Amy Tan’s “The Joy Luck Club”
• Reflections on War in Wilfred Owen’s Poems
• Cultural Clash in “White Teeth” by Zadie Smith
• Exploration of Adolescence in Judy Blume’s “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret”
• Examination of Insanity in Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper”
• Postmodernism in Thomas Pynchon’s “The Crying of Lot 49”
• Examination of Loss and Grief in Joan Didion’s “The Year of Magical Thinking”
• Isolation and Loneliness in Herman Melville’s “Moby Dick”
• Exploration of Self-Discovery in Paulo Coelho’s “The Alchemist”
• Dystopian Themes in Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale”
• Examination of Childhood Trauma in Stephen King’s “IT”
• Influence of Religion in Fyodor Dostoevsky’s “The Brothers Karamazov”
• Exploration of Feminine Mystique in Betty Friedan’s Work
• Roles of Faith in Elie Wiesel’s “Night”
• Significance of Social Status in Edith Wharton’s “The Age of Innocence”
• Modernism in T. S. Eliot’s “The Waste Land”
• Influence of Culture and Tradition in Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart”
• Destruction of Innocence in J. D. Salinger’s “Catcher in the Rye”
• Examination of Hubris in Sophocles’ “Oedipus Rex”

Classics Literary Analysis Essay Topics

• The Symbolic Role of Water in Homer’s “The Odyssey”
• The Tragic Hero’s Journey in Sophocles’ “Oedipus Rex”
• Gender Dynamics in Euripides’ “Medea”
• Foreshadowing in Virgil’s “The Aeneid”
• Portrayal of Power and Corruption in Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar”
• Fate in Ovid’s “Metamorphoses”
• Theme of Justice in Aeschylus’ “Oresteia”
• Exploration of Identity in Dante’s “Inferno”
• Concept of Love in Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”
• Conflict Between Individuality and Society in Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice”
• Representation of War and Heroism in Homer’s “Iliad”
• Nature of Gods and Mortals in Milton’s “Paradise Lost”
• Revenge in Euripides’ “The Bacchae”
• Examination of Madness in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”
• Symbolism of the River in Mark Twain’s “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”
• Irony in Voltaire’s “Candide”
• Exploration of Fate and Free Will in Sophocles’ “Antigone”
• Theme of Transformation in Kafka’s “Metamorphosis”
• Loyalty and Betrayal in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”
• Pride and Hubris in Sophocles’ “Oedipus Rex”

George Orwell’s “1984” Literary Analysis Essay Topics

• Totalitarianism and Surveillance in George Orwell’s “1984”
• Language and Control in Orwell’s “1984”
• Rebellion and Resistance in “1984”
• Power and Manipulation in Orwell’s “1984”
• The Role of Technology in “1984”
• Symbolism of Big Brother in Orwell’s “1984”
• Love and Intimacy in a Dystopian Society in “1984”
• Identity and Individuality in “1984”
• Propaganda and Indoctrination in Orwell’s “1984”
• The Theme of Doublethink in “1984”
• Psychological Manipulation in Orwell’s “1984”
• The Significance of Newspeak in “1984”
• Rebellion through Art and Literature in “1984”
• The Loss of Freedom and Privacy in Orwell’s “1984”
• Roles of Memory and History in “1984”
• Gender Roles and Sexual Repression in “1984”
• The Critique of Totalitarianism in Orwell’s “1984”
• Language as a Form of Control in “1984”
• The Destruction of Love and Relationships in “1984”
• Themes of Fear in Orwell’s “1984”
• The Role of the Proles in “1984”

Literary Analysis Essay Topics on Coming-of-Age Novels

• The Transformative Journey of Self-Discovery in “To Kill a Mockingbird”
• Identity Formation and Racial Prejudice in “The Catcher in the Rye”
• Rebellion and Independence in “The Perks of Being a Wallflower”
• Gender Roles and Societal Expectations in “Jane Eyre”
• Moral Development and Ethical Dilemmas in “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”
• Maturation and Loss of Innocence in “Lord of the Flies”
• Cultural Assimilation and Individuality in “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian”
• Exploration of Sexuality and Personal Growth in “Call Me by Your Name”
• Class Divide and Social Hierarchy in “Great Expectations”
• Acceptance and Belonging in “The Outsiders”
• Coming-of-Age and the Pursuit of Freedom in “The Scarlet Letter”
• Family Dynamics and Emotional Resilience in “To Kill a Mockingbird”
• The Search for Identity and Heritage in “The Color Purple”
• Friendship and Loyalty in “The Kite Runner”
• Loss and Healing in “The Secret Life of Bees”
• Discovering Personal Values and Morality in “The Book Thief”
• Coming-of-Age in the Face of War in “All Quiet on the Western Front”
• Self-Reflection and Self-Discovery in “The Bell Jar”
• Rebellion Against Societal Norms in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”
• Race and Prejudice in “Invisible Man”

Analysis Essay Topics on Gothic Literature

• Supernatural Elements in Gothic Literature: Exploring the Role of Ghosts and Hauntings
• The Sublime and the Gothic: Analyzing the Concepts of Terror and Awe
• Female Characters in Gothic Literature: A Study of Their Roles and Representations
• Madness and Insanity in Gothic Fiction: Portrayals and Symbolism
• The Role of Setting in Gothic Literature: Examining the Haunted Houses and Dark Landscapes
• The Power of Secrets in Gothic Novels: Unraveling Hidden Truths and Consequences
• The Use of Symbolism in Gothic Literature: Decoding Cryptic Messages and Meanings
• Psychological Horror in Gothic Fiction: Analyzing the Inner Turmoil of Characters
• Duality and Doubling in Gothic Novels: Exploring the Split Identities and Shadows
• Death and Decay in Gothic Literature: The Ephemeral Nature of Life and Beauty
• The Portrayal of Villains in Gothic Fiction: From Monsters to Manipulative Minds
• The Role of Women Writers in Gothic Literature: Examining Their Contributions and Challenges
• The Influence of Gothic Architecture in Literature: Analyzing the Aesthetic and Atmosphere
• Supernatural vs. Rational in Gothic Fiction: Clash of Beliefs and Realities
• The Grotesque in Gothic Literature: Disfigured Bodies and Distorted Characters
• Gothic Literature and the Exploration of Fear: Unveiling Human Anxieties and Phobias
• The Subjugation of Women in Gothic Novels: Analyzing Power Imbalances and Patriarchy
• Dreams and Nightmares in Gothic Literature: Unconscious Desires and Fears
• The Evolution of Gothic Literature: Tracing its Development from Horace Walpole to the Present
• The Role of Religion in Gothic Fiction: Exploring the Themes of Sin, Redemption, and Damnation
• Love and Desire in Gothic Novels: Unconventional Relationships and Obsessions

Literary Analysis Topics on Historical Fiction

• The Role of Power and Corruption in Historical Fiction
• Exploring the Effects of War on Historical Fiction
• Love and Betrayal in Historical Fiction Novels
• The Portrayal of Gender Roles in Historical Fiction Literature
• Analyzing the Theme of Identity in Historical Fiction
• The Significance of Historical Settings in Fictional Narratives
• Rebellion and Revolution in Historical Fiction
• The Impact of Historical Events on Fictional Characters
• Examining Historical Accuracy in Fictional Works
• Social Class and Its Representation in Historical Fiction
• Analyzing the Role of Historical Figures in Fictional Narratives
• The Use of Symbolism in Historical Fiction Novels
• Examining the Role of Religion in Historical Fiction
• Exploring the Theme of Freedom in Historical Fiction Works
• The Influence of Culture and Customs on Historical Fiction
• The Representation of Historical Trauma in Fictional Narratives
• Roles of Secrets and Hidden Histories in Historical Fiction
• Analyzing the Power Dynamics in Historical Fiction Novels
• The Portrayal of Race and Ethnicity in Historical Fiction Literature
• Effects of Colonialism and Imperialism in Historical Fiction

Literary Analysis Topics About Magical Realism

• Love and Transformation in Isabel Allende’s “The House of the Spirits”
• Symbolism and Metaphor in Salman Rushdie’s “Midnight’s Children”
• Magical Realism as a Vehicle for Social Critique in Toni Morrison’s “Beloved”
• The Intersection of Reality and Fantasy in Laura Esquivel’s “Like Water for Chocolate”
• Magical Realism as a Tool for Cultural Identity in Jorge Luis Borges’ “Ficciones”
• The Exploration of Time and Memory in Haruki Murakami’s “The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle”
• Feminine Power and Magical Realism in Angela Carter’s “The Bloody Chamber”
• The Use of Magical Realism in Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Salman Rushdie
• Myth and Legend in Alejo Carpentier’s “The Kingdom of This World”
• The Theme of Supernatural in Octavia Butler’s “Wild Seed”
• Magical Realism and Postcolonialism in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s “Half of a Yellow Sun”
• The Concept of Dream and Reality in Milan Kundera’s “The Unbearable Lightness of Being”
• The Role of Magical Realism in José Saramago’s “Blindness”
• Dreams and Visions in Gabriel García Márquez’s “Love in the Time of Cholera”
• Magical Realism and the Power of Imagination in Italo Calvino’s “Invisible Cities”
• The Influence of Magical Realism in Zora Neale Hurston’s “Their Eyes Were Watching God”
• Symbolism and Allegory in Yann Martel’s “Life of Pi”
• Magical Realism and Political Satire in Salman Rushdie’s “The Satanic Verses”
• The Theme of Destiny and Fate in Laura Esquivel’s “The Law of Love”
• The Role of Magical Realism in Ben Okri’s “The Famished Road”
• Nature and the Supernatural in Isabel Allende’s “Eva Luna”

Modernist Literature Analysis Topics

• The Evolution of Cultural Identity in Modernist Novels
• Exploring Fragmentation and Streamlining Consciousness in Modernist Literature
• The Influence of World War I on Modernist Poetic Expression
• Reimagining Gender Roles in Contemporary Modernist Fiction
• Deconstructing Traditional Narrative Structures in Avant-Garde Novels
• The Role of Urbanization in Shaping Modernist Literary Movements
• Capturing the Essence of Modernity in Revolutionary Modernist Poetry
• The Representation of Time and Memory in Innovative Modernist Prose
• Modernist Literature and the Crisis of Faith in a Changing World
• Experimentation with Language and Form in Cutting-Edge Modernist Poetry
• The Impact of Psychology and Psychoanalysis on Bold Modernist Fiction
• Social Critique and Satire in Provocative Modernist Novels
• Rediscovering Mythology and Folklore in Transgressive Modernist Poetry
• Modernist Literature and the Quest for Genuine Personal Expression
• Examining Alienation and Isolation in Revolutionary Modernist Works
• The Transformation of the Heroic Ideal in Groundbreaking Modernist Prose
• Modernist Literature and the Exploration of Fluid Identity Constructs
• The Representation of Modernist Sensibility in Abstract Poetry
• Challenging Established Values and Morality in Defiant Modernist Novels
• The Modernist Aesthetic: The Influence of Visual Arts on Literary Innovations

Literary Analysis Essay Topics on Movies

• Cultural Identity in “Inception”: Exploring the Layers of Selfhood
• The Power of Redemption in “The Shawshank Redemption”
• Love and Sacrifice in “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”
• Gender Roles and Stereotypes in “Mad Max: Fury Road”
• Loss and Grief in “Manchester by the Sea”
• Betrayal and Loyalty in “The Departed”
• Technology and Humanity in “Ex Machina”
• Social Class and Inequality in “Parasite”
• Freedom and Rebellion in “V for Vendetta”
• Existentialism and Absurdism in “Fight Club”
• Coming-of-Age in “Moonlight”
• Morality and Ethics in “No Country for Old Men”
• Symbolism and Allegory in “Pan’s Labyrinth”
• War and Its Consequences in “Apocalypse Now”
• Identity and Belonging in “Lost in Translation”
• Power and Corruption in “Citizen Kane”
• Colonialism and Post-Colonialism in “The Last Emperor”
• Individualism vs. Conformity in “The Truman Show”
• Nostalgia and Memory in “The Great Gatsby”
• The Hero’s Journey in “Star Wars: A New Hope”
• Environmentalism and Nature in “WALL-E”

Postcolonial Literature Analysis Topics

• Colonialism’s Impacts on Identity Formation in Postcolonial Literary Analysis
• Decolonizing Language and Literature: Strategies Within Postcolonial Textual Analysis
• Gendered Power Dynamics in Postcolonial Literary Works
• Resistance and Rebellion Explored in Postcolonial Fiction
• Subverting Colonial Narratives: Reimagining History in Postcolonial Literature
• Hybridity and Cultural Identity Formation in Postcolonial Text Analysis
• The Politics of Representing the Postcolonial in Fiction
• Postcolonial Eco-Criticism: Nature and the Environment in Literary Analysis
• Indigenous Perspectives and Voices in Postcolonial Literature
• Exploring Postcolonial Diasporas: Migration and Exile in Literary Works
• Examining the Language of Colonization in Postcolonial Texts
• Rewriting and Reimagining Canonical Texts in the Postcolonial Context
• Nationalism and Anti-Colonial Movements Explored in Postcolonial Literature
• Globalization and Its Impact on Postcolonial Literary Spaces
• Postcolonial Feminist Theory and Women’s Agency in Literature
• Negotiating Identity in Postcolonial Autobiographies
• Resistance through Oral Tradition: Folklore and Mythology in Postcolonial Texts
• Slavery’s Legacy Explored in Postcolonial Literary Analysis
• Revisiting the Past: Historical Fiction in the Postcolonial Context
• Postcolonial Perspectives on Language and Translation in Literature

Literary Analysis Topics About Satire and Social Criticism

• The Use of Irony in Swift’s “A Modest Proposal” as a Social Critique
• Satirical Depiction of Political Corruption in Orwell’s “Animal Farm”
• The Subversive Power of Satire in Twain’s “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”
• Analyzing Gender Roles and Stereotypes in Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice”
• A Critical Examination of Society’s Obsession With Wealth in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
• Satirical Commentary on War and Nationalism in Heller’s “Catch-22”
• Critiquing the American Dream in Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath”
• The Use of Satire to Challenge Gender Inequality in Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale”
• Social Criticism and Satire in Vonnegut’s “Slaughterhouse-Five”
• Analyzing the Satirical Portrayal of Religion in Voltaire’s “Candide”
• The Critique of Victorian Society in Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest”
• Satirical Exploration of Consumerism in Palahniuk’s “Fight Club”
• Examining Satire as a Vehicle for Criticizing Colonialism in Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness”
• Social Commentary on Racism and Prejudice in Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird”
• Analyzing the Satirical Attack on Totalitarianism in Huxley’s “Brave New World”
• Critiquing Class Inequity through Satire in Dickens’ “A Tale of Two Cities”
• The Use of Satire to Highlight the Absurdity of War in Vonnegut’s “Mother Night”
• Social Criticism of Victorian Morality in Wilde’s “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
• Satirical Portrayal of Bureaucracy in Kafka’s “The Trial”
• Analyzing the Satirical Critique of Education in Twain’s “The Prince and the Pauper”
• Critiquing the Hypocrisy of Society in Austen’s “Sense and Sensibility”

Social Literary Analysis Essay Topics

• Gender Inequality in Literature: Analyzing the Portrayal of Women in Classic Novels
• Racial Discrimination in Contemporary Fiction: Examining the Representation of People of Color
• Environmental Crisis in Literature: Depicting the Devastating Consequences of Climate Change
• Social Class Struggles in Victorian Novels: Unveiling the Disparity Between the Rich and the Poor
• The Role of Literature in Promoting Social Justice: Investigating the Power of Words in Activism
• Immigration and Identity in Literature: Exploring the Experience of Cultural Assimilation
• The Stigma of Mental Illness in Literary Works: Challenging Societal Misconceptions
• Dystopian Societies in Science Fiction: Reflecting on Contemporary Social Issues
• LGBTQ+ Representation in Contemporary Young Adult Literature: Celebrating Diversity and Inclusion
• Substance Abuse and Addiction in Literature: Examining the Portrayal of Dependency
• Political Corruption in Novels: Critiquing Power Structures and Governance
• Bullying and Peer Pressure in Coming-of-Age Novels: Analyzing the Impact on Adolescent Characters
• Aging and Ageism in Literature: Exploring the Challenges Faced by Older Characters
• Homelessness in Urban Fiction: Shedding Light on Socioeconomic Marginalization
• Mental Health Stigma in Historical Literature: Revealing the Cultural Attitudes of the Past
• Disability Representation in Contemporary Fiction: Examining the Portrayal of Disabled Characters
• War and Trauma in Literature: Investigating the Psychological Effects of Conflict
• Cultural Appropriation in Literary Works: Addressing Issues of Identity and Authenticity
• Human Rights Violations in Historical Fiction: Uncovering Social Injustices of the Past
• Poverty and Social Inequality in Classic Literature: Reflecting on the Lives of the Impoverished

Literary Analysis Essay Topics About a Subject of Race

• Societal Constructs of Race in Postcolonial Fiction
• Cultural Identity and Racial Stereotypes Within Contemporary Narratives
• Power Dynamics and Racial Divisions in Historical Literary Works
• Racism and Resistance Explored in Afrofuturistic Novels
• Language’s Roles in Shaping Racial Narratives and Identity
• Intersectionality: Examining Race and Gender in Women’s Literature
• Symbolic Representations of Race in Poetry From the Symbolist Movement
• Racial Inequality and Pursuit of Social Justice in Young Adult Novels
• The Representation of Biracial Characters in Literary Works
• Racial Assimilation and Identity Crisis Explored in Immigrant Fiction
• Racial Discrimination and Community Dynamics in Urban Novels
• Race as Performance: Deconstructing Racial Expectations in Postmodern Literature
• Formation of Racial Identity in Coming-of-Age Stories
• Racial Injustices and Class Struggles in Southern Gothic Fiction
• The Portrayal of Native Americans in American Literary Works
• Racial Otherness and Exoticism in Colonial-Era Literature
• Exploring Racial Violence and Trauma Through Literary Memoirs
• Racial Reconciliation and Healing Themes in Contemporary Poetry
• Race and Memory: Unpacking Historical Fiction’s Depiction of the Past
• Satire and Social Critique: Analyzing Racial Themes in Satirical Novels
• Racial Utopias and Dystopias in Speculative Fiction

Literary Analysis Essay Topics About Symbolism and Allegory

• The Profound Symbolism of Nature in Romantic Poetry
• Allegorical Representations of Good and Evil in Classic Literature
• Symbolic Interpretations of Metamorphosis in Kafka’s Work
• Shakespearean Tragedies: Unveiling Symbolic Layers
• Allegorical Themes in George Orwell’s Satirical Works
• Edgar Allan Poe: Unraveling Symbolism and Allegory
• The Green Light’s Symbolic Significance in “The Great Gatsby”
• Unveiling Symbolism: The Conch Shell in “Lord of the Flies”
• Dante’s “Divine Comedy”: Journey Through Allegory
• Symbolism and Allegory in Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s Masterpiece
• The Symbolic River in Mark Twain’s “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”
• Allegorical Elements in Hermann Hesse’s “Siddhartha”
• Toni Morrison’s “Beloved”: Uncovering Symbolic Layers
• Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World”: Allegorical Reflections of Society
• Colors as Symbols in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
• Symbolism and Allegory in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter”
• J. R. R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings”: A Tale of Symbolic Depth
• Symbolism in Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart”
• Allegorical Representations of Death in Emily Dickinson’s Poetry
• Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird”: The Symbolic Mockingbird

Literary Analysis of War and Peace Topics

• Impacts of Conflict on Individual Identity and Sense of Self
• Consequences of Diplomatic Negotiations in Historical Fiction
• Societal Transformation: The Influence of Warfare and Peacemaking
• Nonviolent Resistance as a Literary Expression
• Familial Dynamics in the Context of Armed Conflicts in Literature
• Exploring the Psychological Toll of Combat Through Literary Works
• Symbolism of Serene Landscapes in Anti-War Novels
• Women’s Roles in Wartime and Peace in Literary Texts
• Analyzing the Metaphorical Language of Conflict and Harmony
• Interplay of Love and Strife in Literary Depictions
• Representation of War Heroes in Literature: Impact on Societies
• The Use of Irony in Writings About War and Peace
• Evolution of War Narratives from Classical to Contemporary Works
• Theme of Reconciliation in Literary Works on War and Peace
• Propaganda’s Influence on Public Perception of Armed Conflicts
• Power Dynamics in Politics: War’s Influence in Literary Texts
• Contrasting the Brutality of Warfare With the Ideal of Harmony
• Exploring Loss and Grief in Literary Works on War
• War Poetry: Representation and Emotional Resonance
• Healing the Wounds of War: Role of Music and Art in Literature
• Honor and Sacrifice: Conceptualization in War Novels

Women’s Literature Analysis Essay Topics

• Exploring Female Identity in Contemporary Fiction
• Unveiling the Subversive Power of Women’s Memoirs
• Empowering Female Characters in Historical Novels
• Examining Gender Roles in Science Fiction Literature
• Deconstructing Patriarchy in Feminist Poetry
• Resilience and Resistance: Women’s Stories of Survival
• Challenging Stereotypes in Women’s Crime Fiction
• Motherhood and Maternal Bonds in Literature
• Reimagining Fairy Tales From a Feminist Perspective
• Female Sexuality in the Works of Women Authors
• Intersections of Race and Gender in Women’s Literature
• Feminist Dystopias: Questioning Gender Norms
• Women’s Coming-of-Age Stories: Identity and Self-Discovery
• Subverting Male Gaze: Reclaiming Female Narratives
• Exploring Sisterhood and Female Friendships in Literature
• Women’s Roles in War and Conflict: Narratives of Courage
• Portrayals of Mental Health in Women’s Literature
• Resistance and Activism in Women’s Poetry
• Breaking Boundaries: Female Protagonists in Historical Fiction
• The Politics of Body and Beauty in Women’s Writing

William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” Literary Analysis Topics

• The Tragic Hero’s Soliloquies in “Hamlet”: Analyzing the Role of Self-Reflection
• Deception and Betrayal: Unraveling Motives of Characters in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”
• Exploring the Complex Relationship Between Hamlet and Ophelia: Analyzing Love and Madness
• Revenge as a Central Theme in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”: Examining the Consequences of Vengeance
• Supernatural Intrigue: The Influence of the Ghost in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”
• Analyzing the Role of Women in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”: Gertrude and Ophelia’s Impact
• Duty vs. Conscience: Hamlet’s Moral Dilemma and Its Ramifications
• Sanity vs. Madness: Unraveling Hamlet’s Mental State
• The Power of Language in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”: Analyzing Rhetoric and Wordplay
• Unmasking Deceptions: The Theme of Appearance vs. Reality in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”
• Fatal Flaw: Analyzing Hamlet’s Tragic Downfall
• Mortality and Existentialism: Exploring the Theme of Death in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”
• Analyzing the Symbolism of “The Mousetrap” in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”
• Fate and Destiny: Examining the Tragic Elements in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”
• The Significance of Hamlet’s Delay: Investigating the Protagonist’s Inaction
• Unveiling Corruption: Analyzing Political Intrigues in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”
• Comparing and Contrasting Hamlet’s Relationships With His Father and Uncle
• Family Dynamics: Exploring the Theme of Family in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”
• The Inner Conflict of Hamlet: Analyzing the Struggle Between Passion and Reason
• Foils: Examining Contrasting Traits of Characters in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”
• The Consequences of Indecision in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”

William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” Literary Analysis Topics

• Fate and Destiny in Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”
• Tragic Love in “Romeo and Juliet”
• Gender Roles and Expectations in “Romeo and Juliet”
• Youth and Impulsivity in the Tragedy of “Romeo and Juliet”
• Contrasts Between Love and Hate in “Romeo and Juliet”
• The Role of Mercutio in Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”
• Social Class and Conflict in “Romeo and Juliet”
• Parental Influence in Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”
• Language and Wordplay in “Romeo and Juliet”
• Light and Darkness in Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”
• The Role of Nurse in Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”
• Themes of Loyalty and Betrayal in “Romeo and Juliet”
• Revenge in Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”
• Death and Suicide in “Romeo and Juliet”
• Individual vs. Society in Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”
• Time and Hastiness in the Tragedy of “Romeo and Juliet”
• Passion and Lust in Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”
• Use of Foreshadowing in “Romeo and Juliet”
• Friendship in the Play “Romeo and Juliet”
• Music in Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”

William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” Literary Analysis Topics

• Ambition: A Catalyst for Destruction in “Macbeth”
• Guilt and Conscience in Shakespeare’s Tragedy, “Macbeth”
• Power and Corruption: Exploring “Macbeth”
• The Tragic Hero’s Downfall: Analyzing “Macbeth”
• Supernatural Elements in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”
• Gender Roles and Stereotypes in “Macbeth”
• Fate vs. Free Will in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”
• Manipulation and Deception: Themes in “Macbeth”
• Appearance vs. Reality: Unveiling “Macbeth”
• Lady Macbeth’s Influence on Macbeth’s Tragedy
• Blood Imagery: Symbolism in “Macbeth”
• Ambiguity in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”
• Loyalty and Betrayal: Unraveling “Macbeth”
• The Witches’ Role in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”
• Soliloquies: Insight into Characters in “Macbeth”
• Madness and Mental Decline in “Macbeth”
• Violence: Themes in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”
• Sleep and Dreams: Symbolism in “Macbeth”
• Disruption of Natural Order in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”
• The Concept of Time in “Macbeth”
• Honor and Macbeth’s Tragic Flaw: A Character Analysis

“Beowulf” Literary Analysis Topics

• Heroic Archetypes in “Beowulf”: Exploring the Role of the Hero in the Epic Poem
• Symbolism in “Beowulf”: Analyzing the Significance of Grendel’s Lair
• Women in “Beowulf”: An Examination of Gender Roles and Femininity
• The Concept of Loyalty in “Beowulf”: Unraveling the Threads of Trust
• Fate and Destiny in “Beowulf”: A Journey of Predestined Heroes
• Beowulf’s Moral Code: An Exploration of Honor and Virtue
• The Theme of Good vs. Evil in “Beowulf”: The Battle of Light and Darkness
• Christian Influences in “Beowulf”: The Clash of Paganism and Christianity
• The Role of Kingship in “Beowulf”: Leadership and Power
• The Importance of Boasting in “Beowulf”: Pride and Bravery
• Revenge and Retribution in “Beowulf”: Examining the Cycle of Violence
• The Supernatural Elements in “Beowulf”: Magic and the Otherworldly
• Heroic Sacrifice in “Beowulf”: Analyzing Acts of Selflessness
• The Concept of Time in “Beowulf”: Life, Death, and the Passage of Ages
• Nature and the Environment in “Beowulf”: The Symbolism of Land and Sea
• Beowulf’s Battle With Grendel: An Analysis of Violence and Conquest
• Friendship and Companionship in “Beowulf”: The Bonds of Brotherhood
• Honor and Reputation in “Beowulf”: The Price of Glory
• Monsters and Monstrosity in “Beowulf”: The Line Between Human and Beast
• Wisdom and Knowledge in “Beowulf”: The Importance of Experience

Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” Literary Analysis Topics

• Romanticism in Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein”: Exploring the Portrayal of Emotions and the Sublime
• The Monster as a Tragic Hero: Analyzing the Character Development and Moral Ambiguity
• Gender Roles in “Frankenstein”: Examining the Portrayal of Masculinity and Femininity
• Nature vs. Nurture: Discussing the Influence of Environment and Upbringing on the Characters
• The Pursuit of Knowledge: Investigating the Consequences of Scientific Ambition and Discovery
• Social Alienation in “Frankenstein”: Analyzing the Theme of Isolation and Its Impact on the Characters
• Responsibility and Accountability: Examining the Ethical Dilemmas Faced by the Characters
• The Doppelgänger Motif: Exploring the Presence of Doubles and Reflections Throughout the Novel
• Monstrosity as a Symbol: Discussing the Metaphorical Representation of the Monster in Society
• Parent-Child Relationships in “Frankenstein”: Analyzing the Dynamics Between Victor and His Creation
• Gothic Elements in the Novel: Examining the Use of Darkness, Horror, and the Supernatural
• The Role of Fate in “Frankenstein”: Discussing the Influence of Destiny and Predestination
• The Power of Language: Analyzing the Importance of Communication and Rhetoric in the Novel
• The Subversion of Gender Stereotypes: Examining the Unconventional Female Characters in the Story
• Revenge and Retribution: Discussing the Motives and Consequences of Seeking Vengeance
• The Prometheus Myth: Analyzing the Allusions to the Greek Myth and Its Significance
• The Role of Science in Society: Discussing the Ethical Implications of Scientific Progress
• The Theme of Ambition: Analyzing the Characters’ Pursuit of Power, Success, and Recognition
• Guilt and Remorse in “Frankenstein”: Examining the Characters’ Moral Struggles and Regrets
• The Role of Nature in the Novel: Discussing the Symbolic Significance of Natural Elements
• The Sublime in “Frankenstein”: Analyzing the Awe-Inspiring and Terrifying Aspects of the Sublime

Literary Analysis Topics on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”

• Influence of Wealth and Materialism in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
• Symbolism of the Green Light in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
• Examining the American Dream in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
• The Role of Social Class in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
• The Significance of Gatsby’s Extravagant Parties in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
• Exploring the Decline of the American Dream in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
• Examining Nick Carraway as the Narrator in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
• The Symbolic Role of the Valley of Ashes in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
• Analyzing the Theme of Time in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
• The Role of Morality and Ethics in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
• Betrayal and Deception in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
• Foreshadowing in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
• Examining the Motif of Eyes and Vision in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
• Religion and Spirituality in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
• Analyzing the Theme of Isolation in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
• Fate and Destiny in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
• Nick Carraway’s Midwest Background in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
• Hope and Despair in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
• Dreams and Aspirations in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”
• Examining the Theme of Identity in Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”

Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible” Literary Analysis Topics

• Individualism vs. Conformity in Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible”
• Power and Authority: A Critical Analysis of “The Crucible”
• Betrayal and Loyalty: Exploring Motives in “The Crucible”
• Hysteria and Mass Psychology: An Analysis of “The Crucible”
• Reputation’s Impacts on Social Standing in “The Crucible”
• Justice and Injustice: A Closer Look at “The Crucible”
• Truth and Deception: Unveiling Hidden Agendas in “The Crucible”
• Guilt vs. Innocence: A Moral Examination of “The Crucible”
• Religion and Morality in Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible”
• Fear and Paranoia: Examining the Motifs in “The Crucible”
• Gender Roles and Patriarchy: A Feminist Perspective on “The Crucible”
• Integrity and Moral Courage in Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible”
• Social Class and Inequality: The Struggle in “The Crucible”
• Manipulation and Control: Unveiling the Tactics in “The Crucible”
• The Power of Accusation in Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible”
• Conflict and Resolution: Analyzing Dynamics in “The Crucible”
• Redemption and Forgiveness: Themes in “The Crucible”
• The Proctor Family: Examining the Role in “The Crucible”
• Symbolism and Allegory in Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible”
• The Significance of the Salem Witch Trials in “The Crucible”
• The Destructive Power of Rumors in “The Crucible”

Literary Analysis Topics on Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451”

• Censorship and Its Influence on Society in Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451”
• Symbolic Imagery in Ray Bradbury’s Novel “Fahrenheit 451”
• Character Development and Transformations in Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451”
• The Role of Technology in Bradbury’s Literary Work “Fahrenheit 451”
• Conflict Between Conformity and Individuality in “Fahrenheit 451”
• The Power of Literature in Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451”
• Social Criticism in Ray Bradbury’s Famous Novel “Fahrenheit 451”
• The Dystopian Society Portrayed in Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451”
• Loss of Human Connection and Relationships in “Fahrenheit 451”
• Rebellion and Its Significance in Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451”
• Fire as a Symbolic Element in Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451”
• Psychological Themes Explored in Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451”
• Intellectual Freedom and Its Importance in “Fahrenheit 451”
• Alienation and Isolation in Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451”
• The Role of Education in Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451”
• Memory and Identity Exploration in “Fahrenheit 451”
• The Importance of History in Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451”
• Gender Roles and Stereotypes Addressed in “Fahrenheit 451”
• The Influence of Mass Media in Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451”
• Dehumanization of Society in Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451”

William Shakespeare’s “Othello” Literary Analysis Topics

• Identity and Self-Deception in Shakespeare’s “Othello”
• Manipulation and Envy in “Othello”
• The Power of Language in the Tragedy of Othello
• The Role of Women: Subversion and Agency in “Othello”
• Love and Treachery in Shakespeare’s “Othello”
• The Tragic Hero’s Downfall: Othello’s Demise
• Deception and Illusion in “Othello”
• The Destructive Nature of Revenge: Themes in “Othello”
• Racism and Prejudice in the Play “Othello”
• Influence of Social Hierarchies: Shakespeare’s “Othello”
• The Burden of Guilt and Conscience in “Othello”
• Friendship and Loyalty Explored in “Othello”
• Hubris: The Fatal Flaw in Othello’s Character
• The Consequences of Iago’s Machinations in Shakespeare’s “Othello”
• Loss of Innocence: Themes in “Othello”
• The Role of Fate and Destiny in Othello’s Tragedy
• Othello and Desdemona: A Tragic Love Affair
• Symbolism of the Handkerchief in Shakespeare’s “Othello”
• Honor and Reputation in the Play “Othello”
• Themes of Illusion and Reality in “Othello”
• Power Dynamics and Control in Shakespeare’s “Othello”

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Tops 50 Literary Essay Topics

Literature courses are usually all about reading and then writing about what you have just read. Sometimes, it’s quite hard to comprehend what you are reading about, let alone to write an essay and analyze everything. Luckily for you, this article will summarize all the literary analysis topics and ideas you might come across and it will provide insights that will help you a lot when you start writing a good-quality literary essay.

Handy Tips for Composing Good Literary Essays

Before we go to the themes and topics you can approach when writing a literary essay , let’s first take a quick look at some basic rules that you need to keep in mind when writing about literature. It’s nothing too complicated but remembering these rules and applying them when writing could definitely change the end result. Here are 3 things you’d want to take into consideration:

• Make sure you follow the proper format when writing about literature. A good essay example in this direction is that of titles that should be written in Italic and if we’re referring to poems and short stories, the titles should be between quote marks.
• If you add quotes to your essay, always make sure you mark them down correctly with the exact location of the quote you are referring to in the original paper.
• Try to avoid quoting directly or borrowing arguments from other literary essays or analytical papers. It could be considered a form of plagiarism by some of the teachers and you don’t want that.

One final thought before jumping into the subject of topics and ideas for your literary essays. Keep in mind that the topics and fine details are important but you need to have a strong understanding of the basics in order to have a good product. In other words, you need to have a straightforward introduction, a well-defined body, and a strong and comprehensive conclusion.

How to Write Perfect Shakespeare Essays

If you’re studying English, there’s no way in the world to do that without going through the work of William Shakespeare and that’s the main reason we will be starting this article with a list of Shakespeare-based essay topics. Romeo and Juliet is perhaps the most used topic by students all over the world, however, there are still a lot of good essay examples that you can use. Here are some helpful topics if you need to write a Shakespearean literary analysis essay.

Romeo and Juliet

Even though there are a lot of essay examples on this subject all over the internet and the feeling is that you can’t possibly find a new topic on the subject, here are some ideas that you can use to start your paper.

Fate’s Role in Romeo and Juliet

It’s common knowledge that Romeo and Juliet are the first star-crossed lovers in literature. And there are all kinds of clues that Shakespeare introduced all over the text that their love story was, up to a point, sealed by fate.

Dark and Light in Romeo and Juliet

Light and dark, both from a contrast point of view but as well as moments of their love story are present throughout this literary piece. Actually, it is embedded in the entire language of the play and even the character of Romeo has these characteristics present while dealing with contradictory feelings.

Time in Romeo and Juliet

Another very interesting subject for a good-quality essay is the matter of time and the love story between the two characters. Romeo comes to visit during the night and always makes promises of a return in the future. All these happen in a play that has a total timeline of around a week, symbolizing how short our time really is.

Love in Romeo and Juliet

Even though it might seem to be a predictable topic at first glance, love is and will be the ultimate theme and symbol of Romeo and Juliet. The tragic destiny is that the bond of the couple has become a theme for romantic fatalism and that’s the reason it is the number one topic in the literary essays written about Shakespeare’s work.

The competition between Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet in which piece of work of Shakespeare is the most assigned in English courses is tight, however, we’d like to consider Hamlet to be in the second place simply because of the sheer volume of essays written on Romeo and Juliet. If you’re going to focus on this monumental play written by the English genius, here are some topics that should help.

Hamlet and Mortality

If you look closely at Shakespeare’s work, you will notice that a lot of the characters end up dead. Hamlet makes no exception to this rule and there’s so much to analyze and speculate about mortality in this play that you should be just great and write a pretty big essay on this topic.

Misogyny and Women in Hamlet

The play takes place in a time when women did not have too many rights or a certain place in society. You can clearly see that in characters like Ophelia or Gertrude that are not treated well at all. They’d make the main subject of an essay regarding the place of women in the society of those times.

Hamlet and the Theme of Madness

If you’re going to write an essay on Hamlet, you can’t leave out the motive of madness. Just like an essay on Romeo and Juliet couldn’t go without the theme of love, madness is one of the essential characteristics of the play.

The shortest of the mandatory Shakespearean plays, Macbeth is just as full of symbols and meaningful themes and motives that can easily turn into a good literary essay. Here are just a few that you can focus on when writing a piece on Macbeth.

Ambition and Its Corrupting Influence

The main character of this play is in the middle of a quest and there are several moments when he alone decides that the ends justify the means, a theme that can be exploited as an essay topic. Alternatively, you can focus on Lady Macbeth that has quite the same philosophy when it comes to her goals.

Witchcraft in Macbeth

The prophecies issued by the three witches are the main reason why Macbeth is set into action. This theme is often left aside when considering good essay topics in the favor of Lady Macbeth sleepwalking. You could really build something interesting if you choose such a topic since the world of the supernatural is always appealing and attractive.

Another great play by Shakespeare that can be the base of a lot of essay topics. Many of those that had the honor to play the king in this piece have sustained that it’s one of the most intriguing roles due to the king’s slow descent into madness, making him one great essay topic. Apart from that, madness itself is a great approach if you’re going to write a literary essay based on King Lear.

You wouldn’t consider a sonnet to be a good essay topic, however, Sonnet 18 is so succinct and rich in meaning that it can actually give you at least two or three essay topics. First of all, you have adoration and love, which can be a very inspiring topic. Besides that, you have the ever-present theme of jealousy that can, again, make a great topic.

Essays Beyond Shakespeare

It’s natural that the literature world doesn’t end with Shakespeare but it certainly starts there. In the following rows, we will analyze other relevant essay topics derived from big titles of other famous English writers.

Night by Elie Wiesel

This memoir of the holocaust and the events that surrounded it is quite difficult to read for students, the reason why it is often avoided. But what can you do when your teacher requests a Night essay? Well, obviously, you need to start looking for some good topics that will help you develop the structure of the piece you’ll be writing. We’ll give you a helping hand with that by letting you know that you definitely have to touch the subjects of religious faith and the inhuman side of people that are put in extreme situations. When you’re not dealing with fictional literature, it may seem easier to find good topics so the list can go on.

Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer

The story of the 22-year-old McCandless Christopher also known as Alex Supertramp, who decides to abandon society and the modern world to take a 2-year trip into the wilderness of the US. There are a lot of topics and themes that can be extracted from this book. Among them, the escape from society, rebellion against the rules, and sheer power of nature are the favorites when deciding to write a literary essay.

Essays on Ancient Greek Literature

The literature from those times gained a timeless stamp due to the fact that it is so old and is still present in the educational system and did not lose any of its value. From another perspective, since thousands of years have passed between the time these works were written and the moment you have to write an essay on them, the vast majority of topics have already been approached in other works. But even so, there are some things that can be done to bring something new into literary essays based on ancient books.

The Republic – Plato

Plato is, without a doubt, one of the most influential philosophers in the Western World so you can imagine that writing a paper on his very powerful ‘The Republic’ is not at all an easy task. Before you start writing anything, you should take some time and understand the philosophic approach that Plato had. After that, you will be able to find a lot of topics about ‘The Republic’ such as human nature, fight for power, and hierarchy.

Antigone – Sophocles

Another great mind of those times, Sophocles had some really interesting views that he shared in his masterpiece ‘Antigone’. If you’re looking for topics and themes to write about, you can easily go with civil disobedience, human law, and even faithfulness and honor.

Literary Analysis Topic on the Subject of Race

The subject of race was of a great interest to a lot of writers and a lot of books have this subject as a central piece. If you’re looking to write an essay that touches the subject of race, you should definitely take the following works into consideration.

Waiting for the Barbarians – J.M Coetzee

‘Waiting for the Barbarians’ is quite a powerful piece of work that even brought the author a Nobel Prize for Literature. Talking about such an award-winning work, if you were to do a summary of it, you should definitely approach the topic of tension between the fictional town-colony and the surrounding population.

Heart of Darkness – Joseph Conrad

This is the story of Marlow and his journey on the Congo River. On his journey, he meets an ivory trader called Kurtz and there are a lot of themes being explored in the book: imperialism, racism, and even how civil the western society is compared to the indigenous population.

Huckleberry Finn – Mark Twain

Mark Twain is very famous for his fictional pieces that really appeal to a lot of true characteristics that can be found in the society. Huckleberry Finn makes no exception and it includes a lot of characters that depict the political class and the struggle that the population was left with. If you were to write a piece on this book, themes like slavery versus freedom or man versus nature are a must.

To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee

This is another example of a great classic. Like a lot of other great pieces of the 20th century, Harper Lee’s book is focused on the South of America and it explores a lot of subjects of justice and race.

Profound Literary Analysis Topics in Women’s Literature

We approached this subject a bit when we were discussing Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’, but it’s time to go deeper into the subject and check out some books dedicated to gender and the place of women in society.

The Works of Alice Walker

Alice Walker is a great literary figure of the 20th century, being the author of a lot of notable books and short stories. From all her portfolio, two works are the musts when it comes to literary analysis.

The Color Purple

Perhaps the most famous work of Alice Walker, this book won a lot of awards for the way it approaches themes like racism, sexism, and modification of traditional gender purpose in the society. All these topics can be successfully used for in-depth literary essays as well.

Everyday Use

This is a short story that approaches the subject of heirloom possessions that are being passed from one generation to another. These are also the main themes and topics that can be used if we are talking about essays since the differences between generations are something quite hot nowadays.

Jane Austin’s Works

Even though she departed early, the talent she has shown was tremendous and the breakthroughs she managed to obtain were incredible for a woman living at the end of the 18th century. She explored the role of women in that society and focused on how much hard work they had to do in order to secure respectable places in society.

Pride and Prejudice

Wealth and social position are just two of the main themes and topics of this book that follows the story of Elizabeth Bennet that must choose between two men. One is a better individual from a moral and physical point of view while the other has a better social position. The topic here is clearly about how wealth can change someone’s standards and it also makes a good essay starting point.

Yet another book that fits perfectly in the pattern we were discussing above, Emma is the tale of a woman that is more interested in seeing her sisters married. This book explores the constraints placed upon women in that period and the symbolism of marriage in that society.

The 19th and 20th Century Period

A lot of the literary works that are now studied by English students were completed in the golden era that included the 19th and the 20th centuries. Everything from extraordinary novels to short poems is providing insight into topics that define the Anglophone world and can as well be used in a lot of literary essays.

Part of ‘The Adventures of the Speckled Band’, Sherlock Holmes arose as a very influential character among teachers and students. Essays on the topics of good versus evil and overall order in chaos are among the favorites when writing an essay on this short story.

Lord of the Flies – William Golding

Yet another awesome example of what the golden period of writing had to offer to readers and essay writers alike. The topics approached in this title are shaping around the dangers of group thinking and how irrationality and rationality are sometimes in conflict that is then expanded into morality or immorality.

The Princess Bride – William Goldman

A very entertaining book that was also transformed into a movie touches the topics of the arbitrary nature of history and time and how love tends to conquer all in the end.

The Rocking Horse Winner – D. H. Lawrence

Lawrence is one of the geniuses of the 20th century in literature and this short story is the best demonstration of his skill. It tells the story of a family that struggles and the main themes that are being explored are greed, money, and a bit of fiction.

Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck

This book captures the struggles of medium-class individuals during the Great Depression. The central theme is the following of dreams and how powerful the human spirit is when it has a clear goal to fight for.

A Streetcar Named Desire – Tennessee Williams

Considered by most the best-known American dramatic play, it approaches the themes of fantasy and reality in an eternal conflict as well as the era’s tendency of women to depend on men.

Topics and Themes for Analysis of Poetry

Stephen Crane gave the world ‘War is Kind’, a collection of poems that touched deep and powerful themes such as war, violence, and human greed and all the inspiration came from his personal experience with the American-Spanish and Greco-Turkish wars.You can use it for your poem analysis essay .

John Donne, a total opposite of Stephen Crane, focused his work on sonnets that approached the topics of love, death, religion, and social criticism. It’s true that they lived in different times as well.

Contemporary Literature

If you’re thinking it’s a pity you were born in these times because no good books are written anymore, you are mistaken. What we now consider big classics were not so hot during their times either and that’s the cycle of literature, to become valuable a certain time after the book is released. So, if you want to go with contemporary literature for your essay, here are some suggestions.

Reservation Blues – Sherman Alexie

Depicting the story of a young group of men that get their hands on an enchanted guitar that once upon a time belonged to a legendary bluesman, the book touches sensitive subjects of the Native American life such as endurance, overcoming everyday obstacles, and poverty.

Montana 1948 – Larry Watson

Set in Western American state of Montana, this novella is about a family that struggles to survive in the tough conditions they have to face. Themes of loyalty, family obligations and bonds or even justice are approached by Watson and they can be great sources of inspiration for good essays.

The Lovely Bones – Alice Sebold

This book follows the story of Susie, a young woman that dies but her spirit leaves the body and watches over the investigation of her case. Obviously, the recurrent themes here are justice, mortality, and grief.

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450+ Literary Analysis Topics Ideas & Title Examples for Inspiration

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Finding that ideal literary analysis topic can be as complex as the literature you're studying. But fear not! Backed by our experience, we’ve gathered some good literary analysis essay topics worth your attention. 

In this blog article, we will tell you how to choose a great title and drop inspirational ideas for your literature analysis. So, sit back, relax, and let us guide you through the best literary analysis topics.

What Are Literary Analysis Topics?

Literary analysis topics are the types of analytical essay topics that deal with examining any work of literature. It might be a novel, a short story, or even literary criticism. You can select any of these topics to write a literary analysis on. 

Topics for literary analysis might focus on various elements of the literature you are supposed to study. For instance, you may explore the following things:

• Literary devices
• Structure and style

Essentially, your task is to unleash the hidden meanings and interpret the messages conveyed in the literary works.

>> Learn more: How to Write a Literary Analysis Essay

Features of Good Literary Analysis Topics

Before we move on to the literature essay topics, let’s talk about what makes a title stand out. Good literary analysis topics should:

• Be related to the literature
• Provide an opportunity for further exploration of the work as a whole.
• Raise interesting questions and allow for different interpretations.
• Inspire readers to think about the topic in more detail.

Choosing the right topic is very important. If you need extra help from experts, rely on our team of academic professionals. Say ‘ do my essay for me ’ and get an authentic essay crafted in line with your needs.

How to Choose a Literary Analysis Topic?

Are you staring at a blank page and don’t even know what literary analysis essay topic to choose? We know that feeling. It can be as challenging as finding a perfect rhyme in a sonnet, but no worries! Below we've got some easy steps to help you select a great literary analysis topic:

• Read and reflect Start by immersing yourself in the text. As you read, keep an eye on themes, characters, and symbols that catch your attention.
• Ask questions This is where your inner Sherlock should come out! Question everything about the book. Why does a character behave a certain way? What's the significance of that recurring symbol? These queries are the seeds of your literary analysis.
• Find connections Look for links in the text – between characters, themes, or even the historical context. These connections often make for a compelling literary analysis essay title example.
• Keep it focused Remember, you're writing an essay , not a book! So, zoom in. Instead of tackling a broad topic like "Imagery in To Kill a Mockingbird," focus on something more specific, like "The use of bird imagery in To Kill a Mockingbird."
• Find a new angle If you're choosing a popular book, find a fresh angle. Instead of going with the crowd, create your own path. A unique perspective will make your analysis stand out.

Powered up by these guidelines, you are sure to find an excellent literary analysis essay idea. Now, let’s see what literary analysis titles and writing prompts we have prepared for you.

Literary Analysis Essay Topics List

If you are not sure how to get started, look at the list of essay titles below. Here, we’ve selected top literary essay topics and prompts to kickstart your journey into literature. Let’s begin with some basic themes and literary elements:

• Symbolism in Emily Dickinson's poetry.
• Women’s portrayal in Pride and Prejudice.
• Orwell's use of dystopia in 1984.
• Time in Slaughterhouse-Five.
• Death's representation in Edgar Allan Poe’s works.
• Mystery and suspense in Doyle's Sherlock Holmes series.
• Symbolism in The Catcher in the Rye.
• Portrayal of masculinity in Hemingway's Old Man and the Sea.
• Handling of grief in Joan Didion's The Year of Magical Thinking.
• Solitude in Gabriel García Márquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude.
• Role of supernatural elements in Macbeth.
• American Dream in Fitzgerald's Great Gatsby.
• Postcolonial themes in Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart.
• The role of setting in A Tale of Two Cities.
• Juxtaposition of civilization and savagery in Golding's Lord of the Flies.

Good Literary Analysis Essay Topics

If you're searching for that spark of inspiration, look no further. Choose a title idea from the collection of literary analysis essay prompts we added below:

• Jane Austen's social satire in Sense and Sensibility.
• Use of stream-of-consciousness in Virginia Woolf's Mrs Dalloway.
• Survival in Yann Martel's Life of Pi.
• Love in Gustave Flaubert's Madame Bovary.
• Illusion versus reality in Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire.
• Ambition's consequences in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.
• Power in George Orwell's Animal Farm.
• Role of nature in Jack London's Call of the Wild.
• Innocence in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird.
• J.D. Salinger's use of first-person narrative in Catcher in the Rye.
• Conflict of individual versus society in Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451.
• Isolation in Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis.
• Friendship in John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men.
• Social class in Charles Dickens' Great Expectations.
• Gender roles in Louisa May Alcott's Little Women.

Interesting Literary Analysis Topics

Are you looking for something more mind-blowing? Consider these interesting literary analysis essay topics ideas to shake things up a bit:

• Irony in Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
• Satire in Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels.
• Perspective shifts in William Faulkner's As I Lay Dying.
• Justice in Harper Lee's Go Set a Watchman .
• Power dynamics in Robert Penn Warren's All the King's Men.
• Fear in Stephen King's The Shining.
• Identity crisis in Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar.
• Spiritual growth in Hermann Hesse's Siddhartha.
• Betrayal in Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go.
• Symbolism in Toni Morrison's Beloved.
• Freedom in Aldous Huxley's Brave New World.
• Class struggle in Thomas Hardy's Tess of the d'Urbervilles.
• Portrayal of war in Joseph Heller's Catch-22.
• Obsession in Oscar Wilde's Picture of Dorian Gray .
• Romanticism in J.M Barrie's Peter Pan.

Unique Literary Analysis Essay Topics

When it comes to a literary analysis paper, standing out from the crowd can make all the difference. If you're looking to bring a touch of uniqueness to your writing, consider one of these these distinctive literary analysis prompts:

• Magical realism in Gabriel García Márquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude.
• Portrayal of rebellion in Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 .
• Maternal relationships in Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club.
• Existentialism in Albert Camus' The Stranger.
• Deceit in Arthur Miller's The Crucible.
• Quest for identity in Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man.
• Treatment of time in Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five.
• Pride in Sophocles' Antigone.
• Role of memory in Toni Morrison's Beloved.
• Perspective and truth in Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner.
• Portrayal of destiny in Thomas Hardy's Tess of the d'Urbervilles.
• Madness in Charlotte Perkins Gilman's The Yellow Wallpaper.
• Courage and survival in Markus Zusak's The Book Thief.
• Role of society in George Orwell's 1984 .
• Youth and age in J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye .

Best Literature Essay Topics

Are you ready to take your analysis to the next level? Take a look at these top-notch literary topics for essays, each one carefully crafted for an A+ analysis essay :

• Challenging societal norms in Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House.
• Portrayal of love in Pablo Neruda's poetry.
• Loss and grief in Joan Didion's The Year of Magical Thinking.
• Paradox in Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest.
• Representation of animals in Jack London's The Call of the Wild.
• Disillusionment in F. Scott Fitzgerald's Tender is the Night.
• Trauma and healing in Khaled Hosseini's A Thousand Splendid Suns.
• Use of language in James Joyce's Ulysses.
• Quest for identity in Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God.
• Portrayal of family in August Wilson's Fences.
• Loyalty in Homer's Iliad .
• Portrayal of survival in Cormac McCarthy's The Road.
• Duality in Robert Louis Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
• Isolation in Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot.
• Influence of society in Jane Austen's Mansfield Park.

Easy Literary Analysis Title Examples

If you are a novice or prefer simple literary analysis essay ideas, this list is for you.

• Uncovering themes in To Kill a Mockingbird.
• The symbolism in Lord of the Flies.
• Understanding character development in Great Expectations.
• Love and relationships in Pride and Prejudice.
• The role of setting in Wuthering Heights.
• Morality in Moby Dick.
• Exploring imagery in The Great Gatsby .
• Power dynamics in Animal Farm.
• Social critique in Brave New World.
• Conflict in Romeo and Juliet .
• Identity and culture in The Namesake.
• Supernatural elements in Macbeth .
• The quest for freedom in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
• Aging and time in The Old Man and the Sea.
• Survival in Life of Pi.

Topics for Literary Analysis in Different Genre

Exploring different genres can add a whole new dimension to your literary analysis. Whether it's the captivating world-building of fantasy or the futuristic visions of science fiction, each genre offers a bunch of literary analysis ideas for any taste. Check out the following literary analysis essay topics sorted by genre:

• Utopian ideals in H.G. Wells' The Time Machine.
• Symbols and motifs in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings.
• Suspense in Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None.
• Love in Nicholas Sparks' The Notebook.
• Representation of war in Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth.
• Humanity in Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
• Courage in C.S. Lewis' The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.
• Justice in Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes series.
• Conflict in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.
• Time in Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series.
• Portrayal of technology in William Gibson's Neuromancer.
• Good versus evil in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series.
• Clues in Edgar Allan Poe's The Murders in the Rue Morgue.
• Portrayal of passion in Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights.
• Use of historical detail in Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall.

American Literature Essay Topics

American literature has produced some of the most iconic works in history. Take a glance at these essay topics for American literature analysis essay topics to get motivated:

• Racial tensions in Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin.
• Transcendentalism in Walden.
• Role of women in The Scarlet Letter .
• Slavery and freedom in Beloved.
• The meaning of home in Langston Hughes' poetry.
• Masculinity and honor in Ernest Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises.
• Individualism in On the Road.
• Illusion versus reality in Death of a Salesman.
• Navigating adolescence in The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
• Tragic hero in A Streetcar Named Desire.
• Consequences of power in The Crucible .
• Love and loss in The Fault in Our Stars.
• Identity in Invisible Man.
• Nature and the self in Leaves of Grass.
• Religion and faith in The Poisonwood Bible.

English Literature Essay Topics

If you are a British literature enthusiast, don’t skip this list. Below, we have collected the most trending literary analysis title examples in English literature:

• Class struggle in Dickens' Oliver Twist.
• Mysticism in Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes.
• Misogyny in Thomas Hardy's Tess of the D'Urbervilles.
• Role of weather in Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights.
• Satire of Victorian Era in Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest.
• Subversion of romance in Jane Austen's Emma.
• Landscape and memory in Thomas Hardy's Far from the Madding Crowd.
• War and its effects in Erich Maria Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front.
• Power and corruption in George Orwell's Animal Farm.
• Maturation in Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre .
• Religious doubt in Graham Greene's The End of the Affair.
• Time and consciousness in Virginia Woolf's To the Lighthouse.
• Subconscious in D.H. Lawrence's Sons and Lovers.
• Rebellion against society in Anthony Burgess' A Clockwork Orange.

Literary Analysis Topics for Students

We've carefully curated literary analysis essay topics suitable for students at different levels of education. From high school to college, there's something for everyone. We've categorized these topics for a literary analysis essay according to academic level to help you find what fits your needs best. Are you ready to dive in? Get prepared to discover literary analysis title ideas that will make your writing process an absolute pleasure.

Literary Analysis Essay Topics for Middle School Students 

• Understanding friendship in The Outsiders.
• Lessons about tolerance in Wonder.
• Courage and bravery in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.
• The importance of individuality in A Wrinkle in Time.
• Family and identity in The Giver.
• The theme of adventure in Treasure Island.
• Life lessons in Charlotte’s Web.
• Overcoming obstacles in Bridge to Terabithia.
• The impact of rumors in The Watsons Go to Birmingham.
• Symbolism in Tuck Everlasting.
• The significance of heritage in Esperanza Rising.
• Power of persistence in Hatchet.
• Examining the hero's journey in Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief.
• Struggles with fairness in The Westing Game.
• The role of honesty in The Secret Garden.

Literary Analysis Essay Topics for High School Students

• Tragic love in Romeo and Juliet.
• Prejudice and racism in To Kill a Mockingbird.
• The dangers of ambition in Macbeth.
• The importance of friendship in The Outsiders.
• Symbolism in The Great Gatsby.
• Coming of age in The Catcher in the Rye.
• Man versus nature in Moby Dick.
• Power and corruption in Animal Farm.
• Morality in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
• The impact of war in All Quiet on the Western Front.
• Human nature in Lord of the Flies.
• The role of the American dream in Death of a Salesman.
• Heroism in Beowulf.
• Innocence and experience in Catch-22.
• Dystopian society in Fahrenheit 451.

Literary Analysis Essay Topics for College Students

• Irony and satire in Pride and Prejudice.
• Freedom in A Doll's House.
• Role of madness in Hamlet.
• Colonialism and its impacts in Heart of Darkness.
• Alienation and isolation in The Metamorphosis.
• Tragedy and fate in Oedipus Rex.
• Exploring human consciousness in Mrs. Dalloway.
• Modernism in Ulysses.
• Language and power in 1984.
• Identity and society in Invisible Man.
• Existentialism in Waiting for Godot.
• Feminism and gender roles in The Yellow Wallpaper.
• Justice and judgment in Crime and Punishment.
• The influence of society on individuals in A Streetcar Named Desire.
• Role of memory in Remembrance of Things Past.

Literary Analysis Essay Topics in Poetry

Poetry has a unique way of touching our hearts and minds. Poem analysis can reveal hidden meanings behind the verses. If you're searching for literary analysis essay topics with a focus on poetry, check out some pointers in the sections below.

Romeo and Juliet Literary Analysis Essay Topics

• Fate and destiny in Romeo and Juliet.
• Masculinity and its influence on the characters' actions.
• The impact of family feuds on individual choices in Romeo and Juliet.
• Concept of time in Romeo and Juliet.
• Understanding love at first sight through Romeo and Juliet.
• The juxtaposition of love and violence in the play.
• Secret identities and deception in Romeo and Juliet.
• The influence of peer pressure on the events of Romeo and Juliet.
• Contrasting views of love: Exploring the perspectives of Romeo, Juliet, and other characters.
• Dreams and omens in Romeo and Juliet.

Hamlet Literary Analysis Essay Topics Ideas

• Hamlet's madness: Genuine condition or clever ruse?
• Revenge and its destructive consequences.
• Role of women: Analyzing the characters of Gertrude and Ophelia.
• Appearance versus reality: The dichotomy of disguise and deceit.
• Hamlet's soliloquies: A window into his psyche and moral dilemmas.
• The tragic flaw of Hamlet.
• The ghost of King Hamlet: Its role and significance.
• Corruption and decay in Hamlet's kingdom.
• Father-son relationships in Hamlet.
• Morality and ethical decision-making in Hamlet.

Macbeth Literary Analysis Essay Topics

• Supernatural elements in Macbeth.
• Moral decline of Macbeth throughout the play.
• Lady Macbeth's role in Macbeth's ambition and actions.
• Guilt and its consequences in Macbeth.
• The power of prophecy and its impact on Macbeth's decisions.
• Role of sleep and sleeplessness in the play.
• The symbolism of blood in Macbeth.
• Disorder and chaos in Macbeth.
• The transformation of Lady Macbeth's character over the course of the play.
• The portrayal of kingship and tyranny in Macbeth.

Literary Analysis Essay Topics Ideas & Prompts

Still can’t find a topic? Scroll down to spot more fantastic literary analysis writing prompts and ideas, categorized by popular works. Whether you're analyzing character development, theme, or narrative style, you will definitely recognize some good literary analysis topics ideas.

Frankenstein Literary Analysis Essay Topics

• Role of nature in shaping the characters of Frankenstein.
• Dangers of unchecked ambition in Frankenstein.
• Impact of isolation on Victor Frankenstein and his creature.
• Women in Frankenstein's world.
• Creator and creation in Frankenstein.
• Creature’s desire for companionship.
• Frankenstein as a critique of enlightenment ideals.
• Concept of 'otherness' in Frankenstein.
• Knowledge and ignorance in Frankenstein.
• Comparing Victor Frankenstein and his creature.

Beowulf Literary Analysis Essay Prompts

• Christian and pagan elements in Beowulf.
• Lineage and ancestry in Beowulf.
• The symbolism of monsters in Beowulf.
• The representation of kingship in Beowulf.
• Fame and reputation.
• Treasure and gift-giving in Beowulf.
• Loyalty in the world of Beowulf.
• Good versus evil in Beowulf.
• Beowulf's three battles: A comparative analysis.

The Great Gatsby Literary Analysis Topics

• Destructive power of the American Dream in The Great Gatsby.
• Social classes in The Great Gatsby.
• Motif of the 'green light' in The Great Gatsby.
• Illusion versus reality in The Great Gatsby.
• Time and the past in The Great Gatsby.
• The role of geography and setting.
• The portrayal of love and desire.
• Significance of Gatsby's parties in the novel.
• Symbolism of the 'Valley of Ashes' in The Great Gatsby.
• Nick Carraway as an unreliable narrator.

Fahrenheit 451 Literary Analysis Essay Topics

• Censorship and its impact on society in Fahrenheit 451.
• Technology in Fahrenheit 451's dystopian society.
• Symbolism of fire.
• Motif of mirrors in Fahrenheit 451.
• Individuality versus conformity in Fahrenheit 451.
• Portrayal of reading and books in Fahrenheit 451.
• Mechanical hound and its role.
• The impact of isolation and disconnection in Fahrenheit 451.
• Happiness and fulfillment represented in the book.
• Symbolism of the phoenix in Fahrenheit 451.

Othello Literary Analysis Essay Topics

• The impact of jealousy on the characters of Othello.
• Race and racism in Othello.
• Manipulation and its role in this play.
• Representation of women in Othello.
• Appearance versus reality in Othello.
• Reputation and honor in this play.
• Impact of insecurities on the character of Othello.
• Role Desdemona's handkerchief plays.
• Motif of animals in Othello.
• Friendship and betrayal as represented in this play.

The Catcher In The Rye Literary Analysis Topics

• How does Salinger represent teen angst in Catcher in the Rye?
• Role of Phoebe in Holden Caulfield's life.
• Analysis of Holden's perception of adulthood.
• Symbolic meaning of the Museum of Natural History.
• Red hunting hat as a symbol of isolation.
• Salinger's portrayal of mental illness through Holden.
• Relevance of the carrousel scene at the end of this novel.
• Language and narrative style in Catcher in the Rye.
• Understanding Holden's relationships with other characters.
• How does this title relate to Holden's personality and actions?

The Crucible Literary Analysis Topics

• Fear and hysteria as represented in The Crucible.
• Power dynamics in Salem's society.
• John Proctor's character development throughout this play.
• Abigail Williams' motivations.
• Analysis of Arthur Miller's use of historical events.
• Symbolism of the witch trials.
• Religion and how it is represented in The Crucible.
• Comparing the characters: Elizabeth Proctor vs. Abigail Williams.
• Suspicion and paranoia in this play.
• Relevance of The Crucible in today's society.

1984 Literary Essay Topics

• George Orwell's depiction of totalitarianism.
• Concept of Newspeak.
• Surveillance and control in 1984.
• Winston's rebellion against the Party.
• Symbolism of the glass paperweight.
• Analysis of the Party's manipulation of history.
• Role of Big Brother in this novel.
• ulia's character and her contrast to Winston.
• Significance of Room 101.
• Doublethink and its influence on citizens' mentality.

The Story of an Hour Literary Analysis Essay Topics

• Mrs. Mallard's freedom and confinement.
• Irony in The Story of an Hour.
• Theme of time in this short story.
• Heart and it symbolism.
• Portrayal of marriage in The Story of an Hour.
• Significance of the open window.
• Railroad and its role in this story.
• How does Mrs. Mallard's reaction reflect societal norms?
• Analysis of Louise's transformation.
• Representation of life and death.

The Cask of Amontillado Literary Analysis Ideas

• Revenge in The Cask of Amontillado.
• Significance of setting in this story.
• Symbolism of the cask.
• Montresor as an unreliable narrator.
• Concept of pride in this story.
• Foreshadowing in The Cask of Amontillado.
• Contrast between Montresor and Fortunato.
• Motif of disguise and deception.
• Exploring the concept of madness.
• How does the catacomb setting contribute to the story's tone?

Pride and Prejudice Literary Analysis Prompts

• First impressions in Pride and Prejudice.
• Jane Austen's portrayal of marriage and social status.
• The theme of pride in this novel.
• Understanding the character of Mr. Darcy.
• Significance of the title in understanding this novel.
• Contrasting characters of Elizabeth and Jane.
• Letters and their role in Pride and Prejudice.
• Social hierarchy and class in this novel.
• Theme of family in Pride and Prejudice.
• Lydia and her impact on the plot.

Kafka’s Metamorphosis Literary Analysis Title Examples

• Exploring Gregor Samsa's transformation.
• Kafka’s portrayal of family relationships.
• Symbolism of the apple in Metamorphosis.
• How does Kafka depict the human condition?
• Understanding Grete's role in this story.
• Kafka's commentary on work and responsibility.
• Gregor's room as a symbol of his inner state.
• Role of dehumanization in Metamorphosis.
• Kafka's style in conveying existentialist themes.
• Understanding the character of Mr. Samsa.

Topics for Literary Analysis of The Odyssey

• Role of hospitality in ancient Greek society.
• Examination of Odysseus as a hero.
• Vengeance in The Odyssey.
• Significance of the Underworld.
• Role of gods and goddesses in the plot.
• Women characters in The Odyssey.
• Understanding Telemachus' character arc.
• Significance of Ithaca in Odysseus’ journey.
• Analysis of deception.
• Circe: Character analysis .

The Old Man and the Sea Literary Analysis Essay Topics

• Perseverance in Hemingway's novel.
• Analyzing Santiago's relationship with the sea.
• Significance of Santiago's dreams about lions.
• Hemingway's portrayal of friendship and camaraderie.
• Symbolism of the marlin.
• The sea and its significance in Santiago's journey.
• Heroism as depicted in this novel.
• Role of nature and its depiction.
• Santiago's hand injury and its symbolic meaning.
• Defeat and its role in shaping Santiago’s character.

Jane Eyre Literary Analysis Topics

• Gothic elements in Jane Eyre.
• Concept of the madwoman in the attic.
• Religion in Jane's life and development.
• Portrayal of women's independence in the novel.
• Significance of Thornfield Hall.
• Motif of fire and ice in Jane Eyre.
• Examining the character of Mr. Rochester.
• Understanding the role of Adele in this novel.
• Analyzing forgiveness.
• Jane’s quest for self-identity and belonging.

The Scarlet Letter Literary Topics for Essays

• Sin and guilt and how they are depicted.
• Symbolism of the scarlet letter 'A'.
• Understanding Hester Prynne's character development.
• Role of Pearl as a symbol.
• Exploration of hypocrisy.
• Examination of the Puritan society.
• Roger Chillingworth as a character.
• Role of secrets and hidden identities.
• Significance of the forest and the town.
• Portrayal of women in The Scarlet Letter.

Of Mice and Men Literary Analysis Essay Ideas

• Lennie's dream and its impact on this story.
• How does Steinbeck present George and Lennie's friendship?
• Decoding symbolism in Of Mice and Men.
• Loneliness in this novel.
• Analyzing Steinbeck's portrayal of the American Dream.
• Unraveling Curley's wife's character.
• A critical look at attitudes towards women.
• Analysis of power dynamics in Of Mice and Men.
• Steinbeck’s depiction of life during the Great Depression.
• Understanding the tragic end: Was there an alternative?

Lord of the Flies Literary Analysis Titles

• Loss of innocence in Lord of the Flies.
• Power struggle: Analyzing leadership styles of Jack and Ralph.
• Deconstructing the symbol of 'beast' in the novel.
• Golding’s portrayal of the thin veneer of civilization.
• Survival instincts in Lord of the Flies.
• Motif of the conch shell in this novel.
• Exploring fear and its implications.
• Golding's view on human nature.
• A critical look at the novel's ending.
• Understanding the novel’s allegorical elements.

To Kill a Mockingbird Literary Analysis Essay Topics

• Racial injustice in this novel.
• How does Scout's perspective shape the narrative?
• Harper Lee's portrayal of small-town life in the South.
• Moral education in To Kill a Mockingbird.
• Understanding Boo Radley's impact on this story.
• Symbolism in To Kill a Mockingbird.
• Analysis of Atticus Finch's parenting style.
• Class structure in Maycomb County.
• Gender roles in To Kill a Mockingbird.
• Bravery in To Kill a Mockingbird.

Literary Analysis Essay Topics & Title Ideas by Themes

Are you interested in how the good is represented in literature. Or, want to explore the dark side of human nature? No matter what theme you’re analyzing, these literary analysis topics will surely help you get your gears turning.

Literary Analysis Essay Topics on Education

• Exploring education's impact in To Kill a Mockingbird.
• Jane Eyre's education and its effects on her life.
• Learning and wisdom in J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye.
• Views on education in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.
• Education’s role in the development of Huck Finn.
• Value of practical knowledge in Moby-Dick.
• Understanding Malvolio’s wisdom in Twelfth Night.
• How The Great Gatsby criticizes education in the 1920s.
• Education as liberation in Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass.
• Women's education in Pride and Prejudice.

Literary Analysis Essay Topics on Religion 

• Understanding religious allegory in Lord of the Flies.
• Christian symbolism in The Chronicles of Narnia.
• Religion’s impact on communities in The Poisonwood Bible.
• Religious imagery in William Blake's Songs of Innocence and Experience.
• Criticism of the church in The Canterbury Tales.
• Dystopian views of religion in Brave New World.
• How The Scarlet Letter deals with religion and sin.
• Portrayal of religious hypocrisy in Huckleberry Finn.
• Religious aspects in Paradise Lost.
• Comparing religious symbolism in Moby Dick and Billy Budd.

Literary Analysis Essay Topics on Race

• Discussing racial prejudices in To Kill a Mockingbird.
• Understanding racial disparities in The Color Purple.
• Representation of race in Othello.
• Racial discrimination in Nella Larsen's Passing.
• Concept of race in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
• Racial dynamics in Go Set a Watchman.
• Racial identity in The Bluest Eye.
• Race and identity in Invisible Man.
• Racial politics in James Baldwin's Go Tell It On The Mountain.
• Racial tensions in Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun.

War and Peace Literary Analysis Essay Topics

• Understanding war's impact in All Quiet on the Western Front.
• Depiction of warfare in War and Peace.
• Post-war society in The Sun Also Rises.
• Effects of war on Mrs. Dalloway.
• Concept of peace in A Separate Peace.
• Interpreting war in Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls.
• Post-war life in The Catcher in the Rye.
• Pacifist messages in Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five.
• Consequences of war in A Farewell to Arms.
• Portrayal of war in The Red Badge of Courage.

Literary Analysis Topics on Justice and Judgment

• Concept of justice in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird.
• Justice and injustice in Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations.
• Judgment in Jane Austen’s Emma.
• Analyzing justice in George Orwell's 1984.
• Exploring judgment in Pride and Prejudice.
• Justice in A Tale of Two Cities.
• Critique of justice in William Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure.
• Judgment in Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter.
• Justice in Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables.
• Portrayal of justice in The Merchant of Venice.

Literary Analysis Ideas About Good and Evil

• Good and evil in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
• Good vs evil in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.
• Struggle between good and evil in Moby-Dick.
• Dichotomy of good and evil in To Kill a Mockingbird.
• Conflict of good and evil in The Lord of the Rings.
• Good and evil in Golding's Lord of the Flies.
• Representation of good and evil in Heart of Darkness.
• Exploration of good and evil in The Picture of Dorian Gray.
• How Bram Stoker’s Dracula deals with good and evil.
• Examining the balance of good and evil in Macbeth.

Bottom Line on Literary Analysis Essay Topics

When you're dealing with a literary analysis paper, it can be overwhelming to come up with unique topics. The trick is finding the perfect topic that you will be excited to work with. These literary analysis ideas should help get you started in the right direction. From time-tested classics to more modern works, we focused on different themes so you can pick the one you like.

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435 Literary Analysis Essay Topics and Prompts [2024 Upd]

Literature courses are about two things: reading and writing about what you’ve read. For most students, it’s hard enough to understand great pieces of literature, never mind analyzing them. And with so many books and stories out there, choosing one to write about can be a chore.

Our specialists will write a custom essay specially for you!

But you’re in luck!

This article by our Custom Writing service experts presents a list of the most interesting and creative literary analysis topics. Additionally, you will find here:

• helpful essay prompts;
• a writing guide with simple tips;
• a literary analysis example.

This comprehensive article can be helpful not only for university or college students but also to students of high and middle school.

• 🔝 Top 10 Literature Topics for High School
• 🔮 Top 10 Literary Topics for College
• 📜 Topics from Different Eras
• 🖋️ Poetry Analysis Topics
• 🎭 Shakespeare Essay Topics
• 📚 English Literature Topics: Different Authors
• 💡 Non-Fiction Literature Topics
• ⭐ Other Ideas
• 🖊️ Literary Analysis Prompts
• ✍️ Writing Guide
• 📃 Essay Example

🔗 References

🔝 top 10 literature essay topics for high school.

• The role of religion in King Lear  
• Milk symbolism in Beloved  
• Is there gender inequality in Iliad ? 
• Social issues of The Little Match Girl  
• Gender roles in The Great Gatsby  
• Frankenstein : historical background 
• How is loyalty presented in Beowulf ?
• Flower symbolism in A Rose for Emily
• Politics in Titus Andronicus  
• The presentation of power in Ozymandias   

🔮 Top 10 Literary Analysis Essay Topics for College

• Nature symbolism in Young Goodman Brown  
• Childhood trauma in God Help the Child  
• The consequences of Macbeth’s ambition 
• The historical context of The Scarlet Letter  
• Presentation of misery in The Chimney Sweeper
• The supernatural in The Fall of the House of Usher  
• What does Dorian Gray’s portrait represent? 
• How is the true inner self discovered in Demian ? 
• Natural beauty in I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud  
• Endurance as a theme of The Old Man and the Sea  

📜 Literary Analysis Essay Topics: Different Eras

Topics in ancient greek & roman literature.

Works of literature from Ancient Greece have a timeless quality. This is why they are still taught in schools centuries later. After thousands of years, there is little that hasn’t already been written about these works. That’s why we’ve gathered the only most outstanding topics that you will definitely find interesting:

• Justice in Plato’s The Republic . Plato is perhaps the most influential thinker in the Western World. Accordingly, writing about his powerful philosophical dialogs is a challenging task. Most teachers will assign only portions of The Republic . We suggest you write about the theme of justice, but you can choose to focus on any other aspect of the dialog.
• Determination in Sophocles’ Antigone . Antigone is one of the masterworks of the Greek playwright Sophocles. In this tale of royal succession, key themes include civil disobedience, natural and human law, and faithfulness.
• Odysseus as an atypical hero in The Odyssey . The Odyssey by Homer is considered one of the most important poems in Classic literature. Odysseus is a unique epic hero facing an unusual challenge: his goal is not to win battles but to reconnect with his family. He has to rely on his wit rather than sheer power to achieve it. In your essay, explain how Odysseus differs from other heroes in Greek mythology .
• Ethical principles in Aesop’s Fables . Aesop’s Fables represent a unique example of Ancient Greek literature. The stories written by a slave have become a cultural phenomenon centuries later. Even today, the morals of his works stay relevant.
• The influence of Greek tragedy on modern theater. Sophocles’ and Aeschylus ‘ plays can still be found in the repertoire of many theaters. Moreover, their works often serve as inspiration for contemporary playwrights.
• The tragedy of Oedipus in Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex . Oedipus is one of the best-known classic tragic heroes. In killing his father and marrying his mother, he fulfilled the prophecy of the Oracle. Through this play, Sophocles explores the themes of destiny and human flaws.
• The variety of genres in the Metamorphoses. Millennia after Ovid’s Metamorphoses were written, scholars still argue about the genre of this work. Ovid blended historical events with fiction and experimented with the tone and themes of the poem.
• The role of gods in Homer’s epic poems. In Homer’s Iliad and The Odyssey , gods often determine the outcomes of major events and change heroes’ destinies. They can become powerful allies or dangerous enemies of humans. Explore how divine interventions change the course of the story in both poems. Focus on Athene, Apollo, Aphrodite, Hera, and Poseidon.
• Cicero’s legacy in Western politics and philosophy. Cicero’s letters are widely recognized as some of the most influential works of Latin literature. John Locke , Voltaire, and Martin Luther are among the figures inspired by him. Cicero’s philosophy teaching also influenced revolutionary movements in France and America in the 17 th century.

Literary Essay Topics: 19th and 20th Century

Many great literary works in the English language were written in the golden era of the 19 th and 20 th centuries. These works, ranging from epic novels to short poems, provide insight into the themes that define the Anglophone world’s spirit.

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• The conflict between good and evil in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes . Sherlock Holmes—a character created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle—is considered the most famous fictional detective of all time. The Adventure of the Speckled Band is the favorite Holmes story of both the author and readers. Accordingly, many students choose to analyze this short story, which explores the themes of chaos.
• Lord of the Flies as an allegory of modern society. Students of all ages have read Lord of the Flies , the classic novella by William Golding that explores the dangers of groupthink, the conflicts between rationality and irrationality, and morality and immorality., the classic novella by William Golding that explores the dangers of groupthink, the conflicts between rationality and irrationality, and morality and immorality.
• The arbitrary nature of time and history in The Princess Bride . William Goldman’s The Princess Bride is such an entertaining story that it was adapted into an even more popular film. The key theme explored in this book is the power of love to conquer all.
• The theme of money and greed in The Rocking Horse Winner . D. H. Lawrence is one of the masters of 20 th -century English literature, and his short story The Rocking Horse Winner clearly demonstrates his skill. In this tale of a struggling family, the themes of money and greed are thoroughly explored as a young boy uses clairvoyance gained on a rocking horse to predict race outcomes.
• Is Of Mice and Men a classic tale of struggle? The American writer John Steinbeck captured the hardships faced by ordinary people during the Great Depression . The main recurring theme among Of Mice and Men characters is striving after dreams, often futilely, as demonstrated by them all: from George and Lennie to Candy and Curley’s wife.
• The themes of reality and fantasy in A Streetcar Named Desire . Tennessee Williams’s masterpiece A Streetcar Named Desire is perhaps the most famous American dramatic play of all time. The central theme explored in this provocative play is the contemporary dependence of women on men.
• Comparison of Ivan and Alexei in The Brothers Karamazov. The conflict between faith and doubt is arguably the central topic of Dostoevsky’s work, and The Brothers Karamazov is a perfect example of it. Alexei is a devout Orthodox Christian who believes in miracles. His brother, Ivan, rejects the concept of divine transcendence and embraces atheism.
• Charles Dickens’ ambivalent attitude towards the poor. Dickens is widely considered an advocate of the poor’s rights and social change. Indeed, many of his impoverished characters are likable. However, Dickens also believes that the poor can be dangerous to society. Some of the works you can discuss are Oliver Twist, A Tale of Two Cities , and Barnaby Rudge .
• Magic realism in One Hundred Years of Solitude . Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s masterpiece, One Hundred Years of Solitude, is written in the genre of magical realism. Marquez tells a fictional story of the Buendia family, blending daily routine with extraordinary events, effectively blurring the line between reality and fiction.
• The differences between dystopian worlds in 1984 and A Brave New World . George Orwell and Aldous Huxley wrote the two most famous dystopian novels of the 20 th century. In both of them, the government has complete control over society, which is obtained through different strategies. In your essay, you may compare the policies in 1984 and A Brave New World .
• On the Road as the landmark novel of the Beat Generation. Jack Kerouac and other members of the Beat movement challenged the typical American middle-class lifestyle in their works. On the Road embodies the main principles of their philosophy. Some of the topics to explore are freedom, spontaneity, and nonconformity.
• The role of the changing narrative in Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury . The Sound and the Fury is often praised for its experimental form. Four narrators tell the story from different perspectives and in contrasting tones. Explore how the changing narrative affects the overall perception of the novel.
• Folklore, religion, and myth in Toni Morrison’s works. Toni Morrison is widely recognized as one of the most influential contemporary Black American writers. Her works are inspired mainly by her African heritage and Western mythology. Some of the novels to explore are Beloved and Song of Solo mon .
• Expression of war experiences in American fiction. Wars in the 20 th century had a significant impact on American literature. Many writers participated in armed conflicts. Hemingway , Vonnegut, Salinger, and O’Brien are some of the authors who reflect on their war experiences in semi-autobiographic novels and short stories.

Contemporary Literature Essay Topics

Excellent books are still being written! Once in a while, your instructor may ask you to analyze a more recent work. Here are a few great books to consider for your next essay.

• The theme of overcoming obstacles and poverty in Reservation Blues . Sherman Alexie’s novel Reservation Blues tells the story of a group of young men from the Spokane Indian reservation. They obtain the enchanted guitar of a legendary bluesman. Aside from overcoming obstacles, this book explores many other themes of Native American life.
• Family obligations in Montana 1948 by Larry Watson . This novella is set in the Western American state of Montana, where a young man’s family struggles to survive. You may explore the theme of family obligations in conjunction with loyalty and justice.
• The presentation of grief in The Lovely Bones . In Alice Sebold’s The Lovely Bones , the protagonist Susie dies violently. And then, her spirit proceeds to watch over the investigation of her disappearance and her family members’ lives.
• Self-sacrifice as one of the central themes of Harry Potter . You may also want to write about any other theme of the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling. But remember: when you write about a book that was turned into a movie, make sure to actually read the book!
• Cultural and religious references in Saunders’ Lincoln in the Bardo. One of the most acclaimed novels in recent years, Lincoln in the Bardo deals with the themes of death and the afterlife. A Tibetan concept of bardo inspires Saunders’ work, but the author also borrows ideas from other cultures and religions.
• The theme of cultural assimilation in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Americanah. In her third novel, Adichie draws upon her personal experiences to tackle the issues African immigrants face when they move to the US. Explore the effects of immigration on the protagonist’s personality, views, and behavior.
• Hypocrisy as the central theme of Ian McEwan’s Amsterdam. In Amsterdam , McEwan explores the contrast between public figures’ statements and their personal lives. None of the major characters in the novel act in accordance with their ethical standards. We suggest you focus on the figures of Clive, Vernon, and Julian.
• Paul Beatty’s The Sellout : Satire on racial stereotypes. Beatty employs satire and irony to tackle some of the most pressing current issues in American society. The Sellout can be used as an encyclopedia of stereotypes associated with African Americans. Explore how the author uses literary devices to highlight their absurdity.
• Cloning ethics in Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go . In the dystopian world of Never Let Me Go , cloning is a common practice. However, clones are used only as organ donors; they are not perceived as human beings. Explain how Ishiguro uses the narrative to challenge this social norm. For example, his characters can make art and fall in love.
• Comparison of the New and Old Gods in Neil Gaiman’s American Gods. In American Gods , the narrative is based on the idea that humans created deities. The Old Gods in mythology represent the forces of nature, and The New Gods represent technologies that shape modern society. Discuss the similarities and differences between these two groups.

🖋️ Literary Analysis Essay Topics: Poetry

Many of the great works of literature are poems. Writing about them requires a special approach. Here’s a tip: don’t be afraid to quote the poem heavily and give several alternative interpretations. But first, check out this list of excellent topics:

• A real-life war experience in Crane’s War is Kind . An American poet and writer Stephen Crane wrote the acclaimed American Civil War novel The Red Badge of Courage . But not everyone knows that he also wrote a collection of poems entitled War is Kind . Through these poems, he delved deep into the themes of war and violence based on his experience in the Spanish–American and Greco–Turkish Wars.
• The theme of religion in John Donne’s sonnets. At the opposite end of the poetry spectrum, you can find the Elizabethan-era Englishman, John Donne . His works were written mainly in the form of sonnets focused on the themes of love, social criticism, death, and religion.
• Mysticism in William Butler Yeats’s poetry . The occult, spiritualism, and Irish mythology profoundly influenced Yeats’ work. Many of his poems are preoccupied with the Apocalypse, immortality of the human soul, and the spirit world. Start your research with The Second Coming and Sailing to Byzantium.
• Allusions in Edgar Allan Poe’s The Raven . The Raven is widely recognized as one of the most famous poems of all time. It contains numerous references and allusions to the Bible, folklore, and other literary works. Examine and quote Poe’s sources of inspiration.
• The meaning of The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost . Robert Frost’s poetry is often praised for his rich metaphorical language. The Road Not Taken is a quintessential piece that’s often misunderstood. In your essay, you may explore its alternative interpretations.
• The evolution of blank verse in English poetry. Blank verse emerged in English poetry in the 16 th century and has been used by some of the most influential poets since then. While its main features have remained largely unchanged, many prominent authors experimented with its form. For example, you can analyze the use of blank verse in the poetry of Shakespeare , Milton, and Wordsworth.
• Main themes and features of Beat poetry. The Beat movement played a pivotal role in the cultural processes in the post-war US. Beat poetry is characterized by rebellion, transgression, and experiments with form. Some of the authors to check out are Allen Ginsberg , Gregory Corso, Lawrence Ferlinghetti , and Gary Snyder.
• The narrator in Walt Whitman’s Song of Myself . Unlike many poets of his time, Whitman rejected the dichotomy of body and soul. In Song of Myself , the narrator represents the union of the “temporary” human body with the immortal soul. Consider exploring Whitman’s philosophy behind the notion of “self” in the poem.
• William Blake’s influence on British and American poetry and culture. Blake’s contemporaries largely disregarded his poetry. However, his influence on the later generations is hard to overestimate. His values and ideas inspired the Pre-Raphaelites, the Beat Generation, and some of the prominent figures of the American music scene, including Bob Dylan and Jim Morrison. and Jim Morrison.

🎭 Literary Analysis: Shakespeare Essay Topics

Romeo and juliet essay topics.

How many Romeo and Juliet personal responses and analysis essays have already been written? There are too many of them to count, but there’s still room for more. Romeo and Juliet essay examples can help you find a unique topic for an essay about the play. Another option is to check out top Romeo and Juliet themes below:

• How does fate affect the love plot in Romeo and Juliet ?
• Concept of contrasts in the language of the play.
• The significance of time in Romeo and Juliet
• The tragic love theme of Romeo and Juliet as a cliché for romantic fatalism
• Mercutio as a representation of loyalty
• Montagues and Capulets: the conflict between generations
• How is irony used in the play?
• The role of the family in Romeo and Juliet
• The social and historical context of the play
• Nurse’s role in the death of Romeo and Juliet

Hamlet Essay Topics

Shakespeare’s Hamlet may be the most widely assigned play in the English courses. Here are the top Hamlet essay topics worth exploring.

• The theme of disillusionment in Hamlet
• Mistreatment of women in Hamlet as a representation of misogyny in Shakespeare’s times
• How has the tragedy’s theme of madness affected modern literature?
• What role does melancholy play in Hamlet ?
• The connection between friendship and betrayal in the character of Laertes
• Comedic elements in Hamlet
• The impact of Gertrude and Claudius’ marriage on Hamlet’s revenge
• What is the symbolism of The Mousetrap play?
• The impact of introspection on Hamlet’s revenge
• Analysis of the Denmark setting in Hamlet

Macbeth Essay Topics

Shakespeare’s Macbeth is the last (and shortest) of the three big Shakespearean plays every high school student reads before graduation. Like the rest of William Shakespeare’s tragedies, it is full of meaningful themes that can serve as topics for literary analysis essays.

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• The corrupting influence of ambition in Macbeth
• Supernatural elements in Macbeth
• The impact of loyalty and betrayal on the plot
• What does sleep symbolize in the play?
• Why is Macbeth a victim of fate?
• The role of darkness as a setting in Macbeth
• Is blood a symbol of guilt in Macbeth ?
• The causes of Macbeth’s mental deterioration
• The impact of Macbeth’s hallucinations on his character development
• Minor characters’ contributions to the play’s action

Shakespeare wrote many more plays beyond the big three listed above. Here are a few more topics and works that show the range of the Bard.

• The theme of madness in King Lear . Shakespeare’s King Lear is one of the longest works by the Bard. Many actors feel that the title role is one of the most challenging available for an actor because of the character’s gradual descent into madness. Accordingly, “madness” is perhaps the best topic related to this play.
• The presentation of love and adoration in Sonnet 18 . Shakespeare’s sonnets make excellent essay topics because they are so concise but rich in meaning. Love and devotion, which are expressed in Sonnet 18 and throughout his other sonnets, serve as great critical analysis essay topics.
• The theme of the crown in Shakespeare’s Henry IV
• Sexuality, sensuality, and spirituality in William Shakespeare’s sonnets
• Ambition in Hamlet and Macbeth : choices of men and women characters
• The use of disguise in The Twelfth Night
• Different faces of love in Shakespeare’s sonnets and plays
• Appearance as the most potent disguise in Shakespeare’s plays
• The use of satire in William Shakespeare’s comedies and tragedies
• The line between acting and real life in Hamlet
• Parallels between Shakespeare’s King Lear and Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex
• The use of allusion in The Tempest
• The complexity of the female character in Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra
• Archetypal female characters in Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets
• William Shakespeare’s authorship: style, vocabulary, themes, and dates
• The role of Shakespeare in the world of literature
• How does William Shakespeare use the meter in his plays?
• The depiction of the supernatural in Macbeth , The Tempest , and A Midsummer Night’s Dream
• The theme of race and ethnicity in Othello
• Personal identity in Hamlet and Henry IV

By the way, you can find all of Shakespeare’s works on our website for free.

📚 English Literature Essay Topics: Different Authors

Some can find it easier to focus on particular authors and their works. Are you one of them? Here are possible topics for those who like traditional approaches.

Literary Analysis Essay Topics: Geoffrey Chaucer

• Chaucer’s works of the French and Italian periods
• Primary themes and motifs in Troilus and Criseyde
• Women’s virtues, as seen by Chaucer and his contemporaries
• Gender: conventions and innovations in Geoffrey Chaucer’s works
• Chaucer’s role in the development of a heroic couplet
• Chaucer’s use of the vernacular language: nobility and nation
• Religious morals in The Canterbury Tales
• The roots of class conflict in The Canterbury Tales
• Chaucer’s influence on modern English dialects
• The critique of clergy in The Canterbury Tales
• The influence of medieval Italian poetry on Chaucer’s work
• Central themes in Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Book of the Duchess
• The comparison of Chaucer’s Troilus and Criseyde and Shakespeare’s Troilus and Cressida
• Elements of comedy in The Canterbury Tales
• Chaucer as a pioneer of rhyme royal in English poetry
• Chaucer’s primary sources of inspiration in Roman poetry: Ovid and Virgil
• The depiction of the middle class in The Canterbury Tales

Literary Essay Topics on John Keats

• Different shapes of death in John Keats’s works
• What was wrong with Keats’s Otho the Great ?
• Byron’s influence on Keats’s style and themes
• The uniqueness of John Keats’ imagery
• Keats’s letters and their influence on the English literature
• Greek classics as a source of inspiration for Keats
• Keats’ stance on social and political issues of his time
• The importance of nature in Keats’ odes
• The themes of melancholy and isolation in Keats’ poetry
• Keats’ perception of art and its role in Ode on a Grecian Urn
• The polemics on Keats’ statement “Beauty is truth”
• The values of Romanticism in Keats’ poetry
• Keats’ concept of negative capability and its examples in his poetry
• The differences between the Romantic poetry of Keats and Coleridge
• Keats’ attitude towards Christianity and pagan mythology

Literature Essay Topics on Oscar Wilde

• A perfect wife as depicted in An Ideal Husband
• The Picture of Dorian Gray as the aesthete’s manifesto
• Wilde’s essential inspirations and the development of his views
• The Picture of Dorian Gray : will beauty save the world?
• Oscar Wilde’s personal traits in his characters
• The Picture of Dorian Gray : Lord Henry’s morality or immorality
• Irony, sarcasm, and satire in Oscar Wilde’s works
• The use of metaphors in The Ballad of Reading Gaol
• The Picture of Dorian Gray : was the young man innocent?
• Conventions and innovations in Oscar Wilde’s fairy stories
• Oscar Wilde as the most celebrated master of paradox
• Play on words in Oscar Wilde’s major works
• Christian theme in De Profundis
• The Importance of Being Earnest as the critique of Victorian society
• The role of the Dance of the Seven Veils in Wilde’s Salome
• Wilde’s aesthetic philosophy in his essay The Critic as Artist
• The Soul of Man under Socialism : an expression of Wilde’s political views
• Wilde as one of the key figures of the Decadent movement
• Women characters in Oscar Wilde’s comedies
• The theme of sacrifice in Wilde’s short stories
• The dichotomy of body and soul in The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Fisherman and His Soul
• The recurring motifs in Oscar Wilde’s comedies

George Orwell Literary Analysis Essay Topics

• Orwell’s imagery in the depiction of totalitarian regimes
• George Orwell’s background: inspirations for themes and symbols
• Orwell’s views on the English language and literature
• The historical context of 1984 and Animal Farm
• The role of the media in Orwell’s characters’ lives
• The character of the Big Brother in 1984
• Naturalism and imagery in The Road to Wigan Pier
• Why was Animal Farm regarded as controversial in the 1950s?
• Orwell’s religious views in Lear, Tolstoy, and the Fool
• Winston Smith’s journey to freedom in 1984

💡 Literary Analysis Topics in Non-Fiction

The world of literature goes far beyond William Shakespeare and fiction in general. Here is a bunch of more literary analysis paper topics for other great works of literature that deal with real-life events.

• Religious faith and dehumanization in Night . Elie Wiesel’s classic memoir of the Holocaust is a difficult book for many students to read. And yet, you may need to write a Night by Elie Wiesel essay at some point. Religion and dehumanization are prominent themes that can serve as great topics.
• The power of nature in Jon Krakauer’s Into the Wild . The story chronicles the journey of 22-year-old Christopher McCandless from modern society into a 2-year trip in the wilderness of the western United States. This work of non-fiction explores the themes of escape, community, and the power of nature. (Warning: things do not end well for McCandless along the Stampede Trail of Alaska.)
• Why We Can’t Wait by Martin Luther King as a source of inspiration for modern politicians and activists. Based on his Letter from Birmingham Jail , MLK’s Why We Can’t Wait is a study of the origins of the civil rights movement in the US. Analyze how activists and politicians can use ideas from this book in the 21 st century.
• The themes of religion and technological progress in The Education of Henry Adams. In his autobiography, Henry Adams explores the influence of religion and technological progress on society. In the industrial world, technology has become a new religion. You may contrast and compare technological and religious societies in Adams’ work.
• The banality of evil in Hannah Arendt’s Eichmann in Jerusalem. Hannah Arendt offers an original perspective on the nature of war crimes. According to her, ordinary people are capable of the most terrible deeds under specific circumstances. In your essay, explore Arendt’s concept of “the banality of evil.”
• The role of photography in modern society, according to Susan Sontag. In her book On Photography , Susan Sontag explores how the role of this medium has been changing throughout the 20 th century. Analyze her arguments to establish the relationship between photography and political and social processes.
• A Room of One’s Own as a manifesto of women’s literature. A Room of One’s Own reflects the women’s position in the literary scene. Woolf concludes that women’s writing capabilities match those of men. However, they often fail to reach their full potential because of the flawed structure of a male-dominated society.
• Haruki Murakami’s Underground: a study of Japanese society. For Underground , Murakami conducted a series of interviews after the terrorist attack on the Tokyo subway. Rather than focusing on the act itself, the author uses this opportunity to explore the social issues that plague Japanese society.
• T. S. Eliot’s literary criticism and views on poetry. T. S. Eliot is one of the most important literary critics and theorists of the early 20 th century. His theories and arguments have largely shaped the New Criticism movement in literature. Analyze the ideas expressed in Tradition and the Individual Talent and Hamlet and His Problems .

⭐ Literary Analysis Topics: Other Ideas

Literary essays don’t have to be devoted to analyzing a particular work. They may also include textual analysis essays, literary interpretations, critical response essays, and topic analyses. Here are some excellent options for you to consider:

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• Character development of various protagonists. You may write an analytical essay describing and interpreting changes in the central characters of different novels. Try to be precise, provide examples, and prove the significance of these changes. You can consider the development of Soames in The Forsyte Saga or the title character in David Copperfield .
• Context analysis of a historical period. Your analysis paper can be devoted to the settings of the short story, play, poem, or novel. Make emphasis on the role of the context in explaining the characters and the key ideas. For example, you can explore the wartime setting in Gone with the Wind .
• Analysis of genre conventions. Another good choice is to dwell upon the practices used by various authors belonging to the same literary genre. You can write a critical essay about a realistic, romantic, gothic , or any other kind of novel and the author’s ability to meet or challenge genre expectations.
• The impact of an author’s life on their legacy. The background of a novelist, short-story writer, poet, or playwright may also be of great interest to the reader. However, it is not enough to narrate the author’s life: you must be able to connect it with their style and themes. The most demonstrative analysis examples may include Henry Miller, Ernest Hemingway , and Lord Byron.
• Comparative analysis of two authors . It is also a good idea to compare several authors. A critical evaluation essay may estimate their impact on the development of their genre. If these authors come from different backgrounds, it is also possible to evaluate how the culture they belonged to made a difference. For example, write about Dickens vs. Thackeray or Joyce vs. Woolf.
• Comparative analysis of two texts . If you don’t want to compare authors, you may try comparing two literary works on the same topic or belonging to the same epoch or genre. For example, try analyzing the similarities and differences between Canterbury Tales and Decameron .
• Analysis of a literary work’s structure. Analysis topics may include the stream-of-consciousness technique, theater of the absurd, etc. The idea is to show how new expressive means transformed the traditional approach to plot building and character development.
• The role of irony in short stories. If you are to analyze a short story, you may describe how the author uses irony to communicate their message. Show how it creates meaning and what underlies it. Numerous authors employ irony as the major tool in their short stories, including Jerome K. Jerome and Salinger.
• Analyzing the climax in a novel. Describing how the author builds the plot to reach the culmination is a good option for a novel critical analysis essay. Track how the tension is created and how it is released when the climax is reached. For example, you can try analyzing the climax in To Kill a Mockingbird .
• Mood expression in a novel of your choice. Your essay may investigate how the vocabulary and grammar chosen by an author contribute to the text’s atmosphere. You can consider analyzing Lolita or Sons and Lovers .
• The role of dialogue in plays. Your critical paper may highlight what means the playwright uses to make the characters’ speech expressive. For example, examine Oscar Wilde’s plays or Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot .
• Stage directions in plays. You may also want to pay attention to the importance of the author’s notes and scene directions in a play. They are particularly crucial in modern drama. Consider analyzing Beckett’s Waiting for Godot or Shaw’s Heartbreak House.
• The use of allegory in poems. It’s an excellent topic for poem analysis. You can suggest your own literary interpretation of an allegory or consider why the author opted for this device. For example, consider analyzing the allegories in Vision of Judgement .
• An open ending in a novel. Suppose the work under analysis doesn’t have a conflict resolution. In that case, your critical evaluation essay can give arguments for the author’s choice and interpret its meaning and possible continuation scenarios. For example, you may analyze an open ending in Joyce’s Finnegans Wake.
• Comparison of critical opinions on a novel. If the piece you have read ranks among the best-known works in the world, it would be a good idea to compare literary criticism examples related to this work. You may select two different critics and juxtapose their views. For example, try comparing critical opinions on Mrs. Dalloway .
• Analyzing side characters in literary works. If your task is to analyze a character, it doesn’t necessarily mean you should write about a protagonist. A more creative approach would be to pick a static character that doesn’t go through any transformations throughout the book and suggest why the author made them this way. One option is to write about side characters in Vanity Fair .
• The narrative voice in novels. It can be challenging yet enjoyable to describe the narrative voice and focalization techniques that help the reader see the events in a certain way. It is especially complicated when a text has several points of view. For example, you may choose to analyze the narrative voice in Faulkner’s Absalom! Absalom! or As I Lay Dying .
• The narrators in literature. The previous topic can be narrowed: you can take a work written from a first-person point of view and draw parallels between the author and the main character. For example, you can consider writing about the narrator in Moby Dick .
• The cultural background of Dumas’ novels. In the case of historical novels, an analytical paragraph may be devoted to the historical and cultural background. Any of Alexandre Dumas’ novels, such as The Three Musketeers , may serve as perfect literature examples to write about.
• Imagery used by various poets. You can analyze specific images that poets use in their works. For example, try analyzing how Walt Whitman uses industrial imagery in his works.

Profound Literary Analysis Topics in Women’s Literature

Literary analysis on the topics of gender and women in society is critical to understanding the modern world. Here are a few powerful essay topics in this area.

• The disruption of traditional gender roles in The Color Purple . According to New Republic, this National Book Award-winning work is considered a cultural touchstone for African American women . It features many heavy themes, such as sexism and racism. Keep in mind that this book is not for the faint of heart.
• The themes of family and generational differences in Alice Walker’s short story Everyday Use . The short story is about heirloom possessions passed down from one generation of women to another.
• Social standing and wealth as the two key themes in Pride and Prejudice . The protagonist of this book, Elizabeth Bennet, must choose between two suitors. One is an amiable man. The other is better established in society but has a colder personality.
• Marriage and social status in Emma . Emma is the tale of a young woman less interested in securing her own marriage than her sisters. You can analyze the constraints placed upon women in 17 th -century society as reflected in this book.
• Women’s role in society and gender roles according to The Great Lawsuit . The Great Lawsuit is often considered one of the most important early feminist works. The author, Margaret Fuller, argues that gender equality is a crucial aspect of a progressive society. She describes an ideal relationship between a man and a woman as an intellectual companionship.
• Dystopia and feminism in A Handmaid’s Tale . In A Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood describes a world where women’s societal role is reduced to producing children. This work largely follows the traditions of classic dystopian novels written by Orwell and Huxley. Explore how the presence of the feminist discourse makes Atwood’s work stand out.
• Gertrude Stein’s experiments with form and style. Gertrude Stein’s work is notable for her distinctive avant-garde style. Stein was an avid art collector, and trends in visual arts influenced her writings. Her narratives are characterized by the original use of tenses, repetitions, and archaisms.
• The stream of consciousness in Virginia Woolf’s work . Virginia Woolf was one of the first writers to systematically use the stream of consciousness in her works. The narratives of her novels, such as Mrs. Dalloway and To the Lighthouse, are rooted in the descriptions of characters’ emotions and thoughts.
• Political writings of Mercy Otis Warren. Mercy Otis Warren is famous for her political poems and plays written during the American Revolution. Explain how she used political satire to criticize the British rule. Start your research with the plays The Adulateur, The Defeat, and The Group .
• Gender inequality in Jane Eyre . Widely recognized as one of the most successful works of women’s literature, Jane Eyre was a revolutionary novel for its time. It depicts the struggles of women in their fight for independence and equality in patriarchal Victorian society .
• The blend of fiction and reality in The Yellow Wallpaper. Charlotte Perkins Gilman wrote The Yellow Wallpaper to document the trauma and stress she had experienced due to “rest therapy” prescribed to her by a psychiatrist. Back then, women suffering from depression were discouraged from any intellectual activity, as it was thought that “domestic life” would benefit them. In Gilman’s story, this treatment ultimately drives the protagonist to insanity.
• Cleopatra in literature: from Geoffrey Chaucer to Margaret George
• The depiction of Eve in Milton’s Paradise Lost
• Archetypical female and male characters in Beowulf
• Emmy’s submissiveness and Rebecca’s quick-wittedness in Vanity Fair
• William Makepeace Thackeray’s Becky Sharp as an antihero
• Becky Sharp as seen by Thackeray’s contemporaries and modern readers
• Women empowerment and independence in Jane Austen’s novels
• Women’s love and death: Shakespeare’s Ophelia and Wilde’s Sibyl
• A Room of One’s Own : a woman’s manifesto still relevant now
• First female voices in the Middle Ages: Aelia Eudocia Augusta
• The Brontë sisters: Lady writers who broke the rules
• Gender roles as depicted by Maugham in Theatre
• This is the woman’s world: feminist utopias and dystopias
• Female writers: themes explored in the 1910s vs. 2010s
• Women characters’ virtues and vices in the 19th century
• Women of color: themes of violence, discrimination, and empowerment
• A Doll’s House as seen by Ibsen’s contemporaries
• Is Ibsen’s A Doll’s House still relevant today?
• Beauty standards as women’s oppression in The Bluest Eye
• The complexity of the mother-daughter relationship in Tony Morrison’s Beloved
• The evolvement of masculinity from medieval to postmodern literature
• Masculinity in The Garden of Eden by Ernest Hemingway
• Masculinity, identity, and queerness in Tennessee Williams’s works
• Gender roles in utopias and dystopias: More and Huxley
• Sexuality and gender stereotypes in Williams’s A Streetcar Named Desire
• Charles Dickens’s depiction of aging men and women
• Fairy tales as sources of gender stereotypes

Powerful Literary Analysis Topics within the Subject of Race

• Colonialism in J. M. Coetzee’s Waiting for the Barbarians . A short Waiting for the Barbarians summary should capture the narrative of the escalation of tensions between a fictional colonial town and its surrounding indigenous population. When the protagonist helps a native woman, he begins to doubt the humanity of colonialism.
• The portrayal of racism in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness . Heart of Darkness is the chilling tale of young Marlow’s voyage up the Congo River. There he meets the wicked ivory trader Kurtz. The book explores the themes of imperialism and racism. It also questions the civility of Western society over supposedly “savage” indigenous people.
• The conflict between man and nature in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn . Mark Twain is one of the greatest American writers and satirists. But his masterpiece The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn delved into themes that would make some of the most serious literary analysis essay topics, such as the theme of freedom vs. slavery.
• The theme of prejudice in To Kill a Mockingbird . Harper Lee’s novel was an instant classic upon release. To Kill a Mockingbird is set in the American South, and, like many books by Southern authors, it explores the themes of race and justice.
• Anti-slavery narrative and racist stereotypes in Uncle Tom’s Cabin . Uncle Tom’s Cabin was one of the first universally acclaimed novels to tackle slavery. However, it is often criticized for its stereotypical portrayal of Black characters. Hence, it remains one of the most controversial pieces of American literature.
• De Bois’ The Souls of Black Folk as the precursor of the Civil Rights movement. De Bois’ essays have largely laid the groundwork for the campaigns for racial equality in the 20 th century. He argued that African Americans deserved fundamental rights the White population had: voting, getting a higher education, and being treated fairly according to the law.
• The notion of Black pride in A Raisin in the Sun . Lorraine Hansberry’s famous play touches upon topics of racial identity and pride inspired by real events. A Black family wants to purchase a house in a White neighborhood, but they are dissuaded from buying it. Eventually, they refuse to accept the buyout offer and move to their new place as planned.
• Jefferson as a folk hero in A Lesson Before Dying . In A Lesson Before Dying , Ernest J. Gaines tells a story of a young Black man wrongfully accused of murder. Treated by White people as a sub-human, Jefferson completely loses his self-esteem at some point. However, with the help of a local Black teacher, he regains his pride and meets death with dignity. Explain how Jefferson’s transformation makes him a folk hero.
• The impact of discriminatory laws on the life of African Americans in Fences. August Wilson’s Fences explores how discriminatory laws and attitudes defined the life of African Americans before the Civil Rights Movement. The protagonist, Troy Maxson, is a talented baseball player whose life is ruined because he didn’t get a chance to play in the professional league due to racial restrictions.
• Internalized racism in Morrison’s Song of Solomon . In her book Song of Solomon , Toni Morrison explores the issue of internalized racism. Hagar and Macon Dead are the characters to study. Macon Dead, a Black entrepreneur, hates people of color and wants to leave his community. Hagar envies women with a lighter skin tone, as she sees them as superior to her.
• I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings : A story of hatred and trauma. Maya Angelou is renowned for her autobiographical novels dealing with challenging topics like racism, trauma, and violence. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings addresses the issues she faced growing up as a Black child in a White neighborhood.

Death-Related Literature Essay Topics

• Death in works of dying writers: Keats and Blake
• Death in Milton’s poetry: imagery and symbols
• Emily Dickinson’s fascination with decay, degradation, and death
• John Keats’s and William Shakespeare’s depictions of death
• Views on death in the Renaissance literature
• Murder and suicide in Shakespeare’s tragedies Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet
• Depictions of death in Postmodernist literature
• Aging as seen in medieval , Renaissance, and Postmodernist literature
• Death and decay in Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray
• Love, life, and death in Huxley’s dystopian society
• Murder in John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men
• Herman Melville’s Moby Dick : The concepts of life and death
• Simon’s death in William Golding’s Lord of the Flies
• Kate Chopin’s ironic take on death in The Story of an Hour
• Seneca’s life and philosophy: Death as liberation
• The role of death in existentialism
• The theme of death in Ernest Hemingway’s works
• The depiction of heaven and hell in Richard Matheson’s What Dreams May Come
• The concept of free death in Friedrich Nietzsche’s philosophy
• Gothic writers’ fascination with death
• Hades : The realm of the dead in Greek mythology

Literary Analysis Essay Topics: Man and Nature

• Dehumanizing nature: Robinson Crusoe and Lord of the Flies
• Struggles with nature: Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe and Paulsen’s Hatchet
• Nature’s wonders and dangers in Emily Dickenson’s works
• Natural forces: from Homer to H. G. Wells
• Power of natural forces in William Shakespeare’s The Tempest
• The depiction of nature in Fears in Solitude by Coleridge
• William Wordsworth’s poetic language and symbols used to describe nature
• Nature in Brave New World : urban and rural settings
• Nature in post-apocalyptic novels: decay and revival
• The role of nature in Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings
• The conflict between man and nature in Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea
• Post-apocalyptic fiction as the critique of industrial society
• Environmentalism in Ursula Le Guin’s works
• Personal life and climate change in Barbara Kingsolver’s Flight Behavior
• The role of nature in John Steinbeck’s East of Eden
• The emergence of eco-fiction—a new genre in world literature
• Nature in Romanticism: Comparison of Shelley’s, Wordsworth’s, and Keats’ poetry
• Natty Bumppo’s and Judge Temple’s conflicting views on nature in James Fenimore Cooper’s The Pioneers
• The impact of country life on the character development in Cormac McCarthy’s All the Pretty Horses

Literary Essay Topics on Religion

• Religious influences: biblical themes and allusions in Beowulf
• Religion as another burden in The Bluest Eye
• Views on religious conventions in Milton’s Paradise Lost
• Jonathan Swift’s satirical view of religions in Gulliver’s Travels
• The role of religion in Charles Dickens’s works
• The evolvement of religious beliefs in John Dryden’s works
• Religious controversies as depicted in John Milton’s Paradise Lost
• A spiritual journey in Thomas Hardy’s Jude the Obscure
• Biblical references in Herman Melville’s Moby Dick
• Alternative narrative of the Biblical events in Mikhail Bulgakov’s The Master and Margarita
• The meaning of Friedrich Nietzsche’s statement “God is Dead”
• Billy’s Christian values in Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five
• The figure of Moses in Biblical and Quranic narratives
• Influence of The Pilgrim’s Progress on British and American literature
• Buddhist and Hindu motives in Herman Hesse’s Siddhartha
• Immanuel Kant’s critique of the arguments for the existence of God and his discussion of morality
• Søren Kierkegaard’s critique of Christianity
• Christian narratives and metaphors in C.S. Lewis’ works

Literary Analysis Topics: Justice and Judgment

• The Hunchback of Notre Dame : who was the monster?
• Justice and judgment in To Kill a Mockingbird
• The role of judgment in Jane Austen’s novels
• Judgment in Toni Morrison’s God Help the Child
• A view of justice in John Milton’s Paradise Lost
• Justice in dystopian novels: works of Orwell and Huxley
• Judgment and guilt in Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter
• The difference between justice and revenge in Aeschylus Oresteia
• The genre of legal thriller in American literature
• The themes of guilt, responsibility, and punishment in Bernhard Schlink’s The Reader
• Justice and judgment in Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment
• Courtroom drama in American and British literature
• Behavior modification experiment as an alternative to a prison sentence in Anthony Burgess’ A Clockwork Orange
• Jeremy Bentham’s concept of panopticon prison and its critique in the works of other authors
• Michel Foucault’s critique of the Western penal system
• The role of the judgment of Paris in the Trojan War according to Greek mythology
• Depiction of racial injustice in the works of African American authors

Literature Essay Topics on Good & Evil

• A dichotomy of good and evil in the Middle Ages
• Monsters and heroes in Beowulf : Beowulf, Hrothgar, Grendel
• Wilde’s aesthetics: ugly is worse than evil
• John Milton’s Satan : the good, the bad, and the beautiful
• Victorian literary tradition: societal norms and personal happiness
• Villains in the 19 th – and 20 th -century literary works
• The good and the bad: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
• Evil forces of death in The Fall of the House of Usher
• Presentation of good and evil in The Tempest characters
• The contrast between Thrushcross Grange and Wuthering Heights
• Young Goodman Brown : a conflict between morality and temptation
• The Creature and the humans in Frankenstein

Literary Analysis Essay Topics on War & Peace

• Depiction of war in Shakespeare’s plays
• The war between archangels and demons in Paradise Lost
• War in Brecht’s Mother Courage and Her Children
• War and peace in George Orwell’s 1984
• Margaret Mitchell’s and Toni Morrison’s views on the Civil War
• War as a part of human nature in Faulkner’s A Fable
• Steinbeck’s exploration of injustice in The Grapes of Wrath
• Wrongs of the modern society in Palahniuk’s Fight Club
• The themes of war and nationality in Michael Ondaatje’s The English Patient
• The Civil War as the background for Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women
• Main themes in Erich Maria Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front
• Depiction of war in Alexandre Dumas’ historical novels
• The Cold War in John Le Carre’s novels
• The political context of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible : The Cold War and McCarthyism
• Depiction of war in children’s fiction
• Leo Tolstoy’s views on history in War and Peace
• Anti-militarism in Ernest Hemingway’s Farewell to Arms
• Literature as a tool of cultural influence during the Cold War: The case of Boris Pasternak’s Doctor Zhivago

Literary Essay Topics on Vices on the Society

• Thackeray: the culture of the 19th century as Vanity Fair
• Dickens’s perspectives concerning social injustice in Oliver Twist
• Ethnicity, discrimination, and identity in Orwell’s Burmese Days
• Vices of totalitarian societies in George Orwell’s 1984
• Injustice, torture, and dehumanization in Elie Wiesel’s Night
• Vices of society in Francis Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby
• J’Accuse: Emile Zola’s letter as critique of antisemitism and corruption
• The emergence of transgressive fiction as a protest against conventional society
• Critique of consumer society in Aldous Huxley’s A Brave New World
• Social satire and political commentary in Harold Pinter’s later plays
• Ray Bradbury’s science fiction as a means of social criticism
• The emergence of dystopia: Evgeny Zamyatin’s We
• Arthur Koestler’s Darkness at Noon as a critique of the totalitarian society
• Claudius as an embodiment of human vices in Robert Graves’ I, Claudius
• Geoffrey Chaucer’s critique of the wrongs of society in The Canterbury Tales

Interesting Literature Topics to Analyze: Literary Influences

• Percy Bysshe Shelley’s interpretation of the Prometheus myth
• William Shakespeare’s borrowings from ancient Greek writings and myths
• Myths as a source of inspiration for Byron and Keats
• Virginia Wolf’s fascination with Greek literature and Hellenism
• James Joyce’s interpretation and use of Homer’s The Odyssey
• Salome : Oscar Wilde’s retelling of a biblical story
• John Milton’s exploration and interpretation of a biblical story
• The influence of Keats’ Ode to a Nightingale on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s works
• Biblical motifs in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
• Don Quixote as an inspiration for Dostoyevsky’s The Idiot
• Beowulf ’s impact on J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit
• Shakespearean myths in Moby-Dick by Herman Melville

Literature Essay Topics: Various Genres

• The evolution of horror fiction: from Mary Shelley to Stephen King
• The place of fantasy in the modern literature
• Why have fantasy novels gained such popularity today?
• Fantasy novels by Tolkien and Martin: styles, imagery, themes
• Major elements of modern fantasy novels and stories
• The origins of fantasy fiction: the earliest works
• The evolution of adventure fiction: from Homer to Fleming
• Horror fiction: Stoker’s Dracula vs. Shelley’s Frankenstein
• Theologus Autodidactus as an example of science fiction
• Merging scientific and poetic elements in science fiction poetry
• Comparing tragicomedies of Ancient Greece and 20th-century Europe
• Significant features of a tragicomedy in postmodernist and metamodernist writings
• Primary components of a coming-of-age novel: female and male perspectives
• Elements of the coming-of-age novel in London’s Martin Eden
• Satire in contemporary British and American literature
• Satire or cynical humor: exploring Bierce’s The Devil’s Dictionary
• Literary devices in naturalistic writing: Emile Zola’s approach
• Elements of an antinovel in Laurence Sterne’s Tristram Shandy
• Early examples of short stories: Charles Dickens’s style
• Timeframes and symbols in Jonathan Nolan’s Memento Mori
• Dystopian fiction in the 20th and 21st centuries
• Coming-of-age novel or American dream novel: The Great Gatsby
• The role of education and the media in dystopias
• Crime fiction: is it pulp reading or high literature?
• The suspense in Agatha Christies’ and Arthur Conan Doyle’s writings
• The vampire in the 19th-century and 21st-century literature

Literary Topics: Uncommon Themes in Literature

• Allegory and choice of animals in Orwell’s Animal Farm
• Allegories in Faulkner’s A Rose for Emily
• Multiculturalism and allusions in Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon
• Faulkner’s metaphors in The Sound and the Fury
• Imagery in Edgar Allan Poe’s famous poem The Raven
• Music and enigma in The Raven
• The role of personification in William Blake’s poetry
• Comparing Ancient Greek and William Shakespeare’s iambic pentameter
• The function of trochaic meter in Shakespeare’s works
• Symbolism and imagery in William Blake’s poem Ah Sunflower
• Symbols and metaphors in The Picture of Dorian Gray
• Flower symbolism in D.H. Lawrence Odour of Chrysanthemums
• Color as a symbol of Morrison’s God Help the Child
• Symbolism in Le Guin’s The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas
• Satire in Absalom and Achitophel by John Dryden
• Jane Austen’s personal traits in the narrator of Persuasion
• Early forms of the stream of consciousness: Jane Austen’s style
• Epistolary novels: works of Bram Stocker and Mary Shelley
• Slave’s narrative in Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon
• Peculiarities of addressing the reader in Shakespeare’s sonnets
• Virginia Wolf’s stream of consciousness: narration or confession?
• The narrator in Somerset Maugham’s Of Human Bondage
• Authorial intrusion as a way to entice readers

🖊️ Literary Analysis Prompts: Top 21

We’ve gathered a total of 21 excellent literary analysis prompts for you. They cover a wide variety of genres and epochs, so you’ll surely find something that suits your needs. Check them out to gain inspiration for your assignment or project!

The Cask of Amontillado Literary Analysis Prompt

• The central theme of The Cask of Amontillado is revenge. In your essay, you can analyze how suspense contributes to the revenge plot.
• You may also explore the story’s tone and how it helps to build tension.
• Alternatively, you can focus on the Gothic elements and their impact on the story’s atmosphere.

A Rose for Emily Literary Analysis Prompt

• There are several important symbols in A Rose for Emily , such as a strand of hair, Emily’s house, or the ticking watch. You can dive deeper into their meaning and significance.
• You may also focus on the story’s themes. They include death and conflict between generations.
• Try analyzing literary devices Faulkner uses, including metaphors, irony, and personification. How do they contribute to the story’s mood?

The Story of an Hour Literary Analysis Prompt

• One of the central themes featured in The Story of an Hour is freedom. Analyze what kind of freedom is discussed and how free the main character really is.
• You may also explore Kate Chopin’s writing style. For example, focus on how irony complements the story’s plot and tone.
• Another aspect that you can focus on is symbolism . Notable examples include time, death, and heart trouble.

Tell-Tale Heart Literary Analysis Prompt

• Analyze why Edgar Allan Poe chose to tell the story in the first person. How does it contribute to the gloomy tone?
• Or, you may focus on the story’s themes : guilt, confinement, and mental health. How are they represented?
• Finally, you can examine the symbols in Tell-Tale Heart , such as the house, the bed, the bedroom, and the eye. Try to find out the meaning behind them.

Fahrenheit 451 Literary Analysis Prompt

• Explore the use of animal imagery and the lack of nature descriptions in the novel.
• You can also focus on the harmful effect of technology and its contribution to the dystopian world of Fahrenheit 451 .
• The story’s central theme is censorship vs. freedom of speech. You may explore this conflict in your essay.

Prompt for a Literary Analysis of The Canterbury Tales

• Analyze the themes of The Canterbury Tales . These include deceit, the church’s corruption, and the importance of company.
• Focus on examining the writing style. Try to find out how it contributes to the tales’ tone and atmosphere.
• You may also explore the symbols, such as clothing, appearance, and spring. If you’re curious about this literary work, check out our article on the symbols in The Canterbury Tales .

Prompt for a Literary Analysis of Barn Burning

• Consider examining the conflict between loyalty to one’s family and obedience to the law.
• Focus on analyzing the symbols of Barn Burning , such as the soiled egg and fire.
• You can also explore the role of darkness in the story. Dive deeper into its contribution to the tone of Barn Burning .

Make sure to check out our Barn Burning study guide to learn more facts about the story.

Death of a Salesman Literary Analysis Prompt

• Examine how the author covers the American dream theme in Death of a Salesman . What is the characters’ interpretation of the American dream?
• You can also try analyzing the symbols in the play, such as diamonds, seeds, the rubber hose, and Linda’s stockings.
• You may also focus on exploring the mythological figures connected with the story. Dive deeper into the comparisons to the Greek gods, such as Hercules and Adonis.

Want to know more? Check out our Death of a Salesman study guide .

Frankenstein Literary Analysis Essay Prompt

• In your essay, you can focus on the symbols of Frankenstein , such as darkness and fire. Why are they important?
• Another aspect you can concentrate on is the point of view. Mary Shelley writes from the perspective of 3 different characters. What does it help to achieve?
• You can also explore the novel’s themes: sublime nature, family, creation, and dangerous knowledge. Check out our article on the themes in Frankenstein to learn more about them.

Hamlet Literary Analysis Essay Prompt

• There are numerous themes in Hamlet that you can examine in your essay, including revenge, the supernatural, death, corruption, and politics.
• You can also focus on the symbols of the story and their significance. They include Hamlet’s dark clothes, the skull , and the weather.
• One of the motifs in Hamlet is misogyny. You can analyze its representation in the play.

To understand the play better, check out our Hamlet study guide .

Prompt for a Literary Analysis of Night by Elie Wiesel

• One of the themes of Night is silence. You can explore why it is important and what it represents.
• You can also focus on the symbolism of night and fire . Try to find out the meaning behind them.
• Consider analyzing the characters in the novel and their actions in dramatic situations. Check out our article on characters in Night to learn more.

Othello Literary Analysis Prompt

• One of the central themes of Othello is isolation and its dangers. Examine how it is portrayed.
• Another theme you can analyze is that of justice. Try focusing on how the characters are driven by the desire to do always the right thing.
• Consider exploring the famous metaphors from the play, such as jealousy being a “green-eyed monster.”

If you want to understand this literary work better, make sure to check out our Othello study guide .

Pride and Prejudice Literary Analysis Prompt

• When it comes to the themes in Pride and Prejudice , you can focus on integrity, love, family, gender, class, and reputation.
• Another central theme of the novel is marriage. Discuss the importance of marriage and its connection to social status and money.
• In your essay, you can elaborate on the symbolism of dancing and its significance.

Don’t forget to check out our study guide on Pride and Prejudice to learn more about the novel’s elements.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Literary Analysis Prompt

• Consider analyzing the motifs of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight : games, the color green, and the seasons.
• Apart from the motifs, you can also examine the themes of nature, chivalry, Christianity, courtesy, and truth. To learn more about them, check out our article on the themes of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight .
• Finally, you may explore the symbolism of the green girdle. It’s an essential element of the poem and deserves special attention.

The Great Gatsby Literary Analysis Essay Prompt

• One of the most popular symbols of The Great Gatsby is the green light. You can focus on exploring its iconic status in world literature.
• One of the central themes of The Great Gatsby is the American dream . Analyze how it is portrayed and the author’s attitude to it.
• Another idea for an essay is to write about the novel’s characters: Jay Gatsby, Nick Carraway, the Buchanans, and others. Make sure to read our article on The Great Gatsby characters to understand them better.

The Lottery Literary Analysis Prompt

• What role do family ties play in The Lottery ? You can dive deeper into this motif and analyze its meaning and importance.
• Another central theme of The Lottery is tradition. Your essay can focus on how dangerous it is to follow conventional practices blindly.
• There are several symbols in the story, but the lottery itself is the key one. You can explore what it represents. And don’t forget to check out our analysis of The Lottery to learn more.

Kafka’s Metamorphosis Literary Analysis Prompt

• One of the major themes of Metamorphosis is psychological distance. You can analyze how the main character’s transformation leads to his alienation.
• Explore the story’s recurring symbols, such as food, the father’s uniform , and the portrait of a woman wearing furs.
• Another point that you can focus on is the motifs of the story. They include transformation and sleep.

You’re welcome to read our The Metamorphosis study guide to learn more about the story.

The Necklace Literary Analysis Prompt

• Consider analyzing the story’s themes. Some examples are greed, the deceptiveness of appearances, and vanity. Check out our article on The Necklace’s themes to learn all about them.
• You can also focus on exploring the symbolism of the necklace . Try to dive deeper into how a piece of jewelry is connected to high status and wealth.
• Explore how the class conflict is presented in The Necklace . You can also analyze the author’s attitude to it.

The Odyssey Literary Analysis Prompt

• In your essay, focus on the epic’s main themes: vengeance, hospitality, and loyalty.
• Homer uses many epithets in The Odyssey to describe the sea, such as “wine-dark.” Look into what they may represent.
• Another good point for discussion is the symbolism. Consider discussing the significance of the wedding bed, the sea, eagles, and food.

To understand the poem better, check out our The Odyssey study guide .

The Yellow Wallpaper Literary Analysis Essay Prompt

• The wallpaper is the central symbol of the story. In your essay, try to uncover its significance and how it affects the main character.
• You can also analyze how Charlotte Perkins Gilman uses different types of irony in the story. Examples include dramatic, verbal, and situational irony.
• You can also focus on The Yellow Wallpaper’s themes. Some of them are self-expression, mental illness, gender roles, miscommunication, and the role of women in marriage.

Don’t forget to check out our study guide if you want to know more.

Wuthering Heights Literary Analysis Prompt

• Explore the symbolism of moors, nature, and ghosts. Emily Bronte uses these symbols to represent not only abstract ideas but also characters’ personalities.
• You can also examine the central themes of Wuthering Heights. Some of them are love and passion, class conflict, revenge, and the supernatural.
• Another point worth writing about is nature imagery and how the author uses it to represent the characters’ personalities. To learn about it, make sure to check out our Wuthering Heights analysis .

✍️ Writing a Literary Analysis: Step by Step

Now, after you’ve decided on your topic, it is time to write your analysis.

Don’t know where to start? Well, we got your back! Here are some steps for you to write a great literary essay.

If you wish to learn more, you can check out our guide on how to write a literary analysis.

Best Tips for Writing a Literary Analysis

There are many things to keep in mind when writing about literature. But there’s no need to worry: we are here to help you. Here are the four components that will help to make sure you get an excellent grade on your essay:

• Make sure you refer to the literature you write about in the proper format. For example, the titles of plays and full-length books should be italicized, while poems and short stories should be in quotation marks. You may consult Purdue University’s excellent citation guides to be on the safe side.
• Ensure that the quotes are properly attributed with the correct page numbers.
• Avoid directly quoting or borrowing arguments from previously published literary analysis samples. Using the same forms of argument and language is a form of plagiarism.
• Remember that you need a brief introduction with a clear thesis statement, distinct body paragraphs, and a cohesive conclusion. If you find it hard to write concisely, feel free to use our essay shortener to save time.

📃 Literary Analysis Example for Free

Looking for a fully-formatted literary analysis example? Look no further! Download our excellent sample in PDF format below.

The Little Match Girl is a short story by Hans Christian Andersen. It’s a touching tale about a poor girl who spends New Year’s Eve working on the streets, dreaming of a better life, and warming herself by lighting matches she failed to sell. Some of the main themes include loneliness, struggle, and cruelty.

We hope that you found some inspiration to take your essay on the next level. Let us know what literary studies topic you like the most and other literary analysis ideas you have!

❓ Literary Analysis Essay FAQs

If you’re writing a literary analysis, make sure you don’t summarize the text you are analyzing. Instead, focus on your thesis and the supporting evidence. You should also avoid using phrases such as “in my opinion.”

A literary analysis should always include information on the text’s components. They include plot, setting, themes, motifs, imagery, tone, and character analysis. Don’t forget to write about the way the author uses these elements and how they contribute to the overall work.

The introductory part of your literary analysis should include a thesis statement that conveys the structure of your essay. Don’t forget to mention the author and provide background information about the text. Remember to start your body paragraphs with a topic sentence.

A literary analysis is usually 5-paragraphs long. The introduction and conclusion consist of one paragraph each, while the main body has three.

A literary analysis is a type of writing assignment containing an analysis of a literary piece. In a literary analysis, you should evaluate and interpret the work by analyzing its plot, setting, motifs, themes, characters, and style.

Further reading:

• Case Study Analysis Example + How-to Guide
• How to Write a Film Analysis Essay
• Short Story Analysis: Step by Step How-to Guide
• How to Write a 5-Paragraph Essay: Outline, Examples, & Writing Steps
• Literature Review Outline: Examples, Approaches, & Templates
• Find a Topic Idea: Questia
• A CS Research Topic Generator: Purdue University
• 50 Critical Analysis Paper Topics: Owlcation
• Variations on a Theme: Common Types of Literary Analysis Papers: UVM Writing Center
• How do I find literary analysis essay topics? Baker Library
• Literary Terms: Purdue O.W.L.
• Literary Terms: Stanford University
• How To Write A Literary Analysis Essay: Bucks College
• Writing Critical Essays about Literature: Gallaudet University
• Literature (Fiction): UNC Writing Center
• Literary criticism: Britannica
• Fiction vs Non-Fiction – English Literature’s Made-Up Divide: The Guardian
• Feminist Literary Criticism: ThoughtCo
• Feminist Criticism: Washington State University
• A Short Guide to Close Reading for Literary Analysis: UW Madison
• William Shakespeare Biography: Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
• William Shakespeare: Poets.org
• Hamlet Topic Overview: Gale
• Macbeth – Themes: BBC
• From Plato to Platonism: Cornell University Press
• Sophocles: World History Encyclopedia
• Charles Dickens, 1812-1870: University Of California
• Heroes and the Homeric Iliad: University of Houston
• Historical Context of Song of Solomon: Columbia College
• The Red Badge of Courage: University of South Florida
• William Blake: University of Delaware
• William Butler Yeats: Yale University
• Chaucer’s Influences: University of Glasgow
• John Keats: King’s College London
• UVA Commemoration Looks at King’s ‘Why We Can’t Wait’ in Light of Today’s Issues: University of Virginia
• Alice Walker: National Museum of African American History & Culture
• Virginia Woolf: University of London
• Harper Lee: Encyclopedia of Alabama
• A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner: Baruch College
• Death of a Salesman and Death of a Salesman: The Swollen Legacy of Arthur Miller: Columbia University
• Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein: The Ohio State University
• Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: Boston College
• Themes In Wuthering Heights: Brooklyn College
• The Metamorphosis: Grossman School of Medicine
• Gothic and the Female Voice: Examining Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper”: Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute
• The Literature Review: University of Southern California
• Cicero (106—43 BCE): Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
• Analyzing Novels & Short Stories: TAMU Writing Center
• Literature Analysis: PLU Writing Center
• What Is Analysis?: Austin Community College
• Writing Your Literary Analysis: University of Hawaii
• Literary Analysis Paper: Western Michigan University
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Literary Analysis Essay

Literary Analysis Essay Topics

Interesting Literary Analysis Essay Topics & Ideas

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Published on: Aug 28, 2020

Last updated on: Jan 29, 2024

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Literary Analysis Essay - Step by Step Guide

Literary Analysis Essay Outline Guide with Examples

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Many students struggle to find interesting and engaging literary analysis essay topics. This hinders their ability to excel in literary analysis and interpretation.

Frustrated with the lack of compelling topics, students often feel overwhelmed and unsure of where to start their analytical journey. 

But there’s no need to worry because we’ve got you covered!

Our blog provides a diverse selection of thought-provoking literary analysis essay topics. 

With our comprehensive guide, you can unlock their potential and approach literature with newfound excitement and confidence.

So let’s dive into it! 

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Literary Analysis Essay Topics For Students

In a literary analysis essay, you need to explore the power of words in shaping meaning and conveying emotions. Here are some literary analysis essay topic examples.

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That's our Job!

Literary Analysis Essay Topics for Middle School Students 

• Satire in Absalom and Achitophel by John Dryden
• Discuss the main character of ‘The Crucible.’
• Analyzing the message in the Life of Pi
• Importance of the theme of hope in literature
• Focus on what the novel reveals about the 1920s.
• The class conflict in Barn Burning
• Romeo and Juliet are the true rebels- what do you think?
• The use of allegory in Animal Farm.
• Describe the struggle for good and evil in Shakespeare’s Macbeth
• How to deal with a rude teen?

Literary Analysis Essay Topics for College Students 

Check out our list of literature essay topics for college students here:

• Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
• The reasons why youngsters are becoming criminals
• The depiction of Eve in Milton’s Paradise Lost
• Children’s vaccination: why it is important.
• Examine the portrayal of women in ‘Othello.’
• The Hunger Games vs. The Lottery
• What does the ending of “The Great Gatsby” mean?
• What role does money play in Fitzgerald’s novel?
• Literary analysis of a streetcar named desire
• The irony in Jerome’s stories

Good Literary Analysis Essay Topics   

An essay topic is considered good if it is understandable for the audience and easy for you to explain. 

We can help you if you are a high school student looking for some good topics for a literary analysis essay. Below, you will find many different yet attractive topics for your literary analysis paper. 

Literary Analysis Topics for Othello

• Analyze the role of Bianca in the play “Othello” and also analyze how her class influences the ways people treated her.
• Analyze the behavior of men toward Emilia in the play “Othello”?
• Analyze the idea of jealousy and love in the play “Othello.”
• Analyze the type of relationship does Othello have with Cassio?
• Analyze how women are portrayed in “Othello”?
• To what extent are males dominant in “Othello”? Analyze.
• To what extent are women depicted differently in “Othello” than they are today?
• To what extent do women show their empowerment throughout the theme of the “Othello”?
• What message did “Othello” have for society?
• Try to analyze the purpose of the play.

Literary Analysis Essay Topics for Catcher in the Rye

• Analyze the character of Holden, as seen in the “Catcher in the Rye.”
• Analyze and explain why Catcher in the Rye is considered one of the American classics.
• Describe phoniness and innocence, as displayed in the novel.
• Analyze the scenarios that show hypocrisy in the play “Catcher in the Rye.”
• Analyze the theme of self-discovery from the novel.
• Analyze the most influential element of the novel.
• Describe the theme of loneliness in the story.
• Analyze the aspects of human nature exposed by the novel.
• Identify some of the aspects that show that Holden contradicts himself.
• Try to analyze whether Holden is considered a dynamic or a static character.

1984 Literary Analysis Paper Topics

• How can the book “1984” be compared with the books of today?
• Analyze the theme, setting, and characters of the novel.
• Analyze the turning point in the novel.
• Analyze the novel “1984” in the context of racial discrimination.
• Analyze the concept of “party” in the novel “1984”.
• Analyze how “dystopia” has been highlighted in the book “1984” By George Orwell.
• Analyze how oppression and fear became the reason for rebellion in “1984”.
• Analyze “1984” in the context of Carl Jung’s analytical psychology.
• What do you think about the purpose of the book?
• Analyze the book from the “Sci-Fi” aspect.

“Hamlet” Literary Analysis Essay Topic Ideas

• Analyze how Shakespeare uses the imagery in act three of “Hamlet”?
• Analyze how Hamlet’s speech moved from active to passive.
• List the names of Hamlet’s various foils. What role do they play, and how much are they important?
• Analyze how Hamlet’s character and the plot of the play develop along with his ideas of sin and salvation.
• Analyze how Hamlet perceives death. Support your analysis with at least three quotes from credible sources.
• Analyze how Hamlet relates to King Lear.
• Analyze the mood swings of Hamlet throughout the play. What influences his mood?
• Analyze the character of Hamlet from the perspective of a hero and a villain.
• Analyze the relationship between hamlet and Ophelia.
• How “suicide” is the main theme of hamlet?

Macbeth Literary Analysis Essay Topics

• Analyze which among Banquo, Macduff, and Macbeth was the real villain?
• What does the blood symbolize in the play “Macbeth”?
• Talk about Macbeth’s hallucinations and visions. Also, analyze its effects on the overall character?
• Analyze King Duncan’s personality and state his contributions to the play.
• Discuss Macbeth’s insanity as a result of greedy and dishonest nature.
• Analyze how figurative language is used in “Macbeth.”
• Analyze how imagery will help in understanding “Macbeth” easily.
• Discuss what would happen if the gender roles of Lady Macbeth and Macbeth were switched.
• The supernatural plays an important role in Macbeth. Analyze.
• Analyze the minor characters of the play.

“The Crucible” Literary Analysis Essay Topics

• Analyze the roles of Elizabeth Proctor and Abigail Williams.
• What role did sex, and sexual repression, play in The Crucible?
• Why are Danforth, Hathorne, and the others did not believe that Abigail and the other girls were liars?
• Analyze the type of government Salem was running.
• Analyze Reverend Parris and his motivations in support of the witch trials.
• Discuss the way Miller has presented the ideas about freedom in The Crucible?
• How would you analyze Miller’s presentation of Abigail in The Crucible?
• How do Miller present ideas about witch-hunts in The Crucible?
• Discuss the changes that Reverend Hale undergoes in the course of the play.
• What kind of governmental rule is shown in the play?

Romeo and Juliet Literary Analysis Essay Topics

• Discuss the character of Romeo and his passion for Rosaline. Does this weaken the intensity of the love he feels for Juliet?
• Examine and analyze the dramatic role Friar Laurence serves in the play “Romeo and Juliet.”
• Analyze what makes Mercutio so memorable a character in the story of Romeo and Juliet?
• Examine the role of women that William Shakespeare describes.
• Why are Romeo and Juliet referred to as "star-crossed lovers.” Discuss the concept of the destiny that has been predetermined for them.
• Discuss Act 3, Scene 2 of the play, and pay particular attention to its poetic merits.
• Discuss the passage of time throughout Romeo and Juliet.
• Examine carefully the similarities and differences between the two young men who love Juliet.
• Why is this play a favorite of all?
• Why is the story of Romeo and Juliet still remembered?

The Great Gatsby Literary Analysis Essay Topics

• Analyze the metaphorical meaning of color that the writer has tried to present in the novel?
• Analyze the modernism depicted in The Great Gatsby.
• Conduct analysis in the symbolic meaning of Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby.
• What is the metaphorical meaning of the Valley of Ashes?
• What is the meaning of time in the novel?
• Analyze the mindset of Fitzgerald in “the great Gatsby” and Mark Twain in “A Tramp Abroad.”
• How do secondary characters add up to the storyline?
• What are the central themes in The Great Gatsby?
• Analyze the end of the play.
• What message does society get from “The Great Gatsby”.

“Fahrenheit 451” Literary Analysis Essay Topics

• Analyze the steps that make Montag decide to preserve books instead of destroying them.
• Consider the idea of conformity instead of individuality presented in this novel.
• Analyze the main title of the novel.
• Explain the messages or ideas the author is trying to share with his readers. Analyze the aspects of society that he has targeted.
• Conduct a literary analysis of the book and the movie “Fahrenheit 451”. Keep into consideration the bibliography.
• Analyze the significant ideological problems involved in censorship.
• Concentrate on the dual image that the fire has in this novel. What is it indicating?
• Evaluate the psychological complexity of your favorite character from the novel.
• Discuss the use of quotations from literature in Fahrenheit 451.
• Discuss the theme of the book.

Literary Analysis Essay Topics on “To Kill a Mockingbird”

• Analyze the childhood world of Jem, Scout, and Dill.
• Analyze the relationship of Jem with Boo Radley.
• Analyze the role Jem and Scout played throughout the novel.
• What is Atticus’s relationship to the rest of Maycomb?
• Analyze the role of Maycomb in the community shown in the novel.
• Discuss the role of family in To Kill a Mockingbird.
• What vibes did you get from the character of Aunt Alexandra.
• Examine Miss Maudie’s relationship to the Finches.
• Discuss the way the author has described Maycomb.
• Analyze the author’s intention towards Boo Radley.

Literary Analysis Essay Topics for The Animal Farm

• Discuss the most important theme of the novel.
• Analyze the main characters of the novel.
• The novel, Animal Farm is a symbolism for human civilization. How?
• Analyze the use of persuasive language in the novel.
• Examine the Orwellian tone. How did it contribute to making the novel humorous?
• What is the symbolism of the windmill in the novel?
• Discuss the plot of the novel “The Animal Farm".
• How is a farm house the main setting of the novel?
• What is the inherent irony in “The Animal Farm”.
• Discuss the use of fables in the novel.

Beowulf Literary Analysis Essay Topics

• Role of Women in the Poem Beowulf
• What is the main idea of the story?
• The Meaning of Rings in Beowulf
• Literary analysis on Burton Raffels’ translation of “Beowulf.”
• Who are the most developed characters in this story?
• The women in Beowulf
• Analyze the essence of one symbol in Beowulf
• Christian and Pagan Elements in “Beowulf”
• What is Grendel’s claw?
• Beowulf’s opinions on the story

Frankenstein Literary Analysis Essay Topics

• Who is the real monster in Frankenstein?
• Frankenstein and the Human Mind
• Analyze what fire is trying to symbolize.
• An Analysis of Grendel and Frankenstein
• Evil is created, not born, in Frankenstein
• Frankenstein: Romantic or Tragic Hero?
• Analyze philosophy in “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley
• Shelley Mary‘s Frankenstein rejection
• The main role of society in the novel.
• Why Is Frankenstein a Gothic novel?

Interesting Literary Analysis Essay Topics for Movies 

• Analyze the theme of ‘Pursuit of Happiness.’
• Enslavement in the “Moby Dick”
• Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter film analysis
• "Bridget Jones’s Diary" movie review
• How did the story develop in ‘Midway’?
• Sense of sin in The Scarlet Letter
• Red Tails by George Lucas film analysis
• Analysis of The Film Beasts of No Nation
• Music of modern non-fiction films.
• Male pride and Jealousy in The Dead

Social Literary Analysis Essay Topics

• The role of Shakespeare in world literature
• The impact of technology on kids' minds
• The main causes behind rapid climate change.
• How does bullying affects schooling children?
• Does alcohol always create problems?
• How is our society dealing with poverty?
• Migration of polar bears: the reasons.
• How to stop the sale of drugs?
• The cultural impact of literature
• How to prevent cybercrime?

Literary Review Essay Topics

• The Works of William Shakespeare: A Review of his Plays and Sonnets
• Feminist Themes in Jane Austen's Novels: A Critical Analysis
• The Role of Magical Realism in Gabriel Garcia Marquez's Works
• The Modernist Movement in Literature: A Review of Key Authors and Works
• The Influence of the Harlem Renaissance on African American Literature
• The Gothic Genre in Literature: A Review of Classic and Contemporary Works
• Postcolonial Literature: A Review of the Works of Chinua Achebe and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
• The Use of Satire in Jonathan Swift's "Gulliver's Travels"
• The Works of Edgar Allan Poe: A Review of his Short Stories and Poetry
• Contemporary American Literature: A Review of the Works of Toni Morrison, Philip Roth, and Cormac McCarthy

How to Choose a Literary Analysis Essay Topic?    

Choosing a topic may not be as simple as it looks. One must have sufficient time to search for the topic, analyze it, and see if it fits the requirements. 

While you are searching for the topic, make sure to look for something interesting and eye-catching. To grab the reader’s attention , you must ensure that you write your essay on an interesting and unique topic. 

You can also look for different literary analysis title examples to get an idea.

No matter what type of essay you are writing, you must come up with a strong and interesting topic. It will help you attain the reader’s attention and allow you to write in detail. 

While looking for good analytical essay topics for a literary work, you must keep the following things in mind. 

• Thoroughly read the literary work. 
• Try to identify the main objectives of the work. 
• Identify and understand the purpose of the work. 
• Choose a topic that is directly related to your chosen work. 
• Analyze the topic in detail with different literary devices before you start writing on it.
• Focus on your target audience and write according to their caliper.
• Stick to the theme of the literary work while writing your essay. 

Check out this video for detailed information about how to choose a literary analysis topic.

Tips to Write an Effective Literary Analysis Essay

Being a student, you must be ready all the time to write any type of essay. Remember that essay writing is not as difficult as it may seem to many students. There are some very simple things that you need to ensure.

Some quick tips for writing a literary analysis essay easily are as follows.

• Focus on the topic you have selected and collected sufficient data related to it.
• Collect relevant evidence from authentic sources.
• Create a strong  literary analysis essay outline  for your essay.
• Develop your main thesis statement in such a way that it supports your essay.
• Once you are done with the writing process, make sure that you revise it at least once. This will help you write a high-quality and error-free essay.

You can also check out our literary analysis essay guide to learn how to write your analysis!

Despite having a good topic, all the guidance, and the required information, many students can still not write an essay themself. The reason may not be the incompetence of a student. Sometimes students lack time as they have many other assignments to take care of.

If you are also in this situation, opting for a professional essay writing service is the best option. At CollegeEssay.org , we provide the custom essay writing service. Our team of professional writers is just a message away from assisting you.

Get in touch with our customer service at any time of the day and let us know all your queries. Moreover, you can give our AI essay generator a try and let all your stress of assignment completion go away.

Barbara P (Literature, Marketing)

Barbara is a highly educated and qualified author with a Ph.D. in public health from an Ivy League university. She has spent a significant amount of time working in the medical field, conducting a thorough study on a variety of health issues. Her work has been published in several major publications.

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55 Unique Odyssey Essay Topics & Research Paper Titles

If you have been tasked to write for The Odyssey , you have probably begun noting down ideas. This epic poem, just like many other Ancient Greek works, is bursting with content. We understand that it can be tricky to organize the process when the possibilities are endless.

This is precisely why here we have compiled a list of The Odyssey’s essay topics and research paper ideas. You will find all possible suggestions – from writing about characters to comparing the epic to other works. Feel free to browse through our collection to write a fantastic The Odyssey essay.

⛵ Odyssey Essay Topics on Themes

• A comparison of the themes of kleos and nostos in The Odyssey.
• The importance of loyalty throughout Homer’s Odyssey .
• Gender in The Odyssey – what were the Ancient Greek gender roles, and how are they expressed in Homer’s epic?
• A deconstruction of the theme of fate in The Odyssey: how did the gods influence Odysseus’ fate?
• How is cunning the most celebrated quality in The Odyssey ?
• What are the parallels between loyalty to Odysseus and loyalty to the gods in The Odyssey ?
• Homer’s commentary on hubris through his criticism of kleos in The Odyssey .
• The impact of perseverance on Odysseus’ journey.
• Xenia in The Odyssey and what it tells us about the hospitality customs in Ancient Greece.
• Why is the theme of disguise so prevalent throughout Homer’s Odyssey ?

🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏽 The Odyssey Essay Topics on Characters

• How did Telemachus grow and develop throughout The Odyssey ?
• A comparison of monsters and people in The Odyssey.
• Athena and Poseidon – what was the gods’ influence on Odysseus’ journey?
• An analysis of the Greek expectations of heroism through Odysseus.
• Was Odysseus’ revenge on the suitors justified?
• Examining the role of the servants in The Odyssey .
• How did Odysseus succeed and fail as a husband to Penelope?
• ‘Man of twists and turns’ – an analysis of Odysseus as a morally gray character.
• A study of the antagonists in The Odyssey : what differentiates friend from foe.
• What is the role of ghosts in Odysseus’ journey?
• Penelope’s character in The Odyssey – how Odysseus’ wife is different from other women in the epic.
• An examination of the family relationships in The Odyssey .

✒️ Literary Analysis of The Odyssey : Essay Topics

• Why are Homeric similes in The Odyssey effective?
• The role of metaphors in The Odyssey and how Homer used them.
• The uses of irony throughout The Odyssey ’s books.
• Why was The Odyssey written out of chronological order?
• Dactylic hexameter as one of the most significant literary devices in The Odyssey .
• An analysis of the last book of The Odyssey : how it differs from the rest of the epic.
• The role of allusions to The Iliad in The Odyssey .
• How and why is sarcasm expressed throughout The Odyssey ?
• An examination of the narrator in The Odyssey and its relation to the oral tradition.
• Symbols in The Odyssey – an analysis of the most common motifs appearing in the epic.
• The language of Homeric epic poems: its iterations in The Odyssey .
• How different translations of The Odyssey change our perspective on the subject matter of the epic.

🆚 The Odyssey & Other Stories: Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

• The study of Greco-Roman cultures through The Odyssey and The Epic of Gilgamesh.
• A comparative literary analysis of The Odyssey and The Aeneid.
• The contrasting themes of The Iliad and The Odyssey .
• The portrayal of women in epic poems through a study of The Odyssey and Oedipus Rex .
• In what ways did James Joyce’s Ulysses draw inspiration from The Odyssey ?
• An analysis of humans through the lens of The Odyssey and Rig Veda.
• Contrasting depictions of heroism between Beowulf and Odysseus.
• A comparison of Homer’s Odyssey and Dante’s Divine Comedy as epic poems.
• What can we learn about the Ancient Greek gods through The Odyssey and Theogony ?
• Ideas of morality in Homer’s Odyssey and Virgil’s Aeneid.
• A literary analysis of the Homeric Hymns and The Odyssey : do they really have a different author?

📚 The Odyssey Research Paper Titles

• The role of women in The Odyssey and Ancient Greece.

Describe the most notable women in the epic. How do they aid/deter Odysseus’ journey? Analyze their purpose in the story. What does Homer’s portrayal of femininity tell us about the treatment of women in Ancient Greece?

• Exploring the ideas of loyalty through Odysseus’ crew.

Mention what we know about Odysseus’ crew and how he leads them. Analyze the incidents with Circe, Elpenor’s death and burial Talk about the Sirens, Scylla and Charybdis, and the Cyclops. Why does Odysseus’ crew stop listening to him? How are they punished for it?

• How does Homer celebrate nostos in The Odyssey ?

What is nostos ? How is it portrayed in The Odyssey ? Explain why coming home is the most important thing to Odysseus. Reflect on his encounter with Achilles in the Underworld. What is Homer trying to teach us with that brief scene?

• The relationship between Odysseus and Athena in The Odyssey .

Describe both characters separately. Why does Athena aid Odysseus? In what ways does Odysseus repay the goddess for her assistance? Summarize the importance of being favorable to the gods.

• The difference in portrayals of violence in The Odyssey .

Examine what role violence plays in Ancient Greek culture – i.e., Athena is the goddess of war. Mention violent incidents with monsters such as the Cyclops and Laestrygones. Analyze the slaughter of the suitors and the torture of the unfaithful servants. What is the difference between Odysseus’ violence and the violence done to him?

• The Odyssey’s portrayal of fatherhood and father-son relationships.

Look at the relationships between Telemachus and Odysseus, Polyphemus and Poseidon, Odysseus and Laertes, Orestes and Agamemnon. What are the responsibilities of the father in each of these cases? What are the sons’ responsibilities? How are father-son relationships characterized in the epic?

• What stands in the way of Odysseus’ return home?

Examine all of the trials that Odysseus had to go through. Why is it that the sea is never on his side? What obstacles keep extending his journey? Mention Poseidon and Polyphemus, Circe, Aeolus, and Helios, and their impact on Odysseus.

• How does hospitality in The Odyssey differentiate monster from man?

Explain the importance of xenia in Ancient Greece. Provide good examples of hospitality from the epic, such as those of Telemachus and Penelope, kings Mentes and Nestor, and Circe. Contrast them against the bad instances, such as the Cyclops and the suitors. What does hospitality tell us about a person’s character?

• Homer’s representation of justice in The Odyssey .

What lesson is Homer trying to teach his audience about justice and gods? Analyze Odysseus’ struggle against the suitors and the omens around it. Explore the incident with Poseidon and the Phaecians and the role of divine prophecy. How are we to understand what is just in The Odyssey’s world?

• The Odyssey: a subversion of the hero’s journey.

How are the events of The Odyssey different from a typical epic poem? How are they similar? Analyze Odysseus’ character and the changes he goes through. Examine the idea of returning home rather than leaving to set out on an adventure. Thanks for reading! If you haven’t found what to write about, use our topic generator and get more original ideas. For more information about The Odyssey, check the links below.

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Studying / Writing Tools

Essay Title Generator

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Brainstorming Essay Titles

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Literary Analysis: Essay Prompts, Outline, & American Literature Topics

• 📚 Literary Analysis Definition

🧩 Elements of a Literary Analysis

• 📝 Literary Analysis Outline
• 💡 Literary Analysis Prompts
• 🤔 Topics for Literary Analysis
• 🗽 American Literature Topics
• ☘️ British & Irish Literature Topics

🌐 Classic European Literature Topics

🗺️ world literature essay topics.

It’s high time to discuss everything about literary analysis in detail!

📚 What Is Literary Analysis?

Literary analysis (literary criticism) is the process of interpreting a piece of literature. It implies a critical look at a text to understand the author’s message.

In this assignment, you trace tiny symbols and puzzles left by the author. As a reward, you get to the main idea. It is essential to differentiate a literary analysis from a summary where you just restate ideas from a text. Here, you need to dig into them and interpret them. Here are the main steps of a literary criticism process:

• Interpretation

What Is the Purpose of a Literary Analysis Essay?

Literary analysis has several purposes. Here are some of them:

• Understanding and interpreting the author’s point of view.
• Looking deeper into the literary work canvas and finding new meanings in it.
• Making up an opinion about the book.
• Estimating a book in general, its strong and weak sides.

The proper literary analysis includes many details. You should provide not a summary but an interpretation . In the end, it can be considered a separate work.

Brainstorming and observing the following aspects makes writing more manageable.

📝 Literary Analysis Essay Outline – 3 Parts

We want to present you with a complete literary analysis outline. The parts from the section below will navigate you through writing your work.

Introduction of a Literary Analysis Essay

When writing a literary analysis, you examine the whole text and its components. So we recommend starting from the primary constituents. Here’s what you can include in your literary analysis essay intro :

• In many cases, there’s already a lot said in the title – look at it more precisely.
• Don’t forget to mention the author and give a piece of information about them.
• Get the reader’s attention with a good hook . It will make the audience interested in your writing.
• Give some background information about the book. For example, you can mention the context of when and where it was created.

Body of a Literary Analysis Essay

The body is the “fleshiest” part of your paper. Let’s see how to make it complete and exciting.

• Introduce the contents of the section in a topic sentence .
• Provide the reader with the evidence you’ve collected. It can be quotations, specific details from the book, or summarized sentences . Mind that you have to give your interpretations.
• Smoothen the transition to the next paragraph with a closing sentence .

Conclusion of a Literary Analysis Essay

To wrap up your analysis, you will need a proper conclusion . Let’s look at its components:

• A paraphrased thesis statement – reformulate your thesis preserving its main idea.
• A summary of your work – give a quick review of the most significant points.
• Only the information you already gave – don’t introduce any new facts.

💡5 Literary Analysis Prompts

The section below gives you clues on building an excellent literary analysis. You can choose any of them to focus your work on something specific.

1. Analyze a Character’s Behavior, Choices, and Motifs

First, you have to choose a character who resonates with you. In that case, your analysis will be more profound. You will enjoy writing it. Use the following or similar questions to perform it:

2. Compare Internal Conflict Vs. External Conflict

There is often a conflict or several in a literary work. It is something that makes a story engaging. Try to find it and put it to the test. For example, answer these questions:

3. Focus on a Specific Sentence

An author can put a lot of significance even into one sentence. If you manage to find it, you’ll get the key to understanding the whole point of the work. Try to find a sentence or several that got your attention and made you reflect on them.

4. Evaluate the Role of Setting

The setting often plays a significant role in a storyline. Look for the descriptions that may resonate with the characters’ state and the atmosphere.

5. Research the Background and Its Meaning

The majority of literary pieces resonate with historical or cultural contexts. You can use it for the analysis.

🤔 307 Literary Analysis Essay Topics

Consider the topics below for deep analysis. You’ll find titles to any taste, including American, British, and European literature.

Try our remarkable research title generator if these 300+ topics are not enough. It’s free and easy to use!

🗽 American Literature Essay Topics

• The language and narrative in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald .
• Analyze themes of the American Revolutionary period in literature.
• Devil’s presence in “Young Goodman Brown” by Nathaniel Hawthorne.
• Reunion of Daisy and Gatsby in The Great Gatsby novel by Francis Scott Fitzgerald .
• Is “The Power of Sympathy” the first American Novel?
• “A Ghetto Takes Shape: Black Cleveland” by Kusmer .
• Vietnam War in The Things They Carried novel by Tim O’Brien .
• The moral education of early America in “The Power of Sympathy.”
• A disease of Marriage in “The Story of an Hour” by Chopin.
• Religion and public life in American Grace by Putnam .
• The friendship in Moby Dick: should it be an example for others?
• “A Rose for Emily”: Analysis of a short story by William Faulkner .
• The language and themes in the poem “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost .
• Elaborate on race and enslavement topics pictured in Moby Dick.
• Kate Chopin’s background in “Story of an Hour.”
• Racism experiences in the Black Like Me book by John Griffin .
• Research the anti-slavery narratives in early American literature.
• Gender struggles in To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf .
• Composition of “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien .
• Moby Dick: How did the sermon that Ishmael heard affect him?
• Marriage in “The Awakening” Novel by Kate Chopin.
• Behind a Convict’s Eyes by K. C. Carceral: Book review .
• How does Walter Whitman use symbols in “Leaves of Grass”?
• American Grace : A book by Robert Putnam and David Campbell .
• Walt Whitman poetry: how to read and understand it?
• Civil War history: “A Year in the South” by Ash .
• Symbolism in “A Wall of Fire Rising” by Edwidge Danticat .
• Walter Whitman: what are the controversial themes in “Leaves of Grass”?
• Plot analysis of “Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway.
• What is the deistic influence in Walter Whitman’s poetry?
• Religion in American Grace by Putnam and Campbell .
• Harlem Renaissance in “The New Negro” by Alain Locke .
• What does “athletic friendship” mean in Walter Whitman’s poetry?
• An Eye For An I: Critical Analysis of Poe’s “Tell-Tale Heart.”
• Grief in the novel The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold .
• Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain: a racist or anti-racist novel?
• Cultural heritage in “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker .
• Lessons learned from “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” short story by Flannery O’Connor .
• Compare and contrast two characters of Mark Twain: Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer.
• How to describe the American society in Twain’s “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn?”
• The concepts of good and evil in Young Lions by Irwin Shaw.
• Black women in Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs .
• Female characters in Death of a Salesman by A. Miller .
• Compare and contrast three main characters of Irwin Shaw’s “Young Lions.”
• “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” vs. “Smooth Talk”: Connie’s character.
• How do Holden’s relationships with people differ in “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger?
• Analysis of different works by Edgar Allan Poe .
• The Crucible by Arthur Miller: Parallels with McCarthyism .
• Analyze the imagery, structure, and syntax in Emily Dickinson’s poetry.
• Chinese and American Women in Joy Luck Club novel and film.
• The American decadence themes in Grapes of Wrath by J. Steinbeck.
• Time in “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner .
• The theme of consequences in “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe .
• Crime and punishment in Theodor Dreiser’s “American Tragedy.”
• How is the process of growing up reflected in “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger?
• Can we see James Joyce’s influence in William Faulkner’s novels?
• The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain: Injustice of slavery and racism .
• Hidden symbols in “The Storm” by Kate Chopin .
• To Kill a Mockingbird: the metamorphoses of Jem and Scout in the novel.
• “The Glass Menagerie” by Tennessee Williams character review.
• All the Colors We Are : Children’s anti-bias book by Kissinger .
• What do Clyde Griffiths and Frank Cowperwood of Theodor Dreiser’s novels have in common?
• Rhetoric in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor .
• The Financier: can Frank Cowperwood be a role model for young and ambitious people?
• “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Steve Covey: book concepts.
• The Sound and the Fury: how do four different perspectives of narrative help understand the novel?
• Analysis of the play Fences by August Wilson .
• Fate in “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by F. O’Connor .
• To Kill a Mockingbird: is Atticus a role model of a parent and a decent person?
• “Death of a Salesman” by Arthur Miller: Willy Loman Character Analysis.
• Elaborate on the wide range of racist issues in the novel “To Kill a Mockingbird.”
• Women’s struggles in “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin .
• How is American Dream depicted in “American Tragedy”?
• Symbolism in Williams’ “The Glass Menagerie.”
• Signs of feminism in “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne.
• Comparison of “The Storm” and “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin .
• American ideology in Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense.”
• The American dream in the play “Death of a Salesman.”
• How does Margaret Mitchell show the war tragedy in Gone with the Wind?
• Blindness in “Cathedral” by Raymond Carver .
• Gender roles in “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin .
• Vanity Fair by William Thackeray: does the book’s structure allow us to call it “a novel”?
• The importance of “The Making of a Quagmire” by David Halberstam.
• Explore transcendentalism topic in James Fenimore Cooper’s “The Last of the Mohicans.”
• “We Wear the Mask” and “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” analysis .
• The importance of learning in “Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave” by Frederick Douglass .
• Does The Song of Hiawatha by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow have one main idea?
• “Daddy” by Sylvia Plath: Review .
• The Song of Hiawatha: the struggle between vice and virtue.
• Gender relations on the example of “Trifle” by Glaspell.
• Real life in “Into the Wild” by Jon Krakauer .
• The Song of Hiawatha: the gap between reality and the ideal.
• Cabico’s “Check One” poem: Motif-based analysis .
• Moral ambiguity in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter.”
• “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost: The poem as a metaphor .
• Innocence vs. guilt in “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe .
• The horrors of war in Ernest Hemingway’s novel “Farewell to Arms.”
• Dave’s character in “The Man Who Was Almost a Man” by Richard Wright.
• The oppression of women in “Woman Hollering Creek” by Sandra Cisneros .
• How does Harriette Stowe show the slavery horrors in “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”?
• “A Rose for Emily” literary analysis .
• Fallacies in “Boxing, Doctors – Round Two” by Cohn .
• What are the symbols and settings that make Poe’s works recognizable?
• Analysis of «Cod» by Mark Kurlansky .
• The hypocrisy of the civilized society in “ The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn .”
• “The Jungle” by Upton Sinclair: the dark alleys of capitalism.
• Analysis of “Roman Fever” by Edith Wharton .
• Autobiographical motives in Jack London’s “Martin Eden.”
• Analysis of “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker .
• Nietzschean individualism versus socialism in Jack London’s “Martin Eden.”
• Comparison of “The Cask of Amontillado” and “Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe .
• Illusory of the distorted American ideals in Theodor Dreiser’s “Sister Carrie.”
• “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker: plot analysis.
• “American Tragedy” – a story about urbanization, modernization, and alienation.
• “Daddy Issues” by Sandra Tsing Loh: The rhetorical analysis .
• What is the idea of the “average” American way of life depicted in Sinclair Lewis’ “Babbitt”?
• Dreams and hopes in A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry .
• Comparison of “Barn Burning” and “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner .
• How does Sinclair Lewis accomplish to create drama with the details?
• The life of black people in Nella Larsen’s ‘Passing.’
• What is the devastating cost of success in “The Great Gatsby” by F. S. Fitzgerald?
• “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin: Review .
• Religiousness in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by O’Connor .
• Southern families issues in “The Sound and The Fury” by W. Faulkner.
• “Who Moved My Cheese” by Spencer Johnson: description of the book and its relation to business.
• “Light in August”: Complex and violent relations between men and women.
• The Lottery by Shirley Jackson: Literary analysis .
• Imagery and symbolism in “The Open Boat” by Stephen Crane .
• “The Sound and the Fury: are there innocent characters in the Compson family?
• Analysis of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain .
• The rise and decline of the Southern aristocracy in “The Snopes trilogy.”
• “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner: the role of point of view.
• Symbolism in the short story “Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway .
• How are the themes of struggle, pride, and death revealed in “The Old Man and the Sea”?
• Emily Grierson in “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner .
• “In Cold Blood”: the context for the crime created in society.
• Gender roles in the play The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams .
• The theme of mental health in “The Yellow Wallpaper” story by Charlotte Gilman .
• What Southern Gothic signs can we find in Truman Capote’s “In Cold Blood”?
• The Boy Who Would Be a Helicopter analysis .
• “Because I Could Not Stop for Death” poem by Emily Dickinson .
• Explore the unique style of Kurt Vonnegut in “Slaughter House Five.”
• Cultural identity in “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker .
• The influence of “The Cask of Amontillado” on Bierce’s work .
• Lieutenant Jimmy Cross in “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien.
• Ethical problems in John Updike’s novel “The Centaur.”
• Rubber hose in Death of a Salesman by Miller .

☘️ British & Irish Literature Essay Topics

• What makes “Canterbury tales” by Geoffrey Chaucer a great piece of literature?
• Analysis of the Hamlet play by William Shakespeare .
• What figures of speech does G. Chaucer use to create a humorous narrative in “Canterbury Tales”?
• The image of clergy in “Canterbury Tales” by Geoffrey Chaucer.
• Satire by Jonathan Swift in “A Modest Proposal” essay.
• If the “Faerie Queene” is a great “national” epic, what idea of the English nation does the poem create?
• The idea of dreaming in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” by William Shakespeare .
• Beowulf: is it a “perfect” hero from the Christian perspective ?
• A separate individual and societal system in Dickens’ novel “Little Dorrit.”
• The Character of Leggatt in “The Secret Sharer” by Joseph Conrad.
• Why did Edmund Spencer invent a poetic diction for his poem, and does that language work?
• The play Hamlet as a tragedy .
• Are Romeo and Juliet a play about revenge? Why?
• What racism issues are presented in “Othello”?
• Describe Othello as a tragic hero in Shakespeare’s play.
• Explore the imagery in John Milton’s “Paradise Lost.”
• Feminism in “A Vindication of the Rights of Woman” by M. Wollstonecraft .
• Female characters in the novel “David Copperfield” by C. Dickens.
• Is the poem “Paradise Lost” morally conflicted? Why?
• Themes in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet.”
• The images of fairies and elves in Shakespeare’s comedy “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
• A system of moral standards in Robin Hood’s cycle of stories.
• Victor in “Frankenstein,” the novel by Mary Shelley.
• The hero and author images in P. Sidney’s “Astrophil and Stella.”
• Explore the imagery in John Milton’s “Paradise Lost.”
• Themes in Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad .
• Thomas Heywood “A Woman Killed with Kindness”: family drama genre.
• Romeo and Juliet: the problem of love and freedom.
• Impact of gender in Shakespeare’s Othello.
• The image of the villain in Shakespeare’s “Othello.”
• Society criticism in “Careless Lovers” by Edward Ravenscroft .
• What functions do the supernatural powers perform in “Macbeth”?
• The Merchant of Venice: the topics of justice and mercy in the play.
• Review of “The Victorian Internet,” the book by Tom Standage.
• The peculiarities of the author’s irony in John Donne’s “Songs and sonnets.”
• The character of Victor in Frankenstein by Mary Shelley .
• The symbolic images of dreams and thunderstorms in John Donne’s poetry.
• Arcadian motives in Andrew Marvel’s lyrics.
• “Othello” by William Shakespeare: racism problem.
• How is the image of Satan presented in J. Milton’s poetry?
• Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelly .
• Compare the image of the lost innocence in Milton’s and Dante’s poetry.
• “The Alchemist” by Ben Jonson: the problems of style.
• Ophelia’s Character in Shakespeare’s Play “Hamlet.”
• The genre and method in the play “Volpone” by Ben Johnson.
• Analysis of “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Samuel Coleridge .
• What unique features of the composition does the play “The Changeling” by T. Middleton include?
• “Perkin Warbeck” by John Ford: theatrical satire genre uniqueness.
• How is madness portrayed in William Shakespeare’s “Play King Lear”?
• The traveling theme in D. Defoe’s “The Life and Strange Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe.”
• The message in the poem “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night” by D. Thomas .
• J. Swift’s “Gulliver’s Travels”: utopia and dystopia in the novel.
• The satire in J. Swift’s pamphlet “A Tale of a Tub.”
• Different nations in “Gulliver’s Travels” by Jonathan Swift.
• A. Pope’s “Windsor-Forest”: specifics of the arcadian motives and plot.
• Satan, Adam, and Eve in “Paradise Lost” Poem by John Milton .
• The primary functions of the “Don Quixote mask” in G. Fielding’s “Don Quixote in England.”
• “Middlemarch” by G. Eliot: the problem of cognition in the novel.
• Women in Shakespeare’s and Chaucer’s works.
• Ideals and symbols in “The Corsair” by Byron.
• Gender in “The Taming of the Shrew” by William Shakespeare .
• The themes of literature and writing in the novel “The Black Prince” by I. Murdoch.
• Symbols in the novel “David Copperfield” by C. Dickens.
• Shakespearean Hamlet’s character analysis.
• “The Quiet American” by G. Greene: love and duty motives.
• Costumes, mood, and tone in the play “Macbeth” by Shakespeare .
• The specifics of the sentimentalism in R. Burn’s poetry.
• English romanticism traditions in “The Wuthering Heights.”
• Romeo from “Romeo and Juliet” by Shakespeare.
• The themes of unity and alienation in “The Wuthering Heights” by E. Bronte.
• The inner and outer beauty in Ch. Bronte’s “Jane Air.”
• “To Be or Not to Be”: Prominent Phrase Analysis.
• Egoism and altruism in “Oliver Twist” by C. Dickens.
• Themes in “Goodbye to Berlin” by Christopher Isherwood .
• Social problematics in the novel “Bleak House” by C. Dickens.
• The themes of the ambitions and happiness in the novel “Big Expectations” by Charles Dickens.
• “Oliver Twist” by Charles Dickens: characters, themes, and stylistic choices.
• Gender issues in the novel “Big Expectations” by Charles Dickens.
• The issues of female emancipation in the novel “The Mill on the Floss” by G. Eliot.
• The role of the Bible in “Paradise Lost” by John Milton .
• The narrator’s role in the novel “The Code of the Woosters” by P. Woodhouse.
• The role of the detective storyline in G. Greene’s “Brighton Rock.”
• Gender and Sexuality in William Shakespeare’s plays.
• Tradition and personality in the novel “1984” by G. Orwell.
• H. Hesse “Steppenwolf”: the spiritual quest of the characters.
• Existential searching in the novel “The Glass Bead Game” by H. Hesse.
• Candide and Pangloss characters and relationship analysis .
• Umberto Eco’s “The Name of the Rose” as a historical novel of a peculiar style.
• The meaning of laughter in Umberto Eco’s “The Name of the Rose.”
• Is Umberto Eco’s “The Name of the Rose” a detective novel?
• The problematics of the book “Foucault’s Pendulum” by U. Eco.
• The image of Beatrice in Dante’s “Divine Comedy.”
• Oedipus: Sophocles’ character.
• Dante’s “Divine Comedy”: the system of characters and level of perception.
• The specifics of narrative style in M. Proust’s “In Search of Lost Time.”
• The problematic characters in the novel “The End of the Night” by F. Mauriac.
• Therese Desqueyroux by François Mauriac: the image of family as a cage.
• “Oedipus the King” by Sophocles: fate versus character.
• The rebel against injustice in Albert Camus’ “The Myth of Sisyphus.”
• The theme of alienation in Albert Camus’ “The Stranger.”
• The motives of doom of time and man in Gottfried Benn’s poetry.
• How does Thomas Mann show the decay of the burgher’s social class in “Buddenbrooks”?
• The genre of a family saga in Thomas Mann’s “Buddenbrooks.”
• Prophecy and fate. “Oedipus the King” by Sophocles.
• The creativity collapse in “Doctor Faustus” by T. Mann.
• The tragedy of the genius in B. Brecht’s “The Life of Galileo.”
• B. Brecht’s “The Life of Galileo”: the moral dilemma between genius and villainy.
• The theme of metamorphosis in the novel “The Trial” by F. Kafka.
• Autobiographical family drama in the novel “Metamorphosis” by F. Kafka.
• The themes of alienation and loneliness in Franz Kafka’s novel “Metamorphosis.”
• An individual in the society in the novel “A Man without qualities” by Robert Musil.
• Jaroslav Hashek’s “The Fate of the Good Soldier Švejk During the World War”: the denial of war and perception of it as madness.
• The symbol of the sick people in The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka .
• The corruptive influence of the army in Jaroslav Hashek’s “The Fate of the Good Soldier Švejk During the World War.”
• Pacifistic motives in Karel Chapek’s work “Salamander War.”
• The prophecy of historical events in Karel Capek’s novel “Salamander War.”
• The theme of history in the poetry of Antonio Machado: Fields of Castile.
• Federico Lorca’s Poet in New York: the problematics and style.
• Federico Lorca’s Poet in New York: the image of New York and American reality.
• The Thousand & One Nights: folk collection overview.
• “Waiting for Godot” by Samuel Becket: autobiographical experience of occupied France.
• “Waiting for Godot” by Samuel Becket: the peculiarities of language, speech, and dialogues .
• Allegorical presentation of society in the play “Rhinoceros” by E. Ionesco.
• “In the Labyrinth” by Alain Robbe-Grillet: what meaning does the detailed description of things have?
• The features of anti-novel in the “Golden Fruits” by Natali Sarot.
• “Oedipus the King” by Sophocles .
• Patrick Suskind’s “Perfume” as a perfect example of a postmodernist novel.
• The levels of the novel “Perfume” by Patrick Suskind.
• Reflections on friendship and love in the novel “Hello Sadness” by Françoise Sagan.
• The tragedy of disunity and loneliness in “The Time of Indifference” by Alberto Moravia.
• Analysis of important quotations from A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen .
• “The Time of Indifference” by Alberto Moravia: why do the characters remain static?
• The image of Rome in the story cycle “Roman Tales” by A. Moravia.
• Magic realism in the novel “100 Years of Solitude” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
• “Don Quixote” by Miguel de Servantes: the “insanity” of the main character.
• “War and Peace” by Leo Tolstoy: the concepts of love and duty.
• The peculiarities of women characters in “The Trial” by Franz Kafka .
• The theme of love in “Madame Bovary” by Gustave Flaubert.
• “The Dog in the Manger” by Lope De Vega: the specifics of Italian comedy.
• Voltaire’s “Candid” : forming of individual personality .
• The concept of the Enlightenment person in Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s “Emile, or On Education.”
• Goethe’s “Faust”: biblical references.
• The peculiarities and imagery of F. Schiller’s poetry.
• The ideological and artistic uniqueness of H. Heine’s poetry .
• The genuineness of historical figures in “Danton’s Death” by George Buchner.
• The theme of love in “All Quiet on the Western Front” by Erich Maria Remarque.
• The lost generation theme in “All Quiet on the Western Front” by Erich Maria Remarque.
• Identity formation in “Persepolis” by Satrapi .
• Analysis of Things Fall Apart , a novel by Chinua Achebe .
• Comfort Woman by Nora Okja Keller: Summary & themes .
• Cultural clash in “Dead Men’s Path” by Chinua Achebe .
• Igbo society in Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe .
• The theme of virtue in “The Tale of Kieu” by Nguyen Du .
• Women’s struggles in “Three Daughters of China” by Jung Chang .
• The character of Okonkwo in Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe .
• The Ramayana of Valmiki , translated by Ralph T. H. Griffith .
• Personal mythology based on “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe .
• The theme of love in the Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini .
• Vietnam War in Last Night I Dreamed of Peace by Dang Thuy Tram .
• “The Remains of the Day” by Kazuo Ishiguro .

🔗 References

• How to write a literary analysis essay | Bucks County Community College
• A short guide to close reading for literary analysis; The Writing Center; UW – Madison
• University Writing Center – Literary Analysis
• How to write literary analysis – Sparknotes
• University Writing Center (UWC) – Analyzing Novels & Short Stories
• Writing Prompts for Analyzing Fiction // Purdue Writing Lab
• Summary vs. Analysis | UAGC Writing Center
• Teaching Literary Analysis | Edutopia
• Writing a Literary Analysis – English Resources – Resources by Subject at C. G. O’Kelly Library

414 Proposal Essay Topics for Projects, Research, & Proposal Arguments

725 research proposal topics & title ideas in education, psychology, business, & more.

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Good Titles for an Essay on Literacy

David coodin, 25 jun 2018.

Which came first, the title or the essay topic? Great titles engage the potential reader with memorable words and can help direct students to essay subjects as well. While many students are content to give their written essays the first title that pops into their heads, taking the time to come up with a sharp essay title can draw in your reader and potentially improve your grade. An essay on literacy necessitates finding a strong title especially important because your essay likely emphasizes the importance of reading. Whether you're writing a short essay or a long term paper, try choosing a title that could reflect your own grasp of literacy, your passion for the paper's topic and the topic itself.

Explore this article

• Technical Titles
• Impactful Titles
• Humorous Titles

1 Technical Titles

A title for an essay on literacy is sometimes best when it serves main function of alerting the reader as to the essay's topic. This is especially true for a scientific study of literacy. In this case, come up with a title that conveys your main point. Examples include: "Why Reading Helps Brain Development in Children," "The Impact of the Internet on Literacy Rates" and "The Hidden Links Between Literacy and Income Levels." In all cases, isolate the topic of your paper and phrase it in as few words as possible.

2 Impactful Titles

Sometimes the best titles for an essay on literacy aim to grab the reader's interest through emotional impact. This approach works well if your essay contains examples of literacy's impact on individual people. Find the best anecdote in your essay, and turn it into a title that also conveys your argument. For example, you might choose a title like: "A Mother's Story: How Adult Literacy Can Save the American Family." Without giving too much away, the title personalizes the essay's main point and draws in the reader.

3 Quotations

Many famous quotes exist about the topic of literacy. Finding a good one and using it appropriately can be a great way to come up with a title for your literacy essay. Frederick Douglass famously wrote, "Once you learn to read, you will be forever free." Spin this passage by using a title like: "Becoming Forever Free: The Importance of Learning to Read." You might even include the Douglass quotation as an epigraph to your essay.

4 Humorous Titles

Essay titles that contain humor can work well for your literacy essay if your topic is not as serious. Consider using a pun in your title, such as: "Black, White, and Read All Over: A Study of Newspapers and Literacy" or "Booking Time Off for Books: Reading on your Summer Vacation." Using humor in your title sets the tone for your essay, and can make your audience want to begin reading. You might also consider self-referential humor for your title, such as "Me Read Good" or "How Literacy Can Help You Read This Essay."

• 1 University of Southern California: Choosing a Title
• 2 Good Reads: Quotes About Literacy
• 3 Owlcation: College Writing Tips Write a Good Literacy Narrative

About the Author

David Coodin began working as a writer in 2005, and has been published in "The Walrus." He contributes to various websites, writing primarily in the areas of education and art. Coodin holds a Ph.D. in English literature from York University in Toronto.

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