Imagery and Symbolism in “The Chrysanthemums”

In his short story “The Chrysanthemums,” John Steinbeck uses imagery and symbolism to depict the repressed feminine qualities of Elisa Allen, a vibrant person who is not taken seriously because she is a woman.

Ritual and Tradition in “The Lottery”

“The Lottery” shows the importance of ritual and tradition in  society and how difficult it is even for well-meaning people to change.

Social Justice in “Omelas”

Ursula K. Le Guin’s short story, “The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas,” is a parable of the terrible distance between the haves and the have nots of the modern world.

Money and Madness in “The Rocking-Horse Winner”

“The Rocking-Horse Winner” is a critique of modern society.  In this short story, D. H. Lawrence depicts the destruction of human values and human life by an insane obsession with money; this obsession is symbolized by a small boy’s frenzied riding of his rocking horse.

Allegory in “Young Goodman Brown”

Young Goodman Brown’s journey into the forest is an allegory of each man’s discovery of the evil within himself and the resulting distrust of his fellow man bred by that knowledge.

Imagery in “Paul’s Case”

Contrasting sets of images in “Paul’s Case,” by Willa Cather, are central to the development of the contrast between illusion and reality in the life of an adolescent boy.  These sets of images contrast a world of color with one seen in black and white, warmth with cold, and romance with drudgery.

Setting and Character in "To Build A Fire"

In Jack London"s "To Build A Fire," the protagonist is destroyed by the indifferent power of Nature and his own tragic mistakes.