"Black Boy" is a firsthand account of what it was like to come-of-age in the South during the Jim Crow era. Richard Wright's story is an emotional journey through violence, abandonment, neglect, and hunger, as well as blatant racial discrimination. This new addition to the "Bloom's Guides" series delves into "Black Boy" with critical excerpts examining this novelistic autobiography, an annotated bibliography of Wright's works, an index for easy reference, and an introductory essay from literature professor Harold Bloom.
Composed around 1000 CE, "Beowulf" is the longest-known poems written in Old English. Considered to be one of the great epics, the poem tells of the heroic deeds of the great warrior Beowulf, and contains both Christian and pagan symbolism. Students will eagerly explore the poem's influential themes in this new offering from the "Bloom's Guides" series. They'll also learn how "Beowulf" is the blueprint for many of the legends often associated with medieval and Renaissance literature, as well as the prototype for the modern fantasy genre.
Toni Morrison's Beloved, part of Chelsea House Publishers' Bloom's Guides collection, presents concise critical excerpts from Beloved to provide a scholarly overview of the work. This comprehensive study guide also features "The Story Behind the Story" which details the conditions under which Beloved was written. This title also includes a short biography on Toni Morrison and a descriptive list of characters.
Kate Chopin's "The Awakening" is a favorite of feminist critics, who see it as an early evocation of the ideas that would galvanize the women's liberation movement. This new addition to the "Bloom's Guides" series gathers excerpts of numerous respected critical essays on the novel. Topics discussed include the symbolic use of the sea, literary naturalism, and Charles Darwin's theory of evolution in regard to the novel. Helpful features include an annotated bibliography, a listing of other works by the author, and an introduction by master scholar Harold Bloom.
At once an allegory for both utopia and totalitarianism, Animal Farm is a story that expresses a dismal view of humans and their attempts to create a just society without compassion, history, and nonviolence. Orwell's book is decidedly anti-utopian and yet an unforgettable morality tale that entertains as it teaches.
This concise supplement to Orwell's Animal Farm helps students understand the overall structure of the work, actions and motivations of the characters, and the social and cultural perspectives of the author.
