From the Paper
"Kingsley Amis s 1953 novel Lucky Jim is a book meant to make us laugh at the absurdities of many of the people that we make while at the same time assuring us that there the small and downtrodden can come out ahead. In this novel, he tells a tale that we all want to hear, which is that sometimes the good guys win just because they are the good guys.
Amis, born in 1922, has made his focus as a novelist the creation of a humorous but highly critical look at British society, especially in the period following the end of World War II in 1945. Born in London, England, he was educated at Saint John's College, at the University of Oxford and his first novel and the subject of this paper, Lucky Jim was a bitingly satirical story of an unheroic young college instructor.
The book influenced a group of British playwrights and novel..."

Abstract
This paper analyzes three of the major characters in the Kingsley Amis novel, "Lucky Jim". It discusses what social foibles are being satirized, examines what makes Amis funny, discusses what ways Lucky Jim is still relevant at the beginning of the 21st century, and reveals in what ways it has become dated.

Abstract
The writer refers to George Meredith's article, "An Essay on Comedy," in his review of the major comedic approaches used by Kingsley Amis in his book "Lucky Jim". The writer then explores the notion of luck in the novel in terms of its expression through comedic strategies.

From the Paper
"In the article, "An Essay on Comedy," author George Meredith asserts "I think it will be acknowledged that in neglecting the cultivation of the Comic idea, we are losing the aid of a powerful auxiliar. You see Folly perpetually sliding into new shapes in a society possessed of wealth and leisure, with many whims, many strange ailments and strange doctors" (25). Here the author points out a key element in the structure of the comedy in Lucky Jim. One of the ways in which Amis criticizes the bourgeois academia is through the exposure of their mundane obsession with the high-end manner of living life. Specifically, the way in which Jim is subjected to the Welch's scrutiny by having to live in their home illuminates this dichotomy."

Tags:luck, farce, irony, hypocrisy

Abstract
This paper begins by giving a brief bio of Amis and then describes how he became famous as a novelist through the creation of a humorous but highly critical look at British society, especially in the period following the end of World War II in 1945. It discusses his book "Lucky Jim" in terms of how it fits in with this theme of criticizing society.

From the Paper
"Kingsley Amis's 1953 novel Lucky Jim is a book meant to make us laugh at the absurdities of many of the people that we make while at the same time assuring us that there the small and downtrodden can come out ahead. In this novel, he tells a tale that we all want to hear, which is that sometimes the good guys win just because they are the good guys."

Tags:english, university, professor, dixon

Abstract
The paper looks at Amy Tan's, "Two Kinds," and at how this well-received short story is a thoughtful look at how living one's own life (not the life others wish for you) is the secret to happiness - and also an act of considerable personal courage. The paper explores the constraints placed upon the story's protagonist by her mother, and addresses the notion of courage and how a lack of courage actually brought Amy Tan much pain and suffering in her formative years as she grappled with being something she was not. Lastly, the paper concludes by looking at the Chinese-American experience in America and how this shaped the dynamics of the Tan household. The paper highlights the message that life is about living - and living well means living as oneself.

From the Paper
"The following paper will look at Amy Tan's, "Two Kinds," and at how this well-received short story is a thoughtful look at how living one's own life (not the life others wish for you) is the secret to happiness - and also an act of considerable personal courage. With that in mind, the next few pages will explore the constraints placed upon the story's protagonist (ostensibly a youthful Amy Tan) by her mother; time will also be devoted to looking at the notion of courage and how a lack of courage actually brought Amy Tan much pain and suffering in her formative years as she grappled with being something she was not. Lastly, the paper will conclude..."

Tags:amy, tan, kinds

Abstract
This paper uses Amy Tan's story "Two Kinds" to explore parenting styles. The paper first explains that, in the story 'Two Kinds', included in Amy Tan's book "The Joy Luck Club", the character of Jing-mei defies her mother's domineering desire to force her to become a musical prodigy in order to compete with one of her friend's daughter Waverly. The paper then takes a look at literature about raising gifted children and about child rearing in the Asian culture. The paper concludes that, as with Amy Tan's characters, Waverly and her mother, parents should praise and encourage goal setting. In addition, parents must not push too hard but rather listen to the desires of their children so that they can become independent and socially happy.

From the Paper
"Even though twenty years have passed since this childhood struggle, Jing-mei, the narrator of the story, still grapples with her mother's overbearing domination. The two mothers in the story are determined to make the girls excel out of their own prideful motivations. But the two mothers represent two styles of parenting. Whereas Waverly basks in her mother's praise and succeeds at the piano recital, Jing-mei performs poorly and combats her mother's brow-beating through rebellion."

Tags:individuality domineering, prideful motivations, overachievement balance

Abstract
A review of Guy de Maupassant's "Bel-Ami". Specifically, it discusses and explains the roles of women in "Bel-Ami" using examples from the book. The author illustrates how Maupassant shows total disregard for women in this story, and uses them as symbols for the stupid and naive. The writer concludes that Bel-Ami is a purely selfish man, preying upon weak women to move himself up in life.

From the Paper
"The first woman encountered in the novel is Madeline Forestier, wife of Duroy's friend and mentor. "Mme. Forestier had gray eyes, a small nose, full lips, and a rather heavy chin, an irregular, attractive face, full of gentleness and yet of malice" (Maupassant Chapter II). This early hint of malice will come back later in the book, and sets her tone very early. She is not quite trustworthy, although see seems trustworthy enough. Maupassant sets the reader against her early, to carry this through to the end of the novel.

"The next woman introduces is Clotilde, Mme. de Marelle. "She was a dainty brunette, attired in a simple, dark robe; a red rose in her black tresses seemed to accentuate her special character, and a young girl, or rather a child, for such she was, followed her" (Maupassant Chapter II)."

Tags:women, french, fiction, novel

Abstract
This paper examines how Amy Bloom's "The Story" is a prime example of the numerous ways one can play with metafiction to enhance a reading or writing experience. The paper explains that Bloom uses two separate narrators to achieve this: One is self-conscious and the other one is not, but both are unreliable. The paper looks at how one narrator peels away the mystery of storytelling by discussing the elements of fiction, and even inviting the reader or audience to help in making creative decisions. The paper points out that combined, the narrators increase the self-reflexivity of the piece, calling the reader to reflect on fiction and how it is created and presented. In essence, this paper shows that Amy Bloom reflects on the art of storytelling by creating a self-conscious first person narrator.

From the Paper
"Amy, the narrator from page 58 and onward, is aware of the fact that she's telling a story to an audience or reader, and constantly reminds the reader of that by asking the audience about creative decisions. "Can I say that the husband was not any kind of importer? Can I say that he was what he really was, a modestly well-known cartoonist?" she asks on page 58. She does it again in the following paragraph when she asks: "Should I describe him as tall and blond when in fact he was dark and muscular, like the husband?" This not only has the effect of temporarily taking the audience out of the story, but it also causes us to reflect on the elements of fiction, in this case, characterization. Amy also discusses her creative decisions by acknowledging (although falsely, perhaps) what effect they may have on the story as a whole."

Tags:self-conscious, narrator, style, storytelling, fiction

Abstract
This paper takes a look at how Amy Tan's stories and novels have shaped the American view of the experience of Asian-American immigrants. The paper looks at the contrasts that Amy Tan had to face, especially in terms of the clash with her mother's culture, and the confrontation of the experiences of Asian immigrants in American history.

From the Paper
"A look at how Tan's stories and novels have shaped the American view of the experience of Asian-American immigrants. Looks at the contrasts the Amy Tan had to face, especially in terms of culture clash with her mother's culture, and Tan's confrontation of the experiences of Asian immigrants in American history."

Tags:immigration, china, culture, clash, asians