Literature & the arts
Literary interpretation, creative work, culture and artistic choices.
Jane Eyre’s Need for Belonging and Independence
An analysis of how Jane’s search for emotional belonging and self-determination shapes her choices at Thornfield and Marsh End, and how the novel presents love as most meaningful when it respects autonomy.
Why Students Should Encounter Art From Different Communities
A developed argument for studying creative traditions across communities through attentive, contextual interpretation that resists stereotypes.
Macbeth’s Secret Murder and the Collapse of Trust
An analysis of how Macbeth’s concealed murder of Duncan alters his relationship with Lady Macbeth, shapes his dealings with Banquo and the court, and helps Shakespeare present tyranny as dependent on fear and deception.
Frankenstein: How Family and Isolation Shape Victor and the Creature
A literary analysis of how family, education, and social acceptance shape Victor Frankenstein and his creature, and what their divergent choices suggest about agency.
Government Arts Funding: Access Versus Artistic Independence
An argument that public funding can help the arts flourish and reach wider audiences, provided that funding is structured to protect artists from political control and preserve diverse sources of support.
Macbeth and the Thane of Cawdor: A Parallel of Destruction
A literary analysis of how Malcolm’s account of Cawdor’s repentant death applies to Macbeth, especially through their different responses to danger, guilt, and the prospect of death.
Frankenstein: Victor Frankenstein’s Memories and Guilt
An analysis of how Victor’s cherished childhood memories and guilt-ridden recollections shape his choices, revealing Shelley’s critique of ambition severed from responsibility.
Boredom: Lack of Imagination or Circumstance?
An argument that boredom is not inherently embarrassing: it can invite curiosity when people have room to act, but may instead reflect circumstances they cannot readily change.
Macbeth and the Choice to Embrace Evil
An analysis of how Macbeth’s growing awareness and deliberate choices both support and complicate the idea that evil requires conscious acceptance.
Alice’s Curiosity and Unfulfilled Need in Wonderland
A literary analysis of how Alice’s pursuit of understanding leads to discovery but cannot give her stable footing in Wonderland.
Arts Funding During Hunger and Unemployment
An evidence-based argument that governments should prioritize immediate material needs during severe hardship without automatically suspending every cultural program. It proposes a concrete test for deciding when arts cuts are justified.
King Lear and Justice: Is There a Moral Order in the Play?
An analysis of how King Lear tests the possibility of justice against political power, human cruelty, suffering, and chance.