Jefferson State Community College Libraries: English 252 Caskey American Literature II: Research Project

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Conducting Research

Finding Critical Articles in Literature
This tutorial will assist students in locating critical articles [literary criticism] for English courses
Guide to literary research & writing
All the information you will need to effectively conduct literary research and write research papers from Literary Reference Center Plus.
Research & Writing Skills
Practice your research and writing skills using interactive tutorials from the Research guide of the library website.

The Literature Databases

Bloom's Literature
Bloom’s Literature offers a comprehensive resource for the study of literature. The wide range of material in this award-winning database includes content from Facts On File’s extensive literature collection; hundreds of Harold Bloom’s essays examining the lives and works of great writers; thousands of critical articles published by noted scholars; extensive entries on literary topics, themes, movements, genres, and authors; more than 4,300 video clips; more than 2,700 full-text poems; and more than 9,000 discussion questions on a range of literary topics.
Gale Literature
Unlock information in primary sources, critical articles, literary and cultural analysis, and biographies. Search across centuries to see the broader continuum of the story you choose.
Literary Reference Center Plus
Literary Reference Center Plus includes full-text resources focusing on plays/drama, poetry, religious literature and children's literature. This database also includes volumes of fantasy/science fiction, contemporary literature, world philosophy and religious literature, and literary study guides covering American Literature, English Literature and literary genres.
Short Stories for Students
Provides critical overviews of short stories from all cultures and time periods. Includes discussions of plot, characters, themes and structure as well as the story's cultural and historical significance. [Digital access from Volume 1 through the current edition]

Literary Criticism on "The Story of An Hour"

Research Starter: Kate Chopin
Follow the link to a Research Starter on Kate Chopin, the author of "The Story of an Hour".
Research Starter: The Story of an Hour
Follow this link to a Research Starter on "The Story of an Hour".
Short Stories for Students: The Story of an Hour
From Short Stories for Students. Ed. Kathleen Wilson. Vol. 2. Detroit, MI: Gale, 1997. p263-277; Author Biography; Plot Summary; Characters; Themes; Style; Historical Context; Critical Overview; Criticism.

"Revealing the Essential Self": Sartrean Existentialism in Kate Chopin's "The Story of an Hour" and "A Pair of Silk Stockings"
The article explores the literary representation of women in the short stories "A Pair of Silk Stockings" and "The Story of an Hour," by Kate Chopin. Emphasis is given to the existential struggles of the female characters and topics such as the role of freedom in the philosophy of existentialist Jean Paul Sartre, the development of selfhood and authenticity, and the impact of relationships on personal identity.

Podlasli-Labrenz, Heidi. “‘Revealing the Essential Self’: Sartrean Existentialism in Kate Chopin’s ‘The Story of an Hour’ and ‘A Pair of Silk Stockings.’” Southern Studies: An Interdisciplinary Journal of the South, vol. 23, no. 2, Fall/Winter2016 2016, p. 62. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edo&AN=120963173&site=eds-live.
"Joy That Kills": Female Jouissance in Kate Chopin's "The Story of an Hour"
An essay is presented that examines the short story "The Story of an Hour," by Kate Chopin. Topics mentioned include the literal meaning of the divine rape in the tradition of allegorical readings, the need for women in theology to refute the idea of a male-defined God and find a god for themselves, and God as an external agent bringing about changes in the protagonist.

Mavis Chia-Chieh Tseng. “‘Joy That Kills’: Female Jouissance in Kate Chopin’s ‘The Story of an Hour.’” Short Story, vol. 22, no. 2, Fall 2014, p. 29. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edo&AN=122008087&site=eds-live.

Naturalism and the Short Story Form: Kate Chopin’s ‘The Story of an Hour’
Scribbling Women and the Short Story Form. Ed. Ellen Burton Harrington . New York: Lang, 2008. p74-85. Rpt. in Short Story Criticism. Ed. Lawrence J. Trudeau. Vol. 211. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale. From Literature Resource Center.
Fatal Self-Assertion in Kate Chopin's 'The Story of an Hour'
American Literary Realism Vol. 32, Issue 2. (Winter 2000): p152-158. Rpt. in Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism. Ed. Janet Witalec. Vol. 127. Detroit, MI: Gale, 2002. From Literature Resource Center.

Fatal Self-Assertion in Kate Chopin's 'The Story of an Hour'

The Autonomous Female Self and the Death of Louise Mallard in Kate Chopin's 'Story of an Hour.'
English Language Notes Vol. 42, Issue 1. (Sept. 2004): p48-55. Rpt. in Short Story Criticism. Ed. Jelena Krstovic. Vol. 110. Detroit, MI: Gale. From Literature Resource Center.

The Autonomous Female Self and the Death of Louise Mallard in Kate Chopin's 'Story of an Hour.'
in PDF.

Suggested Resources on "The Yellow Wallpaper"

The Yellow Wallpaper
Link out to a Research Starter on "The Yellow Wallpaper".
Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Link out to a Research Starter on Charlotte Perkins Gilman.
"The Yellow Wallpaper" Analysis
From Short Stories for Students
Streaming Video: The Yellow Wallpaper
Touted as one of the first major feminist writers, Charlotte Perkins Gilman spent her life fighting to liberate women from the yoke of domesticity. This is a stunning BBC dramatization of Gilman’s autobiographical account of a woman driven to madness by the repressive mores of Victorian culture. Stephen Dillon as the husband, John, and Julia Watson as the despondent heroine give stellar performances in this production directed by the BBC’s John Clive. (76 minutes)

Edith Wharton, "Roman Fever"

Research Starter: Edith Wharton
Link out to a Research Starter on Edith Wharton.
Research Starter: Roman Fever
Link out to a Research Starter on Edith Wharton's "Roman Fever".
Short Stories for Students: Roman Fever
From Short Stories for Students, biographical information, plot summary, characters, themes, style, historical context, and critical overview of Wharton's "Roman Fever".

Jack London, "To Build a Fire"

Jack London
Link out to a Research Starter on Jack London.
Critical Analysis: To Build a Fire
From Short Stories for Students, link out to a critical analysis of London's "To Build a Fire".
To Build a Fire
Link out to a Research Starter on London's "To Build a Fire".

William Faulkner: "A Rose for Emily"

Research Starter: William Faulkner
Link out to biographical and background information on William Faulkner.
"A Rose for Emily" Analysis
From Short Stories for Students
A Rose for Emily
Link out to a Research Starter on Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily".

Flannery O'Connor: A Good Man Is Hard to Fine

Flannery O'Connor
Link out to a Research Starter on Flannery O'Connor.
"A Good Man Is Hard to Find"
Short Stories for Students. Ed. Kathleen Wilson. Vol. 2. Detroit, MI: Gale, 1997. p97-114.
Research Starter: "A Good Man Is Hard to Find"
Link out to a Research Starter on the story.