Student Companions

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This series is designed to give students a better understanding of the writers who have shaped the literary canon:

Provides accessible literary criticism on the great writers

Well researched biographical chapter relates writer's life to their work

Examines the place of the writer within their literary heritage

Separate sections on plot development, character development, and major themes

Alternate critical perspectives for each work

Written with the emphasis on accessibility

NB! Order in good time. Some of these books aren't stocked in the UK at the moment and there may be 3 weeks delivery time!

Student Companion to Jane Austen

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Prepared especially for students, this full-length critical study of Jane Austen covers her six major works. It describes Austen's homelife in the English countryside and the social environment that was to be so much a part of Austen's stories and relates how historical context influenced the characters, events and themes that Austen developed. Austen does not overtly preach feminism in any of her novels, but the lack of legal protection for women is a vital theme in Sense and Sensibility. The discussion of the economic realities at the core of Austen's novels will help readers appreciate that works like Pride and Prejudice are more than just charming stories. In addition to analyzing the literary elements in each work of fiction, this Companion also gives students an overview of Austen's literary heritage — and identifies the literary influences on her: epistolary writing, the adventure novel, the gothic form, and Women's Rights novels. Extensive bibliography with biographical materials, historical documents, reviews, criticism etc. Author: Debra Teachman. Hardback. (190 pages)
Level: Library/Depot/Students' papers

9780313307478

Student Companion to Charlotte and Emily Bronte

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Charlotte and Emily Bronte made significant contributions to the history of the novel as a respected literary form. This book offers a biographical account of the Bronte sisters' upbringing, tracing the familial and personal influences that shaped their intellectual lives. A literary heritage chapter also helps students grasp the importance of the sisters' literary accomplishments. A critical analysis is provided for each novel, including sections on plot, character development, thematic issues, literary devices and craft, and the historical/social-cultural context of each work. In addition to Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre, original analysis is also given for Shirley (1849), Villette (1853), and The Professor (1857). Five different contemporary literary theories — Marxist, Freudian, Jungian, Postcolonial, and Feminist — are included in the analysis and are discussed and applied to the novels. Difficult concepts are clearly explained, in non-academic prose. — this book is designed for accessibility. In-depth historical information not usually found in books about the Brontes is included. Author: Barbara Z. Thaden. Hardback. (180 pages)
Contents: An Extraordinary Family; The Brontes and the Novel; Wuthering Heights (1847); Jane Eyre (1847); Shirley (1849); Villette (1853); The Professor (1857); Bibliography.
Level: Library/Depot/Students' papers

9780313310539

Student Companion to F. Scott Fitzgerald

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This critical introduction, written specifically for students, offers insightful yet accessible literary criticism for five novels: This Side of Paradise, The Beautiful and Damned, The Great Gatsby, Tender Is the Night, and The Last Tycoon. A full chapter is devoted to examining each of these works, with an in-depth discussion of character development, thematic concerns and plot structure. The introduction to each novel traces its genesis and the critical reception it received at the time it was written. Alternate critical interpretations are also provided. The historical context sections examine the ways visionary works like The Great Gatsby offer both a chronicle and a critique of the attitudes, dreams, and illusions of American society during the period between the First and Second World Wars. Students will also get a sense of how life and art converged in the fiction of F. Scott Fitzgerald, the man who christened the Jazz Age. The biographical chapter relates Fitzgerald's life to his work. A further chapter places his fiction within its historical and literary contexts. A complete bibliography of Fitzgerald's works and a selected bibliography of critical and biographical sources complete this volume. Author: Linda C. Pelzer. Hardback. (184 pages)
Level: Library/Depot/Students' papers

9780313305948

Student Companion to Ernest Hemingway

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This critical study introduces students to both the man and his fiction, exploring how Hemingway confronted in his own life the same moral issues that would later create thematic conflicts for the characters in his novels. In addition to the biographical chapter which focuses on the pivotal events in Hemingway's personal life, a literary heritage chapter overviews his professional developments, relating his distinctive style to his early years as a journalist. With clear concise analysis, students are guided through all of Hemingway's major works including The Sun Also Rises (1926), A Farewell to Arms (1929), For Whom the Bell Tolls (1940), and The Old Man and the Sea (1952). Each chapter offers a plot synopsis, analysis of character development, themes, settings, historical context, and stylistic features. Alternate critical readings are also given. Full chapters are also devoted to examining his collections of short fiction, the African Stories, and the posthumous works. The extensive bibliography has biographical sources, general criticism, and contemporary reviews. Author: Lisa Tyler. Hardback. (200 pages)
Level: Library/Depot/Students' papers

9780313310560

Student Companion to Arthur Miller

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This critical introduction helps students to understand the depth and complexity of some of America's most important dramatic works. Beginning with a discussion of Miller's life, this work traces not only Miller's theatrical career, but his formative experiences with the Great Depression, the Holocaust, and the House Un-American Activities Committee. Detailed discussions of eight important plays are organized around the social and moral themes Miller derived from such events; these themes are evident in such works as Death of A Salesman, The Crucible, A View from the Bridge, and All My Sons. Analysis of his more recent works such as The American Clock, Broken Glass and The Ride Down Mt. Morgan illustrate the consistency of Miller's strong moral vision. A biographical chapter takes readers from Miller's childhood, through the Depression years, through three marriages; and from his theatrical apprecticeship, to eventual fame and critical acclaim. The literary heritage chapter outlines Miller's literary and dramatic forerunners, and considers the major aspects of his dramatic impact. The six chapters discussing his major plays are systematically presented to allow the reader to easily grasp the intricacies of their plots, characterizations, stylistic devices, and themes. There are also alternate critical readings. The bibliography includes biographical information, selected general criticism, contemporary reviews and critical studies of the plays. Author: Susan Abbotson. Hardback. (184 pages)
Contents: The Life and Career of Arthur Miller; Arthur Miller's Literary Heritage; Tragedy: Death of a Salesman (1949); The Family: All My Sons (1947) and A View from the Bridge (1956); The Depression: The American Clock (1980); The Holocaust: After the Fall (1964) and Broken Glass (1994); House Un-American Activities Committee: The Crucible (1953); Continuing Concerns: The Ride Down Mt. Morgan (1991); Bibliography.
Level: Library/Depot/Students' papers

9780313309496

Student Companion to George Orwell

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This volume examines George Orwell's fictional writing, as well as his documentaries and essays. Students will gain an appreciation for the many levels of meaning in the allegorical Animal Farm and the prescient 1984. It shows how personal and world events came together in Orwell's writing. A biographical chapter examines the development of Orwell's world view from his impressionable student days to his later years as he struggled with his health, his political identity, and his literary career. The literary heritage chapter traces Orwell's influence as a truth-teller and reviews the literary influences that inspired him to experiment and refine his writing style. Individual chapters provide in-depth but accessible analysis of each major work of fiction and nonfiction including the often-anthologized essay Shooting an Elephant and Orwell's first full-length publication Down and Out in Paris and London. In addition to plot and character development, considerable attention is given to the historical contexts and the thematic concerns of social injustice that drove Orwell to devote his life to his writing. Each chapter also offers alternate interpretations. Extensive bibliography. Author: Mitzi Brunsdal. Hardback. (185 pages)
Level: Library/Depot/Students' papers

9780313306372

Student Companion to Edgar Allan Poe

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This introduction to the life, times, and major works of Poe offers fresh interpretations of timeless masterpieces like The Raven. This book organizes the works of Poe into four major groupings: the poetry, Vampiric love stories, tales of psychological terror, and the detective stories. Close readings are given for the most important works, including The Tell Tale Heart and The Black Cat. The book begins with a concise biographical chapter that explores Poe's troubled experiences. The Literary Heritage chapter chronicles Poe's influence on other writers, artists, and filmmakers who followed. Poe's most famous tales of terror and revenge are juxtaposed because they all revolve around murders and the elements of terror associated with the act of killing. His "love stories" are also brought together in a chapter that deals with vampirisim and gender. The final chapter, The Origins of the Detective Tale, examines Poe's tales of ratiocination, and traces the evolution of many popular culture super sleuths to Poe's Dupin. Bibliography of biographical and critical works, contemporary reviews etc. Author: Tony Magistrale. Hardback. (160 pages)
Contents: Notes Toward a Biography — The Contribution and Legacy of Edgar Allan Poe — The Art of Poetry — Vampiric Love Stories — Tales of Psychological Terror, Homicide, and Revenge — The Origins of the Detective Tale — Selected Bibliography
Level: Library/Depot/Students' papers

9780313309922

Student Companion to John Steinbeck

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Examines Steinbeck's most important and enduring works, as well as his life and his place in the canon of American literature. Since the publication of Tortilla Flat in 1935, Steinbeck's treatment of American landscapes and themes has struck a chord with readers. His novels Of Mice and Men (1937), The Grapes of Wrath (1939), and Cannery Row (1945) quickly became highly regarded bestsellers (and feature films), and have earned Steinbeck a place in the canon. This book guides readers through these works as well as Steinbeck's other important novels and short fiction, particularly those that are most often taught, such as The Pearl (1945) and The Red Pony (1933). Analysis of each work includes discussions of character development plot and setting, thematic treatment, historical contexts and alternate critical readings. A biographical chapter and another on Steinbeck's career and contributions help readers gain a sense of Steinbeck the man. There is also an extensive bibliography of biographical information, general criticism, and copious contemporary reviews of all the works covered. Author: Cynthia Burkhead. Hardback. (192 pages)
Contents: Life of John Steinbeck; Steinbeck's Career and Contributions; Tortilla Flat (1935); Of Mice and Men (1937); The Grapes of Wrath (1939); Cannery Row (1945); The Pearl (1945); East of Eden (1952); The Short Stories; Bibliography.
Level: Library/Depot/Students' papers

9780313314575

Student Companion to Mark Twain

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This critical study helps students appreciate the man, his life, and his contributions to American literature. A fresh biographical account traces Twain's colorful life through his varied careers and adventures, to his rise to national prominence as a writer of short stories, to the creation of masterpieces like The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. His travel narratives, short stories, and novels are examined — their thematic concerns, plot structure, character development, and historical background. Alternative critical perspectives are provided. The biographical chapter is followed by a section on Mark Twain's career and contributions to American literature, which situates Twain within the traditions of American humor writings. Bibliography of sources, contemporary reviews, and criticism. Author: David E. E. Sloane. Hardback. (200 pages)
Level: Library/Depot/Students' papers

9780313312199