Hello,
I'll have to present a 'memoir' (an expose) and I want to do it on the American literature. The problem's that I don't know which novel to pick. Could anyone help me with that?

I'm not sure I understand the assignment. Please explain further.

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Originally Posted by Wondergirl

I'm not sure I understand the assignment. Please explain further.

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Well, I have to choose a novel and analyse it. It could be any novel of my choice, but I don't know which one to choose. I mean which novel that would be a good case of study. Is it clear somehow?

A memoir is not a novel. So now I am really confused.

When is the analysis due?

Here are some good memoirs --

Popular Memoir Books

The Glass Castle is an especially good one.

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Originally Posted by Wondergirl

A memoir is not a novel. So now I am really confused.

When is the analysis due?

Here are some good memoirs --

Popular Memoir Books

The Glass Castle is an especially good one.

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I'm sorry. I thought the French word is also used in English. It just means an extended essay.

In French culture, the word mémoire, as in un mémoire (the word has no direct English translation) is used for a (usually short and incisive) piece of writing allowing the author to show his or her opinion on a given subject, logically approaching a series of facts in order to arrive at a recommendation or conclusion. In English it can be deemed a form of essay.

Does that mean you want something short? Or a book-length memoir?

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Originally Posted by Wondergirl

Does that mean you want something short? or a book-length memoir?

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A novel.

*sigh* What kind of a novel? A classic? A thriller? Short and quick? Long and thought-provoking?

I'll suggest The Jungle by Upton Sinclair.

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Originally Posted by Wondergirl

*sigh* What kind of a novel? A classic? a thriller? short and quick? long and thought-provoking?

I'll suggest The Jungle by Upton Sinclair.

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A classic would be good. I was thinking of To Kill a Mockingbird, but I'm not sure yet.

The Jungle is a classic. You can write a dynamite analysis from it.

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Originally Posted by Wondergirl

The Jungle is a classic. You can write a dynamite analysis from it.

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Thanks :)
Do you think picking one of Edgar Allan Poe's short stories and analysing it would be a good idea?

There are tons of analyses available and possible with Poe's short stories. Do you have one in mine?

How about Poe considered “The Purloined Letter” his best detective story, and critics have long identified the ways in which it redefines the mystery genre—it turns away from action toward intellectual analysis, for example.

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Originally Posted by Wondergirl

There are tons of analyses available and possible with Poe's short stories. Do you have one in mine?

How about Poe considered “The Purloined Letter” his best detective story, and critics have long identified the ways in which it redefines the mystery genre—it turns away from action toward intellectual analysis, for example.

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Okay, I'll see about that. Thanks a lot for the help and I'm sorry for the trouble :)

Check out this site (but DO NOT plagiarize!) --

SparkNotes: Poe's Short Stories

I highly recommend "A Bend in the River," by V.S. Naipaul. It's an action packed novel written by a Nobel Prize winner. The story is great by itself and the underlying themes are there if you want to think about them. But don't take my word for it. You should consider reading an online plot summary to see if it piques your interest. A great site that I use a lot is called The Plot Spot. They have a lot of great plot summaries and I know that A Bend in the River is included. Plot Spot: A Bend in the River - Naipaul