The Palace of Love, the Palace of Sorrow

Romanticism in A Song of Ice and Fire

by Elio M. Garcia, Jr., Linda Antonssonon A Song of Ice and Fire

As with all things, the passing of time brings changes. The modern fantasy genre has seen trends come and go in the last fifteen years, but one of the most lasting of the recent trends began with the growing success of George R.R. Martin’s A Game of Thrones. Just as he followed in the footsteps of J.R.R. Tolkien, Stephen R. Donaldson, and more contemporary fantasists such as Robert Jordan and Tad Williams, other authors have been influenced in turn by the traits that Martin’s readers associate with his series of novels. Words such as “realistic,” “gritty,” or “brutal” are terms of reference for many readers when discussing the series, and it can’t be denied that these aspects of the story draw a great deal of attention. However, the strength of the novels is not based on literary realism alone. In fact, the realism stands in contrast to another foundational aspect … read more»

Recent Free Essays (Still Available!)

Available Until
Thu 7/16

A Tale of Two Orphans

by Lou Anderson Superman

Batman and Superman: together, they are the ur-superheroes. Created in 1938 and 1939, they set the standard for all superhero comics. At one time portrayed as the best of friends, they even appeared together in a joint comic book, World’s Finest Comics, teaming up to fight crime and injustice every … read more»

Available Until
Wed 7/15

All That Glitters Is Not Hovery

by Lili Wilkinsonon the Uglies series

Teens are generally more interested in language than adults. They produce more slang, more poetry, more neologisms and nicknames, and memorize more song lyrics than their elders. They’re still acquiring language in ways that most adults aren’t: as a tool for self-definition.

–Scott Westerfeld¹

Shay sometimes talked in a … read more»

Available Until
Tue 7/14

Game Theory

by Joyce Millmanon Lost

Blame it on the polar bears. They’re the reason why I can’t commit
to any of the usual theories of Lost.

Oh, it’s not that the theories are bad. I mean, there are times when
you can almost convince me that the castaways are dead but they
… read more»

Available Until
Mon 7/13

From Battlestar to Battlestar

by Richard Hatchon Battlestar Galactica

My journey from the original Battlestar Galactica to the re-imagined version is as epic and vast for me as the distance between two Battlestars in totally different quadrants of space. Metaphorically speaking, the era and decade in which each show was produced and the changes in our culture and world … read more»