TED-Ed
TED-Ed: Silvia Moreno-García: Titan of terror: the dark imagination of H.P. Lovecraft
Arcane books of forbidden lore, disturbing secrets in the family bloodline, and terrors so unspeakable the very thought of them might drive you mad. These have become standard elements in modern horror stories. But they were largely...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: Can love and independence coexist? | Tanya Boucicaut
Baritone thunder. Snarling winds. Consuming downpours. Okeechobee, the hurricane of 1928, forced many to flee their ruined communities. But for Janie Crawford, it inspired an unexpected homecoming. So begins Zora Neale Hurston's...
Crash Course
Like Pale Gold - The Great Gatsby Part I: Crash Course English Literature
In which John Green explores F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel of the Jazz Age, The Great Gatsby. John introduces you to Nick Carraway, Jay Gatsby, Daisy and Tom Buchanan, and the other characters in the novel, and tries to look beyond the...
Crash Course
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Part 1: Crash Course Literature
In which John Green teaches you about Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. This week, we'll talk a little bit about Samuel Langhorne Clemens, who wrote under the name Mark Twain, and how he mined his early life for decades to...
Crash Course
Toni Morrison: Crash Course Black American History #48
Today, Clint Smith will teach you about the legendary writer Toni Morrison. Morrison is best known for her novels which chronicle the experiences of Black Americans throughout history. She was the first Black American Woman to win a...
Curated Video
Unity, Diversity, and Comradery in Moby Dick
Ishmael, the narrator of Moby Dick, forms a deep bond with Queequeg, another worker aboard the ship coming from the Pacific Islands. Through this friendship, Melville explores themes of friendship, marriage-like intimacy, and mutual...
Curated Video
How Whaling Shaped Herman Melville, Moby Dick, and America
Herman Melville was born into a wealthy family in New York City in 1819, but following the Financial Panic of 1837 and his father's death, he faced significant hardships, leading him to work at sea. This period of Melville's life, marked...
Curated Video
Style and Interpretations of Herman Melville's Moby Dick
Herman Melville's "Moby Dick" is celebrated for its archaic writing style and poetic intensity, transforming the narrative of a 19th-century whaling crew into a captivating drama that delves into the folly of mankind. The novel's...
Curated Video
Symbolism and Interpretations of the Whale in Moby Dick
The interpretations of the whale in "Moby Dick" are diverse, ranging from representing the Judeo-Christian God to critiques of imperialism and atheism. Scholars have debated whether Moby Dick symbolizes an inscrutable, omnipotent force...
Curated Video
Obsession and Identity: Understanding Ishmael and Ahab in Moby Dick
Herman Melville's novel, "Moby Dick" opens with the line, "Call me Ishmael". We do not know whether this is actually the narrator's name or simply a nod to the biblical figure. Ishmael's elusiveness is contrasted with Captain Ahab's...
Curated Video
Biblical Themes and Shakespearean References in Moby Dick
At its core, "Moby Dick" is a story about the vengeful Captain Ahab's pursuit of the white whale that maimed him and is narrated by Ishmael, a man seeking knowledge through seafaring. Despite its simple premise, Herman Melville expands...
Curated Video
Introduction to Moby Dick
Herman Melville's novel, "Moby Dick" explores themes of obsession, compulsion, and the human psyche. The tale takes place aboard a whaling ship, an environment that author was intimately familiar with. Melville combined his own...
Curated Video
Materialism and the American Dream in The Great Gatsby
The green light and the looming eyes of Dr. TJ Eckleberg are two of the most iconic images in F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, "The Great Gatsby." The green light is a multifaceted symbol representing Gatsby's love for Daisy, the elusive...
Curated Video
Solitude and Intensity: the Romantic Style of Emily Dickinson
Emily Dickinson's poetry frequently incorporates the color white, not as a symbol of purity or innocence, but as an emblem of intense emotion and passion, exemplified by her use of "white heat" as a metaphor for the soul's fervor....
Curated Video
Impressions and Lasting Legacy of Emily Dickinson
Thomas Wentworth Higginson, Emily Dickinson's mentor, found her both fascinating and elusive, describing their interactions as filled with "fiery mist" and "rare sparkles of light." Despite the intimacy of their correspondence, Dickinson...
Curated Video
The Innovative Style of Emily Dickinson's Poetry
Emily Dickinson describes the transformative power of poetry as something that can evoke profound physical sensations. She developed a distinctive style characterized by unique punctuation, particularly the use of dashes, and near...
Curated Video
Intimate Verses: the Letters and Poetry of Emily Dickinson
In 1862, Emily Dickinson initiated a lifelong correspondence with essayist Thomas Wentworth Higginson, sending him four poems and seeking his opinion on her work. Through letters, she conducted most of her significant relationships,...
Curated Video
Themes and Symbolism in Emily Dickinson's Poems
Emily Dickinson's late poetry often reflects themes of volcanic emotions and explosive psychological states, suggesting a deeply turbulent inner life. Some speculate that Dickinson's reclusiveness and intense emotional expressions in her...
Curated Video
Introduction to Emily Dickinson
Emily Dickinson is a well-known author these days, but her work was unknown during her lifetime. Dickinson, known as an eccentric and reclusive figure in her hometown of Amherst, Massachusetts. After her death, nearly 2,000 poems she...
Curated Video
Reception and Legacy of The Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, "The Great Gatsby" captured the optimism of the 1920s and foreshadowed the personal and societal doom that would follow with the market crash and the author's decline. Despite the novel's initial failure,...
Curated Video
Time, Geography, and Morality in The Great Gatsby
Jay Gatsby's quest to reclaim his past relationship with Daisy Buchanan is an ever-present theme in The Great Gatsby. The many mentions of time throughout the novel emphasize Gatsby's desire to reset the clock on their relationship....
Curated Video
Use of Poetry and Color Themes in The Great Gatsby
"The Great Gatsby," is a short novel that is rich in language, F. Scott Fitzgerald aimed to create a work that not only captured the essence of the Jazz Age but also transcended it through poetic beauty and intricate patterns. Drawing...
Curated Video
The Great Gatsby: Characters, Plot, and Setting
"The Great Gatsby" is narrated by Nick Carraway, and observer to the story of Jay Gatsby, an enigmatic millionaire chasing the American Dream in the hopes of reclaiming his lost love, Daisy Buchanan, despite the societal divide and her...
Curated Video
Who Was F. Scott Fitzgerald?
F. Scott Fitzgerald, born in 1896 in St. Paul, Minnesota, emerged from modest beginnings to become a defining literary figure of the 20th century. Despite facing financial struggles and societal prejudice due to his Irish-American...