Writing Task
- Demonstrate your understanding of the elements of fiction by analyzing one of more of the short stories studied in the unit.
- Select one story and examine the author’s use of one or more elements of fiction or compare the authors’ use of one element in two stories.
- Take a position and argue for a thesis, using evidence from the text to support your points.
- Work closely with the text of the story(ies) and quote specific passages that address the issue in question.
- Be careful to place quotations in the context of the story as well as the context of your argument.
- Interpret quotations for your reader rather than expecting them to convey some transparent meaning.
- Include accurate parenthetical documentation, i.e. (169), for all direct quotations for easy reference. Because we are all using the same texts, author/title is not necessary. The source of the quotation should be clear through the context of the analysis.
Your paper should be 3-4 pages in length and follow MLA style. Use a plain font no larger than 12 points.
A draft of your short story analysis is due on for peer response and revision.
The revised analysis is submitted on
Resources
For help and guidance
- Read “Writing about Fiction,” pp. 57-76 in our text.
- "Writing a Critical Analysis of a Short Story" (link)
- "Basic Tips for Writing a Literary Analysis" (below)
Consider these ideas . . .
1. Choose a story in which the elements of the plot structure are exceptionally clear and/or in which the writer makes specific use of plot techniques.
Some questions to help you get started:
What events comprise the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution, and denoument?
How does the structure of the plot relate to other elements in the story?
Does the writer use flashback, foreshadowing, in medias res?
To what effect are these techniques used in the story?
2. Choose a story in which character is significant. Analyze the character and how he/she is developed?
Some questions to help you get started:
Who are the protagonist and antagonist?
How is the protagonist/antagonist developed?
Is the character round or flat? Static or dynamic?
How are supporting characters used?
Are they stock characters?
3. Choose a story in which setting seems important and explain why it is important. How does it affect our understanding of the story?
Some questions to help you get started:
What is the setting (time, place, social condition)? What details about it stand out?
Could the story have happened somewhere else?
How do the characters react to the setting? What makes the setting seem important?
4. Choose a story in which the point of view or the narrator seems important and discuss how that point of view or narrator affects the story. What roles does the point of view/narrator play in the story?
Some questions to help you get started:
Whose point of view are we getting in the story? Who is the narrator?
What do we know about that character or narrator?
How does this point of view affect what we know? Is anything left out?
5. Choose a story in which a symbol seems important and discuss the role of that symbol in the story.
Some questions to help you get started:
What is the symbol? What are its characteristics?
Why does it seem important? What role does it play in the story (literal meaning)?
What is its symbolic meaning?
How does the symbol relate to the rest of the story?
6. Choose a story in which the theme seems particularly clear and make an argument for what you think that theme is. Make sure you show how the writer communicates that theme in the story.
Some questions to help you get started:
What do you think the theme is? (Avoid single words and clichés)
Which fictional elements develop/support the theme?
Some questions to help you get started:
What events comprise the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution, and denoument?
How does the structure of the plot relate to other elements in the story?
Does the writer use flashback, foreshadowing, in medias res?
To what effect are these techniques used in the story?
2. Choose a story in which character is significant. Analyze the character and how he/she is developed?
Some questions to help you get started:
Who are the protagonist and antagonist?
How is the protagonist/antagonist developed?
Is the character round or flat? Static or dynamic?
How are supporting characters used?
Are they stock characters?
3. Choose a story in which setting seems important and explain why it is important. How does it affect our understanding of the story?
Some questions to help you get started:
What is the setting (time, place, social condition)? What details about it stand out?
Could the story have happened somewhere else?
How do the characters react to the setting? What makes the setting seem important?
4. Choose a story in which the point of view or the narrator seems important and discuss how that point of view or narrator affects the story. What roles does the point of view/narrator play in the story?
Some questions to help you get started:
Whose point of view are we getting in the story? Who is the narrator?
What do we know about that character or narrator?
How does this point of view affect what we know? Is anything left out?
5. Choose a story in which a symbol seems important and discuss the role of that symbol in the story.
Some questions to help you get started:
What is the symbol? What are its characteristics?
Why does it seem important? What role does it play in the story (literal meaning)?
What is its symbolic meaning?
How does the symbol relate to the rest of the story?
6. Choose a story in which the theme seems particularly clear and make an argument for what you think that theme is. Make sure you show how the writer communicates that theme in the story.
Some questions to help you get started:
What do you think the theme is? (Avoid single words and clichés)
Which fictional elements develop/support the theme?
Structuring a Literary Analysis
Title
Give your analysis an original title. While it may include the title of the short story(ies), it should be more than that. That title has already been used by the author. Consider a title:subtitle format which includes the story's title or the fictional element and a creative element that establishes the purpose of your analysis.
For example: "Sixteen": First Love Lost
or
First Love Lost: Characterization in "Sixteen"
Remember to punctuate the title of short story with quotation marks each time it appears.
Introduction
In her short story, "The Demon Lover," Elizabeth Bowen effectively uses flashback and foreshadowing to create suspense.
title author focus purpose
Body Paragraphs
For example:
"stand alone"
Chopin describes Mrs. Mallard's reaction to the news of her husband's death. "Into this she sank, pressed down by a physical
exhaustion that haunted her body and seemed to reach into her soul." (15).
"integrated"
Chopin describes Mrs. Mallard as feeling "pressed down" (15) and "haunted" (15) after hearing the news of her husband's death.
Conclusion
An effective conclusion is often the inverse of the introduction, beginning with a restatement of the thesis and followed by a summary of the main points with key examples. The final link in this circular chain is the closing that ties back to your opening and/or title. Like any good work of fiction or non-fiction, at some point the reader should say, "that's were the title comes from!"
Give your analysis an original title. While it may include the title of the short story(ies), it should be more than that. That title has already been used by the author. Consider a title:subtitle format which includes the story's title or the fictional element and a creative element that establishes the purpose of your analysis.
For example: "Sixteen": First Love Lost
or
First Love Lost: Characterization in "Sixteen"
Remember to punctuate the title of short story with quotation marks each time it appears.
Introduction
- Begin with a relevant, attention-getting opening that engages your reader and relates closely to the story or your fictional element.
- Follow the opening with a short summary of the plot. You are merely reminding your reader of the main action of the story.
- The introduction will end with your thesis statement. The thesis will contain the title of the work, the author's name, the focus of your analysis (fictional element(s)) and the purpose of your analysis. For example:
In her short story, "The Demon Lover," Elizabeth Bowen effectively uses flashback and foreshadowing to create suspense.
title author focus purpose
Body Paragraphs
- Your body paragraphs will develop the points in your thesis. Each body paragraph will have a single, specific, focus.
- Begin the body paragraph with an original topic sentence that relates to your thesis.
- Develop the paragraph with your analysis supported by directly quoted and paraphrased textual evidence.Remember to "show" not just "tell." When using directly quoted evidence, cite the page number in parentheses. Try to incorporate directly quoted textual evidence into your own sentences rather than quoting "stand alone" evidence.
For example:
"stand alone"
Chopin describes Mrs. Mallard's reaction to the news of her husband's death. "Into this she sank, pressed down by a physical
exhaustion that haunted her body and seemed to reach into her soul." (15).
"integrated"
Chopin describes Mrs. Mallard as feeling "pressed down" (15) and "haunted" (15) after hearing the news of her husband's death.
- End the paragraph with an original concluding sentence that restates the purpose of the paragraph and provides a transition to the next.
Conclusion
An effective conclusion is often the inverse of the introduction, beginning with a restatement of the thesis and followed by a summary of the main points with key examples. The final link in this circular chain is the closing that ties back to your opening and/or title. Like any good work of fiction or non-fiction, at some point the reader should say, "that's were the title comes from!"
Critical Analysis Rubric
The electronic version of this rubric is attached to the Haiku dropbox.