English 4
Zappa/Spg „12
Second essay: The Short Story
Your second essay is a 4-5 page paper analyzing the short story. You will choose
two of the stories from our text, Short Stories, based on a thematic connection you
establish and develop, and one or two literary devices.
*Again, you will discuss both the “what” and the “how,” and be sure to focus on the
relationship between the two, i.e., how do the author‟s choices reflect and enhance a
given theme?
The connection must be based on theme (not plot-based, not so general as love or
death); your thesis will answer the above question. Note that though you are writing
about two stories, this is not a comparison/ contrast essay. You may write about
more than one theme, and you may write more about one story than the other; only
one theme must be used to connect them.
** The following are process/ “thinking” questions, not meant to be answered directly in your
paper, but to suggest a possible focus.
•
Theme: What are some of the ideas within the story? What does the author emphasize, and
what is significant to those ideas? What does the author try to "teach" us?
Literary Devices:
1.
Narrative perspective: Who is telling the story? Where do the narrator's sympathies lie;
where is there possible bias? What is the quality of the narrator? --the distance? WHY (or to what
effect) has the author chosen the particular narrator? (ask yourself: How would the story be
changed if told from another narrative perspective?)
2.
Setting: Where and when does the story take place? Don‟t forget the importance of social
factors and context to the setting. What are the characters‟ attitudes to their setting? What does that
place and time have to do with illuminating the story? Why is it important that the "backdrop" (or
setting) is as it is? Is the setting used in any way symbolically?
3.
Other useful stylistic devices (used commonly but not always) include irony, symbolism,
epiphany, archetype, metaphor, and foil, to name a few.
*Caution: It is all too easy to find yourself retelling the story. Be careful to avoid plot summary.
ASSUME THAT YOUR AUDIENCE IS FAMILIAR WITH THE STORIES.
**Tried and true formula: identify a common theme (or two or three for each story; only one must
be in common) and analyze how the author shows it through the use of one or two literary devices.
Discuss ways in which authors use such devices differently to achieve various effects. THEN,
develop these ideas in a discussion about the deeper meaning and/or value of the stories (i.e., “so
what?”).
Draft: Thurs. March 1 (4 pages, 20 points, TYPED)
Final: Thurs. March 8 (4-5 pages, 80 points)
**Please be sure to bring Frankenstein to class on the day this paper is due!