Analysing a Short Story
Title, Author and
Date of Publication
Context
E.g. When and where was it
published? What genre is
it? What influenced the
author to write the story?
Intended Audience
Consider demographics e.g.
age, gender, ethnicity,
education level, interests,
values
Point of View
What point of view is the story written in? How does this choice influence the story and the
way we, as readers, respond to it?
P.O.V and perspective
Explanation of effect
Setting
Identify direct quotes that convey details about setting including time, place and
atmosphere or mood created. Consider how the author’s choices in setting impact the
story, influence characters, convey ideas, create mood or position audience response.
Example from the text
Explanation of evidence
Characterisation
Who is the protagonist and what is he or she like? Give examples of how the author
has constructed his or her character (using SAAO).
Speech
Appearance
Actions
How others
respond to
them
What other characters are introduced? Briefly describe them.
Plot Structure
Exposition
In three sentences, explain
what readers find out in the
story’s exposition.
Rising Action
How does the author build
suspense or tension through
the rising action?
Climax
What is the highest point of
tension in the story?
Resolution
Whatis the resolution? Who or
what succeeds in winning the
conflict?
Conflict
What kind of conflict does the story centre around? Specify who or what your
protagonist is in conflict with e.g. anothe person, themselves, society, their environment
Conflict type
Describe in more detail
Theme
Consider the author’s purpose in writing the story and what we learn through the conflict. Is
there a moral or a message? What ideas are conveyed about human experience?
Themes or Ideas
Evidence from the text
Style
Identify a few examples of stylistic features or language features that are used in the text
and explain their effect.
Technique
Example
Explanation