Short Story Essay Topics
AP English 12
Choose one of the prompts below as the basis for an original essay of approximately 750
words. In responding, you must make reference to at least two works we have studied.
Your paper must follow MLA formatting criteria, complete with parenthetical page
references, a title page, and a works cited page.
1. With reference to at least two works, discuss how different authors portray
teenagers.
2. Compare and contrast attitudes towards women presented in at least two different
works. Conversely, you may choose to compare and contrast how men are
portrayed.
3. Fully discuss how at least two different characters respond to poverty.
4. With reference two at least two different works, show how authors create realistic
characters.
5. Discuss how different authors create realistic dialogue.
6. Compare and contrast the various internal struggles encountered by different
characters.
7. Show how different works deal with issues of race or class.