Short Story Analysis Essay
This assignment is worth 70 points
Introduction
Point-of-View
Setting
Style
Theme
Conclusion
Mechanics
10 Points
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Paragraphs are indented.
Quotations and citations are
formatted properly. 0 errors
in punctuation.
5 Points
Undeveloped or Missing 1
requirement from description
Undeveloped or Missing 1
requirement from description
Undeveloped or Missing 1
requirement from description
Undeveloped or Missing 1
requirement from description
Undeveloped or Missing 1
requirement from description
Undeveloped or Missing 1
requirement from description
Missing 1 10 point element
0 Points
Missing 2 or more
requirements
Missing 2 or more
requirements
Missing 2 or more
requirements
Missing 2 or more
requirements
Missing 2 or more
requirements
Missing 2 or more
requirements
Missing 2 or more 10
point elements
How to Write Your Analysis
Step One: Select your stories.
Story and Author
“The Man from the South” By
Roald Dahl
“Where are You Going, Where
have You Been?
**10 Bonus Points**
“Hills Like White Elephants” by
Ernest Hemingway
“A Very Old Man with Enormous
Wings” by Gabriel Garcia
Marquez
“Superfrog Saves Tokyo” by
Haruki Murakami
“Young Goodman Brown” by
Nathaniel Hawthorne
“The Metamorphosis” by Franz
Kafka
**10 Bonus Points**
“To Build a Fire” by Jack London
“Good Country People” by
Flannery O’Conner
“The Swimmer” by John Cheever
Page
176
Story and Author
“The Pit and the Pendulum” by Edgar
Alan Poe
“The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte
Perkins Gillman
Page
Online
Emphasis
Style
Online
Theme
Style
74
“Misery” by Anton Chekhov
134
Style
89
“Cathedral” by Raymond Carver
151
Theme
162
“A Worn Path” by Eudora Welty
127
Theme
Online
“Pig” by Roald Dahl
Online
“Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes
Online
Online
Online
“The Open Boat” by Stephen Crane
“The Life You Save May be Your Own”
by Flannery O’Conner
“An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge”
by Ambrose Bierce
Online
Online
Theme
Style
Online
Theme
Style
96
Online
Step Two: Read your stories.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Style
Theme
Theme
POV
Step Three: Read your stories again, and take notes on POV, Setting, Characterization, and Style. Use your notes
to develop an outline for your paper.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Step Four: Write your introduction. The introduction starts with a hook and then general information that must
include the title and author of both stories. It must also include a brief, one-sentence synopsis of each story.
Finally, develop a thesis that your paper will follow.
The thesis should be arguable, confined to the topic, and the rest of your paper should prove it to be correct.
Example thesis – The similarities in theme between “Story One” and “Story Two” are the direct result of each
author’s choices in point-of-view, setting, and style.
Example thesis – Both “Story One” and “Story Two” share similar points of view, but each author’s style and
setting help to create very different theme.
Bad Thesis – Both stories have a similar point of view and theme, but different setting and style.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Step Five: Write your support paragraphs. These topics can be in any order, and are not limited to a single
paragraph per topic. It is a good idea to use the strongest, most prevalent topics first and last, with the weaker
topics in the middle.
Point-of-View – this section of your paper needs to cover what the point-of-view is, what the author gains
and loses with this point-of-view and why it is important to your story. You are covering both stories in
this section but you are not limited to one paragraph. AVOID SUMMARY. Focus on the
similarities/differences between the stories and how those similarities/differences affect style, theme,
etc. Your thesis is your guide.
Setting – this section of your paper needs to cover what the setting is, its effect (creates conflict, sets
mood, etc.) and why it is important to the story. You are covering both stories in this section but you are
not limited to one paragraph. AVOID SUMMARY. Focus on the similarities/differences between the
stories and how those similarities/differences affect style, theme, etc. Your thesis is your guide.
Style – compare how the organization, diction, mood/tone, sentence structure, or other unique or
relevant literary elements (such as symbolism) affect each story. You are covering both stories in this
section but you are not limited to one paragraph. AVOID SUMMARY. Focus on the
similarities/differences between the stories and how those similarities/differences affect theme or other
literary elements. Your thesis is your guide.
Theme – this section of your paper will look at similar or different themes between the two stories. You
are covering both stories in this section but you are not limited to one paragraph. AVOID SUMMARY.
Focus on the similarities/differences between the stories and how those similarities/differences affect the
story overall. Your thesis is your guide.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Step Six: Write Your Conclusion. The conclusion should wrap up your essay by trying to tie together any common
themes you have developed in your essay. Leave the reader with something to think about.
Avoid using phrases like “In conclusion” or “Overall.” Do not restate your thesis. The goal here is to make any final
connections that reinforce your thesis. Leave the reader with a final thought, something to think about after they
have finished reading your paper.
POV
What is the pov?
Setting
What time and place is this story set in?
What is your evidence/proof?
Is the physical environment important (a room, for
example)?
What do we gain from this perspective?
Is there an important element of setting missing?
Does the setting set a mood or tone?
What do we lose from this perspective?
Does the setting create conflict? How?
How is the POV important?
Style
Is there anything unique about the organization or
overall writing?
Theme
Ideas, symbols, concepts that are repeated:
Diction?
Lessons you or the characters learn:
Paragraphs and sentences?
What is the theme?
How can you prove it?
Tone and mood?
Other Unique elements?
Remember, no common phrases or single word
themes.
POV
What is the pov?
Setting
What time and place is this story set in?
What is your evidence/proof?
Is the physical environment important (a room, for
example)?
What do we gain from this perspective?
Is there an important element of setting missing?
Does the setting set a mood or tone?
What do we lose from this perspective?
Does the setting create conflict? How?
How is the POV important?
Style
Is there anything unique about the organization or
overall writing?
Theme
Ideas, symbols, concepts that are repeated:
Diction?
Lessons you or the characters learn:
Paragraphs and sentences?
What is the theme?
How can you prove it?
Tone and mood?
Other Unique elements?
Remember, no common phrases or single word
themes.