SHORT STORY ANALYSIS
1. Choose one of the following short stories. You can find electronic copies of these stories in Mrs.
Small’s outbox (JSmall) or on Mrs. Small’s website.
“The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant
“The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell
“The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry
2. Read the story and complete a thorough talking to the text (see Mrs. Small’s example). Read
the story again and add to your talking to the text.
3. Read literary criticism and analysis on the story (also in Mrs. Small’s outbox and website).
4. Review your talking to the text and decide on which element of the story you want to focus your
analysis.
Essay Structure
***The essay should be strictly analysis – no summary of the story***
I. Introduction
1. Attention grabber
2. Introduce the story and provide background on the story and author
3. Thesis statement
II. An analysis of two of the following literary elements. Please choose two that are connected to each
other. For example, you may choose to write about the setting and how it impacts character
development; or maybe you want to write about the conflict and how it relates to the theme. With any
choice, please use textual evidence to support your claim:
 Plot Structure – How did the author structure the plot? Did the author do anything unique in
regards to how the plot is developed?
 Characterization – How do the characters develop through the story? Are the characters flat,
round, static or dynamic? If the characters change, for what purpose do they transform?
 Conflict – What is the central conflict?
 Setting – What is the setting? How does it impact the text? How does it impact the conflict?
How does it impact the characters?
 Point of View – In what perspective is the written? How does this impact the text?
 Theme – What is the theme of the story? How is it developed/uncovered?
 Mood and/or Tone – What is the mood of the story? How is it developed? What tone is
presented? How can you tell this is how the author feels?
 Imagery or Figurative language – How does the author use imagery or figurative language in
the story? How does it impact the text?
 Symbolism – How does the author use symbolism in the story? What is the purpose behind
using the symbolism? How does this symbolism relate to theme/irony/conflict/characterization,
etc.?
 Irony – How is the story ironic? What purpose does this irony serve? Is it related to the theme?
III. Conclusion
1. Restated thesis
2. Summary of main points
3. Final thought
1
THESIS STATEMENTS IN LITERARY ANALYSIS PAPERS
The thesis statement is one of the
(if not the) most important parts
of your paper—think of it as the
foundation of a house—if your
foundation is weak and poorly
constructed what do you think
happens to the house?
The thesis statement is the
announcement of your
analytical argument that you
intend to make and prove in the
duration of your paper. It is a
road map for the paper—it tells
the reader what to expect from
the rest of the paper.
Successful thesis statements provoke thought and should
read beautifully.
*Your thesis statement should include two parts: WHAT and WHY.


WHAT: What claim are you making about the text?
WHY: Why should we care? Why is your claim important? Your thesis should
answer the “so what?” question.
*A thesis statement is usually, but can be more than, one sentence long.
Examples
BAD
Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” has an interesting setting.
*What’s wrong with this thesis statement?
 It’s an opinion about the book, not an argument.
OKAY
In “The Lottery,” Shirley Jackson develops a contrast between the setting and the ritual of the lottery.
*Better? How so? What is still missing?
 Doesn’t answer the “so what?” question. What is the point of the contrast?
What does the contrast signify?
GOOD
In “The Lottery,” Shirley Jackson develops a contrast between the serene, rural setting and the ritual of
the lottery, suggesting a theme that readers should question their surroundings and, even more so, their
traditions and beliefs.
*Even better?
 It presents an interpretation of a literary work based on an analysis of it content
and answers the “so what” question.
2
BETTER
“Through contrasting the serene and welcoming rural setting and the strict adherence to rules during the
ritual of the lottery, Shirley Jackon’s “The Lottery,” advocates that readers should question their
surrounding and, even more so, their traditions and beliefs.
BAD
There is a lot of symbolism in “The Scarlet Ibis.”
 SO WHAT? WHY?
OKAY
James Hurst uses symbolism in “The Scarlet Ibis” to portray death.
 WHY?
GOOD
James Hurst uses symbolism in “The Scarlet Ibis” to show death in order to foreshadow Doodle’s
death and teach readers the about kindness.
BETTER
James Hurst’s use of symbolism in “The Scarlet Ibis” invokes images of death in order to
foreshadow Doodle’s ultimate end and teach readers the ultimate lesson of kindness.
3
YOUR TURN
FIRST TRY
BETTER TRY
BEST TRY
4
HOW DO I CITE?
Connell, Richard. "The Most Dangerous Game." Fiction: The EServer Collection. N.p., 19 Jan.
1924. Web. 26 Sept. 2013.
De Maupassant, Guy. "The Necklace." 1884. Literature and Language: Orange Level. By Jane
N. Beatty and Arthur N. Applebee. Evanston: McDougal, Littell, 1992. 70-79. Print.
(from page 78)
"The Gift of the Magi." Short Stories for Students. Ed. Kathleen Wilson. Vol. 2. Detroit: Gale,
1997. 67-82.
(from page 72)
Henry, O. "The Gift of the Magi." The Literature Network. N.p., 1 Dec. 1905. Web. 26 Sept.
2013.
"The Necklace." Short Stories for Students. Ed. Kathleen Wilson and Marie Lazzari. Vol. 4.
Detroit: Gale, 1998. 166-181.
(from page 167)
"The Most Dangerous Game." Short Stories for Students. Ed. Kathleen Wilson. Vol. 1. Detroit:
Gale, 1997. 155-169.
(from page 159)
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QUOTE – NOTE – THOUGHT
QUOTE w/citation
NOTE w/citation
6
THOUGHT
OUTLINE
INTRODUCTION
Attention Grabber
Background Information
Thesis Statement
7
BODY
Topic Sentence
Quote from Story
Analysis/Analysis from Research
CONCLUSION
Concluding thoughts
8
NAME:
DATE:
PERIOD:
KEYSTONE EXPOSITORY SCORING GUIDELINES - Short Story Analysis Paper
Scoring Doman
Thesis/Focus
Content
Organization
Distinguished (5)
 Establishes and
sustains a precise
idea/thesis
 Displays a clear
understanding of
task, purpose, and
audience
Proficient (4)
 Establishes a
controlling
idea/thesis
 Displays an
understanding of
task, purpose, and
audience
Apprentice (3)
 Provides an
inconsistent
idea/thesis
 Displays a limited
understanding of
task, purpose, and
audience
Novice (2)
 Provides vague
or indistinct
idea/thesis
Displays a minimal
understanding of
task, purpose, and
audience
Incomplete (0)
 Provides no
evidence of a
controlling
idea/thesis
 Displays no
understanding of
task, purpose, and
audience
OR
 Does not respond
to the prompt
Distinguished (15)
 Provides relevant
content and specific
and effective
supporting details
that demonstrate a
clear understanding
of purpose
Proficient (12)
 Provides
relevant content
and effective
supporting details
Apprentice (9)
 Provides
insufficient content
and ineffective
supporting details
Novice (6)
 Provides minimal
content
Incomplete (0)
 Provides little to
no content
OR
 Does not respond
to the prompt
 Chooses
 Chooses
 Displays some
 Displays little
 Displays no
sophisticated
organizational
strategies appropriate
for task, purpose, and
audience
 Includes a clear and
well-defined
introduction, body,
and conclusion that
support or reinforce
the argument
 Uses sophisticated
transitional words,
phrases, and clauses
to link ideas and
create cohesion
appropriate
organizational
strategies for task,
purpose, and
audience
 Includes a clear
introduction, body,
and conclusion
that support the
argument
 Uses transitional
words, phrases,
and clauses to link
ideas
9
evidence of
organizational
strategies
 May not include
an introduction,
body, and/or
conclusion
 May use
simplistic and/or
illogical transitional
expressions
evidence of
organizational
strategies
 May not include
an identifiable
introduction, body,
and/or conclusion
 Uses few or no
transitional
expressions to link
ideas
evidence of
organizational
strategies
 Does not include
an identifiable
introduction, body,
and/or conclusion
 Does not use
transitions to link
ideas
OR
 Does not respond
to prompt
Style
Conventions
Distinguished (5)
 Uses consistently
precise language and
a wide variety of
sentence structures
 Chooses an
effective style and
tone, and maintains a
consistent point of
view
Proficient (4)
 Uses precise
language and a
variety of
sentence
structures
 Chooses an
appropriate style
and tone, and a
point of view
Apprentice (3)
 Uses imprecise
language and a
limited variety of
sentence structures
 May choose an
inappropriate style
or tone, and may
shift point of view
Novice (2)
 Uses simplistic or
repetitious
language and
sentence structures
 Demonstrates
little or no
understating of
tone or point of
view
Incomplete (0)
 Uses repetitious
language and
sentence structures
 Demonstrates no
understating of
style, tone or point
of view
OR
 Does not respond
to prompt
 Writer makes few
 Writer makes
 Writer makes
 Writer makes
 Writer makes
 Demonstrates
 Demonstrates
errors and errors do
not interfere with
reader understanding
 Demonstrates
command of standard
English grammar and
usage
 Demonstrates
command of standard
English capitalization,
punctuation, and
spelling
 Demonstrates
command of
sentence formation
few errors and
errors seldom
interfere with
reader
understanding
 Demonstrates
control of
standard English
grammar and
usage
 Demonstrates
control of
standard English
capitalization,
punctuation, and
spelling
 Demonstrates
control of
sentence
formation
WORKS CITED: Completed and correct (5 points)
Incomplete or incorrect (0 points)
errors and errors
may interfere with
reader
understanding
limited or
inconsistent of
standard English
grammar and
usage
 Demonstrates
limited or
inconsistent of
standard English
capitalization,
punctuation, and
spelling
 Demonstrates
limited or
inconsistent of
sentence formation
errors and errors
often interfere with
reader
understanding
minimal control of
standard English
grammar and
usage
 Demonstrates
minimal control of
standard English
capitalization,
punctuation, and
spelling
 Demonstrates
minimal control of
sentence formation
errors and errors
consistently
interfere with
reading
understanding
 Demonstrates
little or no control of
standard English
grammar and
usage
 Demonstrates
little or no control of
standard English
capitalization,
punctuation, and
spelling
 Demonstrates
little or no control of
sentence formation
= __________
TOTAL: ______/50
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:
10