Short Story Study Guide
Name: ___________________
Raymond’s Run
1) How does the speaker describe her brother Raymond in the first two paragraphs? What do you
think she means here?
2) Name three traits we learn about the speaker at the beginning of the story?
3) How does “Squeaky” feel about Cynthia Procter? Use a detail from the text to support your
answer.
4) How does Squeaky’s mother feel about her not wanting to participate in the May Pole dancing?
Why does she feel that way?
5) What does Mr. Pearson suggest Squeaky do? How does she feel about this?
6) What is Squeaky focused on at the end of the race? Why do you think she is focusing on this
when she has been so focused on her own victory all along?
All Summer in a Day
1) Describe the setting of the story.
Time:
Place:
Mood:
Circumstance:
2) Describe Margot. What does she look like physically? What is her behavior? How is she treated by the
other children?
3) What are the children anticipating? What event is supposed to occur that day?
4) What do the children do to Margot? Why is this especially cruel given Margot’s character?
5) Describe the scene when the sun come out.
6) Describe the tone when the children realize what they’ve done at the end of the story. What do you
make of their realization? (In other words, how do they feel about what they’ve done?)
“A&P”
1) Where does the story take place?
2) Who enters the store that catches the speaker’s attention?
3) What issue does Lengel (the manager) have with the girls? What does he say to them?
4) How does the speaker respond to this exchange? What choice does he make?
5) Why do you think the speaker makes this choice? What is the significance in light of the story?
Teenage Wasteland
1. Name three of Donny’s characteristics that you learn at the beginning of the story.
2. What does Daisy first do to try to help Donny? How does she feel about this?
3. Name something you learn about Daisy.
4. Who is Cal? What kind of person is he?
5. What are the “rules” that Cal sets down?
6. Does Donny show improvement in school after seeing Cal?
7. What did Cal believe happened when Donny got expelled? Who does he blame?
8. What eventually happens to Donny?
The Bats
1) What does the speaker’s mother do at nights? How does the speaker react?
2) What does the speaker notice on her mother’s cheek?
3) How would you describe the speaker’s father?
4) Where do the speaker and her mother go?
5) What does her mother begin to do at night again?
6) What do the speaker and Grandpa-uncle find in the orchard?
7) What do the speaker and Grandpa-uncle find while fishing? What does Grandpa-uncle say it is?
8) What is the fate of the speaker and her mother? In other words, how do they end up?
The Tell-Tale Heart
1. What is the speaker’s state of mind at the beginning of the story? Write down a specific line that
supports your response.
2. What about the old man makes the speaker want to kill him?
3. Describe the scene in which the speaker agonizes over whether or not to kill the old man. What does
he ultimately decide to do?
4. What is the speaker’s manner when the police come to the door? How does he convince them that all
is well?
5) What ultimately betrays the speaker’s guilt? What makes him confess?
6) What do you think is the point of the story? (There is no right or wrong answer here.)