Short Story Analysis Assignment

1. Genrewhat is the genre of this story? Explain.

2. Plotcreate a plot diagram or point form notes with the following information:
Exposition
Initial incident
Rising action (at least 2 examples)
limax
!alling action
Resol"tion
oncl"sion
#. Settingdescri$e the setting with regard to the following instr"ctions:
a. %hysicaltime& place& d"ration& social sit"ation
$. 'tmospheremood(tone (state the moods thro"gho"t the story at
significant points& gi)ing examples of phrases& words and actions that
de)elop and(or create it)
*. Conflictwhich types of conflicts are present? (%erson )s. person& person )s. self+
etc.) ,hich conflict is the primary one? Explain.
-. Character:
a. %rotagonistdescri$e the story.s main character as descri$ed $elow:
1. /ame& physical description and moti)ation
2. 0ental traits: %ro)ide three personality traits for the
protagonist. !or each trait& incl"de proof from the text for
this trait. 1es& yo" are re2"ired to pro)ide a 2"ote here.
#. Explanation of how the character is dynamic:
I. ,hat she or he $elie)es at the $eginning of the story
what are her or his perceptions& and how does she
or he $eha)e?
II. ,hat occ"rs to impact the character.s $eliefs3 what
happens to change the character.s o"tloo4 and
$eha)io"r?
III. ,hat she or he $elie)es at the end of the storywhat
are her or his perceptions3 what emotional growth has
the character experienced& and how does she or he
show it?
$. 'ntagonistthe force or person acting against the protagonist:
1. 5escri$e the antagonist& what happens to her& him or it& and what the antagonist.s
ma6or moti)ation is.
c. 7riefly descri$e any other important characters and what their role in the story is.
1
8. Themewrite a theme paragraph (composed of a general theme statement that does
not refer to the story specifically pl"s s"pporting e)idence that "ses direct proof from the
text) that explores the main message of the story.
9. Point of Viewwhat point of )iew is the story told from?6"stify yo"r answer.
:. Author techniques and literary devices
'. Style/tonethis may incl"de hyper$ole& "nderstatement& irony& diction& etc.
7. Language Techniques and choicethis can $e rhetorical de)ices the a"thor "ses
(alliteration& onomatopoeia& etc.)& other types of de)elopmental or str"ct"ral
techni2"es (parallelism& ca"se and effect& etc.)& important imagery& and
specific(important word choices& as well as sentence str"ct"re and other
techni2"es. ;i)e examples from the text and explain their intended effect for the
reader (in other words& explain why yo" thin4 the a"thor has "sed this techni2"e).
. Important literary devicesthis may incl"de important sym$ols& all"sions&
metaphors& etc. !or this section& yo" m"st gi)e the literary de)ice "sed& 2"ote the
passage from the text in which it appears (with the appropriate page n"m$er)& and
explain what the de)ice.s meaning is in the context of the story.
5. Other techniquesfor example& flash$ac4& foreshadowing& etc. and how they
contri$"te to the story.
<. Significance of the Titleexplain the significance of the title and explain yo"r
answer.
1=. rite a Personal Connection !uestion for this story& and answer it with complete
sentences. ' personal connection 2"estion is a 2"estion yo" create. >he answer to the
2"estion will gi)e insight to the meaning of the story.
11. In what ways does the story remind yo" of real?life experiences or historical e)ents?
,hat does the story re)eal to "s a$o"t the h"man condition? @"pport with solid proof
from the text.
2