Analyzing a Short Story
literary analysis: taking a critical and objective look at how a writer uses the elements of literature to create a unique work of literary art.
STEP ONE: Choose a story. Your analysis will be about a page and a half, so make sure your story is rich in meaning.
STEP TWO: Analyze the story and develop a thesis. Answer the question: How does the author use the basic elements of fiction?
ANALYZING THE ELEMENTS OF FICTION
ELEMENT:ANALYSIS QUESTIONS
PLOT / -What is the conflict, or main problem, and who is involved in the story?-What is the story’s climax- the most intense moment in the plot?
-How is the conflict resolved? Is the resolution logical?
-Do the events happen in a predictable way, or does the writer build suspense by creating doubt about how the conflict will be resolved?
SETTING / -Where and when does the story take place?
-Does the setting affect the plot, the characters, or the mood or atmosphere of the story? How?
CHARACTERS / -What are the major characters like?
-What motivates the characters to behave as they do?
-Do any of the characters change? If so, how and why?
THEME / -What important idea about life or human nature does the story reveal?
-Do other elements, such as plot or characters, play a role in the development of the theme? If so, how?
STYLISTIC DEVICES / -Does the writer’s diction, or choice of important words, affect the tone of the story? How?
-Does the writer use imagery- language that appeals to the senses? What is the effect of such imagery on the story?
-Does the writer make imaginative comparisons through the use of figurative language- metaphor, simile and personification?
STEP THREE: Pick your target element. Focus on the element or elements that seem to dominate the story. Dominant elements will be the ones you have the most specific information on.
STEP FOUR: Make a statement about the focus element and its role in the story. This will be your thesis statement.
Here is an example for the short story, “Night Calls”
Focus element: stylistic devices
Conclusion: The ample description in the story creates a mood of sadness.
Thesis statement: In “Night Calls”, author Lisa Fugard creates a mood of sadness with her plentiful use of imagery.
STEP FIVE: Gather and Organize Support. Support for a literary analysis includes key points, supporting details and elaboration.
-Key points aka TS: aspects of the story that led you to the conclusion of your thesis statement. In our example, we thought that the description of the run-down sanctuary created a feeling of sadness.
-Supporting Details: AKA Concrete Details- references to the text.
-Elaboration: AKA Commentary. Elaborate on the CDs to show you have an understanding of the significant ideas in the short stories. Explain how your CD proves your TS. Your elaboration might include a discussion of the ambiguities, nuances, and complexities of the work- three characteristics that give literature richness and depth.
- Ambiguities- situations that can be interpreted in more than one way.
- Nuances- slight variations in tone or meaning.
- Complexities- exist when a story is rich in meaning but difficult to interpret.
STEP SIX: Get it in Order. WRITE IT!!!
Introduction-Open with an interesting comment on the story, such as an observation related to your thesis.
-Include a thesis statement that names the story’s title and author and states your conclusion about the element or elements your analysis focus on. / Body
-Arrange your key points in chronological order or by order of importance.
-Back up key points with supporting details in the form of direct quotations, paraphrases, and summaries.
-Elaborate on supporting details by explaining how they support the key points. / Conclusion
-Summarize your key points.
-Restate your thesis, using different words.
-Leave readers with something to consider, such as a general comment about the story that relates to your thesis.