ENGL 1302 composition
Analyzing a Short Story
1
What is the plot? (2-3 lines summary)
Understandable or too complex?
Tension/conflict?
Too fast/slow? Appropriate?
1.Plot
2
Indentify major character(s)
Descriptions of major ones (physical/personality)
Stereotypes and break in stereotypes of major characters
2.Characters
3
Geographical (city/state/country)
Time period (year/time of year/day/time of day)
Specific (house/village, etc)
Cultural (any prevailing social/ political /religious conditions that affect/ influence the story )
3. Setting
4
Is it internal (one of the characters in the story)
Or is it external (someone outside the story)
Which do you prefer and why?
4. Narrator
5
Images or symbols used (must have at least one human and one non human)
Must explain what each one symbolizes.
5. Images/Symbols
6
What is the main message of the story?
Explain how you arrived at your answer.
6.Theme/Message
7
Intro (1 Para, 5-10 lines): Bio of author & thesis statement (thesis = what you think is the major theme of the story)
Body (Multiple paras, 5-18 lines): Elaborate on categories 1-5 (in order)
Layout of Short Story Essay
8
Layout of Short Story Essay (cont’d)
Conclusion (1 Para, exactly 10 lines): Explain theme (category 6)
Length: 3-4 pages (not counting Works Cited)
Length starts with first word of intro para (NOT top of first page)
Make sure on each full page you have 23 lines total; otherwise, you will have to make up those lines on the last page to meet the minimum length requirement.
Layout of Short Story Essay (cont’d)
Source Requirements
You must have at least 1 print source in the essay (book, magazine, newspaper, journal, catalog, etc)
It must be accessed in the original printed form (e-book, PDF, or anything else accessed electronically does not count as a print source)
Must attach photocopy/picture of print source (no credit for print source otherwise).
Photocopy/picture must show the cover along with the page/ information you actually used
Source Requirements (cont’d)
Source Requirements (cont’d)
You must also have at least 1 online source in the essay.
This must be a DCCCD academic database source.
Once you have met the minimum required sources, you can add more if you wish, as long as they are reliable sources.
Source Requirements (cont’d)
At least one required source should be used in the body or conclusion (both required sources cannot just be in the introduction).
Strategies, balance, counterarguments, solution, and one piece of evidence for every 10 lines, do not apply to this essay.
Source Requirements (cont’d)
For the 2 required sources (1 print and 1 online), you must quote something from them, not simply paraphrase.
After you have at least one quote from each of the required sources, if you want to paraphrase, you can.
You should have no more than two paraphrases in the essay.
Source Requirements (cont’d)
‘Text of story’ source must still be listed in works cited page.
Therefore, in your works cited, you will have a minimum of 3 sources (1 print, 1 online, and text of story source).
Title can either reference the main theme of the story or indicate an analysis of the story.
Title must not simply be the name of the story.
Title Requirements