Short Story Analysis Form

Short S tory A nalysis Fil in the fol owing blanks with complete sentences: A. The Basics: 1. Story title: __________________________________________. 2. Author: _____________________________________________. B. CHC ARACTC ERIZATA ION: The method a writer uses to communicate information about characters to readers. 3. Who is the PROTAGOG NIST? List three character traits of this character. ______ __________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________. 4. Who is the ANTAGONIST? List three character traits of this character. _______ __________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________. C.C SETTING: The environment (timem & placa ec ) in which the story takes place. 5. What is the SETTING of this story? Why is it important?________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________. D. POINT OF VIEW:W The persr pectc ive from which a story is told: Firsr t persr on, thirdr persr on, thirdr persr on o mnm iscicent, or thirdr persr on limim ted 4. From which POINT OF VIEW (see above) is this story told? _________________ _________________________________________________________________. 1 E. COC NFLICTC : The central source of tension and drar mam in the story, the pror blb em: Man vs. Man, Man vs. Self, Man vs. Nature, Man vs. Fate, Man vs. Technology, Man vs. Society 5. What is the major CONFLICTC in this story? In addition to specifying the TYPY E of conflict (see above), Be sure to be SPECIC FIC in explaining the conflict. ________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ F. RESOLUTION: The coc nclcusion of the story. The rer solution includes the story’s action after the climax until the end of the story. 6. How is the CONFLICTC above RESOLVEV D in this story? (It is VERY important that your resolution match your conflict!) __________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ G. THEME: The “universr al trur th” that the author is trying to communicate. 7. What is the THEME of this story? You MUST use THEMAM TIC C STATEMENTS! __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ H. FORESHADOWING: A technique that gives readers clues about events that wil happen later in the story. 8. Is there any FORER SHADOWING in this story? Please cite specific examples from the story and explain what is being foreshadowed. ___________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 2 _________________________________________________________________ I. FLASHBACKC : A technique that takes readers bab ckc in the pap st in the life of a character. 9. Is there any FLASHBACKC in this story? Please cite specific examples from the story. __________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________. J.J SIMILE: A coc mpm arirson of two unlikek things using the words “like” or “asa ”. 10. Are there any SIMILES in this story? Quote each example directly: _________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________. K. METAPHOR:R A coc mpm arirson of two unlike things that does NOT use “like” or “asa ”. 11. Are there any METAPHORS in this story? Quote each example directly: _______ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________. L.L PERSONIFICAC TION: Writing that gives inanimam tet objb ectc st or abstract ideas humam n qualitit ese . 12. Is there any PERSONIFICAC TION in this story? Quote each example directly: _____ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________. 3 M.M HYPERBOLE: An exaggerar ted statement used to make a strt or ng effectc . 13. Is there HYPERE BOLE in this story? Quote each example directly and explain the point the author is trying to make. ______________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________. N.N SYMBOL: An image, object, character, or action that stands for r an idea (or ideas) beb yond its l itet rar l mem ae ning. 14. Is there any SYMBOLISM in this story? Explain the symbol and what it stands for. ___________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________. O.O TONE: The way that the wrirter feele s about his story. 15. What is the TONE of this story? ___________________________________ ________________________________________________________________. P. MOOD: The way a story makes the rer ae der feele . 16. What is the MOOD of this story? ___________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________. 4