Writing Workshop Analyzing a Short Story Assignment Prewriting Choose a Story Analyze the Story and Develop a Thesis Gather and Organize Support Practice and Apply Feature Menu

Assignment: Write a response to literature in which you analyze the literary elements of a short story. Analyzing a Short Story Have you ever felt so caught up in a story that you forgot the world around you? What made the story come alive for you? Perhaps it was a gripping plot or vivid characters. In this workshop, you will take a close look at how a writer uses literary elements to create a unique work of art. [End of Section]

To choose a story Analyzing a Short Story Prewriting: Choose a Story consider stories you have already read and enjoyed as well as those recommended by others Note [End of Section] consider stories by authors whose other works you have enjoyed Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use”

Analyzing a Short Story Prewriting: Analyze the Story and Develop a Thesis Read your story once to get an overall grasp of it. Then, analyze how the author uses the basic elements of fiction to discover what makes the story unique. plotsettingcharacters themestylistic devices

Analyzing a Short Story Prewriting: Analyze the Story and Develop a Thesis Analyzing Elements of Fiction ElementAnalysis Questions Plot is the action or series of events depicted in the story. 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 events happen in a predictable way, or does the writer build suspense by creating doubt about how the conflict will be resolved?

Analyzing a Short Story Prewriting: Analyze the Story and Develop a Thesis Analyzing Elements of Fiction ElementAnalysis Questions Setting is the time and place in which the story occurs. 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?

Analyzing a Short Story Prewriting: Analyze the Story and Develop a Thesis Analyzing Elements of Fiction ElementAnalysis Questions Characters are the individuals in a story. 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?

Analyzing a Short Story Prewriting: Analyze the Story and Develop a Thesis Analyzing Elements of Fiction ElementAnalysis Questions Theme is an important idea about life. 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?

Analyzing a Short Story Prewriting: Analyze the Story and Develop a Thesis Analyzing Elements of Fiction ElementAnalysis Questions Stylistic devices are the techniques a writer uses to create certain effects in a work. 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?

Analyzing a Short Story Prewriting: Analyze the Story and Develop a Thesis Zero in on the element or elements that seem to dominate the story. Identifying dominant elements Plot Setting Character Stylistic devices Theme

Analyzing a Short Story Prewriting: Analyze the Story and Develop a Thesis Identify your main idea, or thesis, about the element or elements on which your analysis will focus. Draw a conclusion about the role of the focus element or elements of the story.

Analyzing a Short Story Prewriting: Analyze the Story and Develop a Thesis Draft a thesis statement that includes Focus element: Character Conclusion: The story’s power results from the vividness and believability of the characters. Thesis statement: In “Everyday Use,” Alice Walker’s vivid, believable characters stay in the reader’s mind long after the story is over. the story’s title and author your conclusion about the focus element or elements [End of Section]

Analyzing a Short Story Prewriting: Gather and Organize Support Support your literary analysis with key points that support your thesiskey points supporting details from the story that provide evidence for the key pointssupporting details Key Points Supporting Details elaboration that links the details to the key pointselaboration Thesis Statement Elaboration

Analyzing a Short Story Prewriting: Gather and Organize Support You may want to create a chart to map out your key points, supporting details, and elaboration. Key PointSupporting DetailElaboration In the story Everyday Use by Alice Walker, the author creates a vivid picture of Maggie. Walker compares Maggie to a lame animal who seeks attention and affection. Walker’s description not only gives a vivid picture of Maggie’s physical appearance but also suggests Maggie’s timid nature and need for kindness.

Analyzing a Short Story Prewriting: Gather and Organize Support Your key points may suggest an organizational pattern for arranging your analysis. Analysis of plot or character development Discuss key points in chronological order— the order in which they occur in the story. First SecondThirdLast

Analyzing a Short Story Prewriting: Gather and Organize Support Your key points may suggest an organizational pattern for arranging your analysis. Analysis of theme Use order of importance to discuss key points. Begin with the most important point and end with the least important, or vice versa. Most important Least important Most important OR [End of Section]

Analyzing a Short Story Prewriting: Practice and Apply Use the instructions presented here to choose and analyze a short story. Find a focus element. Develop a thesis statement. Support the thesis statement with key points, supporting details, and elaboration. [End of Section]

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Analyzing a Short Story Prewriting: Choose a Story Note Your analysis should be at least 1,500 words long, so be sure to choose a story that is complex and rich in meaning.

Analyzing a Short Story Prewriting: Analyze the Story and Develop a Thesis Identifying Dominant Elements Dominant elements are usually the ones for which you have the most specific information.

Analyzing a Short Story Prewriting: Gather and Organize Support Key Points Key points are the aspects of the story that led you to the conclusion in your thesis statement.

Analyzing a Short Story Prewriting: Gather and Organize Support Supporting Details Support your key points with references to the text—details from the story in the form of direct quotations, paraphrases of passages, or summaries of ideas. You may also wish to consult professional works of literary analysis for support of your key points.

Analyzing a Short Story Prewriting: Gather and Organize Support Elaboration Elaborate on the supporting details to show that you have an understanding of the significant ideas in the short story. Discuss the ambiguities—situations that can be interpreted in more than one way nuances—slight variations in tone or meaning complexities—aspects of a story that are rich in meaning but difficult to interpret

Analyzing a Short Story Prewriting: Gather and Organize Support When discussing events from a story, use the literary present tense. That is, refer to the events in the story as if they were happening right now. Dee arrived wearing a loud dress and a lot of jewelry. Past Tense Dee arrives wearing a loud dress and a lot of jewelry. Present Tense