1. Short Story Literary Terms to be used in Your Analysis of the Class Readings

2. Please note...
The Importance of demonstrating your thinking and your interpretation = “Say something thoughtful/insightful”
Literary Terms should help you in this process - give you specific areas to focus your analysis on
HOWEVER, YOUR THOUGHTFUL ENGAGEMENT WITH THE TEXT IS ALWAYS THE PRIORITY

3. Setting
The setting of a story is the time and place. In some stories, the setting may be inconsequential, perhaps even nondescript, but in others it can be greatly significant, affecting plot, conflict, character, theme, and so on.

4. Analysis of Setting Answer and try to explain how the setting affects:
the plot
the conflict
character
theme

5. Conflict
The term refers to the struggle between opposing characters or forces, usually the protagonist and something else. For preliminary discussion, conflict can be classified roughly as:
individual versus individual
individual versus environment
individual versus himself/herself.

6. Conflict
Another approach to a discussion of conflict is to classify the conflict as physical, moral, emotional, intellectual, philosophical, spiritual, and so on.

7. External / Internal Conflict
External conflict refers to conflict that arise from outside of the character (individual versus individual, individual versus environment)
internal conflict refers to conflict arising from within a character.
Compare a wrestling match versus a chess match; in what way are they external conflict? Internal?

8. Analysis of Conflict
Explain the conflict in as much complexity as possible
use plot and character details to support your thinking
try to go beyond simple or obvious interpretations
get into the psychological, the emotional, the spiritual or other aspects of what is happening in the story

9. Suspense
A state of uncertainty, anticipation, or curiosity concerning the outcome of a plot or the resolution of a conflict.

10. Suspense
Suspense is in some measure a part of the effect of all stories, as the reader is impelled forward by the questions, “What will happen?” “When?” “In what manner?”
Suspense is a marked feature of a murder mystery, for instance, wherein suspense is created around who committed the murder.

11. Analysis of Suspense
Ask and attempt to explain the following questions:
How does the author create suspense?
What plot details or events does the author use to build suspense?

12. Theme
The theme of a story is the central idea, usually implied rather than directly stated. It is the story’s observation about life or human nature, the controlling insight.

13. Theme
Theme should not be confused with a “moral” like “crime does not pay” or “you can’t tell a book by its cover.”
Avoid asking, “What does this story teach?” Instead, ask, “What does this story reveal?”

14. Theme
Some stories do not have a theme: for instance, a good thriller, a page-turner, a pure escape fiction.
Discovering and stating theme is a difficult and delicate task, for we may have an idea of what the story is about and yet find it difficult to articulate.

15. Theme Avoid stating theme as a single word, like “love” or “racism”
Articulating theme is an important step both in developing a greater understanding of what you are reading and in understanding humanity.

16. Analysis of Theme
Focus on what the story reveals to you as a reader about life and humanity
What does it make you think about or understand, perhaps differently than you did before
Focus on bigger ideas beyond the story (connection to bigger world of life)
making the story relevant to a reader today

17. The Elevator Analysis

18. Assignment
Analysis of setting - What kind of mood or atmosphere is created by the setting
how does it contribute to plot, conflict, or character development
Analysis of conflict
Suspense - what are the moments of crisis that occur and how do they build suspense
Theme analysis - what is revealed