A GUIDE TO ANALYSING

EACH LITERARY GENRE

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SHORT STORIES

A short story can be identified by a number of features

They have a small number of characters, as there is not enough time for many to be developed

Typically fiction, written in prose in a narrative format

The setting or plot is simpler Contain most of the key elements of a

novel

PLOT

When there is a plot, it may lack the typical climax or build up that is seen in most novels

The story may be left incomplete or unfinished, without resolution

Some short stories may lack a plot, instead giving a snapshot in time of the protagonists thoughts, feelings and situation. In this case, there is often a message, moral or lesson in the story.

This is different from the story, as it does not need to be in chronological order.

A typical contour of a narrative is shown below. However, a short story does not necessarily follow this.

When you are analysing the plot, consider:

What is the nature of the conflict? What are the other elements of the

plot, such as time, foreshadowing, flashbacks, etc?

What changes take place as the plot unfolds?

Identify the different sections of the plot.

Techniques such as irony, suspense and coincidence

What is the effect of the order of events?

What effect does the plot have on the readers’ emotional response?

POINT OF VIEW The story may be told in first or third

person This is the narrator The type of narrator affects the tone,

interpretation and meaning. Narrator may be unreliable or omniscient There may be multiple narrators

SETTING Political, cultural, historical, physical,

emotion, geographical Can be in time or space Usually only have one setting Consider how the story is established,

and what function does it serve?

SETTING Single or two settings – do not go far

from it Brief time period Rely on metaphor Round Characters – Have many traits

and are real

CHARACTERISATION Characters may be static or dynamic

Mariam in “A Red Spot” is static, whereas the protagonist in dynamic.

You should identify the protagonist, antagonist, and any flat, round, foil, static, dynamic

THEME The intended lesson, moral or idea

contained in the storyCan you identify a them in the story

There can be a stated theme, or an implied theme.

Are there generalisations about human life made in the story

Many short stories use implied theme

SYMBOLISM Conveys a meaning through another

objects or thing. The suggested meaning is different from

the literal meaning Includes allegories

STYLE Techniques and devices in the language

of the story Includes diction, syntax, dialect,

dialogue, tone, irony, oxymoron, colloquialisms

TYPES OF SHORT STORIES Parables – Has a lesson in mind Fables – Story with a moral, but doesn’t

always have a lesson. Not an explicit teaching – there is more focus on the story itself

Anthology – A collection of short stories, usually with a similar context (place, time) – Sardines and Oranges

DEFINITIONS OF KEY TERMS

Static Characters – Stay the same – Mariam Red Spot

Dynamic Characters – Develop and change over time – Main character tortoise

Foil Character – A characters that is juxtaposed against the protagonist -

Omniscience – A third person narrative, when they are removed and see everything that is going on

Unreliable narrator – Does not give reliable information because they misinterpret it or are deceptive, such as a child, or insane person

Grammatical structure - past Usually have a lingering message

Setting – where the story takes placePhilosophicalTimePlacePoliticalHistoricalGeographicalCulturalEmotionalOften exposition -> complication -> crisis -

> climax -> resolution -> moral

STYLE Third person Point of view Subjective Symbolism Syntax Diction First person narrative