analysis a short story essay example

Short Story Analysis Essay

Almost everyone has read a couple of short stories from the time they were kids up until today. Although, depending on how old you are, you analyze the stories you read differently. As a kid, you often point out who is the good guy and the bad guy. You even express your complaints if you do not like the ending. Now, in high school or maybe in college, you pretty much do the same, but you need to incorporate your critical thinking skills and follow appropriate formatting. That said, to present the results of your literature review, compose a short story analysis essay.

3+ Short Story Analysis Essay Examples

1. short story analysis essay template.

Size: 310 KB

2. Sample Short Story Analysis Essay

Size: 75 KB

3. Short Story Analysis Essay Example

Size: 298 KB

4. Printable Short Story Analysis Essay

Size: 121 KB

What Is a Short Story Analysis Essay?

A short story analysis essay is a composition that aims to examine the plot and the aspects of the story. In writing this document, the writer needs to take the necessary elements of a short story into account. In addition, one purpose of writing this type of analysis essay is to identify the theme of the story. As well as try to make connections between the different aspects. 

How to Compose a Critical Short Story Analysis Essay

Having the assignment to write a short story analysis can be overwhelming. Reading the short story is easy enough. Evaluating and writing down your essay is the challenging part. A short story analysis essay follows a different format from other literature essays . That said, to help with that, here are instructive steps and helpful tips.

1. Take Down Notes

Considering that you have read the short story a couple of times, the first step you should take before writing your essay is to summarize and write down your notes. To help you with this, you can utilize flow charts to determine the arcs the twists of the short story. Include the parts and segments that affected you the most, as well as the ones that hold significance for the whole story. 

2. Compose Your Thesis Statement

Before composing your thesis statement for the introductory paragraph of your essay, first, you need to identify the thematic statement of the story. This sentence should present the underlying message of the entire literature. It is where the story revolves around. After that, you can use it as a basis and proceed with composing your thesis statement. It should provide the readers an overview of the content of your analysis paper.

3. Analyze the Concepts

One of the essential segments of your paper is, of course, the analysis part. In the body of your essay, you should present arguments that discuss the concepts that you were able to identify. To support your point, you should provide evidence and quote sentences from the story. If you present strong supporting sentences, it will make your composition more effective. To help with the organization and the structure, you can utilize an analysis paper outline .

4. Craft Your Conclusion

The last part of the process is to craft a conclusion for your essay . Aside from restating the crucial points and the thesis statement, there is another factor that you should consider for the ending paragraph. That said, you should also present your understanding regarding why the author wrote the story that way. In addition, you can also wrap it up by expressing how the story made you feel.

How to run an in-depth analysis of a short story?

In analyzing a short story, you should individually examine the elements of a short story. That said, you need to study the characters, setting, tone, and plot. In addition, you should also consider evaluating the author’s point of view, writing style, and story-telling method. Also, it involves studying how the story affects you personally.

Why is it necessary to compose analysis essays?

Composing analysis essays tests how well a person understands a reading material. It is a good alternative for reading comprehension worksheets . Another advantage of devising this paper is it encourages people to look at a story from different angles and perspectives. In addition to this, it lets the students enhance their article writing potential.

What is critical writing?

Conducting a critical analysis requires an individual to examine the details and facts in the literature closely. It involves breaking down ideas as well as linking them to develop a point or argument. Despite that, the prime purpose of a critical essay is to give a literary criticism of the things the author did well and the things they did poorly.

People enjoy reading short stories. It is for the reason that aside from being brief, they also present meaningful messages and themes. In addition to that, it also brings you to a memorable ride with its entertaining conflicts and plot twists. That said, as a sign of respect to the well-crafted literature, you should present your thoughts about it by generating a well-founded short story analysis essay. 

Short Story Analysis Essay Generator

Text prompt

• Instructive
• Professional

Short Story Analysis Essay on the theme of courage in "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty"

Short Story Analysis Essay on symbolism in "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson

• school Campus Bookshelves
• menu_book Bookshelves
• perm_media Learning Objects
• login Login
• how_to_reg Request Instructor Account
• hub Instructor Commons

Margin Size

• Download Page (PDF)
• Download Full Book (PDF)
• Periodic Table
• Physics Constants
• Scientific Calculator
• Reference & Cite
• Tools expand_more
• Readability

selected template will load here

This action is not available.

4.5: How to Analyze a Short Story

• Last updated
• Save as PDF
• Page ID 59581
• Lumen Learning

\( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)

\( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)

\( \newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)

( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\)

\( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\)

\( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\)

\( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\)

\( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)

\( \newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\)

\( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\)

\( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\)

\( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\)

\( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\)

\( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\)

\( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\)

\( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\)

\( \newcommand{\vectorA}[1]{\vec{#1}}      % arrow\)

\( \newcommand{\vectorAt}[1]{\vec{\text{#1}}}      % arrow\)

\( \newcommand{\vectorB}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)

\( \newcommand{\vectorC}[1]{\textbf{#1}} \)

\( \newcommand{\vectorD}[1]{\overrightarrow{#1}} \)

\( \newcommand{\vectorDt}[1]{\overrightarrow{\text{#1}}} \)

\( \newcommand{\vectE}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash{\mathbf {#1}}}} \)

What Is a Short Story?

A short story is a work of short, narrative prose that is usually centered around one single event. It is limited in scope and has an introduction, body and conclusion. Although a short story has much in common with a novel (See How to Analyze a Novel), it is written with much greater precision. You will often be asked to write a literary analysis. An analysis of a short story requires basic knowledge of literary elements. The following guide and questions may help you:

Setting is a description of where and when the story takes place. In a short story there are fewer settings compared to a novel. The time is more limited. Ask yourself the following questions:

• How is the setting created? Consider geography, weather, time of day, social conditions, etc.
• What role does setting play in the story? Is it an important part of the plot or theme? Or is it just a backdrop against which the action takes place?

Study the time period, which is also part of the setting, and ask yourself the following:

• When was the story written?
• Does it take place in the present, the past, or the future?
• How does the time period affect the language, atmosphere or social circumstances of the short story?

Characterization

Characterization deals with how the characters in the story are described. In short stories there are usually fewer characters compared to a novel. They usually focus on one central character or protagonist. Ask yourself the following:

• Who is the main character?
• Are the main character and other characters described through dialogue – by the way they speak (dialect or slang for instance)?
• Has the author described the characters by physical appearance, thoughts and feelings, and interaction (the way they act towards others)?
• Are they static/flat characters who do not change?
• Are they dynamic/round characters who DO change?
• What type of characters are they? What qualities stand out? Are they stereotypes?
• Are the characters believable?

Plot and structure

The plot is the main sequence of events that make up the story. In short stories the plot is usually centered around one experience or significant moment. Consider the following questions:

• What is the most important event?
• How is the plot structured? Is it linear, chronological or does it move around?
• Is the plot believable?

Narrator and Point of view

The narrator is the person telling the story. Consider this question: Are the narrator and the main character the same?

By point of view we mean from whose eyes the story is being told. Short stories tend to be told through one character’s point of view. The following are important questions to consider:

• Who is the narrator or speaker in the story?
• Does the author speak through the main character?
• Is the story written in the first person “I” point of view?
• Is the story written in a detached third person “he/she” point of view?
• Is there an “all-knowing” third person who can reveal what all the characters are thinking and doing at all times and in all places?

Conflict or tension is usually the heart of the short story and is related to the main character. In a short story there is usually one main struggle.

• How would you describe the main conflict?
• Is it an internal conflict within the character?
• Is it an external conflict caused by the surroundings or environment the main character finds himself/herself in?

The climax is the point of greatest tension or intensity in the short story. It can also be the point where events take a major turn as the story races towards its conclusion. Ask yourself:

• Is there a turning point in the story?
• When does the climax take place?

The theme is the main idea, lesson, or message in the short story. It may be an abstract idea about the human condition, society, or life. Ask yourself:

• How is the theme expressed?
• Are any elements repeated and therefore suggest a theme?
• Is there more than one theme?

The author’s style has to do with the his or her vocabulary, use of imagery, tone, or the feeling of the story. It has to do with the author’s attitude toward the subject. In some short stories the tone can be ironic, humorous, cold, or dramatic.

• Is the author’s language full of figurative language?
• What images are used?
• Does the author use a lot of symbolism? Metaphors (comparisons that do not use “as” or “like”) or similes (comparisons that use “as” or “like”)?

Your literary analysis of a short story will often be in the form of an essay where you may be asked to give your opinions of the short story at the end. Choose the elements that made the greatest impression on you. Point out which character/characters you liked best or least and always support your arguments.

Contributors and Attributions

• How to Analyze a Short Story. Authored by : Carol Dwankowski. Provided by : ndla.no. Located at : http://ndla.no/en/node/9075?fag=42&meny=102113 . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike

Reading and Interpreting Literary Texts

How to analyze a short story.

Old Fence. A short story has a structure and a message. Can you analyze this picture in much the same way as a short story?

What Is a Short Story?

A short story is a work of short, narrative prose that is usually centered around one single event. It is limited in scope and has an introduction, body and conclusion. Although a short story has much in common with a novel (See How to Analyze a Novel), it is written with much greater precision. You will often be asked to write a literary analysis. An analysis of a short story requires basic knowledge of literary elements. The following guide and questions may help you:

Setting is a description of where and when the story takes place. In a short story there are fewer settings compared to a novel. The time is more limited. Ask yourself the following questions:

• How is the setting created? Consider geography, weather, time of day, social conditions, etc.
• What role does setting play in the story? Is it an important part of the plot or theme? Or is it just a backdrop against which the action takes place?

Study the time period, which is also part of the setting, and ask yourself the following:

• When was the story written?
• Does it take place in the present, the past, or the future?
• How does the time period affect the language, atmosphere or social circumstances of the short story?

Characterization

Characterization deals with how the characters in the story are described. In short stories there are usually fewer characters compared to a novel. They usually focus on one central character or protagonist. Ask yourself the following:

• Who is the main character?
• Are the main character and other characters described through dialogue – by the way they speak (dialect or slang for instance)?
• Has the author described the characters by physical appearance, thoughts and feelings, and interaction (the way they act towards others)?
• Are they static/flat characters who do not change?
• Are they dynamic/round characters who DO change?
• What type of characters are they? What qualities stand out? Are they stereotypes?
• Are the characters believable?

Plot and structure

The plot is the main sequence of events that make up the story. In short stories the plot is usually centered around one experience or significant moment. Consider the following questions:

• What is the most important event?
• How is the plot structured? Is it linear, chronological or does it move around?
• Is the plot believable?

Narrator and Point of view

The narrator is the person telling the story.  Consider this question: Are the narrator and the main character the same?

By point of view we mean from whose eyes the story is being told. Short stories tend to be told through one character’s point of view. The following are important questions to consider:

• Who is the narrator or speaker in the story?
• Does the author speak through the main character?
• Is the story written in the first person “I” point of view?
• Is the story written in a detached third person “he/she” point of view?
• Is there an “all-knowing” third person who can reveal what all the characters are thinking and doing at all times and in all places?

Conflict or tension is usually the heart of the short story and is related to the main character. In a short story there is usually one main struggle.

• How would you describe the main conflict?
• Is it an internal conflict within the character?
• Is it an external conflict caused by the surroundings or environment the main character finds himself/herself in?

The climax is the point of greatest tension or intensity in the short story. It can also be the point where events take a major turn as the story races towards its conclusion. Ask yourself:

• Is there a turning point in the story?
• When does the climax take place?

The theme is the main idea, lesson, or message in the short story. It may be an abstract idea about the human condition, society, or life. Ask yourself:

• How is the theme expressed?
• Are any elements repeated and therefore suggest a theme?
• Is there more than one theme?

The author’s style has to do with the his or her vocabulary, use of imagery, tone, or the feeling of the story. It has to do with the author’s attitude toward the subject. In some short stories the tone can be ironic, humorous, cold, or dramatic.

• Is the author’s language full of figurative language?
• What images are used?
• Does the author use a lot of symbolism? Metaphors (comparisons that do not use “as” or “like”) or similes (comparisons that use “as” or “like”)?

Your literary analysis of a short story will often be in the form of an essay where you may be asked to give your opinions of the short story at the end. Choose the elements that made the greatest impression on you. Point out which character/characters you liked best or least and always support your arguments.

• How to Analyze a Short Story. Authored by : Carol Dwankowski. Provided by : ndla.no. Located at : http://ndla.no/en/node/9075?fag=42&meny=102113 . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike

Literary Analysis Essay

Literary Analysis Essay Writing

Last updated on: May 21, 2023

Literary Analysis Essay - Ultimate Guide By Professionals

By: Cordon J.

Reviewed By: Rylee W.

Published on: Dec 3, 2019

A literary analysis essay specifically examines and evaluates a piece of literature or a literary work. It also understands and explains the links between the small parts to their whole information.

It is important for students to understand the meaning and the true essence of literature to write a literary essay.

One of the most difficult assignments for students is writing a literary analysis essay. It can be hard to come up with an original idea or find enough material to write about. You might think you need years of experience in order to create a good paper, but that's not true.

This blog post will show you how easy it can be when you follow the steps given here.Writing such an essay involves the breakdown of a book into small parts and understanding each part separately. It seems easy, right?

Trust us, it is not as hard as good book reports but it may also not be extremely easy. You will have to take into account different approaches and explain them in relation with the chosen literary work.

It is a common high school and college assignment and you can learn everything in this blog.

Continue reading for some useful tips with an example to write a literary analysis essay that will be on point. You can also explore our detailed article on writing an analytical essay .

On this Page

What is a Literary Analysis Essay?

A literary analysis essay is an important kind of essay that focuses on the detailed analysis of the work of literature.

The purpose of a literary analysis essay is to explain why the author has used a specific theme for his work. Or examine the characters, themes, literary devices , figurative language, and settings in the story.

This type of essay encourages students to think about how the book or the short story has been written. And why the author has created this work.

The method used in the literary analysis essay differs from other types of essays. It primarily focuses on the type of work and literature that is being analyzed.

Mostly, you will be going to break down the work into various parts. In order to develop a better understanding of the idea being discussed, each part will be discussed separately.

The essay should explain the choices of the author and point of view along with your answers and personal analysis.

How To Write A Literary Analysis Essay

So how to start a literary analysis essay? The answer to this question is quite simple.

The following sections are required to write an effective literary analysis essay. By following the guidelines given in the following sections, you will be able to craft a winning literary analysis essay.

Introduction

The aim of the introduction is to establish a context for readers. You have to give a brief on the background of the selected topic.

It should contain the name of the author of the literary work along with its title. The introduction should be effective enough to grab the reader’s attention.

In the body section, you have to retell the story that the writer has narrated. It is a good idea to create a summary as it is one of the important tips of literary analysis.

Other than that, you are required to develop ideas and disclose the observed information related to the issue. The ideal length of the body section is around 1000 words.

To write the body section, your observation should be based on evidence and your own style of writing.

It would be great if the body of your essay is divided into three paragraphs. Make a strong argument with facts related to the thesis statement in all of the paragraphs in the body section.

Start writing each paragraph with a topic sentence and use transition words when moving to the next paragraph.

Summarize the important points of your literary analysis essay in this section. It is important to compose a short and strong conclusion to help you make a final impression of your essay.

Pay attention that this section does not contain any new information. It should provide a sense of completion by restating the main idea with a short description of your arguments. End the conclusion with your supporting details.

You have to explain why the book is important. Also, elaborate on the means that the authors used to convey her/his opinion regarding the issue.

For further understanding, here is a downloadable literary analysis essay outline. This outline will help you structure and format your essay properly and earn an A easily.

DOWNLOADABLE LITERARY ANALYSIS ESSAY OUTLINE (PDF)

Types of Literary Analysis Essay

• Close reading - This method involves attentive reading and detailed analysis. No need for a lot of knowledge and inspiration to write an essay that shows your creative skills.
• Theoretical - In this type, you will rely on theories related to the selected topic.
• Historical - This type of essay concerns the discipline of history. Sometimes historical analysis is required to explain events in detail.
• Applied - This type involves analysis of a specific issue from a practical perspective.
• Comparative - This type of writing is based on when two or more alternatives are compared

Examples of Literary Analysis Essay

Examples are great to understand any concept, especially if it is related to writing. Below are some great literary analysis essay examples that showcase how this type of essay is written.

A ROSE FOR EMILY LITERARY ANALYSIS ESSAY

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD LITERARY ANALYSIS ESSAY

THE GREAT GATSBY LITERARY ANALYSIS ESSAY

THE YELLOW WALLPAPER LITERARY ANALYSIS ESSAY

If you do not have experience in writing essays, this will be a very chaotic process for you. In that case, it is very important for you to conduct good research on the topic before writing.

There are two important points that you should keep in mind when writing a literary analysis essay.

First, remember that it is very important to select a topic in which you are interested. Choose something that really inspires you. This will help you to catch the attention of a reader.

The selected topic should reflect the main idea of writing. In addition to that, it should also express your point of view as well.

Another important thing is to draft a good outline for your literary analysis essay. It will help you to define a central point and division of this into parts for further discussion.

Literary Analysis Essay Topics

Literary analysis essays are mostly based on artistic works like books, movies, paintings, and other forms of art. However, generally, students choose novels and books to write their literary essays.

Some cool, fresh, and good topics and ideas are listed below:

• Role of the Three Witches in flaming Macbeth’s ambition.
• Analyze the themes of the Play Antigone,
• Discuss Ajax as a tragic hero.
• The Judgement of Paris: Analyze the Reasons and their Consequences.
• Oedipus Rex: A Doomed Son or a Conqueror?
• Describe the Oedipus complex and Electra complex in relation to their respective myths.
• Betrayal is a common theme of Shakespearean tragedies. Discuss
• Identify and analyze the traits of history in T.S Eliot’s ‘Gerontion’.
• Analyze the theme of identity crisis in The Great Gatsby.
• Analyze the writing style of Emily Dickinson.

If you are still in doubt then there is nothing bad in getting professional writers’ help.

We at 5StarEssays.com can help you get a custom paper as per your specified requirements with our do essay for me service.

Our essay writers will help you write outstanding literary essays or any other type of essay. Such as compare and contrast essays, descriptive essays, rhetorical essays. We cover all of these.

So don’t waste your time browsing the internet and place your order now to get your well-written custom paper.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should a literary analysis essay include.

A good literary analysis essay must include a proper and in-depth explanation of your ideas. They must be backed with examples and evidence from the text. Textual evidence includes summaries, paraphrased text, original work details, and direct quotes.

What are the 4 components of literary analysis?

Here are the 4 essential parts of a literary analysis essay;

No literary work is explained properly without discussing and explaining these 4 things.

How do you start a literary analysis essay?

Start your literary analysis essay with the name of the work and the title. Hook your readers by introducing the main ideas that you will discuss in your essay and engage them from the start.

How do you do a literary analysis?

In a literary analysis essay, you study the text closely, understand and interpret its meanings. And try to find out the reasons behind why the author has used certain symbols, themes, and objects in the work.

Why is literary analysis important?

It encourages the students to think beyond their existing knowledge, experiences, and belief and build empathy. This helps in improving the writing skills also.

What is the fundamental characteristic of a literary analysis essay?

Interpretation is the fundamental and important feature of a literary analysis essay. The essay is based on how well the writer explains and interprets the work.

Law, Finance Essay

Cordon. is a published author and writing specialist. He has worked in the publishing industry for many years, providing writing services and digital content. His own writing career began with a focus on literature and linguistics, which he continues to pursue. Cordon is an engaging and professional individual, always looking to help others achieve their goals.

Was This Blog Helpful?

Keep reading.

• Interesting Literary Analysis Essay Topics for Students

• Write a Perfect Literary Analysis Essay Outline

People Also Read

• narrative essay outline
• research paper topics
• compare and contrast essay topics
• autobiography format
• speech writing

Burdened With Assignments?

Advertisement

• Homework Services: Essay Topics Generator

© 2024 - All rights reserved

• How It Works
• Prices & Discounts

Story Analysis: How to Analyze a Short Story Step-by-Step

Table of contents

Have there been times that you have read a short story in class and tried to analyze its meaning by deep-diving into the text to understand it better? If yes, this article is for you.

Short stories are relatively much shorter and less complex than most novels or plays. But that does not mean that they don’t require an in-depth analysis of what is written in the text and what messages the author of the book intends to convey to its readers.

In this article, you will learn how to analyze a short story step-by-step, along with the essential elements of a short story.

What are the Elements of a Short Story

In order to analyze a short story step-by-step, it is important to know the basics of story analysis. Let’s take a look at the five key elements of a short story.

Characters (both major and minor) are what bring life to a story. Writers use them to transcend important messages throughout the plotline.

Every character has a purpose, a particular personality, and a developmental arc. To analyze these characters for your short story, you must have the answer to the following questions:

• Who is the plotline’s protagonist?
• Do you have your antagonist? If yes, who is it? What antagonistic qualities do they have?
• Are the characters dynamic (changing) or static (unchanging)?
• How does the author describe the character's appearance, personality, mindset, and actions?
• What are your thoughts, feelings, or opinions about the characters?
• What is the relationship between all the characters?

People get invested in fictional characters, relate to them, and see them as real individuals with real personalities, going through real hardships in life.

That's the key motive of the author, and that's what needs to be analyzed.

Setting or Theme

The setting of a short story depicts the theme of the plot through key metaphors. It revolves around three important points:

• Circumstances

This also aids the flow of the plotline, distinguishes the characters, influences viewpoints, and creates an aura for your story.

Even if a story is placed in a historic time and place, from when and where it was originally written, it can influence the entire context of the narrative.

Many stories would seem different and altered if their original setting was changed completely and is thus very crucial in interpreting the concept of the story.

Thus, try to assess how the setting affects the story and how it motivates its characters. Analyze why the author has chosen this particular setting, how the readers respond to it, as well as if there’s any symbolic meaning behind it.

The plotline makes a story by giving it a pattern and a structure to the events that are about to happen. Identifying and analyzing these plotlines will help in giving insights into the explanation of the story.

In short stories, the plot is majorly centered around one important character and their actions, or around one key experience that impacts the story greatly.

Usually, a short story plot has one major storyline, unlike novels, which have multiple trajectories of storylines. Thus, short stories are easier to analyze.

Authors use symbolism to convey messages poetically or indirectly, through their stories, making them more interesting and complex pieces.

Symbolism is depicted using a physical object or even a person to be an abstract idea. For example, a dove represents love and peace and a storm represents hostility and turmoil.

Symbolism can also be used as a metaphor in the narrative, such as life is a roller coaster which portrays life to have its ups and downs.

Similarly, in short story novels, authors symbolize certain conflicts and important issues by using a metaphor or a simile in their story. For example, in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, the officials dismantled the coronations of Caesar's statues, foreshadowing their plan to topple him.

Lastly, the reason you are reading the short story is to identify what you have learned from it and what the moral of the narrative is.

Even though short story novels are crisp, interesting, and entertaining, there is always a life lesson behind each of them. This moral is implied to help the readers understand the author’s perspective, what they want to convey, and what lesson you should learn from the text.

How to Analyze a Short Story Step-by-Step

Now that we know the major elements that are involved in crafting an exceptional story analysis, let's take a look at five tips for how to analyze a short story step-by-step.

Read and summarize

As you prepare to analyze the short story assigned to you, it is recommended to read and re-read it multiple times. Since it is a short story, you’ll have plenty of time to understand all the details included within the story and the context of the plot.

To analyze the book, divide the narrative into sections. Read each of these sections and write down key points and essential details that are related to these portions of the story. As you do that, summarize your interpretation of the plot into a more understandable and easy piece.

Brainstorm and take notes

While reading the text, if you come across an interesting subplot, a challenging character arc, or even a major theme that isn't showcased through the text, make it a point of writing them down.

These notes will be your crutch as you begin analyzing your short story for your class assignment. Taking notes brings organization to your thoughts and ideas, as well as gives you proper knowledge about every detail you find in the short story.

Brainstorm multiple ideas and write down the concepts that you find fascinating while reading the book. Always pay close attention to the details to understand the purpose of the text, as well as the author’s point of view on multiple important situations or events.

Here’s an interesting video by Jesse on how to take notes while reading

Identify crucial concepts

Identifying important concepts in the short story, such as the main conflict that helps with creating the primary argument for the thesis statement, the characters’ personalities, their defining traits, the choices they make, and also the point of view of the narrator.

The point of view is an essential aspect of the storyline as it creates a lens for the reader to understand and analyze themes, details, characters, and important events in the story.

While examining these concepts, you will realize the intention of the author, how the story was significant to them, and why they made certain choices while writing the short story.

Similarly, exploring the literary devices of the short story, such as the setting, mood, tone, and style of the text, will help further in analyzing the plotline in a more notable way.

Include examples and evidence

When you state an argument in your story analysis, it is always better to back it up with credible sources and accurate evidence. For example, you can paraphrase or directly quote a sentence from your assigned story to claim your point.

However, quotations cannot become evidence unless it is explained how it proves the claims that are being made.

Having good sources for your story analysis gives you a higher level of authority over the book that you are writing about and also makes it easier for the reader to understand the author’s perspective.

Craft the thesis statement

It is important to make sure that all the points that have been made for the analysis tie together and ultimately support your thesis.

Keep in mind that the thesis for your short story should not just summarize the plot, and neither should it be a review of the book. Your thesis statement should be an interpretation of the text or an argument that is based on the storyline.

Writing a quality analysis for short stories requires a solid thought process, an organized structure , and the ability to dive deep into the literary meaning of a text.

Here, you understand and think through the author's perspective of the book and why they have chosen to write their thoughts and ideas through this narrative.

Hence, to know how to analyze a short story step-by-step for your class assignments and also score high, you need proper guidance, key steps, and other tips and tricks that put your analysis at the front of the line. This article is here just for that!

If you still find yourself to be stuck, reach out to our analytical essay writing service . Our team of professional writers are experts in analyzing stories and will help you deliver a 100% original short story analysis written from scratch.

Share this article

Achieve Academic Success with Expert Assistance!

Crafted from Scratch for You.

Ensuring Your Work’s Originality.

Transform Your Draft into Excellence.

Perfecting Your Paper’s Grammar, Style, and Format (APA, MLA, etc.).

Calculate the cost of your paper

Get ideas for your essay

• PRO Courses Guides New Tech Help Pro Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Upgrade Sign In
• EDIT Edit this Article
• EXPLORE Tech Help Pro About Us Random Article Quizzes Request a New Article Community Dashboard This Or That Game Popular Categories Arts and Entertainment Artwork Books Movies Computers and Electronics Computers Phone Skills Technology Hacks Health Men's Health Mental Health Women's Health Relationships Dating Love Relationship Issues Hobbies and Crafts Crafts Drawing Games Education & Communication Communication Skills Personal Development Studying Personal Care and Style Fashion Hair Care Personal Hygiene Youth Personal Care School Stuff Dating All Categories Arts and Entertainment Finance and Business Home and Garden Relationship Quizzes Cars & Other Vehicles Food and Entertaining Personal Care and Style Sports and Fitness Computers and Electronics Health Pets and Animals Travel Education & Communication Hobbies and Crafts Philosophy and Religion Work World Family Life Holidays and Traditions Relationships Youth
• Browse Articles
• Learn Something New
• Quizzes Hot
• This Or That Game
• Train Your Brain
• Explore More
• Support wikiHow
• About wikiHow
• Log in / Sign up
• Education and Communications
• Studying Literature

How to Analyze a Short Story

Last Updated: April 24, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Christopher Taylor, PhD and by wikiHow staff writer, Megaera Lorenz, PhD . Christopher Taylor is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of English at Austin Community College in Texas. He received his PhD in English Literature and Medieval Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014. There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 122,295 times.

Despite the fact that they’re relatively short and simple, there’s still a lot to discover with an in-depth analysis of a short story. Start by trying to summarize what the story is about, then look more closely at aspects of the story such as context, setting, plot, characterization, themes, and style. Tie it all together with a thoughtful critique and summary of what you think the author was trying to accomplish.

Putting the Story in Context

• The title of the story.
• The author’s name.
• The date of publication.
• Where the story was originally published (e.g., in an anthology or a literary magazine).
• For example, “I am analyzing ‘Jeeves Takes Charge’ by P. G. Wodehouse, originally published in the November 18, 1916 edition of The Saturday Evening Post .”

• A young English aristocrat, Bertie Wooster.
• Bertie’s valet (personal attendant), Jeeves.
• Bertie’s fiancée, Florence Craye.
• Bertie’s uncle Willoughby.
• Florence’s teenaged brother Edwin.

• For example, “‘Jeeves Takes Charge’ is about an airheaded young aristocrat (Bertie Wooster) who tries to sabotage the publication of his uncle’s scandalous memoirs in order to please his fiancée. Meanwhile, Bertie’s valet, Jeeves, is scheming to break up Bertie’s engagement.”

• For example, P. G. Wodehouse was a Classically educated author who grew up in late Victorian and Edwardian England. During the 1910s, he lived and worked in New York as an author, lyricist, and playwright. His stories combine references to classic Western literature with references to contemporary British and American pop culture.

• Take note of any major social and political issues of the time period, and any popular artistic movements. Major cultural and political shifts are often reflected in short stories, whether purposefully or in a more subtle context.
• For example, “Jeeves Takes Charge” is set in an English country estate in the 1910s, but it was published in America during the early years of WWI (before America’s involvement in the war). It plays on humorous American stereotypes of the English aristocracy while avoiding references to contemporary historical events.

• If you’re not sure about the intended audience, the publication venue can give you some clues.
• For example, “Jeeves Takes Charge” was published in The Saturday Evening Post , a weekly entertainment magazine for American adults. The story was designed to appeal to an adult, middle class American audience.

• For example, most of “Jeeves Takes Charge” is set at Easeby Hall, a fictional country estate in Shropshire, England. Wodehouse does not describe the setting in great detail, but creates an impression by offering minor details in passing (e.g., Bertie hides behind a suit of armor in his uncle’s library while waiting to steal the manuscript).

• For example, “Jeeves Takes Charge” is set in the summer, “about half a dozen years ago.” If we assume this means 6 years before the story was published, then it is set in 1910.
• There are also other clues to the general time setting, like references to telegraphs and Bertie’s use of period-specific slang (like “rummy” meaning “strange,” or “a frost” meaning “a failure”).
• Some stories may have historical settings that are changed or interrupted in the narrative structure. In these instances, look at what effect the fractured or non-linear setting might create.

• For example, if “Jeeves Takes Charge” took place in 2018, how likely would it be that a young man like Bertie would employ a personal attendant like Jeeves? How would Bertie steal his uncle’s manuscript in an age when most documents are written and sent electronically?

Evaluating Plot and Characterization

• Bertie’s fiancée, Florence, asks Bertie to steal and destroy the manuscript of his uncle’s memoirs because she is worried it will cause a scandal.
• Bertie steals the manuscript, but Florence's brother catches him in the act and tells the uncle.
• Jeeves takes the manuscript before Bertie's uncle can find it. Bertie thinks Jeeves is keeping the manuscript safe, but he has actually sent it on to the publisher.
• Florence breaks off the engagement when she finds out the memoirs have been published. Bertie is angry at first, but Jeeves convinces him that he would have been unhappy married to Florence.

• In “Jeeves Takes Charge,” the major conflict is between Bertie and Jeeves. The 2 characters engage in a power struggle that starts out small (e.g., disagreements over what Bertie should wear) and comes to a head when Jeeves breaks up Bertie’s engagement to Florence.

• For example, at the beginning of “Jeeves Takes Charge,” Bertie’s narration starts with a brief explanation of his relationship with Jeeves. This sets the stage for the rest of the story.

• Rising action: Bertie visits his uncle, hires Jeeves, and steals his uncle’s manuscript.
• Climax: Jeeves intercepts the manuscript and secretly sends it to the publisher, causing Florence to break the engagement.
• Falling action: Bertie is ready to fire Jeeves, but Jeeves convinces him that Florence was not a good match for him.

• For example, in “Jeeves Takes Charge,” the conflict is resolved when Bertie decides that he trusts Jeeves’s judgment—not just in the matter the engagement, but in all of his personal affairs. This ties in with the opening paragraph, where Bertie explains that he has come to rely on Jeeves’s wisdom.

• For example, “Jeeves Takes Charge” has a straightforward, linear plot that moves from 1 event to the next in chronological order.

• From whose point of view is the story told? Is it one of the characters in the story, or an unnamed observer?
• Is the story narrated in the first person (the narrator refers to themselves as “I” and “me”) or third person?
• Does the narrator present a clear, straightforward account of the events of the story, or do they misunderstand what’s happening or deliberately mislead the reader (an unreliable narrator)?
• Is the narrator’s perspective limited, or do they understand everything that is happening in the story?

• Physical appearance (e.g., height, hair color, attractiveness, style of dress).
• Personality traits (such as kindness, creativity, cowardice, sense of humor).
• Speaking style (slangy, formal, terse, poetic).
• Other traits, such as age, profession, or social status.

• Bertie Wooster is the protagonist and narrator of “Jeeves Takes Charge.” He is a comedic figure rather than a classic literary hero, and he consistently fails to accomplish his goals throughout the story. He is a stereotype designed to appeal to American audiences of the time.

• For example, in “Jeeves Takes Charge,” Jeeves tells Bertie that he sabotaged the engagement because he thinks Bertie would be unhappy married to Florence. He also hints indirectly at a more self-serving motivation—he worked for Florence’s family in the past, and doesn’t want to have to work for her again.

• For example, at the beginning of “Jeeves Takes Charge,” Bertie views Jeeves as a competent servant, but resists Jeeves’s efforts to advise and guide him. After realizing on reflection that he agrees with Jeeves about Florence, Bertie decides that he is better off with Jeeves “doing the thinking for me.”
• When looking at character development, consider not only the nature of the change, but how and why the change occurs. If you don’t think the characters have changed or developed, think about why that might be as well.

Exploring Themes, Tone, and Style

• For example, a major theme in “Jeeves Takes Charge” is the nature of power and authority in a master-servant relationship. Bertie is Jeeves’s employer, but Jeeves has the upper hand in the relationship because of his intelligence and relatively forceful personality.

• For example, “Jeeves Takes Charge” contains a reference to Thomas Hood’s ballad, The Dream of Eugene Aram (1831), in the form of a misremembered quote by Bertie. The ballad deals with the theme of murder, to which Bertie compares his crime of stealing and destroying his uncle’s manuscript.

• For example, at the end of “Jeeves Takes Charge,” Bertie tells Jeeves that he can get rid of a checked suit that Jeeves dislikes. Jeeves remarks that he has already gotten rid of it. The suit is symbolic of Bertie’s agency—when he gives up the suit, he also hands over control of his life to Jeeves (who was really already in charge).

• Foreshadowing, in which clues are given early in the story that suggest later plot developments.
• Irony, in which there is a discrepancy between what a character says and what they actually mean, or between what they intend to achieve and what they actually accomplish.
• Allegory, in which the events, characters, or setting of the story are meant to reflect some more general truth or idea.

• The tone of “Jeeves Takes Charge” is light and humorous. Wodehouse (the author) views the events of the story as trivial and silly. He highlights the humor of the characters and situations by using heightened, dramatic language and imagery.
• For example, while trying to decide how to dispose of his uncle’s manuscript, Bertie compares himself to a murderer trying to hide a body.

• In “Jeeves Takes Charge,” Wodehouse combines formal, poetic Edwardian language with contemporary slang to create a unique, humorous style.
• For example: “The sun was sinking over the hills and the gnats were fooling about all over the place, and everything smelled rather topping—what with the falling dew, and so on . . .”

Writing Up Your Analysis

• For example, “‘Jeeves Takes Charge,’ by P. G. Wodehouse, is one of the earliest short stories to feature Bertie Wooster and his valet, Jeeves, who would eventually become iconic figures in the canon of comedic English literature. This story utilizes humor and dramatic irony to explore themes of agency, authority, and the nature of interpersonal relationships.”
• The form and content of the thesis may depend on the assignment. For example, if you are supposed to answer a specific question about the story, make sure your thesis addresses that question.

• Which turns of phrase or word choices stood out to you the most?
• Which character(s) did you like the best or least, and why?
• Which moment in the plot made the greatest impression on you? Were you surprised by anything that happened?
• How do you feel about the story? Do you like it or dislike it? Did you feel like you learned something from it, or did it evoke any particularly strong feelings in you?

• Did this story evoke the kinds of emotions that the author intended? Why or why not?
• Is the style distinctive and interesting?
• Did the story feel original?
• Were the characters and plot sufficiently developed? Did the characters’ actions make sense?

• If you wished to argue that Wodehouse drew intentional parallels between Jeeves and Florence in “Jeeves Takes Charge,” you could support this by quoting passages that highlight these parallels.
• For example, "Bertie says of Jeeves early on that '. . . unless I was jolly careful and nipped this lad in the bud, he would be starting to boss me. He had the aspect of a distinctly resolute blighter.' Later, he agrees with Jeeves’s assessment that Florence 'is of a highly determined and arbitrary temperament, quite opposed to your own.'”

• For example, you might say, “‘Jeeves Takes Charge’ is a story about a young man struggling to maintain his agency and autonomy as he becomes caught up in parallel conflicts with 2 other major players in his life: his fiancée and his valet. In the end, Bertie decides that Florence is too controlling and manipulative. Ironically, he ultimately embraces those same qualities in Jeeves.”

Community Q&A

• For more theories and ways to analyze short stories, take a look at Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Philosophy of Composition”, which is available for free online. [20] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ http://learnonpoint.com/blog/writing-a-summary-of-a-short-story
• ↑ https://languagetool.org/insights/post/how-to-write-a-summary/
• ↑ https://www.readingrockets.org/books/authorstudy/reasons/researchauthor
• ↑ https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-historical-context-1857069
• ↑ https://courses.lumenlearning.com/introliterature/chapter/how-to-analyze-a-short-story/
• ↑ https://writingcenter.tamu.edu/writing-speaking-guides/analyzing-novels-short-stories-dca1e62dc095831688f35cf690150f50
• ↑ https://www.texasgateway.org/resource/analyze-development-plot-through-characters-literary-textsfiction-english-7-reading
• ↑ https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/575/01/
• ↑ https://literarydevices.net/mood/
• ↑ http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson209/definition_style.pdf
• ↑ https://www.bucks.edu/media/bcccmedialibrary/pdf/HOWTOWRITEALITERARYANALYSISESSAY_10.15.07_001.pdf
• ↑ https://www.poetryfoundation.org/articles/69390/the-philosophy-of-composition

About This Article

If you need to analyze a short story for a class, there are a few things to consider. Do some research into the author’s background and any political or social context that’s relevant to the story. Identify the main themes of the story, such as redemption, religion, or isolation. You should also identify the main conflict of the short story, which usually revolves around the main characters. If the author does anything unusual with structure or language, you can write about this. For instance, in William Faulkner’s A Rose For Emily, the story is told from the collective point of view of the town instead of any single character. You can also write about the author’s use of symbolism and imagery and what effect this has on the story. For more tips from our English co-author, including how to write up your short story analysis, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

• Send fan mail to authors

Reader Success Stories

Pearl Shezi

Apr 5, 2019

Did this article help you?

Casimir Pathi

Oct 18, 2019

LunarEclipse

Aug 2, 2018

Featured Articles

Trending Articles

Watch Articles

• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell or Share My Info
• Not Selling Info

Get all the best how-tos!

Sign up for wikiHow's weekly email newsletter

Short Story Analysis: How to Write It Step by Step [New]

Have you ever tried to write a story analysis but ended up being completely confused and lost? Well, the task might be challenging if you don’t know the essential rules for literary analysis creation.

Our specialists will write a custom essay specially for you!

But don’t get frustrated! We know how to write a short story analysis, and we are willing to share some tips with you.

Below you will find some tips that will help you:

• to analyze the story while reading;
• to put the findings in words;
• to edit and polish your work.

Our team listed the essential guide for writing an analysis of a short story. Check it out to nail your paper!

• 👣 How to Analyze a Story
• ✒️ Methods of Story Analysis
• ✍️ Analysis Format
• 📜 Proofreading Tips
• 📝 Analysis Example

👣 How to Analyze a Short Story Step by Step

Have you ever felt confused analyzing short stories for your school or college assignment? Not this time! We have prepared for you a step-by-step guide on how to analyze a short piece of writing quickly and effectively. 

Step 1: Read Smart

The key to smart reading is to be critical. Criticism can be positive or negative. In your short story analysis, you need to have confidence in your own views of the work, regardless of the author’s reputation or whatever anyone else thinks.

Just in 1 hour! We will write you a plagiarism-free paper in hardly more than 1 hour

The bottom line with literary criticism is that there are no right or wrong answers. As long as you back everything up with evidence, you can still attain a top grade if you take the opposite view to the author, your teacher, or the best student in your class.

But your reading needs to be methodical.

Step 2: Analyze & Find Examples

After you read the short story, you need to summarize it in your own words in no more than two sentences. This way, you will ensure that you’ve grasped its main idea.

Next, read the story one more time, paying attention to its literary elements, such as allusion, figurative language, plot, symbolism , etc. Analyze how they help the author convey the intended message. In addition, find relevant examples, quotes, or important passages that you can cite in your essay afterward.

Step 3: Create an Outline

Outlining is a crucial aspect of essay writing. It will help you understand how you can link all the facts to support the thesis statement and the paper’s arguments. Your short story analysis outline should look the following way: 

Receive a plagiarism-free paper tailored to your instructions. Cut 15% off your first order!

• Introduction of the work (the author and title)
• A short summary of the story
• Thesis statement
• Topic sentence
• Example from the text
• Analysis of the example
• Restated thesis
• Summary of main points
• Concluding statement

If you need help outlining your short story analysis, try our free essay outline generator .

Step 4: Write Your Short Story Analysis

Now, it’s time to start drafting your essay. Here’s how to do it:

• At the beginning of your short story analysis, indicate the work’s title and the author’s name. Next, provide background information that may be helpful for understanding the story. End your introduction with an analytical thesis statement , clearly stating your evaluation of the text.
• Then, create body paragraphs based on your outline, including topic sentences and supporting examples.  
• In the concluding paragraph , restate your thesis statement and highlight the important points you have made throughout the essay, giving the reader a feeling of closure. 

Step 5: Revise and Proofread

Last but not least, proofread your short story analysis. It will help you to avoid grammatical mistakes, spelling errors, and typos.

If you have questions regarding your essay’s format or topic, it is always a good idea to ask for help from your teacher or classmate. Their experience and insights can help you adjust your analysis and improve its overall quality. 

✒️ How to Analyze a Short Story: 6 Methods

When analyzing a short story, it is essential to examine all its main elements. In the following sections, we will discuss how to analyze the plot, characters, setting, themes, point of view, and style in detail.

Get an originally-written paper according to your instructions!

Analyzing the Plot

For the first sitting, focus on the sequence of events that takes place throughout the story.

An analysis of a short story’s plot is easy because, unlike novels, which can contain multiple plotlines, short stories usually have only one.

To make the process even easier, here are some questions that you can ask yourself as you read:

• Does the plot hold your interest from beginning to end?
• What are the most important events, and why?
• Is plotline realistic?
• Are there any parts of the plotline that seem irrelevant to the main story?
• Does the plot deal with external conflict, internal conflict, or both?
• What is the moral of the story?

Next, you can look at the way the author portrays the characters in the story.

Short stories will not have many characters and often center around one main character, known as the protagonist.

Analyzing Characterization

Wondering how to analyze characters in a short story? The best way is to ask these questions:

• Who is the protagonist?
• How effectively does the author describe the characters’ actions, appearance, and thoughts?
• What are your feelings towards the characters?
• Does the way the characters speak give you any information about their personality?
• Do the characters change throughout the story?
• If the story contains minor characters, are they necessary and effective?

Alongside plot and characters, there is a third element that is a crucial part of any story:

Analyzing the Setting

Short stories are usually set in a single location and period, but some do have more than one.

These questions will help you master the setting :

• How does the author describe the location of the events?
• Does the story take place in the past, the present, or the future (or all three)?
• What are the broader circumstances surrounding the story’s setting?
• Does the setting play an essential role in the story?
• Do the place and time in which the author lived and worked affect the location and period in which the story is set?
• Has the author successfully given you a feeling of really being in the story’s setting?

Your next read-through might require some creative thinking and detective work as you consider the ideas, messages, or lessons behind the story.

Analyzing Themes

Analyzing a theme is your chance to stand out. While some themes are apparent and intended by the author, it is also possible to find more obscure ones. Even the author may not have been aware of them.

Answer these questions, and you’ve nailed the theme:

• What is the central theme? Are there any others?
• How is the theme conveyed?
• If the author is using the story to deliver a particular message, are you convinced by it?
• What does the theme reveal about the author?

Now you’re confident you understand the author’s message and can explore it in your short story analysis. Not so fast! You need to think about who is telling the story.

Analyzing the Point of View

Analyzing the point of view will give a more in-depth insight into all of the previous aspects you have dealt with. So ask yourself:

• Who is narrating the story?
• Does the author use a consistent point of view?
• Is the narrator telling the truth?
• Does the author have the same mindset as the narrator?
• Would the story be different if it were narrated from another point of view?

Finally, you need to look at the way the author uses language to tell the story.

Analyzing the Style

Ask the following questions when analyzing style :

• What is the author’s tone? Humorous? Serious? Sarcastic? Sentimental?
• Does the author use any unusual words or phrases? What effect do they have?
• Is there anything in the story – an object, for example – that has any special meaning?
• Does the author’s use of literary devices affect your enjoyment of the story in any way?
• What would the story be like if the author used a different style?

By now, you should be familiar with analyzing a short story and have enough great ideas to produce an A+ essay . Look again at the set question, and decide on the main direction you want your literary criticism essay to take.

Because now it’s time to wipe the dust off that keyboard:

✍️ Short Story Analysis Format

To get how to write a short story analysis step by step, you have to keep in mind the two golden rules:

• Your essay must be focused on the set question.
• Your opinions are only valid if you can support them with evidence.

Divide your work into three sections:

• Introduction (about 10% of the total word count)
• Main body (about 80% of the total word count)
• Conclusion (about 10% of the total word count)

Start with an Introduction

Your introduction should consist of one or two paragraphs that outline your statement of intent. You do not need to provide any evidence to back up your assertions at this stage – save that for the main body.

Here are the ingredients for a perfect introduction:

• An engaging opening line that captures the reader’s interest.
• The title of the short story and the name of the author.
• A brief outline of the main points and arguments that you intend to make.

Provide Arguments

Any story analysis has to list your points with proof. The main body is used to set out your case in detail and provide evidence to support it. Each paragraph should deal with a different point and follow a logical order that develops your overall argument.

Your main body is ready for the beach when it has:

• A persuasive and articulate argument.
• Evidence and quotes from the short story and external references, where appropriate, to support your case.
• Acknowledgment of any competing arguments to provide balance.
• Clear and concise language, with no repetition or irrelevant material.
• A clear focus on the set question.

Finish with a Bang

A conclusion ties everything together and briefly sums up your response to the set question. Like the introduction, it should be only one paragraph long and should not contain any new arguments, information, or evidence. If you can’t get rid of excessive fullf in your text, we’d suggest trying to use a paragraph shortener .

To finish your essay with a bang, you will need:

• A summary of the ideas that you have presented in the main body.
• Acknowledgment of any issues that need to be considered in the future.
• A powerful closing statement that encapsulates your overall position.

Once you have finished writing your literary analysis essay, the best thing you can do is take a break. When you return to review what you have done, it will be with a refreshed mind.

You’ve had fun criticizing the author. Now it’s time to look in the mirror:

📜 Short Story Analysis: Proofreading Tips

As usual, good things come in threes. Break your review down into these stages:

• Content editing
• Copy-editing
• Proofreading

For the first of these, you need to look at your essay as a whole and consider:

• Does your essay deal exclusively with the set question?
• Does your introduction accurately preview the content of the main body?
• Does each paragraph in the main body follow a logical order?
• Does your essay contain any repetition, inaccuracy, or irrelevant material?
• Does your conclusion successfully sum up your argument?
• Are your references accurate and appropriate?
• Will your reader find your essay to be enjoyable, easy to understand, and persuasive?

Once you are happy with your essay’s content, you can review it in more detail to deal with the text’s accuracy and consistency.

Reading carefully, line by line, ask yourself:

• Is your language as clear and concise as possible?
• Are your grammar and spelling correct?
• Have you presented acronyms, abbreviations, capitalization correctly and consistently?
• Are your quotations and references in the correct format?
• Are there any other formatting issues with your document?

Take another break, then review your essay one last time . Use your spellchecker, then print off a copy and read slowly and carefully, line by line. Hopefully, there won’t be too many errors by this stage but think of this process as a final polish to make your work really shine.

📝 Short Story Analysis Example

We have prepared an analysis example of the short story “The Last Leaf” by O. Henry. You can use it to find inspiration and see how everything works in practice. 

In O. Henry’s “The Last Leaf,” a sick artist named Johnsy sees hope fading with each falling leaf outside her window. She is convinced that she will die when the last leaf falls. But two things stand against her despair: Behrman, an old, seemingly failed artist, and Sue, Johnsy’s loyal friend. This story shows how the actions of Johnsy’s companions become her lifelines, proving that art and friendship can blossom even in the direst circumstances. 

Behrman’s sacrifice is one of the key themes in the story. O. Henry devotes much of his story to describing Behrman, a loser who drinks too much gin and lives a mostly wasted life. He appears to have no family and has not produced any notable work despite identifying himself as an artist: “Behrman was a failure in art. Forty years he had wielded the brush without getting near enough to touch the hem of his Mistress’s robe.” Despite Behrman’s never being successful in his craft, the realistic painting of a leaf he created before his death saved Johnsy’s life. 

Friendship is another important motif in the story. Sue and Johnsy are more than just good friends; they are like sisters. Sue’s care and support have also played a key role in helping Johnsy recover. When Johnsy asks Sue to leave, Sue says, “I’d rather be here by you.” And she is actually there for Johnsy, caring for her in the worst moments of her life. 

“The Last Leaf” reminds us that even when darkness creeps in, the power of art and friendship can bring light. Through Behrman’s final masterpiece and Sue’s unwavering support, Johnsy finds her way back from the brink. This simple story leaves readers with a powerful message: even in the darkest times, hope can be a driving force that can save a human life.

📚 Short Story Analysis Topics

• Analysis of Faulkner’s A Rose for Emily .
• Discuss the clues that suggest the unreliability of the narrator in E. A. Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher .
• Describe the stylistic devices James Joyce uses in his short story Araby .
• Irony and double denouement in O. Henry’s The Gift of the Magi .
• Analysis of A&P by John Updike .
• Interpret Raymond Carver’s message in his story What We Talk About When We Talk About Love .
• Examine the theme of the short story The Yellow Wall-Paper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman .
• Analyze the rhetoric means used in Edith Wharton’s The Other Two .
• Literature analysis of Shirley Jackson’s short story The Lottery .
• The impact of gender and racial stereotypes in Sweat by Hurston.
• Discuss August Wilson’s presentation of conflicts in the short story Fences.
• Symbolism in Ernest Hemingway’s Hills Like White Elephants .
• Describe the rhetoric techniques Nathaniel Hawthorne uses in his short story The Birth-Mark .
• The Minister’s Black Veil by Nathaniel Hawthorne analysis.
• Analyze the social issues presented in Toni Bambara’s The Lesson .
• Explore the central theme of the story Alien by Riley Brett .
• Social problems of women and role of racial differences in Kate Chopin’s Desiree’s Baby .
• Discuss the central ethical dilemma presented by Sarah Hall in Theatre 6 .
• Analysis of A Clean, Well-Lighted Place by Ernest Hemingway .
• Examine the techniques Edwidge Danticat uses to paint a picture of life in Haiti in A Wall of Fire Rising .
• Discuss the core idea of The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien.
• Literary devices in The Dinner Party short story by Mona Gardner .
• Analyze the author’s message in Lore Segal’s The Arbus Factor .
• Interpret the meaning of symbols in Rip Van Winkle by W. Irving .
• The meaning of setting in The Boarder by Isaac Bashevis Singer .
• Describe the different layers of meaning presented in Joyce Carol Oates’ Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?
• Analyze the tone of the story The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allan Poe .
• Allegory in The Devil and Tom Walker short story by Washington Irving .
• Analyze the main female character of the short story A Good Man Is Hard to Find by Flannery O’Connor.
• Discuss the rhetoric used by Guy de Maupassant in The Necklace .
• Examine the symbols in Mr. Green by Olen Butler.
• Explore the main theme of James Joyce’s The Dead .
• Interpret the meaning of the dolls in a short story Barbie-Q by Sandra Cisneros
• Symbolism in A Jury of Her Peers by Susan Glaspell .
• Analyze the core idea of Jack London’s To Build a Fire .
• The conflict between the expectations and reality in Jamel Brinkley’s A Family .
• Examine the message E. Hemingway includes in his short story The Killer .
• Discuss the stylistic means used by Anton Chekhov in Sleepy .
• Describe the ideas O. Henry uses to present the moral lesson in The Last Leaf .
• Analysis of The Outcasts of Poker Flat by Bret Harte .
• Psychologism and mystique in W. W. Jacob’s The Monkey’s Paw .
• Analyze the symbols in the story A Worn Path by Eudora Welty .
• Describe how William Faulkner presents a theme of revenge in Barn Burning .
• Interpret creativity Kate Chopin’s The Storm .
• Discuss the techniques E. A. Poe uses to create the suspense in the short story Cask of the Amontillado .
• Cathedral by Raymond Carver analysis .
• The issues of stereotypes and isolation in Margaret Atwood’s Lusus Naturae .
• Magic realism in The Secret Miracle by Jorge Luis Borges .
• Interpret the meaning of symbols used by Flannery O’Connor in Good Country People .
• Technology development and its effect on human in Ray Bradbury’s The Veldt .

So, now you know how to analyze a short story step by step. A flawless piece of work will be a pleasure for your reader to behold! Share the page with others who may find it useful. And thanks for reading it!

Learn more on this topic:

• How to Write a Literary Analysis Essay Step by Step
• How to Write an Analysis Essay: Rules for a Good Analysis
• Case Study Analysis Example + How-to Guide
• Literary Analysis Essay Topics Ideas
• How to Write a Film Analysis Essay
• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to LinkedIn
• Share to email

Have you ever tried to get somebody round to your way of thinking? Then you should know how daunting the task is. Still, if your persuasion is successful, the result is emotionally rewarding. A persuasive essay is a type of writing that uses facts and logic to argument and substantiate...

One of the most critical skills that students gain during their college years is assignment writing. Composing impressive essays and research papers can be quite challenging, especially for ESL students. Nonetheless, before learning the art of academic writing, you may make numerous common essay mistakes. Such involuntary errors appear in:...

You’re probably thinking: I’m no Mahatma Gandhi or Steve Jobs—what could I possibly write in my memoir? I don’t even know how to start an autobiography, let alone write the whole thing. But don’t worry: essay writing can be easy, and this autobiography example for students is here to show...

Some people know which profession to choose from childhood, while others decide much later in life. However, and whenever you come to it, you may have to elaborate on it in your personal statement or cover letter. This is widely known as “Why I Want to Be a Teacher” essay.

Assigned with an essay about friendship? Congrats! It’s one of the best tasks you could get. Digging through your memories and finding strong arguments for this paper can be an enjoyable experience. I bet you will cope with this task effortlessly as we can help you with the assignment. Just...

When you are assigned an autobiography to write, tens, and even hundreds of questions start buzzing in your head. How to write autobiography essay parts? What to include? How to make your autobiography writing flow? Don’t worry about all this and use the following three simple principles and 15 creative...

“Where is your thesis statement?” asks your teacher in a dramatic tone. “Where is my what?” you want to reply, but instead, you quickly point your finger at a random sentence in your paper, saying, “Here it is…” To avoid this sad situation (which is usually followed by a bad...

A life experience essay combines the elements of narration, description, and self-reflection. Such a paper has to focus on a single event that had a significant impact on a person’s worldview and values. Writing an essay about life experience prompts students to do the following: You may struggle with such...

Who has made a significant impact in your life and why? Essay on the topic might be challenging to write. One is usually asked to write such a text as a college admission essay. A topic for this paper can be of your choice or pre-established by the institution. Either...

Are you about to start writing a financial assistance essay? Most probably, you are applying for a scholarship that will provide additional funding for your education or that will help you meet some special research objectives.

What does it mean to grow up? Essays on this topic might be entertaining yet challenging to write. Growing up is usually associated with something new and exciting. It’s a period of everything new and unknown. Now, you’ve been assigned to write a growing up essay. You’re not a kid...

Probably, a murder essay is not a fascinating assignment to complete. Talking about people’s deaths or crazy murderers can be depressing. However, all assignments are different, and you are supposed to work on every task hard. So, how are you going to deal with a murder essay? You can make...

Can someone help me with what are the key tips of ” How to move from the subject of the evaluation to the working thesis?

Your source is not enough.

This is a great resource for getting help in writing various paper types. Thanks for the perfect guide to literary criticism essay writing! Once again, thanks for the awesome help!

Excellent information on literary criticism essay writing! I think it’s enough to write an essay yourself.

• Skip to content

Davidson Writer

Academic Writing Resources for Students

Main navigation

Literary analysis: sample essay.

We turn once more to Joanna Wolfe’s and Laura Wilder’s  Digging into Literature: Strategies for Reading, Writing, and Analysis  (Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2016) in order to show you their example of a strong student essay that has a strong central claim elucidated by multiple surface/depth arguments supported by patterns of evidence.

Paragraph 1

Sylvia Plath’s short poem “Morning Song” explores the conflicted emotions of a new mother. On the one hand, the mother recognizes that she is expected to treasure and celebrate her infant, but on the other hand, she feels strangely removed from the child. The poem uses a combination of scientific and natural imagery to illustrate the mother’s feelings of alienation. By the end of the poem, however, we see a shift in this imagery as the mother begins to see the infant in more human terms.

Paragraph 2

There are several references to scientific imagery in “Morning Song” that suggest that mother is viewing the baby in clinical, scientific terms rather than as a new life. The poem refers to magnification (4) and reflection (8), both of which are scientific methods. The word “distills” (8) refers to a scientific, chemical process for removing impurities from a substance. The baby’s cry is described as taking “its place among the elements” (3), which seems to refer to the periodic table of elements, the primordial matter of the universe. The watch in the first line is similarly a scientific tool and the gold the watch is made of is, of course, an element, like the baby’s cry. Even the balloons in the last line have a scientific connotation since balloons are often used for measurements and experiments in science. These images all serve to show how the speaker feels distanced from the baby, who is like a scientific experiment she is conducting rather than a human being.

Paragraph 3

Natural imagery also seems to further dehumanize the baby, reducing it to nothing more than its mouth. The baby’s breathing is compared to a moth in line 10, suggesting that the speaker feels the infant is fragile and is as likely to die as a moth dancing around candlelight. A few lines later, the baby’s mouth is compared to another animal—a cat—who greedily opens its mouth for milk. Not only does the speaker seem to feel that the baby is like an animal, but she herself is turned into an animal, as she arises “cow-heavy” (13) to feed the infant. These images show how the speaker sees both the baby and herself as dumb animals who exist only to feed and be fed. Even the morning itself seems to be reduced to another mouth to feed as she describes how the dawn “swallows its dull stars” (16). These lines suggest that just as the sun swallows up the stars, so the baby will swallow up this mother.

Paragraph 4

However, in the last few lines the poem takes a hopeful turn as the speaker begins to view the baby as a human being. The baby’s mouth, which has previously been greedy and animal-like, now becomes a source of music, producing a “handful of notes” (17) and “clear vowels” (18). Music is a distinctly human sound. No animals and certainly not the cats, cows, or moths mentioned earlier in the poem, make music. This change in how the speaker perceives the baby’s sounds—from animalistic cry to human song—suggest that she is beginning to relate the baby as an individual. Even the word “handful” in the phrase “handful of notes” (17) seems hopeful in this context since this is the first time the mother has referred to the baby as having a distinctly human body part. When the baby’s notes finally “rise like balloons” (18), the speaker seems to have arrived at a place where she can celebrate the infant. For the first time, the infant is giving something to the speaker rather than threatening to take something away. The mother seems to have finally accepted the child as an independent human being whose company she can celebrate.

Works Cited

Miss Brill's Fragile Fantasy

A Critical Essay of Katherine Mansfield's Short Story

Culture Club/Getty Images

• Writing Essays
• Writing Research Papers
• English Grammar
• Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
• M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
• B.A., English, State University of New York

After you have finished reading Miss Brill , by Katherine Mansfield, compare your response to the short story with the analysis offered in this sample critical essay . Next, compare "Miss Brill's Fragile Fantasy" with another paper on the same topic, "Poor, Pitiful Miss Brill."

Sharing Her Perceptions

In "Miss Brill," Katherine Mansfield introduces readers to an uncommunicative and apparently simple-minded woman who eavesdrops on strangers, who imagines herself to be an actress in an absurd musical, and whose dearest friend in life appears to be a shabby fur stole. And yet we are encouraged neither to laugh at Miss Brill nor to dismiss her as a grotesque madwoman. Through Mansfield's skillful handling of point of view, characterization, and plot development , Miss Brill comes across as a convincing character who evokes our sympathy.

By telling the story from the third-person limited omniscient point of view , Mansfield allows us both to share Miss Brill's perceptions and to recognize that those perceptions are highly romanticized. This dramatic irony is essential to our understanding of her character. Miss Brill's view of the world on this Sunday afternoon in early autumn is a delightful one, and we are invited to share in her pleasure: the day "so brilliantly fine," the children "swooping and laughing," the band sounding "louder and gayer" than on previous Sundays. And yet, because the point of view is the third person (that is, told from the outside), we're encouraged to look at Miss Brill herself as well as share her perceptions. What we see is a lonely woman sitting on a park bench. This dual perspective encourages us to view Miss Brill as someone who has resorted to fantasy (i.e., her romanticized perceptions) rather than self-pity (our view of her as a lonely person).

Other "Performers" in the Story

Miss Brill reveals herself to us through her perceptions of the other people in the park--the other players in the "company." Since she doesn't really know anyone, she characterizes these people by the clothes they wear (for example, "a fine old man in a velvet coat," an Englishman "wearing a dreadful Panama hat," "little boys with big white silk bows under their chins"), observing these costumes with the careful eye of a wardrobe mistress. They are performing for her benefit, she thinks, even though to us it appears that they (like the band which "didn't care how it played if there weren't any strangers present") are oblivious to her existence. Some of these characters are not very appealing: the silent couple beside her on the bench, the vain woman who chatters about the spectacles she should be wearing, the "beautiful" woman who throws away a bunch of violets "as if they'd been poisoned," and the four girls who nearly knock over an old man (this last incident foreshadowing her own encounter with careless youths at the end of the story). Miss Brill is annoyed by some of these people, sympathetic toward others, but she reacts to them all as if they were characters on stage. Miss Brill appears to be too innocent and isolated from life to even comprehend human nastiness. But is she really so childlike, or is she, in fact, a kind of actress?

An Unconcious Link

There is one character whom Miss Brill appears to identify with--the woman wearing "the ermine toque she'd bought when her hair was yellow." The description of the "shabby ermine" and the woman's hand as a "tiny yellowish paw" suggests that Miss Brill is making an unconscious link with herself. (Miss Brill would never use the word "shabby" to describe her own fur, though we know that it is.) The "gentleman in gray" is very rude to the woman: he blows smoke into her face and abandons her. Now, like Miss Brill herself, the "ermine toque" is alone. But to Miss Brill, this is all just a stage performance (with the band playing music that suits the scene), and the true nature of this curious encounter is never made clear to the reader. Could the woman be a prostitute? Possibly, but Miss Brill would never consider this. She has identified with the woman (perhaps because she herself knows what it's like to be snubbed) in the same way that playgoers identify with certain stage characters. Could the woman herself be playing a game? "The ermine toque turned, raised her hand as though she'd seen someone else, much nicer, just over there, and pattered away." The woman's humiliation in this episode anticipates Miss Brill's humiliation at the end of the story, but here the scene ends happily. We see that Miss Brill is living vicariously, not so much through the lives of others, but through their performances as Miss Brill interprets them.

Ironically, it is with her own kind, the old people on the benches, that Miss Brill refuses to identify:

"They were odd, silent, nearly all old, and from the way they stared they looked as though they'd just come from dark little rooms or even--even cupboards!"

But later in the story, as Miss Brill's enthusiasm builds, we're offered an important insight into her character:

"And then she too, she too, and the others on the benches--they would come in with a kind of accompaniment--something low, that scarcely rose or fell, something so beautiful--moving."

Almost despite herself, it seems, she does identify with these marginal figures--these minor characters.

A More Complex Character

We suspect that Miss Brill may not be as simple-minded as she first appears. There are hints in the story that self-awareness (not to mention self-pity) is something Miss Brill avoids, not something of which she is incapable. In the first paragraph, she describes a feeling as "light and sad"; then she corrects this: "no, not sad exactly--something gentle seemed to move in her bosom." And later in the afternoon, she again calls up this feeling of sadness, only to deny it, as she describes the music played by the band: "And what they played warm, sunny, yet there was just a faint chill--a something, what was it--not sadness--no, not sadness--a something that made you want to sing." Mansfield suggests that sadness is just below the surface, something Miss Brill has suppressed. Similarly, Miss Brill's "queer, shy feeling" when she tells her pupils how she spends her Sunday afternoons suggests a partial awareness, at least, that this is an admission of loneliness.

Miss Brill appears to resist sadness by giving life to what she sees and hears the brilliant colors noted throughout the story (contrasted to the "little dark room" she returns to at the end), her sensitive reactions to the music, her delight in small details. By refusing to accept the role of a lonely woman, she  is  an actress. More importantly, she is a dramatist, actively countering sadness and self-pity, and this evokes our sympathy, even our admiration. A chief reason that we feel such pity for Miss Brill at the end of the story is the sharp contrast with the liveliness and beauty  she  gave to that ordinary scene in the park. Are the other characters without illusions? Are they in any way better than Miss Brill?

Sympathizing With Miss Brill

Finally, it's the artful construction of the  plot  that leaves us feeling sympathetic toward Miss Brill. We are made to share her increasing excitement as she imagines that she is not only an observer but also a participant. No, we don't believe that the whole company will suddenly start singing and dancing, but we may feel that Miss Brill is on the verge of a more genuine kind of self-acceptance: her role in life is a minor one, but she has a role all the same. Our perspective of the scene is different from Miss Brill's, but her enthusiasm is contagious and we are led to expect something momentous when the two-star players appear. The letdown is terrible. These giggling, thoughtless adolescents ( themselves  putting on an act for each other) have insulted her fur--the emblem of her identity. So Miss Brill has no role to play after all. In Mansfield's carefully controlled and understated conclusion, Miss Brill packs  herself  away in her "little, dark room." We sympathize with her not because "the truth hurts," but because she has been denied the simple truth that she does, indeed, have a role to play in life.

Miss Brill is an actor, as are the other people in the park, as we all are in social situations. And we sympathize with her at the end of the story not because she is a pitiful, curious object but because she has been laughed off the stage, and that is a fear we all have. Mansfield has managed not so much to touch our hearts in any gushing, sentimental way, but to touch our fears.

• Epiphany Meaning and Examples
• What Is a Written Summary?
• literary present (verbs)
• Analysis of 'The Yellow Wallpaper' by C. Perkins Gilman
• The Character of Nora Helmer
• Critical Analysis in Composition
• Thesis: Definition and Examples in Composition
• What's So Funny About Anton Chekhov?
• Significance of the Gray Hair in "A Rose for Emily"
• Analysis of "Feathers" by Raymond Carver
• "The Good Doctor" by Neil Simon
• 'The Scarlet Letter' Quotes Explained
• 'The Taming of the Shrew': A Feminist Reading
• A Closer Look at Alice Munro's 'Runaway'
• Disguise in Shakespeare
• The Top 10 Tragic Plays (Part 1)

How to Write a Critical Analysis of a Short Story

Mary earhart, 25 jun 2018.

Writing a critical analysis of a short story is a way to expand on simply reading the story. It is also a place to express your ideas and thoughts about the author and story. A critical analysis suggests that the short story's "hidden" message can be decoded by an outside source. It also determines if that message was clearly conveyed to the reader. A student writing a critical analysis of a short story must decide what the story is about and then defend that decision with examples from the story itself.

Explore this article

• Decide Meaning
• Analyze Literary Elements
• Using Quotations

things needed

• Short story
• Specific directions from instructors for this assignment
• Opinions about the story's meaning and construction

1 Decide Meaning

Decide what the meaning of the story is. State it in one sentence. Because of their brevity and selective number of characters, short stories generally aim to evoke a single emotional response in a reader. What was the point the author tried to make to the reader? If the story has more than one meaning, choose the most important for this essay.

2 Analyze Literary Elements

Analyze the story's literary elements. Study the theme, characters, setting, plot, conflict, tone, point of view, and irony for clues as to how the author tried to make his point. Do the characters have flaws that readers can relate to? Does the conflict come about through misunderstanding? Who is narrating the story and how are events altered from this perspective? If the story contains irony, point out how it relates to the story's meaning. If you have context relating to the story or contemporary history, include that to give the reader perspective.

3 Using Quotations

Use specific quotes from the short story to support your idea. Point out passages that show the author's meaning as it unfolds. Perhaps a character is manipulative. Quote dialogue from that character showing she assumed she knew what's best for everyone. If the author's message is that people who try to control everyone else are the most predictable and, therefore, most easily manipulated, quote parts of the story that convey this idea.

4 Criticism

Be critical when writing your analysis of the short story as this is where opinions count and should engage the reader. If the author of the short story conveyed meaning well and consistently, express that in your critique. Likewise if clarity was lacking or the meaning got lost in places, explain that further as well. For example, in "The Necklace," a short story by Guy De Maupassant, incidents in the life of a French couple in the 1800s show how materialistic, resentful, and uncaring a woman is toward her husband. Without context or explanation, the reader might be left with the impression that only the husband is long-suffering, patient, and loving as he gives up his inheritance to pay for a necklace his wife borrowed and then lost. However, in a critical analysis, it could be stated that De Maupassant did a poor job of showing both sides of the story. Further analysis could have related more realistically the passive-aggressive traits of the husband who has chosen to indulge a materialistic and calloused spouse. As you write the criticism, try to support any analysis with contemporary materials or information that further supports your assertions.

5 Conclusion

After you complete the critique section of the essay, restate your ideas in in the conclusion by summarizing previous paragraphs. Take care not to introduce new ideas in this section as that can confuse the reader. Finally, end the paper by repeating the meaning of the story in one sentence to reiterate the ideas for the reader.

• 1 Critical Reading, a Guide, John Lye, 1996
• 2 University Writing Center: Analyzing Novels & Short Stories

About the Author

Mary Earhart is a registered nurse, a public health nurse and licensed midwife. Her articles have appeared in professional journals and online ezines. She holds a Bachelor of Science in nursing from California State University at Dominguez Hills. She works in a family practice clinic, has a home birth practice and her specialty is perinatal substance abuse.

Related Articles

How to Write a Composition on the Figurative Language...

How to Write an Essay About a Novel

How to Make Assertions in Literature

How to Compare and Contrast Two Books

Comprehension Skills That Require Critical Thinking

What Does it Mean to Write in Narrative Form?

How to Summarize a Reading Assignment

Rhetorical Essay Format

How to Write a Page-Long Introduction

Critical Thinking Questions Regarding Nonfiction

How to Write an Insight Paper

How to Write Comparative Essays in Literature

How to Write a Conclusion for a Literary Analysis Essay

How to Write an Analytical Book Report

What is a Personal Narrative?

How to Write a Book Summary for 5th Graders

Tips on College Essays About Literature

Paragraph Writing Skills for Beginners

How to Write an Essay Synopsis

The Differences Between Themes & Topics

Regardless of how old we are, we never stop learning. Classroom is the educational resource for people of all ages. Whether you’re studying times tables or applying to college, Classroom has the answers.

• Accessibility
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Copyright Policy
• Manage Preferences

© 2020 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. Based on the Word Net lexical database for the English Language. See disclaimer .

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

Dr. Sandi Van Lieu

**For a video overview of this essay, see further down on this page.

Video Overview:

Attributions

• Images and video created by Dr. Sandi Van Lieu and licensed under CC BY NC SA.
• Student essay example by Janelle Devin and used with permission.

The RoughWriter's Guide Copyright © 2020 by Dr. Sandi Van Lieu is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book

Advertisement

The Met Gala’s Strange but Fitting Literary Inspiration

In 1962, J.G. Ballard published “The Garden of Time,” a short story about aristocrats overrun by “an immense rabble.” Now it’s the dress-code theme for the year’s most lavish ball.

• Share full article

By Jim Windolf

• May 6, 2024

In an Instagram post on Feb. 15, Vogue rather cryptically announced the dress code for this year’s Met Gala: “The Garden of Time.”

An article published that same day on the Vogue website cleared things up a little, noting that “The Garden of Time” was the title of a short story by J.G. Ballard , a British author who specialized in dystopian works of fiction.

“The Garden of Time” appeared in the February 1962 issue of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction and was included in the “The Complete Stories of J.G. Ballard,” a collection published not long after the author’s death in 2009. The story describes the last days of Count Axel and his wife, known only as the Countess, who reside in a Palladian villa surrounded by a garden.

They pass the days in seclusion. The count busies himself by attending to rare manuscripts. The countess plays Bach and Mozart on a harpsichord.

The threat to their peaceful existence arrives in the form of an army on the horizon. As it moves closer, Count Axel develops a clearer view of this “vast throng of people, men and women, interspersed with a few soldiers.” In an effort to turn back the advance of this “immense rabble,” he reverses time by plucking blooms from the garden’s most exquisite plant, the time flowers.

Soon enough, the last flower is plucked, and the mob overruns the property. The villa lies in ruins, and all that remains of the count and countess is a pair of statues “gazing out over the grounds” from behind a stand of thorn bushes.

“The Garden of Time” is a fitting but ironic choice as a theme for the year’s most lavish celebration. It’s fitting because the Met Gala celebrates the contemporary equivalents of aristocrats at a time of widespread social anger toward elites; it’s ironic because the reference suggests that the guests and hosts may be doomed.

The same Ballard story inspired a 2021 fashion collection by the designer Thom Browne. The clothing was understated and classic, and the clay-like makeup worn by some of Mr. Browne’s models suggested creatures halfway between statue and human.

The sympathies of “The Garden of Time” seem to lie with the count and countess. And yet the author slips in hints that their lovely existence may be empty. When Count Axel puts his arm around his wife’s waist, he realizes that “he had not embraced her for several years.”

In a 1975 interview with Science Fiction Monthly, Mr. Ballard denied that the story suggested that he missed a bygone way of life. “I think some social changes that took place in this country in the mid-’60s are the best and greatest thing that ever happened here,” he said, adding that it was “marvelous” to see the breakdown of old class divisions.

Our Coverage of the 2024 Met Gala

Zendaya Makes Two Arrivals: The actress wore a second John Galliano design to make a late (re)entrance at the Met Gala . The first was a custom Maison Margiela couture dress he created specifically for her.

A Fitting Literary Inspiration: In 1962, J.G. Ballard published “The Garden of Time,” a short story about aristocrats overrun by “an immense rabble.” It was a fitting but ironic choice as this year’s  dress-code theme .

The Body Spectacle: The night saw Kim Kardashian engaged in a kind of body modification  via extreme corseting. While Tyla, the South African singer and songwriter, appeared coated in sand .

Arrests and Protests: As expected, protesters gathered near the Met Gala to protest the war in Gaza, creating an atmosphere far different  from the one inside the event.

The ‘Naked’ Trend: What better way to distinguish oneself  from hundreds of well-dressed competitors than to wear almost nothing at all?

A Night of Firsts: Here’s the story behind Rebecca Ferguson’s sequin, bird-covered dress , Da’Vine Joy Randolph’s all-denim look , Pamela Anderson’s new incarnation , Christian Cowan and Sam Smith’s debut as a couple , and Amanda Seyfried’s semi-recycled look .

Ethical Implications of the John Money Experiment: a Critical Analysis

This essay about the ethical implications of the John Money experiment critically examines the tragic case of David Reimer, who was raised as a girl following a failed circumcision and subsequent medical advice. It discusses issues of informed consent, the harm caused by unethical medical practices, and the misuse of authority in clinical research. The text highlights the severe psychological impact on Reimer and critiques the ethical lapses in handling his case, emphasizing the need for compassion and strict ethical standards in medical practices and research.

How it works

The story of the John Money experiment is a cautionary tale of the interplay between medical ethics and the complexities of gender identity.

This episode in the history of psychology and medical science revolves around the tragic case of David Reimer, originally born as Bruce Reimer, who was raised as a girl following catastrophic medical advice and treatment initiated by Dr. John Money. The ethical implications of this case are profound, impacting notions of consent, the responsibilities of healthcare professionals, and the psychosocial dynamics of gender identity.

In 1965, Canadian twin boys, Bruce and Brian Reimer, were born healthy. However, during a routine circumcision, Bruce’s penis was irreparably damaged. Dr. Money, a psychologist and sexologist who advocated for the theory that gender identity is primarily learned through social and environmental cues rather than biological, inherited traits, advised the distraught parents to raise Bruce as a girl. Consequently, Bruce was renamed Brenda, surgically altered, and raised as a female. This case presented Money with a unique opportunity to further his research and theories on gender identity and fluidity.

From an ethical standpoint, the first major issue was the lack of informed consent. Although the Reimers were desperate for a solution, they were arguably not fully informed of the potential risks and the experimental nature of the treatment proposed. Money’s assurance of success was based on theoretical assumptions rather than concrete evidence. The principle of informed consent is critical in medical ethics, ensuring that patients or, in the case of minors, their guardians, are fully aware of all potential risks and outcomes associated with a medical intervention. The Reimers’ decision was influenced heavily by Money’s authority and the promise of a normal life for their child, which clouds the authenticity of their consent.

Secondly, the experiment underscores the ethical responsibility of healthcare professionals to avoid harm—primum non nocere (first, do no harm). Money’s experiment, though initially seeming to show Brenda adapting well, eventually resulted in severe psychological distress and confusion for her as she grew. The dissonance between Brenda’s biological sex and imposed gender identity led to significant behavioral and emotional issues, which Money reported misleadingly to support his hypothesis. This manipulation of data for theoretical validation, rather than patient welfare, starkly contravenes medical ethics.

Moreover, the experiment raises critical questions about the ethical treatment of children in medical research. Children are a vulnerable population, and any medical intervention, especially those involving identity and psychological wellbeing, must be approached with extreme caution and ethical rigor. Money’s continuation of the experiment, despite evident adverse effects on Brenda’s mental health, highlights a grievous ethical lapse—the prioritization of research outcomes over the patient’s wellbeing.

The psychological toll on David Reimer (who reassumed his male identity in adolescence after learning the truth of his medical history) was immense. He suffered long-term consequences, including depression and identity struggles, ultimately leading to his tragic suicide at the age of 38. This outcome serves as a potent reminder of the ethical responsibility towards long-term welfare in medical decision-making, particularly in cases involving non-urgent, non-life-threatening conditions.

Analyzing this case through the lens of virtue ethics, which emphasizes the moral character of the practitioner rather than the ethicality of an act, presents an additional dimension of critique. The virtues of empathy, humility, and integrity, essential for ethical medical practice, were conspicuously lacking in Money’s handling of the Reimer case. His determination to prove a theory seemingly took precedence over the humane treatment of Brenda/David.

In conclusion, the John Money experiment with David Reimer exposes profound ethical violations, highlighting the necessity for rigorous ethical standards in medical and psychological research. This case study is a critical reminder of the potential human cost when ethical boundaries are overlooked in the pursuit of scientific advancement. It underscores the enduring need for compassion, rigorous adherence to informed consent, and the prioritization of individual welfare in all medical practices. This tragic narrative invites ongoing discourse on medical ethics, reinforcing the imperative to safeguard the most vulnerable among us from experimental practices devoid of empirical validation and ethical integrity.

Cite this page

Ethical Implications of the John Money Experiment: A Critical Analysis. (2024, May 12). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/ethical-implications-of-the-john-money-experiment-a-critical-analysis/

"Ethical Implications of the John Money Experiment: A Critical Analysis." PapersOwl.com , 12 May 2024, https://papersowl.com/examples/ethical-implications-of-the-john-money-experiment-a-critical-analysis/

PapersOwl.com. (2024). Ethical Implications of the John Money Experiment: A Critical Analysis . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/ethical-implications-of-the-john-money-experiment-a-critical-analysis/ [Accessed: 16 May. 2024]

"Ethical Implications of the John Money Experiment: A Critical Analysis." PapersOwl.com, May 12, 2024. Accessed May 16, 2024. https://papersowl.com/examples/ethical-implications-of-the-john-money-experiment-a-critical-analysis/

"Ethical Implications of the John Money Experiment: A Critical Analysis," PapersOwl.com , 12-May-2024. [Online]. Available: https://papersowl.com/examples/ethical-implications-of-the-john-money-experiment-a-critical-analysis/. [Accessed: 16-May-2024]

PapersOwl.com. (2024). Ethical Implications of the John Money Experiment: A Critical Analysis . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/ethical-implications-of-the-john-money-experiment-a-critical-analysis/ [Accessed: 16-May-2024]

Don't let plagiarism ruin your grade

Hire a writer to get a unique paper crafted to your needs.

Our writers will help you fix any mistakes and get an A+!

Please check your inbox.

You can order an original essay written according to your instructions.

Trusted by over 1 million students worldwide

1. Tell Us Your Requirements

2. Pick your perfect writer

3. Get Your Paper and Pay

Hi! I'm Amy, your personal assistant!

Don't know where to start? Give me your paper requirements and I connect you to an academic expert.

short deadlines

100% Plagiarism-Free

Certified writers

1. Introduction

2. results and discussion, 3. conclusions, 4. related literature, supporting information.

research papers \(\def\hfill{\hskip 5em}\def\hfil{\hskip 3em}\def\eqno#1{\hfil {#1}}\)

Analysis of COF-300 synthesis: probing degradation processes and 3D electron diffraction structure

a XStruct, Department of Chemistry, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281–S3, 9000 Ghent, Belgium, b COMOC – Center for Ordered Materials, Organometallics and Catalysis – Department of Chemistry, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281–S3, 9000 Ghent, Belgium, c Rigaku Corporation, Haijima, Tokyo, Japan, and d Rigaku Europe SE, Neu-Isenburg, Germany * Correspondence e-mail: [email protected]

Although COF-300 is often used as an example to study the synthesis and structure of (3D) covalent organic frameworks (COFs), knowledge of the underlying synthetic processes is still fragmented. Here, an optimized synthetic procedure based on a combination of linker protection and modulation was applied. Using this approach, the influence of time and temperature on the synthesis of COF-300 was studied. Synthesis times that were too short produced materials with limited crystallinity and porosity, lacking the typical pore flexibility associated with COF-300. On the other hand, synthesis times that were too long could be characterized by loss of crystallinity and pore order by degradation of the tetrakis(4-aminophenyl)methane (TAM) linker used. The presence of the degradation product was confirmed by visual inspection, Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). As TAM is by far the most popular linker for the synthesis of 3D COFs, this degradation process might be one of the reasons why the development of 3D COFs is still lagging compared with 2D COFs. However, COF crystals obtained via an optimized procedure could be structurally probed using 3D electron diffraction (3DED). The 3DED analysis resulted in a full structure determination of COF-300 at atomic resolution with satisfying data parameters. Comparison of our 3DED-derived structural model with previously reported single-crystal X-ray diffraction data for this material, as well as parameters derived from the Cambridge Structural Database, demonstrates the high accuracy of the 3DED method for structure determination. This validation might accelerate the exploitation of 3DED as a structure determination technique for COFs and other porous materials.

Keywords: 3D electron diffraction ; 3DED ; microcrystal electron diffraction ; microED ; covalent organic frameworks ; Cambridge Structural Database ; porous organic solids ; crystallization and crystal growth .

CCDC reference: 2321626

In Figs. S6–S8, the effect of time on I 65°C (as discussed earlier) is compared with the effect on the other samples. Note that, as expected, I RT is slower to form a crystalline material compared with I 65°C due to the reduced error correction at room temperature, with reflections appearing after 1 d, and fully developed crystallinity after 5 d. However, the pore structure never fully establishes, as indicated by the broad, late and small second step in the N 2 -sorption isotherm. The appearance of crystallinity in C 65°C is even more delayed, with no crystalline reflections observed after 1 d of reaction time, indicating the superiority of the intermediate-assisted procedure. Here, maximal crystallinity is observed after 5 d, as peaks start to broaden significantly after 7 d. Surprisingly, the best N 2 -sorption behaviour was observed for the 7 d sample, indicating that the relationship between crystallinity and porosity is not always straightforward. Finally, using the conditions of C RT, we were unable to form any crystalline material, even after 7 d of reaction time. We also checked if the scale of the synthesis had any influence on the material. Therefore, a sample (I 65°C ×5) was prepared in an identical way to I 65°C but with every quantity used multiplied by 5. The resulting PXRD patterns and the N 2 -sorption isotherms are presented in Fig. S9 and show no significant influence on the crystallinity and a small decrease of porosity (with a BET surface area of 1180 m 2  g −1 and V p of 0.71 obtained for I 65°C ×5).

The response of COF-300 to an intermediate-assisted synthesis protocol was studied by careful evaluation of the evolution of both crystallinity and porosity as functions of reaction time and temperature. Kinetic studies among four different synthesis conditions revealed three distinct stages in the synthesis of COF-300, namely a network build-up phase at short synthetic times (≤1 d) with low crystallinity and no pore flexibility, followed by an optimal stage (3 d) characterized by high crystallinity and porosity before partial breakdown by TAM degradation (≥5 d). This degradation process could be confirmed in both control experiments as well as the obtained COF materials and can easily be estimated by the observation of magenta-coloured reaction mixtures. As a pronounced influence of this degradation reaction on both crystallinity and porosity was observed and most 3D COFs are based on the TAM linker, knowledge of TAM degradation in a acidic environment is of utmost importance for the synthesis of high-quality 3D COFs. Knowledge of this degradation process might help to increase the synthetic toolbox for 3D COFs (which are mainly based on the TAM linker), which is still lacking compared with 2D COFs. However, using the optimized conditions, a reliable crystal structure of COF-300 could be readily obtained via 3DED analysis, indicating single crystallinity of the synthesized materials. The structure model obtained showed high completeness and comparable resolution and R values. Comparison with an SCXRD structure model as well as with data for similar chemical functionalities in the CSD database showed no significant differences, supporting that 3DED is a reliable and fast technique for the structure solution of COFs. As SCXRD structure solution is hardly possible and PXRD models often show ambiguity in structure determination, 3DED might play an important role in the future of COFs with better accessibility of 3DED diffraction equipment and improving dynamic refinement algorithms.

Crystal structure: contains datablock 1. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1107/S2052252524003713/vq5005sup1.cif

Structure factors: contains datablock 1. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1107/S2052252524003713/vq5005sup2.hkl

Supporting Information - revised - highlighted. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1107/S2052252524003713/vq5005sup3.pdf

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Karen Leus for the XPS measurements and Dieter Buyst for the solid-state NMR measurements.

Funding information

LB acknowledges Ghent University (UGent) for funding. PVDV acknowledges financial support through UGent concerted action (grant No. 01G01017) and the Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (FWO)–Vlaanderen project (grant Nos. 3G020521 awarded to PVDV; 1275221N awarded to SB and KVH). Gas sorption and powder X-ray diffraction were made possible through UGent (grant Nos. 01B00215; BOF20/BAS/015 awarded to PVDV). The spectrometer electronics, magnet and accessories used for solid-state NMR measurements, including the BBI and high-gradient diffusion probe, were funded by the Hercules foundation (grant No. AUGE/09/2006); the solid-state (CP-MAS) and HR-MAS expansion were made possible by FWO (grant No. I006920N).

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) Licence , which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original authors and source are cited.