SHORT STORY ANALYSIS – Worksheet

 

TITLE OF STORY:_____________________________    AUTHOR OF STORY:___________________

 

There is no story without a conflict.  What is the conflict category of this story? (man vs. man, man vs. nature, man vs. self, etc.)  EXPLAIN how the conflict category applies to this story – specifically.

 

 

I.  THEME—The central idea that the author wishes to set forth in his or her writing.

To find the theme, ask yourself these questions:

What is the story about?

 

 

 

 

What is the central idea?

 

 

 

 

What observation did the author make about human nature?

 

 

 

 

II.  PLOT—A series of related events that the author uses to develop the theme of a story.      To identify the plot, ask yourself these questions:

 What happens in the beginning of the story?

 

What happens in the middle of the story?

 

 

 

What happens at the end of the story?

 

 

 

III. CHARACTER—The action of the story is centered around the characters in the story.  One central character usually dominates the story.

Describe the most important character in the story.

 

 

 

 

Describe at least two other characters in the story (if applicable).

 

 

 

 

IV. SETTING—The stage upon which the action of the story takes place.  The setting is to a story just as the background is to a painting.

Describe the setting of the story.  Where does the story take place?

 

 

 

In what year and time of year does the story take place?

 

 

 

What is the mood in the story?

 

 

 

V.  POINT OF VIEW—The author’s choice of the teller of the story.  The point of view is important to the total structure and meaning of the short story.

Who is telling the story?

 

 

 

Why do you think the author made this choice?