Analyzing a Short Story

Key point: the Setting
- What is the setting? Historical period! Country or locale? Season of the year? Weather? Time of day? What are the sights? Sounds? Tastes? Smells? What other details establish a sense of place?
- Are the characters in conflict with the setting? What do the characters want? Does the setting keep them from getting what they want?
- What does the setting tell us about the characters? What feelings or attitudes do the characters reveal toward the setting? Fear? Pleasure? Challenge? Dislike? Respect? Other feelings or attitudes?
- How would you describe the atmosphers or mood created by the setting? Is it gloomy? Cheerful? Mysterious? Threatening? Other descriptions

Key point 2: Characterization
- How is the character revealed through his or her own words?
- How does the character look and dress?
- What private thoughts of the character are revealed?
- What do other characters in the story say or think about the character?
- What does the character do?
- What does the writer say directly about the character: sneaky, honest, evil?

Key point 3: Theme
- What is the significance of the title?
- Does the main character change over the course of the story? Does the main character com to a new realization about something?
- What general statements about life or people do any of the characters or narrator make?
- Is the primary theme directly stated? If so, where?
- What is the story's primary theme?

Source: http://go.hrw.com/resources/go_mk/la/latm/E902LETP.PDF