ENGL 1020
Guidelines: Short Story Analysis Paper
• Present a literary analysis (use only approved topics noted below) which demonstrates a clear understanding of two or more of the following short stories (available on Momentum or in class handout):
“The Gift of the Magi” (O’Henry)
“The Tell-Tale Heart” (Poe)
“The Purloined Letter” (Poe)
“The Adventure of the Speckled Band” (Doyle)
• Approved topics: 1. Analyze the differences and similarities found in “The Purloined Letter” and “The Adventure of the Speckled Band.” 2. Analyze the differences and similarities found in “The Tell-Tale Heart” and “The Purloined Letter.” 3. Analyze the differences and similarities found in both Poe short stories, and Doyle’s short story. 4. Analyze the differences and similarities between “The Gift of the Magi” and “The Tell-Tale Heart.”
• Make sure to discuss the pertinent elements of literature (see literary analysis hand-outs) used by the authors in your analysis.
• Word Length: at least 1,000 words, but no more than 100 words over 1,000), not including Works Cited.
• Must use at least 5 (five) sources, some or all of which may be online sources. One source may be the literary work itself, but the other sources need to be sources about some aspect of the literary work. (Note: You will need to find a source WITH all necessary publication information for your Works Cited page, as the literature provided on the class web site does not necessarily contain all needed publication information.)
• Typed, 1” margins; double-spaced; 12 point Times New Roman font.
• No separate title page. Add your paper’s “Word Count” under the date in the upper left hand corner, as in:
Joe Smith
ENGL 1020
10/1/17
Word Count: 1015
• Your paper must be deposited in the appropriate drop box on or before the due date. Twenty-five (25) points will be deducted from the paper if it is submitted late. Papers more than one day late are not accepted.
• See Prentice Hall Reference Guide (10th edition), Section 10 for research guidelines and Section 11 for MLA documentation and format.
The following suggestions should help you think about your short story analysis:
When writing a fiction analysis:
• Choose a text that you would like to understand better.
• Read the text you select at least twice.
• Annotate the text as you read so that you can note key passages and puzzling components.
• Discover the mean of any term that you do not understand.
• Consider the text’s organization and how that organization influences your response to it.
• Look for contradictions or inconsistencies within the text.
• Look for gaps in the reasoning or explanations and determine the significance of these gaps.
• Identify or explain the points your audience is least likely to understand.
Checklist for interpreting a literary work:
• From whose point of view is the story told?
• Who is the protagonist? How is her/her character developed?
• With whom or what is the protagonist in conflict?
• How are the other characters depicted and distinguished through dialogue?
• What is the theme? How does the author use setting, plot, characters, and symbols to establish that theme?
• What symbols, images, or figures of speech does the author use? To what effect?