Short Story Analysis

Pre-work: How to start this analysis

Consider the rhetorical situationfor each piece. Figure out all the elements of the rhetorical
situation of each piece. Make a list. Make an outline. Make a summary. However you est work!
create something that details the "# of each piece. $fter you%ve compiled a "hetorical #ituation
outline for all of the included stories! create a mi&ed genre essay 'e&plaining( you collection of
short stories.
)hink aout the other elements of rhetoric* specifically! consider how the ethos! logos and pathos
of each narrator +or author if your feel they come in to their story, effects your reading of the
story.
$fter you%ve created an outline or annotations on each story! you need to find a common theme
or shared issue present in all the stories to write an analytical essay on. -n this essay you will
want to e&plain a few things. .amely! you will have to address how or why these stories were
lumped together into a collection. )here is a theme* identify what you perceive the theme to e
and construct your essay according to arguing that. )here is no pivotal right answer* there is your
individual reading of each te&t and your interpretation of the theme they all speak to. )his isn%t
meant to e a trick /uestion. 0ust ecause - feel that the theme - see is fairly ovious! doesn%t
mean that it actually is. 1rite to me! your audience! what you see when you look at the te&ts as a
collections! and report! analysis! and argue how each individual piece makes up a thematic
collection.
Ideal method to complete this assignment:
2. "ead all the short stories once.
3. "eread the stories and make a good outline for the elements of the "hetorical #ituation* also
include any information you feel needs to e included +direct /uotes! page numers! reactions to
the te&t, to make the outline a proper writing tool to e used later on when you egin to write
your paper.
4. 5nce you have compiled a "hetorical #ituation outline for each story! read over your outlines
to find communalities! differences! similaritiesall the information you will need to write a
paper aout all of the stories.
6. Create an outline geared to help you write your analytical essay +see e&ample,:
)he aove outline e&ample is 78"9 generic. -t%s only supposed to help you visuali:e how to
create an outline that synthesi:es all of the piece you will have read.
;. Check that your outline lists all the pertinent information you will want to use in your
analytical essay.
<. #tart rocking your essay=
Consider the "hetorical #ituation for 8ach #tory:
Purpose:
>enre:
$udience:
#tance:
Media?@esign:
A As with any assignment, make sure you
direct any questions or concerns you
may have to me! I cant help you if
I dont know you need help!
Create a document for each story that
addresses each of these elements as well as
all other important information you need to
remember from your reading! The
Rhetorical Situation outline serves as an
important outlining tool-but it shouldnt be
considered the end-all-be-all of whats in a
text! This is just an foundational
understanding of the text; because you are
creating an analytical essay, you need to
allow yourself more consideration. You
need to do a critical reading of each story,
and then critically analyze the entire
collection to create a well-grounded theme
for your analytical essay.