Short Story Essay Examples

He moved briskly under the dark cloudy sky, quite unaware of the dismal rain which had begun to seep carelessly through his musty sable jacket. The dreary midnight moon peeped out from behind the drifting black blanket which covered the sky. His jagged facial features were highlighted as he hastily proceeded up the high slope. […]

“Aakash! Aakash!” I shouted with all my might across the noisy train station. I looked frantically for Aakash’s familiar back. My heart was thumping, sweat dripping from running. I breathed deeply and closed my eyes, trying to focus on the sound of my breath to calm myself down. “He’ll be here, he must be here […]

Outside, the light morning breeze eased its way through the barely shut window, leaves rustled under its wake piercing the clear air with a silent howl. A minute refraction of light showered the sealed curtains creating an array of shadows frolicking wildly around the room. The serenity was put to an abrupt stop by the […]

A short story is a condensed fictional narrative typically concerning a relatively small number of characters. Short stories may aim to excite the reader provoking emotional responses, to the situations or characters described in the piece. The ghost / mystery genre presents unexpected events, building a sense of anticipation as the reader waits to see […]

In all of Flannery O’Connor’s short stories, the theme of alienation is portrayed at different levels. Most of the characters suffer from moral corruption, mental illness and grotesque appearances. This instantly suggests to us that these characters may be alienated from the rest of their society, as they may be viewed as strangers. The story […]

The Beautiful short story Secrets is based on the theme of relationships, which Bernard Mac Laverty explores thoroughly. The story is about a boy who has a very strong relationship with his aunt. However, one day he reads some of his aunt’s private letters, and there relationship is changed forever. In the first part of […]

An uneasy feeling ran through my veins. Lying down upon the soft duvet, various thoughts took over my feet. The deadly silence pierced my ears. Suddenly I found myself at the front of the Victorian bay windows. Rays of light beamed thought the multicoloured leaf shaped windows, creating patterns in the deadly air. The moon […]

The Case of the Burglar: Hearing a noise at the back of his one afternoon, Ed picks up his loaded automatic pistol from a drawer in his desk and goes to investigate, He surprises an 18-year-old male in the act of going through his dresser drawers. The man has no weapon in his hands or […]

In this essay I will examine Shirley Jackson’s use of setting in her short story, “The Possibility of Evil. ” I will discuss why Jackson’s choice of a small town setting is crucial to understanding the plot of her story. I will also consider her implications about the nature of evil and will demonstrate how […]

On a clear day you can see for miles from the top of Angels Peak. I love to stand alone with the wind in my hair, the smell of the sea as it breaks on the rocks below me and the wild flowers all around me. I live in a small cottage at the bottom […]

In ‘Wheel of Surya’, two young Indians called Jaspal and Marvinder struggle to make their way to England to look for their father, Govind, who went there to move further on with his studies in university to claim a second degree. Unfortunately Govind got caught up in a war and joined the British army to […]

This study analyzes the male characters in Jhumpa Lahiri’s three selected short stories. The formalistic theory chosen to dissect the texts has enable readers to be objective in their interpretation by separating the elements of theme, plot, point of view and the setting of the story. By concentrating only on the characterization factor, the characters […]

I read “The Woman Taken in Adultery” which is actually a chapter in the New Testament. The story is about how the scribes brought a woman (who committed adultery) in front of Jesus asking if she should be stoned. Instead, Jesus turned the tables on them and said, “He that is without sin among you, […]

Zinsule Bonner Pride Comes Before the Fall In the short stories “The Bill” (1951) and “Take Pity” (1958) by Bernard Malamud, the author focuses on the theme of victimization that can be associated with the characters’ pride, and in their cases, willfulness. In “The Bill,” Ms. Panessa, an elderly woman who partners with her husband […]

“It Was Long Ago”, a simple poem by Eleanor Farjeon, records the poet’s earliest memory, an incident that occurred when she was around three years old. While she was walking along a dusty road, she saw an old lady sitting under a tree. The lady invited her over and gave her bilberries and cream to […]

The Short Stories of Edith Wharton What is a modern heroine? My conception of a modern heroine is a woman who has integrity, puts her ideas into action, can verbally and sometimes physically spar with a man, is aware of her own emotions, and has compassion for others. She is empowered and independent, not afraid […]

The short story “Sweat”, penned by Zoe Neale Hurston, delves into the philosophy of karma. It centers on Delia Jones, a virtuous woman who perpetually grapples with her husband Sykes’ allure towards sin. Regardless of his malevolent deeds, Delia remains unyielding in her confrontation between right and wrong. Echoing Wayne Dyer’s words, “How people treat […]

Seeing What You Believe Having strong ties to a particular subject causes strong feelings on it. When you believe in something you are, in my opinion, more likely to see it or think you’ve seen it. In Washington Irving’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” Irving tells a story of just this type of situation. Article […]

O’Connor delineates Bailey in the short story through brief exposition. However, his source of goodness is manifested throughout the narrative. The author reveals that the grandmother is an intruder in her son’s home (O’Conner 119). Prior to their departure on their road trip, John Wesley suggests she remains home implying she is not the acceptable […]

The extensive authorial power of Faulkner in “A Rose for Emily” is evident through various elements. This includes the design of a large Southern gothic house, the portrayal of three complex generations within a Southern community, and the development of a plot that intricately unravels a mystery through a limited omniscient viewpoint. In “A Rose […]

The Rich Brother is a story concerning the two brothers, Pete and Donald, who live completely contrasting lives. Pete is very rich and has all the qualities of a good life. He has easy access to the resources of an average American family. On the other hand, Donald is poor and lives a simple life. […]

In Alice Munro’s short story, “Soon”, there are areas for analyzation. The argument between Don the minister and Juliet holds great significance to the insight of Juliet’s character. Juliet gets herself into a huge argument with the minister that she met only moments prior to the bickering. Assumptions made towards one another are an important […]