1. Consider the action: briefly summarize the plot and determine all of the story's conflicts. Determine the major conflict and state this in terms of protagonist versus antagonist.
2. Identify the important turning points of the story. Which would be the climax, the point that determines the outcome?
3. Consider the setting, including objects. How may descriptions of place objects help us understand character or theme?
4. Explore
the characters. Are they believable and round, or flat and one-dimensional? Does
the major character (protagonist) change? What causes the change?
If you were
able to give advice to one of the characters, what would you say?
5. Consider the theme, the story's truth. What subject does the story examine and what may it reveal about human behavior or values?
6. Look for any irony--situational, verbal, or dramatic. Explain the effect of the irony.
7. Look for telling quotations. Note any passage that is particularly revealing; identify the page or paragraph and explain its significance.
8. Was the ending satisfying? Why? If you were not satisfied, rewrite the ending.
9. Write a scene that may be added to the story; try to remain consistent with the story's details.
10. What is the narrative point of view, and how does this perspective affect our understanding of character or theme?