How to Read a Short Story

1. How to Read a Short Story For enjoyment and analysis

2. Before the real reading begins • Look at the story’s title…what does the title tell you about the content of the story? • What might this story be about? • Jot down your first impression of the title to compare with your thoughts about the title after reading the story

3. Before the real reading begins • Take inventory of any prior knowledge you have about the author, genre, setting etc… • Spend a few minutes reflecting and thinking about what you already know and bring to the text.

4. Before the real reading begins • Establish a quest: • Read the first few paragraphs and come up with a question that you will seek to answer as you read

5. Before the real reading begins • Orientyourself: • Flip through the story to determine its length. • Scan the opening sentences of different paragraphs to gain a sense of where the story is set, how difficult the language is, and how long you should need to read the story.

6. As you read… • Identify the main characters • try to determine their needs, wants, motives, strengths & weaknesses

7. As you read… • Trace the plot: • Make a note of any important events in the plot. What is each event’s significance?

8. As you read… • Keep track of how much time passes in the story: • Some stories cover only a few moments while others cover decades of time.

9. As you read… • Note any important changes in characters or setting • These changes have been included deliberately and are undoubtedly crucial to the meaning of the story.

10. As you read… • Pay attention to the setting: • Note how the setting evokes emotional reaction (dislike, enjoyment, fear, comfort, etc…)

11. As you read… • Consider the story’s point of view: • Who is telling you the story? • Is the narrator reliable and accurate? • Do you have to read “between the lines” to determine what’s happening objectively?

12. Once finished… • Apply the steps of critical thinking to the story: • Summary • Analysis • Synthesis • Evaluation

13. Once finished…Summarize • Summarize the story: • Review what happened by making a mental or written list of the important events • Be sure you understand the progression of events • Tell someone about the story by summarizing what happened

14. Once finished…Analyze • Analyze the text: • Where are the important ideas in the text? • Select a few passages that seem important and determine what they contribute to the story.

15. Once finished…Synthesize • Synthesize with other stories you’ve read: • How does the story compare with other stories? • What elements are similar? different?

16. Once finished…Synthesize • Synthesize with other genres & ideas: • How is the story similar to films, plays, poems, ad campaigns, TV shows etc…? • Where else have you seen the story’s theme or similar characters?

17. Once finished…Evaluate • Evaluate the story by applying specific criteria • Choose one element of the story (character development, plot, point of view, setting, theme, symbol etc…) and evaluate it

18. Be an active reader… • Read to enjoy, but read actively. • Question as you read • Look for motives and patterns • Think about the author’s intentions • Imagine how other readers might respond to the text