Short stories are a form of fictional prose that typically focuses on a single character or a small group of characters. They are known for their brevity and ability to convey a powerful message in a short amount of time. Short stories often explore complex themes ...Read More
Brief Description of Short Story
Short stories are a form of fictional prose that typically focuses on a single character or a small group of characters. They are known for their brevity and ability to convey a powerful message in a short amount of time. Short stories often explore complex themes and emotions, making them a valuable literary form for both writers and readers.
Importance of Writing Essays on This Topic
Writing essays about short stories allows students and writers to closely analyze the elements of storytelling, character development, and thematic exploration. It helps to develop critical thinking and analytical skills, as well as the ability to express ideas and interpretations effectively. Additionally, exploring short stories through essays can deepen one's understanding of human experiences and societal issues.
Tips on Choosing a Good Topic
- Consider the themes: Choose a topic that explores a specific theme or idea presented in the short story.
- Character analysis: Focus on the analysis of a particular character's development, motives, or conflicts within the short story.
- Narrative techniques: Explore the narrative structure, point of view, or symbolism used in the short story to craft an engaging topic.
Essay Topics
1. Argumentative
Essay Topics
- The impact of symbolism in "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson.
- Exploring moral dilemmas in "The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe.
2. Reflective
Essay Topics
- How "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman portrays mental illness.
- The use of irony and satire in "A Good Man is Hard to Find" by Flannery O'Connor.
3. Comparative
Essay Topics
- Contrasting the themes of love and loss in "The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry and "The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant.
- Comparing the use of setting and atmosphere in "Hills Like White Elephants" by Ernest Hemingway and "The Storm" by Kate Chopin.
Concluding Thought
Exploring short stories through essay writing offers a unique opportunity to delve into the complexities of human experiences, societal issues, and the art of storytelling. By choosing engaging topics and critically analyzing the elements of short stories, writers and students can gain a deeper appreciation for the power of this literary form.
In Doris Lessing’s short story, “Through the Tunnel”, growing up is a difficult and sometimes painful process. Jerry shows he wants to be independent through the symbolism of the way he moves on from the safe beach, enters the wild rocky bay with uncertainty, and...
It is very truly said that the ‘Excess of Anything is Bad’. This quote is proved right in the short fiction A Perfect Day For Bananafish through the example given by Seymour about the banana fever to bananafish. This story involves many characters such as...
A Worn Path During the time of slavery and the decades after, social class struggles were obvious and predominant. In a white world, African Americans struggled under great oppression and even after they were given freedom from slavery they were still held by the bondage...
Fairytales can be seen as a means to communicate a certain message or lesson to its audience. In Angela Carter’s case, she uses her short story “The Tiger’s Bride”, an adaptation of the well known story “Beauty and the Beast” by Gabrielle-Suzanne de Villenueve, to...
Abstract On the date of August 21, 1831, a man by the name of Nat Turner lead of the most infamous slave revolts seen by any previous generation. This greatly known slave revolt took place in Southampton, Virginia and was orchestrated by Nat Turner himself....
People will always revert to what is most comfortable, reliant on their natural state. In Celeste Ng’s coming of age short story, “Girls, At Play”, the debate of nurture versus nature lies in the struggles between four girls. The theme of “Girls, At Play” is...
James Baldwin provides several constructions of black masculinity through his two texts Everybody’s Protest Novel and Sonny’s Blues. Since this essay is comparing works from the same author, it is essential to look at what these constructions are and also the consistency of them within...
In his two short stories “In Dreams Begin Responsibilities” and “America! America!”, Delmore Schwartz depicts two protagonists born in America to Jewish immigrant parents. These two protagonists and the world as it is seen through their eyes display one of the important characteristics of Schwartz’s...
In Melville’s short story, “The Tartarus of Maids,” Melville creates a foil to the preceding short story, “The Paradise of Bachelors.” Melville juxtaposes these two stories as if in imitation of Blake’s contrasting poems with a theme of balance. One of those themes in the...
Tobias Wolff’s “Bullet in the Brain,” tells the story of a disrespectful literary critic who gets shot in the head by a recounts one last memory before his gruesome death. Wolff’s story probes readers to not only challenge but contemplate their thoughts regarding life’s ability...
“Life is swift, and the value of life is the value of every moment.” -Waldo Frank Made-to-order essay as fast as you need it Each essay is customized to cater to your unique preferences + experts online Get my essay Out of all the readings...
“Good night,” the other said. Turning off the electric light he continued the conversation with himself. It was the light of course but it is necessary that the place be clean and pleasant. You do not want music. Certainly, you do not want music. Nor...
Nathan Englander’s “Free Fruit for Young Widows” is strong story full of morality. In the center of the story is Professor Tendler, who escaped from the concentration camp during the Holocaust to get back to his family home. He finds his babysitter with her family...
“Open the door or we will set the room on fire. ” With a loud bang, the door was broken open, Ali and his brothers along with many other children and women were pulled out and made to stand under the tree. They started firing....
In Toni Morrison’s Recitatif, the author takes the reader on a journey of two women from childhood to adulthood. She leaves the reader to come to their own conclusions regarding the characters race, and motives throughout the story. This style of writing relates to the...
Born on December 14th, 1916 Shirley Jackson was a well-established American writer until her death on August 8th, 1965. She primarily wrote horror, mystery, and supernatural stories. Within her two-decade long career she wrote six novels, two memoirs, and over 200 short stories, with some...
The short story,” The Moths” written by Elena Viramontes is a story that uses many elements of literature to address points such as religion, death, family, and coming of age of a fourteen-year-old chicana. The girl finds spiritual knowledge and understanding of who she is...
James Joyce’s “Clay” is a remarkable explication of Irish folklore and the societal issues that plague turn-of-the-century Dublin. Following Maria on the night of Halloween, the story combines imagery and symbolism throughout. In S. A. Cowan’s article “Celtic Folklore in ‘Clay’: Maria and the Irish...
In the short story “The Lame Shall Enter First,” author Flannery O’Connor describes a widower’s attempts to mask his grief over his wife’s death. In order to fill the void in his heart, the widower, Sheppard, throws himself into miscellaneous charitable endeavors. He shows this...
Epictetus, the Greek Stoic philosopher, said, “First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.” Defining one’s personal identity may coincide with this ancient Stoic principle, but what is not mentioned is the human transformation that must take...
Dr. James Knoll, a forensic psychiatrist, says, “The paranoia exists on a spectrum of severity. … Many perpetrators are in the middle, gray zone where psychiatrists will disagree about the relative contributions of moral failure versus mental affliction.” Dr. Knoll mentions that, in murderers, the...
Jhumpa Lahiri and Christopher Soto, in their respective pieces “Hell-Heaven” and “Winter Sundays”, discuss the restrictions on cultural expression for minority groups. The claim of both authors is that there is a unique cultural identity for each person, and that society has always tried to...
In Herman Melville’s “Bartleby, The Scrivener,” the author implies the major theme as the choices made in our lives, impact how we live our life. Both the narrator and Bartleby make choices that impact what happens to them in the present and the future. The...
The story you are about to read is a folktale. It is a story told by an older person to children especially on a night when the moon is high and bright in the sky. The children would gather and sit at the foot of...
“Okay Angela, just one more push and your baby will be here,” said the nurse softly. I thought to myself, this is the last time I will be pregnant. I have two beautiful children, and everything in life has been incredible so far, my children...
In this essay I argue against Mencius’ claim that ‘a man is capable of becoming good’ due to the inherent goodness in his nature. I am against Mencius’ claim because of his assumption that human nature is inclined towards good morals. I opine that human...
The purpose of this essay is to analyze the short stories that we have been reading over the last couple of weeks; “The Return”, “A&P”, and “The Blue Chevrolet”. The coming of age theme throughout the short stories will be the main focus of this...
American literature varies from other literary works across the world. Every story seems to express a different theme, and yet somehow they all seem similar. The Gift of the Magi and The Story of an Hour, written within 15 years of each other, at first...
Marxist philosophy believes that society views the world through a completely economic lens. Marxism dictates that society is separated into two classes: the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. The bourgeoisie utilizes ideology to suppress the proletariat mainly by manipulating their perceptions of their free agency. One...
Just one of the many short stories compiled in James Joyce’s Dubliners, “After the Race” is an effective portrayal of the shame and misfortune that result from Jimmy Doyle’s efforts to become accepted by a wealthy group of men. His constant desire to present himself...