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.
Introduction In his stories "Ligeia," "Berenice," and "The Fall of the House of Usher," Poe presents a series of women in transit. These women exist in a liminal space between life and death, highlighting the fluidity of their existence. This perpetual state of transition emphasizes...
Gina Berriault’s “The Stone Boy” follows the story of a young boy facing the aftermath of a terrible accident and trying to understand his responsibility in the matter. When Arnold does not respond emotionally, the adults’ false assumptions isolate Arnold. In “The Stone Boy”, Berriault...
Short Story
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In Tressie McMillan Cottom’s essay, “The Logic of Stupid Poor People,” she skillfully employs personal experiences and observed patterns to challenge the flawed practice of judging and generalizing a population’s logic based on unfamiliar experiences. Specifically, Cottom argues that the logic of poor people is...
It was two o’clock in the afternoon. I was heading towards the bus station with Mohan after Mrs Wong’s extra class. The sun was beating mercilessly on my back and I could feel my sweat trickling down my spine. I have often wished that my...
Kate Chopin was an American author who I discovered by accident one day on the desk at my workplace. Kate Chopin short story “The Storm” was a very interesting read as I spent my time working at a help-desk for 8 hours. It caused me...
Alia stared at the night sky with a heart-warming smile as she stood on the rooftop of her school. A pitch dark sky filled with beautiful, glowing, shining stars flashing above her. Beautiful. Stars are beautiful. No matter what happens or what goes around them,...
In the short story “Sunflowers” by Sam Roddan the narrator explores how two people in a similar position can have opposite values. Made-to-order essay as fast as you need it Each essay is customized to cater to your unique preferences + experts online Get my...
A short story by Joyce Carol Oates, setting in a small town, the main character is a 15-year-old girl named Connie. Connie is a beautiful young girl, who is always arguing with her sister and mother. She knows she’s beautiful, but she still craves the...
According to Marilyn Frye’s definition of “oppression”: “ the experience of oppressed people is that the living of one’s life is confined and shaped by forces and barriers which are not accidental or occasional and hence avoidable, but are systematically related to each other in...
Much as his name suggests, Owen Warland wages a battle on society in The Artist of the Beautiful by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Throughout the story, he strives to create the Beautiful, a lifelike butterfly, and overcomes many setbacks to succeed briefly, only to have it destroyed...
‘How readily our thoughts swarm upon a new object, lifting it a little way, as ants carry a blade of straw so feverishly, and then leave it…’ Made-to-order essay as fast as you need it Each essay is customized to cater to your unique preferences...
The opening of the short story ‘The Bloody Chamber’ by Angela Carter includes an abundance of conventions typical of the Gothic genre. The passage sets the scene for a tragic tale, where the innate curiosity of a young girl will inevitably find her in danger....
America used to be known as the land of opportunity. That was before the wars and the advent of technology. For post-modern authors, modernity and prosperity has turned America into a disappointment. Barthelme’s Snow White and Pynchon’s The Crying of Lot 49 share similar ideas...
Societally, most individuals enjoy believing that they are without bias. Whether it be gender, race, disability, or religion, everyone has preconceived notions about select people groups. While this can be difficult to admit, Toni Morrison constructs her short story, Recitatif, in a manner which forces...
Have students ever thought of what makes a short sci-fi/fantasy story so extradentary to read? “Nine Lives” by Ursula K. Le Guin “is a novelette that was first published in Playboy magazine in 1968.At the time of the story’s magazine publication, Playboy requested that she...
A Haunted House Virginia Woolf’s short story “A Haunted House” was published in 1985 and offers up an interesting take on the modern ghost story. Using a modernist take on the genre, Woolf turns the conventions of a ghost story on its head, and at...
This short story addresses the complexity of human nature. We see that the father in the story has awareness and he is proud of not drinking routinely. We also know that he is aware of the consequences of his drinking. To go on furthermore, we...
“The strangest thing about all of this was that, before, in my old life, I hadn’t been any of these things: not a student leader or an actress or an athlete. There, I was just average, normal, unremarkable. Just Mclean”. This is a good start...
Broken relationships, trust, joy, fear – these are all aspects of life that everyone can relate to in some shape or form. They are all emotions we all have to deal with at some point in life. Made-to-order essay as fast as you need it...
The Tale of Omelas The tale of ‘The One Who Walks Away from Omelas’ is composed by Ursula K. Le Guin. The story opens with the depiction of a perfect city, Omelas, a brilliant place by the ocean, with residents celebrating festivals. The harbor sparkled...
Literature speaks to the way of life and conventions of a language or a people. The idea is hard to exactly characterize, however many have attempted; plainly the acknowledged meaning of writing is continually changing and advancing. “Backpack Literature” acquaints understudies with the thankfulness and...
Along with stone tools, the Paleolithic Era brought on the division of labor according to gender. This division eventually created the inequality between men and women, which caused the endless battles women had to fight to regain their birth rights. Scant progress had been made...
There is a worn-out old saying about how when a door closes, there will always be a window to crawl through instead. But what if the window has bars on it? Or what if it is too high for someone to reach without anyone to...
Hanif Kureishi’s well known short story “My Son the Fanatic” (1997) explores themes of friendship, religion, fanaticism and identities. In a detailed discussion, this essay will discuss the significant relationship between the father, Parvez, and his friend, Bettina, who works as a sex worker. The...
In “Miss Brill,” Katherine Mansfield uses a combination of symbolism and mood to portray an old woman’s veiled loneliness and loss of innocence. In the story, the protagonist Miss Brill maintains the quiet life of a person who is content to watch the events of...
The death of a man and the birth of a love affair are the subjects of two short stories by D. H. Lawrence and though their plots vary greatly, similar patterns of dark and light imagery, renewal and rebirth reinforce Lawrence’s theme of regeneration. In...
The family has long been the most basic unit of human society. In a traditional sense, it typically functions as a support system, often both financially and emotionally, with each spouse supporting the other and together the parents supporting their children during their ascent into...
“The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is, on its surface, about a woman who suffers postpartum depression, which is the ultimate factor leading to her insanity; however, a closer examination of the protagonist’s portrayal and description reveals that the story is primarily about her...
In the abstract of this article, we are made to understand that the idealism of Josiah Royce is informed by the criticism of George Holmes. The free and independent selves are featured in the absolute idealism as reflected by Josiah Royce. His facts and views...
“Moving on for peace and coming back for bliss” Bernadette Reeves seemed modest and friendly, with the personality of a fourth grade teacher from the first impression. However, when she talks about the history of St, Augustine, her tone and her overall personality would be...