How to analyse a short story:

An analysis of a short story requires basic knowledge of literary elements.

1) Setting: It is a description of where and when the story takes place. What role does settingplay in this story?

2) Characterization: In short stories there are usually fewer characters compared to a novel.

We get to know about the characters through his/her words, actions, Reactions, feelings,thoughts andmovements.

3. Plot and structure: The plot is usually centred around one experience.

4. Narrator and point of view: The narrator is the person telling the story.

By point of view we mean through whose eyes the story is being told. Short stories tend to betoldthrough one character's point of view.

5. Conflict: In a short story there is one main struggle. It could be internal/external.

6. Climax: It is the turning point where events take a major turn as the story reaches itsconclusion.

7. Theme - is the main message

8. Style: The writer's style is seen in language, vocabulary and tone. The style conveys thewriter'sattitude towards the theme

Based on the guidelines given, write a 200-250 word analysis of the story, giving your opinion at the end.

1. Setting: This story is set in and around the house of the narrator i.e. Anne’s mother. She is writing a letter to her mother who lives in Canada and her differently abled child Marian was sitting on the grass just outside their French window.

2. Characterization: This story revolves around three characters mainly i.e. Anne, Marian and Freda. There is a mention of other characters like Anne’s mother who stayed in Canada and Anne’s husband who died in a car accident just a month before his child was supposed to be born. Though not a character but Christabel, Marian’s favourite doll also has mention in the story. Anne is the narrator of the story whereas Marian is her daughter who is deaf and dumb and on the contrary Freda is a golden girl in all sense-confident and extrovert.

3. Plot and structure: The plot of the story revolves around the foolish longing of a mother who always wanted a girl with golden hair and golden voice. It further details the journey of Marian being a girl who does not like to talk or mingle with other children and how she plays school with Freda.

4. Narrator and point of view: Anne, Marian’s mother is the narrator of the story. Her point of view witnesses a shift when towards the end Marian is deeply hurt and asks her mother if she would choose Freda over her. The mother’s emotions regarding her daughter shifts towards love and care and she realises how much value her love had for Marian.

5. Conflict: There is a constant conflict seen in Anne’s character who wanted a girl just like Freda-golden hairs and golden voice but whose daughter was deaf and dumb by birth. Freda was perhaps a year or two older than Marian. Slim and fair-skinned, her hair was like ripe corn in sunlight, her eyes a sparkling, vivid blue. As if this were not enough, she had a voice as clear and careless as a mountain stream. When Anne saw Marian in stark contrast with Freda, she suppressed her ever-recurring envious ache for having not been blessed with a child as she. She used to wish that Marian had one quarter of the self-confidence which Freda had exhibited. But at the end this conflict is over and Anne clearly knows how important she is for her daughter.

6. Climax: The story ends when turning back, Anne saw Marian. She had been listening. Marian was sad and dejected. It seemed that she was asking her mother, “you like a girl like that, eh?” Anne felt guilty for a while and hugged Marian and realised how much her love meant for Marian whereas for a self-equipped child like Freda it wouldn’t be of the same value ever. That’s when Anne’s foolish longings went away. She went to dress up for shopping and when she came out, she saw something that she had never expected – Marian was playing schools, with Freda. Their class looked bigger and brighter with more students.

7. Theme: With the help of gestures, Marian asked Anne if she rather had Freda than her. It was evident that Marian had sensed her mother’s desire for a child without her handicaps. Her little heart had been bitterly hurt. Anne hugged her tightly and it came to her at last how much her love meant to Marian and more than it would have meant to Freda, who was so well-equipped to look after herself. Although Freda left her orange for Marian and left for her home, Freda had decided to return with her toys. But when Anne came out, she saw something that she had never expected – Marian was playing schools, with Freda.

8: Style: The story is written in simple words which can be simply understood by the readers. It involves only three main characters i.e. Anne, Marian and Freda. The story ends on a clear note of acceptance from Anne of her daughter and of Freda from Marian.