1. Make sure that you have read through your story at least three times.  As you read through the story, make sure to underline passages that you think are particularly significant and make notes in the margins on points that you think are significant.  Be ready to show me your annotated text at the conference. 

    • Break the story down in terms of plot.

    • Where is the exposition in the story?  What basic background does the writer give you?  Why is this information necessary? Quote the key passages.

    • What are the complications that build tension in the story and add to the rising action?  Quote the passages that signal these complications.

    • Where is the climax in the story?  Why do you think this is the climax?  Is there more than one possible climax?  Quote the passages that support your view.

    • What issues are resolved through the falling action? How does the writer bring the story to resolution? Quote the significant passages.

    • List the main conflicts in the story and characterize the type of the conflict that they are (i.e., human vs. human, human vs. nature, etc.)  Explain the significance of the conflicts.  Why are they important to the story?  How do they relate to the big issues of the story? Quote the key passages that highlight the conflicts.

  2. List the major characters in the story and the key traits that they possess. Explain how EACH trait is developed (what method of characterization does the author use) and use AT LEAST one quote to support the trait. 

  3. Do the major characters change or stay the same; in other words, are they dynamic or static?  Explain why you think they are dynamic or static and explain the possible significance of this?  Quote the key passages that support your view.

  4. List the minor characters in the story and the key traits that they possess. Explain how EACH trait is developed (what method of characterization does the author use) and use AT LEAST one quote to support the trait. 

  5. Who is the protagonist in the story? Why do you think so?  Is it possible that there is more than one protagonist?  Why?  Quote the key passages.

  6. Who is the antagonist in the story? Why do you think so?  Is it possible that there is more than one antagonist?  Why?  Quote the key passages.

  7. From what point of view is the story told? Is the perspective reliable or unreliable?  What is the significance of the point of view the author has chosen?  How would the story be different if s/he had chosen another perspective?  Quote the key passages to support your answers.

  8. Describe the overall setting of the story in terms of time, place, geography, space.  Is the overall setting culturally significant?  Quote the key passages.

  9. How does the setting change in the story?  How are the changes of setting significant?  Are there key moments of setting description that have symbolic significance.  Quote the passages and explain their significance.

  10. Characterize the style of the story in terms of diction, syntax, and figurative language.  How is the style used to support the overall ideas of the story? How is it used to develop particular characters?  Quote the key passages and explain their significance.

  11. What objects or actions in the story seem to be symbols?  Explain what each symbolizes and use quotations to explain what they symbolize.

  12. What is the overall tone of the story?  Explain your thinking and quote key passages to support your view.

  13. What are the main issues of the story that might lead you to a theme?  Why do you think these issues are central to the story?  Use quotes to support your views.

  14. Pick one or more of the issues and try to articulate a theme.  Remember, you will probably need to play around with this.  Show your revisions and how your statement develops.

  15. Decide what you think are the main devices used in the story to develop the theme you've stated.  Articulate a thesis statement given the parameters of the assignment.