Microsoft Word Handout 13- writing a Short Story Review doc

Writing a Short Story Review

A review of a short story should include the following:

1. Introduction

In the introduction, you should include some basic facts about the story, including the title, the author and the story genre. You should also say something about your opinion of the story, along with your reasons for liking or disliking it.

2. Summary

Briefly summarise the story. Discuss the setting, the main character(s) and the main events or problems that the characters experience. Do not give the ending away!

3. Personal reflection

Discuss what you like or dislike about the story. Give reasons to support your opinion. You may want to compare and contrast the story with other stories you have read by the same author or in the same genre. You can also compare the story to your own personal experience or a current event in the news.

4. Critical analysis

In the critical analysis, some questions to explore are:

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  What is the author’s purpose for writing the story? Is the author successful in achieving this purpose?
  
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  What is the setting of the story? Is it appropriate to the genre?
  
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  How well are the characters developed? Do they think, feel, speak and act in a believable way?
  
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  How well is the plot structured? Is the action suspenseful enough? Are the events too predictable?
  
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  What is the theme, or the central idea, of the story?
  
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  Does the story have a ‘coda’, or a lesson? What is it?
  
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  Does the story have a ‘twist’, or an unexpected ending?
  
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  Does the author use any literary devices, such as metaphor, simile, or alliteration?
  

5. Conclusion

In the conclusion, you should evaluate the story and either recommend it or not recommend it to others, depending on whether you think it is worthwhile reading.
Before you begin writing the review, make sure you read the story closely and take good notes.

Short Story Review: The Necklace

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  Subject:Literature
  
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  Category:Literary Genres, Books
  
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  Essay Topic:Short Story, The Necklace
  
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  Page:1
  
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  Words:456
  
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  Published:11 December 2018
  
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  Downloads:150
  

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“The necklace”, is a short story by Guy De Maupassant, it revolves around a young woman who had these desires to have things she couldn’t afford. Mathilide the protagonist in this story, was invited to a ball, but she did not have enough money to buy a dress. Her husband spent what little money they had to get her one. The next thing she needed was a necklace so she borrowed one from her friend. The necklace she borrowed was an expensive diamond necklace, after that she went to the ball and had lost it there. Her next move was to buy an identical necklace, by doing this it had put the couple in debt. At the end of the story Mathilide finds out the necklace she borrowed was a fake. The lesson here is if she wasn’t unhappy with what she already had, she wouldn’t of borrowed, and lost the necklace. Guy De Maupassant tried to convey the theme of “being discontent can bring you problems.” This conflict was represented throughout the story, and theme. “She suffered intensely, feeling herself born for every delicacy and even luxury” (Pg.1). This is an internal conflict because it has to do with feelings.

The story also says she suffered with her life which made her want luxurious things. Her choices caused her, her own problems later on in the story. This is what supports the theme. Mathilide also did not have a dress to wear (pg.2). Since she didn’t have a proper dress to wear she absolutely “had” to spend money on a new dress. This conflict is both internal, and external because clothes are part of people’s appearance, but also she felt like she needed a better one. Buying the dress in the first place was hard for them considering the financial trouble they have. Her being upset with the dress she already had caused her to buy a newer, and more expensive dress. This is what supports the theme and caused problems by her being ungrateful. Foreshadowing in the necklace takes place when Mathilide, and her husband go to the jewelers. His name was inside the empty case where Madam Forestier’s necklace once was, he then looked through his ledger and said, “It was not I, madame who sold the necklace; I must simply have supplied the case.” This tells us that if the necklace was such a valuable piece of jewelry, it would not of been sold separately. I personally enjoyed this story by, Guy De Maupassant as it has some valuable lessons in it. He used different literary devices in his story like, conflict to support the plot. He also included foreshadowing which hinted at us what was to come in the story.