Analyzing Short Stories takes a classic, tried and true approach to the study of literature.The book gives students the easiest place for them to begin learning the concepts of analysis and evaluation because the structure and elements are generally the same; each story contains a conflict, characters, a setting, an emphasis on language, and a clear distinctive voice.

Analyzing Short Stories provides the information students need to understand the principles of literary writing and promotes a format for writing analytical papers about short stories.

Once they have mastered the analytical process, students discover a new appreciation of literature and how to objectively judge a story's quality. And this analytical skill can be generalized and extended to nonliterary subjects, providing them with a solid approach to writing about subjects in the sciences and humanities.