Essential Literary Concepts and Short Story Analysis

Posted on Feb 3, 2026 in English Studies

Literary Terms and Key Concepts Defined (with Examples)

Core Narrative and Figurative Techniques

1. Narrative Point of View – The perspective from which a story is told.
   Example: “The Yellow Wallpaper” is written in first-person, giving intimate access to the narrator’s descent into madness.

2. Types of Narrator – Categories include first-person, third-person limited, third-person omniscient, and unreliable narrator.
   Example: “Cat Person” uses a first-person limited perspective to show Margot’s personal thoughts.

3. Metaphor – A figure of speech comparing two unlike things without using “like” or “as.”
   Example: In “The Swimmer”, Neddy’s journey across pools is a metaphor for the passage of life and lost time.

4. Symbolism – Using objects or actions to represent larger ideas.
   Example: In “Hills Like White Elephants”, the hills symbolize the pregnancy and emotional divide between the couple.

5. The Omission (Iceberg) Theory – Ernest Hemingway’s style of leaving details unsaid, letting the reader infer deeper meaning.
   Example: “Hills Like White Elephants” never explicitly mentions abortion, requiring readers to interpret the subtext.

6. Allusion – A reference to another text, event, or figure.
   Example: “A Good Man is Hard to Find” alludes to biblical ideas of sin and redemption through the Misfit’s philosophical dialogue.

7. American Minimalism – A writing style characterized by simple, precise language and understated emotion.
   Example: “Cat Person” demonstrates minimalism in dialogue and interior thoughts to convey tension.

Genre, Ethics, and Discrepancy

1. Ethical Systems –

   • Deontology: Ethics based on rules or duties.

   • Consequentialism/Utilitarianism: Ethics based on outcomes or the greatest good.
     Example: In “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas”, leaving Omelas could be seen as deontological (principled opposition to injustice), while staying might be judged utilitarian (happiness for the majority).

2. Southern Gothic – A literary style exploring decay, grotesque characters, and moral complexity in the American South.
   Example: “A Good Man is Hard to Find” uses Southern Gothic elements through grotesque violence and dark humor.

3. Irony – Discrepancy between expectation and reality.

   • Dramatic Irony: The audience knows more than the characters (e.g., “The Yellow Wallpaper”).

   • Verbal Irony: Saying one thing but meaning another (e.g., “Cat Person”, sarcastic tone).

   • Situational Irony: The opposite of what is expected occurs (e.g., “A Good Man is Hard to Find”, the family’s fate despite moral guidance).

Analyzing Genre and Symbolism in Short Fiction

Essay Prompt Example

Analyze how genre and symbolism are used in at least two texts to explore human experience.

Sample Response

Both “The Swimmer” by John Cheever and “Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway use their genres—modernist short story and minimalist short story, respectively—to explore human struggle and choice. In “The Swimmer”, the story’s surreal, almost allegorical structure—a suburban man swimming through neighbors’ pools—acts as a symbol for the passage of time, personal loss, and denial. Similarly, in “Hills Like White Elephants”, the sparse, minimalist dialogue underscores the tension between the couple, while the hills and the train station symbolize decisions and life’s diverging paths. Both texts use genre-specific techniques—Cheever’s expansive, allegorical realism and Hemingway’s minimalist restraint—to deepen readers’ understanding of isolation, choice, and human vulnerability.

Literary Value and Significance of the Texts

The texts studied offer enduring literary value because they explore universal human experiences—identity, morality, relationships—through innovative forms and styles. Minimalist works like “Cat Person” and “Hills Like White Elephants” demonstrate how economy of language can convey complex emotion. Southern Gothic works like “A Good Man is Hard to Find” combine moral inquiry with dark humor to critique societal and personal ethics. Allegorical and speculative texts, such as “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas”, challenge readers to consider philosophical and ethical dilemmas. Collectively, these works exemplify how narrative techniques, symbolism, and genre choices deepen readers’ engagement with human nature and ethical reflection.