What are the basic conflicts? How do these conflicts build tension and lead to major, complicated incidents and climactic moment(s)?

You will write a 750-word (approximately 3 pages) essay that compares and contrasts 2 stories
from the Fiction Unit. Before you begin writing the essay, carefully read the below guidelines for
developing your paper topic and review the Fiction Essay Grading Rubric to see how your
submission will be graded. Gather all of your information, plan the direction of your essay, and
organize your ideas by developing a 1-page thesis statement and outline for your essay. Format
the thesis statement and the outline in a single Microsoft Word document using current APA

Choose 2 of the following short stories to compare and contrast in your essay:
The Lottery by Shirley Jackson
The Rocking-Horse Winner by D.H. Lawrence

Also, at least 1 of these elements of fiction must be the focus of your essay:
Conflict/Plot/Structure
Characterization
Setting
Theme/Authors Purposes

If you need help focusing your essay, ask yourself questions that correspond to your chosen
element(s).
Conflict/Plot/Structure (This is not a summary of the stories)
What are the basic conflicts? How do these conflicts build tension and lead to major,
complicated incidents and climactic moment(s)?
What are the ways in which each major character experiences conflict (either with
self, with other characters, or with the social and/or physical environment)?
How are the conflicts resolved? Do the protagonists succeed in achieving their goals?
Which character receives your deepest sympathy and why?
Characterization
Who are the main characters in the stories?
What are their outstanding qualities? Does the author give any indication as to how or
why the character developed these qualities?
What are the characters emotions, attitudes, and behaviors? What do these indicate to the
reader about the character?
Can the characters motivations be determined from the text?
Setting
Where and when do the stories take place (remember to include such details as
geographic location, time of year, time period, if the setting is rural or urban, etc.)?
Do the settings make the stories believable or credible? How does setting impact the plot
of the story, and how would the plot be affected if the story took place in another setting?
Are the characters influenced by their setting? How might they behave if they were in a
different setting?
What atmosphere or mood does the setting create (for example, darkness may create a
mood of fear or unhappiness while light or bright colors may create one of happiness)?
Is the setting or any aspect of it a symbol, or does the setting express particular ideas?
Does setting create expectations that are the opposite of what occurs?

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