To build on your support, consider doing outside research.

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Many analyses of short stories rely on a close reading of the text alone; the writer’s analysis is the only tool brought to bear on the work. Some approaches to analysis, however, also consider biographical information on the author, his or her other works, or various critical responses to the short story in question. If your instructor has asked you to include such information, or if you are curious about some aspect of the text that you do not understand—or that you suspect your readers will not understand—you might want to conduct some research and include your findings in your essay. Here are a few suggestions for getting started:

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As you work, bookmark or keep a record of promising sites. If you download or copy information you could use in your essay, remember to record source information.