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152the story for big-picture literary elements that contribute to theme, such as plot and character, without feeling the need to note all of the style elements, such as dictionand imagery.The following questions will guide your focus, so read through them before reading the story a second time.%u2022 Plot. How is the story structured? How do noteworthy elements of the structure%u2014like foreshadowing or flashbacks%u2014affect how you experience the text?%u2022 Character. Do characters see themselves or others differently from the way readers likely see them? If so, how do their perceptions differ, and what does this communicate about the characters?%u2022 Setting. Where does the narrative take place? How does the setting influence characters%u2019 actions?%u2022 Point of View. From what point of view is the narrative being told? How does this perspective shape your experience of the story?%u2022 Symbol. Do certain objects, characters, or locations take on an increased significance as the story progresses? How does this symbolism contribute to your interpretation of the text%u2019s meaning?%u2022 Theme. If you reflect on the passage as a whole, what central theme emerges? Which big-picture elements back up this interpretation?? KEY QUESTIONS Analyzing FictionMoving from Annotation to AnalysisAnnotation can be a messy process. The more you notice, the more ideas you%u2019re likely to generate. Most of the time, annotating a text gives you more than you can include in an essay. So how do you decide what to use and what to keep? It may be helpful to write out some preliminary responses to the Key Questions from above and decide which ideas feel most promising.For instance, when you consider plot, it might be interesting to focus on the way the story was supposedly passed on to the narrator from a family member. What important detail do you learn about Ivek in the beginning of the story that provides a key clue to the story%u2019s likely resolution? Or, perhaps you%u2019re struck by the story%u2019s vivid setting. The setting of this story certainly influences the characters%u2019 decisions and behaviors, so you might consider what it illuminates about Ivek and even Agnid, and you can even argue that the blizzard plays the role of an antagonist. In terms of symbols, which objects, characters, or locations play a prominent role in the story? Do any of them convey meaning beyond their literal representations? You could consider the school bus, Agnid, and the Red River and its glacier-smoothed valley, for example. The blizzard itself may also carry symbolism.Writing Workshop Analysis of Theme in FictionCopyright %u00a9 Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. Distributed by Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. For review purposes only. Not for redistribution.