Examine the non-traditional structure used in William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” OR Zora Neale Hurston’s “Spunk.” Compose an essay in which you develop an argument that attempts to explain why you feel the author chose to structure the short story in the way he or she did. To get yourself started, you may want to ask yourself, “What effect does the structure have on the way we read and understand the story?” and “How would this story differ if it were written in a more traditional structure?”
When you begin formulating your thesis, remember always to ask yourself “Why?” and “So what?”: Why did the author write his or her short story in this particular way? What was the point of the story being written with this particular structure, symbol, narration, setting? etc. Your essay must include both a thesis which argues your particular claim about the story as well as well-chosen and detailed supporting evidence (e.g., incorporated quotations from the text) to help reinforce your thesis.