Analyze a short story through the lens of a secondary source.
Write a literary analysis paper that states a clear, arguable thesis supported with evidence from the story and article.
Integrate textual evidence from the story and article using the techniques of paraphrasing, quoting, and/or summarizing.
The article “Does Reading Fiction Make Us Better People?” examines the idea that reading fiction enhances our compassion and empathy—that is, our ability to identify with other people’s experiences and relate to what they feel and think in their “interior lives” (Hammond). A story may introduce us to human concerns and emotions by painting a picture of characters’ lives.
The article’s studies present a few events that have been used to gauge people’s empathy. For instance, how does reading a novel about a man suddenly going blind help us empathize with people who are visually impaired?