What Makes a Good Story?

What makes a good story? This question always baffles young upcoming writers or students who have to write short stories as part of their writing in  schools. Good writers often break rules - but they know they’re doing it! Here are some good rules by Aaron Shepard that you should know. The following can also be used while reading a short story for critical analysis.

Analytical Summary of Mother Tongue

Analytical Summary/Reflection: “Mother Tongue” by Amy Tan

The literacy narrative, “Mother Tongue”, by Amy Tan, is about the different kinds of Englishes which exist in Tan’s world and how she went against the grain to become a successful writer using the same kinds of Englishes she once despised.  Tan recounts how she coped with communicating in a simplistic manner of English with her not so fluent mother, then on the other hand, learning to develop and hone her English skills in school.

Darwin’s Theory of Evolution and The Victorian Crisis of Faith: A Critical Reading of Dover Beach

Throughout time many men in many cultures have suffered of a crisis of faith. Because of what they see around them they begin doubting that there may be a kind and ever present god watching over the world. The victorian period was no exception. The Victorian Era, because of Darwin’s papers on evolution, was a period when the religious crisis was in the core of every man’s heart. Matthew Arnold, a poet of the victorian era, is often considered the spokesperson for those who suffer through a crisis of faith. It may be that even now, in the 21st century, some may learn insights to life because of his poetry.

Writing Short Stories for Exams

Nothing buggers me more than writing a short story for exams. We have a set time to complete the writing and we don't know what the prompt is going to be. Sometimes the story turns out fine right from the beginning, while at other times, the story takes a new form somewhere at the middle. So to help tackle this, Kezang Choden, a student from RTC gives us her take on writing effective short stories for exams. The following is her tried and tested method which will certainly help many students.

Commonly Confused Expressions

Here is a quick overview of some phrases and expressions that are commonly confused by students of English language and literature in Bhutanese schools.