A Very Short Story

Examine the role of gender in the story: To what extent are the soldier and Luz characterized by their gender identities? How do their gender identities affect the development of the plot and major themes of the story?

How does the war impact the characters in the story? Consider how their attitudes and behaviors are affected by the war, and support your response with evidence from the text. 

Discuss how Hemingway’s style, specifically his use of brevity and understatement, contributes to the presentation of plot and characterization.

Comment on the significance of the title “A Very Short Story.” What expectations does this title create for the reader? To what extent does the title fit both the length and content of the story?

The character Luz is based on Agnes von Kurowsky, a former lover of Hemingway. Hemingway also explores the significance of his relationship with von Kurowsky through the character of Catherine Barkley in his novel A Farewell to Arms. Compare and contrast the characters of Luz and Catherine. How are their relationships with their respective protagonists similar? How are they different?

What is the significance of the story’s ending? In what way does the abruptness of the ending contribute to the overall meaning and tone of the story? Support your response with textual evidence.

Track the significance of letters throughout the narrative. Is the symbolic value of letters the same throughout the story, or does it change? In what ways might the story’s ending have been different if the unanswered letters had received a response?

In what ways does “A Very Short Story” demonstrate the concerns and priorities of the Lost Generation? Choose another one of Hemingway’s short stories and consider whether it demonstrates similar or different concerns and priorities.