Analysis

An analysis of the short story “The Flowers” by Alice Walker shows that it is structured chronologically. The narrative follows the main character over the course of a few hours, from morning until noon. 

The main character in the story is Myop, a 10-year-old African-American girl. The narrative follows her and shows how she symbolically loses her innocence after discovering a hanged man’s dead body. 

The events take place in the US, in the countryside. The narrative focuses on the surroundings of Myop’s house, as well as on the woods and on the elements she discovers there. The social setting briefly explores the concept of sharecropping and it focuses on violence against African Americans in the US. 

The short story is told by a third-person narrator, who follows Myop and whose knowledge is confined to her perspective of the events. The narrator also offers insight into what Myop thinks and feels. 

The language is straightforward and simple. It could be argued that the lack of dialogue makes it easier for readers to focus on the main character and on the symbolism of the events she experiences. 

A full analysis of the short story can be found in the following pages. 

Short story analysis

I denne vejledning får du Studienets hjælp til at analysere noveller (short stories) i engelsk.