Structure
The short story “Noel” by Michael Plemmons is structured as a brief description of one afternoon before Christmas day and follows two women who trade children, renting them to childless couples or old people for Christmas.
Unlike more traditional stories, “Noel” is devoid of plot and simply presents an episode in the life of some parentless children and their matrons who rent them for Christmas. Given the events in the story, the narrative is dystopian, meaning it presents a dehumanized fictional…
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Summary
It is Christmas Eve, and Mrs. Hathaway is getting seventeen children, boys and girls, ready for being displayed to chi…
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Beginning
The beginning of the short story introduces readers to the characters and the time setting: “Mrs.…
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Middle
The middle of the short story clarifies the initial intrigue. We gradually discover that the children have become commercial objects, being rented for Christmas to childless people by the two women, Mrs. Overton and Mrs. Hathaway: ““We were thinkin…
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Ending
In the end of the story, the conflict between the two matrons is settled, with Mrs. Overton being too happy about the day’s earnings to …
