Analysis

This section highlights the main elements of our analysis of the story “Gravel” by Alice Munro.

The story’s structure features narrative techniques such as foreshadowing, flashbacks, and fragmentation. It tells the story of an unnamed narrator who as a child witnesses the death of her older sister, Caro.

The story only contains a handful of important characters, most notably the unnamed narrator and her sister.

The events take place in Canada, towards the end of the twentieth century. The social setting explores an urban and suburban society which deals with the conventional values of the Cold War era and with the more rebellious values of the hippie movement.

The events are described by a limited first-person narrator.

The story is told in a descriptive style, which includes descriptive language and symbolism. The language is easy to understand, mixing narration with dialogue, which helps the reader understand more about the characters and the events.

You can find a full analysis of the story in the following pages.

Further help

Do you want additional help with analysis of short stories? See our general guide for more: