Analysis

In this study guide, we help you analyze the short story "Mule Killers" by Lydia Peelle. As the story featured as part of the 2007 May exam in English A on STX, we also provide some help specifically for the exam question - among other things in the section Perspectives.

On this page, we will focus on giving you a summary of the elements of the short story that we analyze in our study guide:

First, we give you an analysis of the structure of the short story. It is structured around a flashback and we help you navigate through the plot.

As an integral part of any analysis, we of course also discuss the characters in the short story: Who are they? What are their traits? How do they interact? Etc. etc. In this case, we look at the narrator, the father, and the grandfather.

The story takes place somewhere in Nashville, Tennessee, in two different timelines. Besides the physical and temporal setting, we also look at the social setting of the short story.

Finally, we look at the narrator, point of view and, of course, the language. We particularly look at the use of similes and symbols in the short story.