Structure

The short story “Scene from Girlhood” by Kara Lark begins in medias res, with Melanie and Samantha rushing outside on the last day of their eighth-grade school year. They race towards the river, where they come across the dead snake. The rattlesnake is the plot device which sets the events in motion and leads to the conflict between the two girls.

The main events take place chronologically; however the structure is non-linear. The flow of the narrative is frequently interrupted by Samantha’s thought process, which gives the reader background information for the story. This is how we realize that the incident with the dead rattlesnake upsets Samantha, making her want to hurt Melanie in return.

Samantha’s thought process includes one flashback in which she remembers overhearing her mother talk about Melanie. The flashback gives us insight into Melanie’s character and helps the reader put her actions into context. 

An example of foreshadowing is when we learn that some people thought Melanie’s father was the member of a rock’n’roll band. This foreshadows her musical talent later in the story. Another instance of foreshadowing is when Melanie approaches Mr. Finnegan’s house with her “dirt...