Structure

...

Beginning 

The short story "The New Girl" by Marc Mitchell begins with an exposition that sets the scene and introduces the main characters: the narrator and his friend Allison. The opening lines also establish the overall atmosphere and tone of the story: “It was a hot, bright day. Everything was burning – the roofs, the shrubs, the asphalt, our bike seats, our skin, our hair.” (p. 21, ll. 1-2). The depiction of a hot day suggests some tension through the references to the unbear…

...

Middle 

The rising action focuses on the interactions between the narrator and Allison and the African-American girl. The conflict is initially built on the different behavior shown by the narrator and Allison. The narrator smiles at the girl (p. 22 l. 14) and tries to greet her, but Allison threatens and offends her (p. 22, ll. 25-27). 

The narrator gives in to Allison’s point of view, suggesting that the similarity in their skin colors is enough to create a conflict between the two of them on the one hand an…

...

Ending 

In the falling action, the external conflict between the children turns into an inner conflict for the narrator, who is ashamed of his behavior but is unable to apologize: “All through the summer, the knot in my stomach swelled and grew tighter until it became impossible to untie.” (p. 23, ll. 30-32). The narrator will, therefore,…