Analysis

The short story “The Splinter” by Ron Carlson follows a traditional structure, with the plot focusing on a single incident involving the removal of a splinter from a boy’s foot. 

The story includes four characters: Damon, Veronica, the narrator, and his son Rick. The narrator is characterized by the struggle of raising his child after the death of his wife. Rick is a child who does not know how to deal with difficult emotions and fear, trying to ignore it. The relationship between the characters points to how adults interact with children.

The story is set in a national park in the US during a camping trip. The social setting looks at the challenges of being a single parent, social support when dealing with grief, and class differences.

The story is a told by a first-person narrator who tells us about the events in retrospect.

The language used in the story is semi-formal, with more informal style in direct speech, which is rather normal for short stories. Metaphors deepen the meanings of actions and situations, making the reader more sympathetic to the narrator.

Further help

For more advice about analyzing short stories, you can read our general guide to short story analysis.