The SparkNotes 101 series is a one-stop course companion or students. Each book in the series uses clear, readable language to explain and analyze the complex works students are reading. SparkNotes 101 breaks down the subject matter into easily understandable components, providing students with character lists, analyses of themes and symbols, plot summaries, and more
Takes the 55 most popular short stories, from Ernest Hemingway's "A Clean, Well Lighted Place" to Annie Proulx's "Brokeback Mountain," and distills them down to the essentials. The book includes historical and biographical backgrounds of works and authors; plot overviews; character lists and analyses; explanations of major themes, motifs, and symbols; and sample A+ student essays.