Five short stories are discussed: "The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin, "A&P" by John Updike, "I Stand Here Ironing" by
Tillie Olsen, "Barn Burning" by William Faulkner, and "The Rocking-Horse Winner" by D.H. Lawrence. Each story is used to demonstrate the use of either character,
theme, plot or
setting in the development of meaning.