A New Leaf Analysis

There are many different elements to use in order to properly evaluate short stories. These elements include plot, character, point of view, and theme. Not only do these elements help the reader understand the story, it also allows the reader to be able to classify a short story as either commercial or interpretative fiction. When evaluating, it is important to pay attention to all aspects of the story as different interpretations can not only switch the meaning of the story, but also give the reader the wrong message that the author was trying to give. Although it may not always be an easy task as a reader to interpret stories, it is vital in being able to have a better understanding. The short story titled “A New Leaf” by F. Scott Fitzgerald …show more content…
Point of view is vital in evaluating stories because with one change the story could have a whole new interpretation that was not meant to happen. The entire story is told in a third person limited point of view. Third person limited is defined as the narrator only knowing the thoughts and feelings of one character, and that is the character in which the story is told by. However, the majority of “A New Leaf” is told solely through the eyes of Julia. The only time we know what is going on is when Julia is in the scene. When Julia is not present, the reader is left astray. Although, sometimes just seeing through the perspective of one character may be easier, it tends to leave the reader confused and questioning what is going which adds suspense to the story. As a reader we are unsure if Dick actually does quit drinking or even goes to his job. However, in the end, once Dick dies the view switches. Although, it is still told in third person limited, we are able to see what is going on through Phil’s eyes instead of Julia’s. This is because Phil is telling the reader and Julia what exactly happened to Dick and how he died. Here it is when the reader finds out that in fact Dick did not quit drinking like Julia thought he did as it was being hidden from her. With the change of characters eyes, the reader is fully able to grasp the full story without any …show more content…
After evaluating these elements it is evident that this story is in fact commercial fiction. The point of commercial fiction is solely to entertain and that is what this story “A New Leaf” did. The definition of commercial fiction according to the class text is “fiction written to meet the taste of a wider popular audience and relying usually on testes formulas for satisfying such taste.” Another reason this story is believed to be commercial fiction is because as a reader we did not have to search for any clues throughout the reading. The author and narrator gave and told the reader everything they needed to know without needing to do further research and investigation. In the end, it is clear enough to say that “A New Leaf” written by F. Scott Fitzgerald is commercial