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Worksheet9th GradeLevel 2 · Standard

Free 9th Grade Short Story Analysis: Symbolism, Motif and Setting Worksheet

A short story analysis worksheet built around The Lighthouse Clock, an original story about a family waiting for news while a grandfather is in hospital. Students identify symbols and motifs, track how a symbol changes across a story, explain how setting and weather mirror emotion, and write a TEEL paragraph on symbolism. Every question has a model answer and the extended response has a marking rubric.

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Grade
9th Grade
Subject
English
Topic
Text Analysis & Essays
Difficulty
Level 2 · Standard
Estimated time
45 minutes
Curriculum
Texas grade levels (TEKS)
Questions
13
Answers
Included, with working
Format
PDF (A4), print or complete online

Students will practice

  • identifying symbols and explaining what they represent
  • tracking a motif across a short story
  • explaining how setting and weather reflect mood
  • linking symbols to a story's themes
  • writing an analytical paragraph about symbolism

Curriculum: Texas grade levels (TEKS). We show specific outcome codes only where they have been verified against the official curriculum document.

What's next?

Completed: Short Story Analysis: Symbolism, Motif and Setting

  1. 1Visual Text Analysis: Layout, Salience, Gaze and Vectors in a Poster

How to use this worksheet

  1. Print the PDF or complete it on screen. Write the student's name and date at the top.
  2. Read the instructions for each part together before starting. Encourage working to be shown.
  3. Mark with the answer sheet. Use the model answers and success criteria as a guide rather than a single right answer.
  4. Record the score, celebrate what went well, then follow the "What's next" suggestion.

Common questions

Who is this worksheet for?

9th Grade students (typically ages 14–15) working on text analysis & essays. It is pitched at level 2 · standard.

Are the answers included?

Yes. The PDF includes a full answer sheet with model answers and success criteria where there is more than one good answer. You can also view the answers online.

How long does it take?

About 45 minutes for 13 questions. Short, regular sessions work best: two or three a week beats one long one.

Do I need to sign up to download?

No. Click Download Free PDF and it opens immediately. It is free for personal, classroom and homeschool use.

What should we do next?

Try Visual Text Analysis: Layout, Salience, Gaze and Vectors in a Poster.

Preview

Success TutoringWorksheets9th Grade · English · Text Analysis & Essays

Short Story Analysis: Symbolism, Motif and Setting

Name

Date

Score /

When an object keeps coming back in a story, ask what it might stand for, and then ask how it has changed by the end.

Part A: Key terms and first reading

Circle the best answer.

1.A symbol in a story is best described as:
  1. Aany object the main character owns
  2. Ban object, image or action that stands for a larger idea
  3. Ca word that sounds like its meaning
  4. Da comparison using like or as
2.A motif is:
  1. Athe main character's goal
  2. Ba detail, image or idea that is repeated through a text and builds meaning
  3. Cthe story's final line
  4. Dthe setting of the story
3.Why has the clock stopped at twenty past four?
  1. ATom broke it
  2. BIt stopped on the day Grandad went into hospital and no one wound it
  3. CThe power went out
  4. DIt is waiting for new batteries
4.In paragraph 4, the lighthouse beam is described as "steady as breathing". This simile suggests:
  1. Adanger and panic
  2. Bcalm, continuing life and reassurance
  3. Cthat the storm is getting worse
  4. Dthat the lighthouse is broken
5.Which event marks the turning point of the story?
  1. AThe storm arriving
  2. BTom remembering the ships in bottles
  3. CThe phone call saying Grandad is awake
  4. DThe power going out

Part B: Symbol, motif and setting

Answer in full sentences, using short quotations.

6.What does the stopped clock represent at the start of the story? Use one quotation.[2 marks] (answer space)
7.What does it suggest when Tom winds the clock in paragraph 7? Why is it important that he does it "the way Grandad used to"?[3 marks] (answer space)
8.Light appears several times: the brass lamp on the clock, the candles and the real lighthouse. What idea does this motif build?[2 marks] (answer space)
9.Explain the mother's comment in paragraph 5: "light was for the ships, not the rocks." How might it relate to the family?[3 marks] (answer space)
10.How does the storm in paragraph 4 reflect the family's situation? What changes during it?[3 marks] (answer space)
11.Grandad says, "Patience is just hope that has learned to wait." How does this line connect to the ending?[2 marks] (answer space)
12.The story begins and ends with Tom rolling his eyes. What does the final sentence show about how he has changed?[2 marks] (answer space)
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Preview — the PDF contains the full resource and answer sheet.

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About this resource

Created by
Success Tutoring
Last reviewed
1 October 2026
How it was made
Written by our team

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