Make notes regarding your thoughts on plot, character and the author's use of literary device as you read your short story. If possible, use a highlighter to mark passages that you want to include in your essay, which should contain examples that illustrate the points you make about the story.
Open the essay by writing one or two paragraphs that introduce the title of the story and author, and gives a brief synopsis regarding setting and the general premise. This gives your audience a basis about the story so that your essay will be easy to follow. A simple opening that covers these elements might be something like this:
"'A Day in Paradise,' written by Slim Jim, is set in a tropical paradise and details the story of a man who wins a vacation to the Bahamas, only to find that bad luck follows him at every turn."
Introduce the main characters as they appear in the story. Answer questions such as "what is the goal of the protagonist (the hero or main character) and what are the obstacles that prevent him from reaching his goal (or antagonist)?" Your introduction should include the character's name, a brief personality description and the character's purpose in the story, as you understand it. Include a quote or two from the story to support your interpretation.
Summarize the plot and the author's use of metaphor, symbolism, hyperbole, and any other literary devices used to tell the story. State the theme of the story, if any, and discuss how effectively the author's plot works around the topic. Ask yourself questions you'll answer in your essay. Is the theme of the story clear? Did the author deliver a message? These are important questions you'll need to answer for yourself before you can write your essay effectively.
Summarize the ending of the story and discuss how it answered questions put forth. Was the ending effective? What did it accomplish in relation to the theme?
Write a concluding paragraph detailing your personal opinion of the story. Tell readers whether or not you recommend it. An essay about a short story should be written with a scholarly slant, but injecting personal opinion is an essential part of writing an effective short story essay, as long as you can find text to support your point of view.