A Story that Explains a Story Called, "A Story."

   The central tension of the short story, A Story, by Li-Young Lee is the father's inability to tell his son a wonderfully creative story; this tension is expressed through many literary devices. Setting is used when the author talks about the son being in his father's lap. This sets the place in the reader's mind and associates this setting with happiness and innocence by portraying a young boy sitting in his father's lap. Imagery is used in general when talking about how the son addresses his father as "Baba" and this shows how young the child must be. This image is most likely used to show the reader that the child is merely asking for a fun story, and is patiently waiting for his father's response. Metaphor is used at the end of the story when comparing their silence to the sum of an equation that adds the father's love and the son's eagerness together. All of these literary devices help to develop the central tension that is highlighted by the author. At one point in the story, the father considers an explanation that his son is god and he is sitting mute before him. This hyperbole, or exaggeration, is a great example of a literary device that also develops the conflict. The father wishes to speak to his son, yet he cannot think of a good story. His silence is an expression of his inability to conjure up a story for his son. The setting and imagery pose a view that the father is desperate to appease his son, yet his own lack of knowledge is drawing him back. These literary devices help to develop the central tension of this story.