Describe Masters' structuring of The Spoon River Anthology and its impact on the reader. How many distinct sections does the work have? What is the relationship of these sections to one another? Where does the work begin? Where does the work end? How does the journey make the reader feel?

What kind of language does Masters employ in The Spoon River Anthology? Why do you think he chose this type of language? How does the language shape your understanding of the characters in the story? How does the language establish the setting of the work? How does the language develop the Anthology's themes?

What is the point of view of The Spoon River Anthology? Does it ever change? If so, in what way(s) and why?

If a good friend asked you to describe what The Spoon River Anthology is about in one sentence...