Function of Text Structure: Short Fiction Practice Test

A short story excerpt opens with a scene written in the future tense (“She will open the letter; she will not cry”). Midway through, the narration shifts into present tense as the character actually opens the letter, and the final lines move into past tense as the narrator reflects on what happened. What is the primary effect of this tense-based structure?

Assume the letter contains devastating news.

A short story excerpt begins with a confident first-person narration describing a new job. After each paragraph, a footnote appears that contradicts the narrator’s claims (e.g., narrator: “Everyone liked me immediately.” footnote: “She did not notice the silence when she entered.”). The contradictions intensify until the final paragraph contains no footnote at all. What is the primary function of the footnotes and their disappearance?

Assume the narrator is unaware of the contradictions.