What is important to remember when highlighting a work of short fiction?

Some of the most important things to highlight, or take note of, in a short story are common themes, ideas, "mood-setting" Words, or repetition of certain phrases.

A few examples:

Common Themes: If there is a theme of death in a short story, then every instance of death should be highlighted so they can be referred back to during discussions. If a theme is not apparent at a first read, try finding repetition of thoughts or phrases and see if that can lead you to a theme.

Ideas: Ideas are more abstract than themes. There does not have to be an underlying idea throughout a short story, but if an idea the author is trying to get across to you sparks your interest, you should highlight that.

Mood-Setting Words: By "Mood-Setting" Words, I am talking about Words like "dark", "light", "eerie", "calming", etc. Often Words like these are hints at a particular idea or theme the author is trying to bring his reader's attention to.

Repetition: Repetition within a short story is very important because since there are so few Words, the author does not want to repeat unnecessary information.