Short Stories
Characteristics of the Short Story:
The short story is prose fiction that is more compact and concentrated
than the novel and the short novel (novella or novelette). It is therefore
usually more intense. The plot, the creation of characters, the climax and
the resolution are all dealt with economically using as few words as
possible.
1. The short story has a limited length (that is, it is short).
2. It is a concentrated form of writing. Only details essential to the story
(to the plot
and to the creation of characters) are revealed.
3. The short story has a limited setting (or locale / location). It usually
takes place in a
single place. It is also usually more limited than the novel in terms of
time.
4. It usually points out or emphasizes a truth about life. It usually enriches
the reader’s experience of life.
5. The number of characters in a short story is limited. Often, there is only
one main character with minor characters who stand in some relation
to the main character.
The short story has its origins in tales, myths and legends and in the oral
tradition. It developed as a genre in the 19th Century in the United States
and Europe with the rapid spread of magazines and newspapers which, for
the first time, provided entertainment for the masses. In order to satisfy
these largely unsophisticated readers, the short story needed to have a
recognizable developmental structure: that is, its beginning, middle and
ending had to be obvious to a general readership. Its narrative (story)
base had to be strong and its subject matter familiar.
An important aspect of the short story is the point of view from which the
author shows the characters and events. The short story always has a
story teller or narrator. At all times, the narrator is in control of the
unfolding of the story: the reader may be aware of the
narrator’spresencebutsometimesthenarratoriswithdrawn(butheisalwayspr
esent). The narrator’s presence may be classified into four main
categories:
,1. The God-like narrator. He is omniscient (all-seeing). He knows
everything about the story which he is telling. He sees into the minds
of the characters. He often explains things so that the reader has
greater knowledge and insight into the meaning of the story.
2. The direct observer. He describes events rather like a journalist does.
He records He is not in control of the events. He cannot look into the
minds of the characters and cannot look either into their past or their
future.
3. The First-person narrator. This is the most common form of narration.
The narrator is a character in the story and may even be the main
character, or he may be a friend or observer of the main character. He
is usually very involved in the story. He brings the reader closer to the
events and characters of the story. The reader regards the first-person
narrator as a real person who can only tell what he knows or observes.
His story is therefore subjective as he can only see things from his own
standpoint. He is not an objective (neutral) observer.
4. The Third-person narrator. This narrator describes events from the
outside, giving the reader a view into the main character’s ideas and
feelings. The reader can see the events and the reactions of all the
characters to the events. This narrator can take the reader into the
mind of the characters and describes their reactions, fears and hopes
in relation to the event which is about to take place or is taking place
(or which has already taken place). This form of narration (story-telling)
is similar to that of the God-like overview, but the powers of the
narrator are more limited than that of the all-seeing God-like narrator.
This narrator’s ability to understand and explain all is limited by being
human.
Features (Aspects) of the Short Story
The pages which follow provide an opportunity for learners to summarize
the structure of the short stories in a way that allows the stories to be
compared and contrasted. (In this booklet, the sort of response required
has been provided. Teachers could use the suggested responses as a
teaching focus by which, in discussions, comparisons could be made with
learners’ offerings. Please note that what is offered here are suggested
responses and should not be regarded as model answers.)
Each of the two sets of pages for notes lists the features of short stories
and contains columns for summarizing aspects of four of the stories on
each set of pages. Teachers have the option of:
building up the notes together with learners as the story is being dealt
with; or
, ensuring that the learners, individually or in groups, fill in notes as a
‘summary’ of the story while it is being dealt with in class or after it has
been dealt with; or
giving the notes to be written up as revision exercises after the story
has been completed. The format of the notes’ pages allows for
comparisons to be made between the stories, and, if the pages of one
set are arranged side by side with the pages of the second set, the
comparisons may be made across all eight stories.
Structure of a short story
1. Exposition: The Beginning
Each and every story has a beginning. The start, or exposition, is where
the characters and setting are established. During this part, the conflict or
main problem is also introduced.
2. Rising Action: Introduction of the Problem or Conflict
In this part of the story, the main character is in crisis. This is the place for
tension and excitement. The complication can arise through a character's
conflict with society, nature, fate, or a number of themes. In this part of
the story the main character is aware that a conflict has arisen and takes
some kind of step to battle this crisis.
3. Climax: The High Point
The climax is the high point of the story. It is the main event or danger
that the character faces. This is the darkest moment, the worst challenge
the character must oppose. At this point it looks as if the character will
fail, and will never get what he/she wants. The turning point may be either
physical or emotional. In a romance, the girl may turn the hopeful lover
down, in an action story, the character may be surrounded by enemies
with no chance of escape.
4. Falling Action: Winding Down
The falling action follows the climax. It is when the story begins to slowly
wind down. The falling action shows the result of the actions or decisions
the main character (protagonist) has made. This eventually leads to the
final part of the novel, the crisis resolution.
5. Resolution: The End
The resolution, also often called denouement, which is French for "to
untie" or "unraveling", is the conclusion of the story. Here, the conflicts
