SHORT STORY TALK

Edgar Allen Poe’s definition of what a short story should be :

• It must create a unified impression
• it must be capable of being read at one sitting
• every word of it must contribute to the author’s predetermined effect
• this effect must be created in the first sentence and developed throughout the story
• when it has reached its climax, the story should end
• only such characters as are essential to this effect should be used

Within this context therefore , the main points of a good short story are :

• It is complete in itself - it is not merely a fragment of a novel
• it deals with a single situation and is usually pervaded by a single mood
• strict economy of material - every incident and character must have a vital part to play and must be tightly knit into one central theme
• it is made up of plot, character and setting. Economy dictates that one predominate :

1. If the story deals with ACTION, then the plot must be emphasised and the characters be merely figures in it
2. If the story deals with CHARACTER the characters must be vivid and the story concerned with their most striking experiences
3. If the story deals with SETTING , both the characters and action must have significance only for the setting

Everything must contribute to total impression - even the title , opening , conclusionare vital to the success of the story

Effective use is made of dialogue . Using dialogue effectively has the following advantages :

• it allows the author to explain without intruding his own personality
• it gives detail which would be hard to work into the narrative and avoids any suggestion of sub-plot
• it emphasises character, social class, nationality
• it gives a vividness, a little like that of drama

Other points to keep in mind :

Theme :

• the idea dramatised by the action giving it broader significance
• universal values
• what the story means as well as what it tells

Style ;

• what is the main conflict ? How is this conveyed through the characters ?
• Is suspense a key element ? If so, how is it created ?
• Point of View - who tells the story?Is this important for this story ?
• what aspects of language are significant?
• how is this story structured ? Is it economic? Is this choice of structure significant in the story’s impact ?

Tone :

• what tone is adopted by the writer ? Why ?

Motif :

• is the story built on a clearly defined familiar situation ? eg Rags to riches ?