The Genre Analysis of Traditional and Modern Short Stories The traditional short story is a genre of a prose. It is a fiction work that presents a world in the moment of an unexpected change. The traditional short story obeys some rules, such as the unexpected change and major events with detail. The modern short story is a revolution which is based on the traditional short story. In other words, if the traditional short story is in the first floor, the modern short story is in the second floor. Therefore, the modern short story still obeys some rules that the traditional short story obeys, and breaks some rules that the traditional short story obeys. One rule that the modern short story still uses is the unexpected change. The rules broken by the modern short story are that the major events are not detailed, and that the border between the real world and the fiction world. This paper first talks about the unexcepted change and uses the examples of “Eveline” and “The Open Window.” Then, this paper talks about major events with detail, and uses the examples of “Lottery,” “The Open Window” and “Hills Like White Elephants.” Finally, this paper talks about the meta-literary and the border between the real world and the fiction …show more content…
In the modern short story, the author leaves the empty space to the major event. For instance, in “Hills Like White Elephants,” the operation which the two characters were talking about is much more important than the drinks that these two characters would drink. However, the drinks were paid more attention. The types of drinks, such as Anis del Toro, beer and others, were introduced. Also, the size of drinks and whether the drinks were with water or not, were mentioned. Whereas, the operation that the girl would have was not described in detail, and only one word “operation” was
In 2009 Chimamanda Adichie gave a TED talk about the ‘danger of a single story’. A single story meaning, one thought or one example of a person becoming what we think about all people that fit that description, a stereotype if you will. In today’s America, I believe that we have all felt the wave of stereotypical views at some point or another. Adichie gives many relatable examples throughout her life of how she has been affected by the single story. Her story brings about an issue that all humans, from every inch of the earth, have come to understand on some level. A young child reading only foreign books, a domestic helper that she only perceived as poor. Her college roommates single story about Africans and her own formation of a single
A short story is a work of literature that is shorter than a novel. Although some may believe the length may not be enough to develop a noble story, in these few pages an author can pack a tight punch that will leave one in awe, disgust, or utter sadness. Whether there is a moral of the story or it is simply for the reader’s enjoyment, each author has their own style of conveying a message through their work in very diverse ways. Through Flannery O’Connor and Chuck Palahniuk’s works we can see this very evidently.
... writer is given more of a medium to develop and disclose their opinions within their writing, In a short story the writers attitudes may seem forced and biased due to the short space of time in which they are fed to the reader. In a novel however the author may drop subtle hints as to their true intentions and build a better and more influential case to portray their case. A novel appears to be on the surface nothing more than an extended version of a short story and although in a sense this is true the novel brings to the table its own unique style of descriptive and enveloping writing. The short story is often written to entertain and amuse, ending with a deceptive twist. The novel however is slower to develop and will embrace more values and themes dealing with the most complex issues in such away to entertain the reader the depth of a novel allows for bonds to be developed between characters and reader that are more purposeful than that of short story counterparts. Their are numerous differences between the short story and the novel yet as a story their common purpose to enlighten, entertain and inform unites these forms of literature as what can only be described as a story.
The nineteen twenties was a remarkable period in the field of American art and literature. A renaissance was clearly taking place in the field of the short story also. It is no exaggeration to say that there has never been a time in the history of American literature when the short story writers have shown more interest in their craft. These writers moved away from the traditional plot line and introduced a flexible form which could accommodate any situation. It is not that the short stories during this period are formless, episodic, or casual. On the contrary, they do have a distinct structure, though not one as tightly organized as in the traditional story. In fact, the writers during this period wove their material into a symbolic design. Instead of rounding off an action definitively, they revealed its meaning through a casual glance, gesture or remark. Such a form of the short story works through indirection rather than explicit statements. The innate and ultimate value of these stories lies in their chaste compactness and inclusiveness. Words in these stories are not used as self-contained units. They are not even a means to convey information. In fact, they only create amplitude, where everything is, and nothing is explained. This characteristic of purity in the narrative prose is the hallmark of the American short story of the twenties.
It keeps raining, like someone is pouring down buckets of water from a sullen sky, vehemently and intermittently. Jessie had found herself sheltering beneath a rainbow-colored awning of a doughnut store, trying her best to press herself against the glass front of the store in order to stymie the raindrops casting towards her. When the downpour continues to show its power for more than one hour and Jessie knew that she can't make it home under this condition, she starts to get agitated, like a cat on a hot tin roof, watching edgily into the street. It doesn't take too long for Jessie to start blaming herself for being stuck in that time-consuming and futile situation. But how can she blame herself when that stupid mess is not her fault. She had anticipated that the rain was absolutely coming and did nothing but walking hurriedly from her office toward Main Street to her home. As she turned to the corner
Some people write for entertainment and some people write for fortune, but other people write to tell the world their story and enlighten us to life’s lessons. Literary fiction is created to do more than just merely entertain. It is created to tell a story, to take the reader from one mindset to another and bring about the reader’s understanding of the purpose. Literary fiction explores innate conflicts of the human condition through cosmic writing. Richard Wright chooses to use this kind of writing to reach the world. Wright grew up in a time where he was denied many privileges because of his color and he really made a point to express his feelings to us through his writing. His life, works and short story “A Man Who Was Almost a Man contribute directly to his literary style.
Reading, for the true enthusiasts, is a time to take a break, a vacation from the everyday hum-drum life. It is a time for him or her to escape what he or she knows to experience and view life through another’s eyes. For one who truly enjoys this pastime, it does not matter what the genre is. Whether short fictional tales or non-fiction stories. Whether poetry or essays the reader escapes through reading. This paper will compare the elements of narrative in two fictional and two non-fictional works, exploring such areas as the credibility, entertainment value and superiority within the distinct character of both, the fictional and non-fictional genres of literature. The stories, The Richer, the Poorer by Dorothy West and My Lack of Gumption, by Russell Baker both taken from The Art of Work (LaRocco & Coughlin, 1996, p. 106 and 119) and The Virus, by Craig Brown and Buy a Cellular Phone, Sublet Your Soul by Robert Aquinas McNally both taken from The Literature of Work (Murphy, S., Sperling, J., & Murphy, J, 1991, p 29 & 277) will be used for the various crossover themes that are perceptible in them.
In traditional writing styles, the main element to give the story meaning is the narrative itself. However, with more modern and distinct styles such as the short stories written where the narrative is no longer the primary stylistic device, but the use of metaphors and distinctive different narrators applies meaning to the stories. Though it is easy to judge what is different from tradition as inferior, this change is no different than the rise of cubism in the art world. Even though initially many would comment on the art not being “real,” or in this case, the stories being poorly written, this style has even more of an effect. After
...e "himself remarked in 1957, [that] the short story as a genre demands precision of language: 'In a short story that's next to a poem, almost every word has got to be almost exactly right. In the novel you can be careless but in the short story you can't'"(54). When a writer in so conscious of the power which he possesses, it should surprise us little that he is so successful in creating emotion and mystery with his pen.
'Compare/contrast Faulkner's 'Dry September' with 'A rose for Emily' in terms of writing style and character presentation.';
Some of the characteristics of Modernism are: a desire to break conventions and established traditions, reject history, experiment, remove relativity, remove any literal meaning, and create an identity that is fluid. The rejection of history sought to provide a narrative that could be completely up for interpretation. Any literal meaning no longer existed nor was it easily given; essence became synonymous. Narrative was transformed. Epic stories, like “Hills Like White Elephants”, could occur in the sequence of a day. Stories became pushed by a flow of thoughts. The narrative became skeptical of linear plots, preferring to function in fragments. These fragments often led to open unresolved inconclusive endings. This echoes in the short story’s format. The short story functions in fragmented dialogue. Focusing on subjectivity rather than objectivity. Creating characters with unfixed, mixed views to challenge readers.
Point of view is defined as the viewpoint a story is told from. In other words, it is who tells the story. Is it the main character, God, a third party (limited or all-knowing)? Each of the types of point of view is quite different, and each impacts the way a story is told.
“The Lesson” a short story from Gorilla My Love by Toni Cade Bambara is about a woman, Miss Moore, who wants the best for the children who lives in the inter-city slums of Harlem. Miss Moore took them on a field trip to a toy story that has the luxuries that they do not see often. The children think she is a mean, proper lady, but she is not that at all, she just wants to help them. The author expresses social inequality in this story. “The lesson she wants to impart is the economic inequality that exists in the United States, and for the most part, she succeeds admirably in her goal” (Korb). All of the children experienced the field trip, but Sylvia was affected the most. Miss Moore is more than a character, she is a significant symbol in this short story.
Every story has a main lesson to be gained, and all the themes can be connected. Each story has multiple themes, and many share the same. Some common ones include; “Things are not always as they appear”, “Look for the golden lining”, “Growing up is a challenge for everyone” and many other boring sentences along the lines of that. The short stories we have been reading are no exception. As we look through “Everyday Use”, “Chee’s Daughter”, “Civil Peace”, “Two Kinds”, and “Catch The Moon”, the reader will find themes for each story. They might even have a theme in common between all of them.
Narrative Essay It all started my sophomore year of high school. People always tell you that when someone knocks you down, you should always get back up and keep trying. I had this mindset at the beginning of my sophomore year, but I ended up letting a teacher knock me down to the point where I did not get back up for a couple of years. I never expected my second year of high school to go so awry.