The Short Story in Brief

Forerunners of the Short Story

Parables
Fables
Folk Tales
Ballads
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The Short Story in Brief

Development of the Modern

Short Story
Carefully
contrived literary
form
Dates from the
19th century
Closely related to
the rise of these
and other popular
periodicals
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The Short Story in Brief

Washington Irving (1783-1849)

1st important
American short
story writer
Laid the
foundation for the
development of the
short story

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The Short Story in Brief

Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864)

Influential in the
development of
the short story
One of Americas
most important
writers
Wrote more than
100 short stories
and sketches

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The Short Story in Brief

Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849)

Gave 1st definition of short
story
Clearly laid the basic
principle of all art the
principle of artistic unity

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The Short Story in Brief

Poe and Artistic Unity

Poes essential
characteristics
of the short
story:
brevity
unity
intensity

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Poes definition of artistic unity:

That condition of a successful literary
work whereby all its elements work
together for the achievement of its
central purpose.
In an artistically unified work nothing is
included that is irrelevant to the
central purpose, nothing is omitted that
is essential to it, and the parts are
arranged in the most effective order for
the achievement of that purpose.

The Short Story in Brief

Equation of Literary Eleme

Plot +
Setting +
Characterization +
Title +
Point of view +
Symbol =
____________
THEME

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The Short Story in Brief

Common Themes of Modern

Short Stories (19th -20th Century)

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Anxiety
Doubt
Frustration
Restlessness
Modern war
Space exploration
Computer technology
Social Criticism

The Short Story in Brief

Psychological
Maladjustment
Breakdown of human
relationships
Philosophical
searching
Unhappy people - lost
guideposts of
conduct and morality

Main Theme of Modern American

Short Stories
The impact of
harried American
society on inner
lives of its people

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The Short Story in Brief

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 ONE FLEW OVER THE CUKOOS NEST

Ken Kessey (60s)

Fight Club

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The Short Story in Brief

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Main theme of postmodern short

stories (1960-1980s)
Deconstruction
Overturning of accepted definitions of
and values about existing systems of
education, religion, legislation,
economy, or any other aspect of life and
society.

Two stories with postmodern

themes
Graham Greenes The Destructors
Eudora Weltys Everyday Use
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The Short Story in Brief

Deconstruction
by R. Skoracki

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