Short Stories

The short story is a prose narrative of varying length, but generally not more than a few thousand words, and—as explained by Edgar Allan Poe in his "Philosophy of Composition"—able to be read in one sitting. There is not, in fact, any agreed upon principle of length regarding a short story. Critics and scholars have also described the short story form as one that deals with a single event or episode, intended to arouse only one emotional response. It is often compared to the novella or novel, which involves a broader array and complexity of characters, themes, and plot. Critics tend also to distinguish the short story from other short narratives derived from oral traditions, such as fairy tales, fables,...