Dear Michael Damian and Lynne
Thomas: The Short Story
By Jose Muratalla
When it comes to reading science
fiction and fantasy, short stories are my favorite kind. I prefer them over the
longer novels simply because of the fact that they are indeed short. I find
that with constraint in the length, it forces the writer to stick to a concise
plot rather than diverging into smaller arcs that, while contributing to the
story’s development, simply drag out the plot. Short stories also really do a
good job at trying to convey a message and packing a punch in the ways that a
novel simply cannot. What’s even better is that the time commitment can be very
short as well, yet still deliver payoffs that sometimes even full novels can’t
achieve. Most short stories will intensely focus on one issue and a good short
story will go very much into detail and depth regarding their issue, instead of
trying to balance multiple issues that don’t have as deep an impact on the reader.
A well written short story tends to leave a lasting impact on the reader that
will allow the story to take life beyond the page. They tend to be a place
where the style and elements of writing are very crucial and makes the stories
that much more beautiful and enjoyable. There is room in short stories for
experimentation of different elements that may be deemed way too risky to
include a full length novel. They, in a sense, allow the author to have
complete creative control of their story while also being constrained by the
length of them. One of the big reasons that I genuinely will continue reading
them after the class is the fact that they are most definitely short. It’s easy
to find a 30 minute time slot for just sitting down with a warm cup of coffee
and my stuffed shark while rereading Professor
Gottesman and the Indian Rhinoceros (my absolute favorite short story of
all the short stories we’ve read). Short stories allow for a chance to truly
escape the given world and let yourself be consumed by this new universe, all
in the span of about 30-45 minutes. I love everything about short stories and
the way that they can truly touch your life.
Jose,
ReplyDeleteI felt a little let down to see how short your post was, largely because I wanted to hear more about what you love in the stories you love. For example, "Professor Gottesman and the Indian Rhinoceros" was a favorite read from this semester -- but why? What did it offer to you that stood apart from the rest?
Best,
TT