Distinctiveness of the literary art form of short story and the objectives of the Students as readers of short stories – Part - IV

Portrait of Anton Chekov - One of the fathers of short story

Sometimes this surprise is achieved by inverting the order of events, as is frequently done in detective stories. Te mystery or the murder is not allowed to be resolved till the very last, while every possibility is examined from all angles. As a rule, even in narratives where there is no murder or mystery, and the surprise is not so obvious, the direction, the aim or the essential significance of the whole situation is kept in reserve to enliven the general atmosphere and the final impact of the story. There should preferably be a twist at the end so that it can incorporate both surprise and an imaginative appeal. Such touches of surprises are in fact essential as they go a long way to drive home the message that the short story tries to impart. A short story has its sting in its tail, as the saying goes, in the sense, that the sense of wonder or shock is meted out to the reader towards its completion, not at any point of time before.
The challenges of a short story writer
The writer should straightaway take us to the heart of a situation without going into lengthy paraphernalia about things having no bearing on the central theme. He should also take are that the ending aptly presents itself in a perfect synthesis of time and something of depth or to look into perceptions or emotions which are normally beyond our comprehensions. In a word, our imagination should be stirred instead of being forced to boredom or tiredness.
The plot, not a must any more
For quite some time now, the short story is often written without any discernible plot as well, as is also the case with the novel to some extent. But while a novel should necessarily has to have at least a thinned-out plot, the short story writer, with his constraints of space and time, can do away with it to his advantage if he so desires. A modern short story may just portray a character or characters, an ambiance, a feeling or a piece of psychological analysis. Such treatments have been in vogue in recent times. Personal moods, intentions or some strange motives, not necessarily universal or familiar all the time, have been highlighted in these stories to make us realize the complex working of the human mind. Today the short story has infinite variety in contents as well as in treatments and rendering of the same. Hundreds of such excellent short stories are being enjoyed by the sensitive readers at the moment all over the world.
The objectives of the readers of short stories
Although reading a good short story is a pleasure in its own right, the reader should consciously try to absorb the very many aspects of this beautiful and complex art form as best as he can. First of all, getting even with the characters and the situations, and delving into the motives of the characters, help the readers to understand why and how the fictional characters behave in a picky fashion under the given circumstances in the story. And as he reaches the climax (the turning point) of the storyline, he must make sure that he has got the message (moral or simply a revelation) right. Has the reader really perceived the significance of what the writer wants to convey to him through the surprise element he presents at the end of the story? Repeated and animated reading of a short story, principally those of classical moulds, is a must to discover their real worth and more often than not, their hidden charms and mysteries.
Secondly, the student reader should be able to critically examine the story to discover its theme once he has read the same.
Closely following and comprehending the development of the storyline, the delineation of the plot and getting closely familiar with the setting and background will enable you to appreciate the story like a connoisseur does.