Shorter than a novella, longer than a haiku. Within this space lies the average length of the short story. It is a form with a narrative that slowly intrigues, and instantly resolves.
With the power to allure, shock and harness readers’ minds and senses in such a brief timeframe, short stories are an ideal reading experience in their potential to be consumed and examined at a faster and more regular pace. With this being said, they are also a great way to get out of a reading slump.
It is important to note however, that a good short story can be more worthwhile and multi-layered than a novel written at excessive length. That is not to say that one is of higher quality than the other, but length does not positively correlate with the impact made upon a reader. Short stories can carry wildly executed narratives disguised in neat little packages, and here are some of my favourites.
The Lottery by Shirley Jackson
If you are looking for a short horror with a twist this spooky season, I would highly recommend this read. The wonderful thing about this text is that it is imbued with a fictional sinisterness that hints to the socio-political and historical realities which inform it.
The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe
I am a huge fan of magical realism, and this story fuses together Poe’s iconic gothic tone with the thrilling yet bizarre trope of objects turned fantastical. It delves intrinsically into the sensations of its characters, as well as the focal point; Usher House. When you cannot even trust your own home, who is there to trust?
The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran
This is a classic piece of Arabic Literature, featuring a protagonist whose wisdom and love pervade the narrative, as well as the style and form of writing itself. Written with vulnerability, this story is an important insight into the capacity of human connection amongst a tight-knit and curious community.
“the prophet” by navarrd is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0