What are the characteristics of good short narrative stories?

One characteristic is a strong sense of atmosphere. For example, in 'The Fall of the House of Usher' by Edgar Allan Poe, the gloomy and decaying setting immediately sets a spooky mood. Another is an unreliable narrator. In 'The Tell - Tale Heart', the narrator's erratic behavior and self - justifications add to the horror. And often, there are unexpected twists, like in 'The Monkey's Paw' where the wishes don't turn out as expected.

One characteristic is their brevity. They can convey a complete story in a relatively short space. For example, they often have a simple plot structure, like a single event or a short series of events. Another is the focus on a main character or a small group of characters. This allows for in - depth exploration of their personalities or situations in a concise way. Also, they usually have a clear theme, such as love, loss, or the human condition.

Nonfiction narrative short stories are based on real events or experiences. They often have a clear structure, like a beginning, middle and end. For example, in a memoir - style short story, it starts with an introduction to the situation or period in the author's life, then moves on to the main events, and finally may end with a reflection or conclusion. They also tend to use vivid descriptions to make the real events more engaging, just like how a good travelogue - type nonfiction short story would describe the places in detail.

Short funny narrative stories are often characterized by their brevity. They get to the point quickly without a lot of extra fluff. They also tend to have a relatable element. The story about the naughty boy swallowing a coin is relatable in the sense that kids do silly things. And humor in these stories can come from absurdity. The snail thinking it can drive fast and people will see a red blur is absurd and that's what makes it funny.

One characteristic is the use of a dark or gloomy setting. For example, it might be set in a desolate forest or an abandoned building. This immediately sets a somber mood.

In 2nd person narrative short stories, there is often a strong sense of identification. The reader is more likely to project themselves into the story. This can be used to great effect in stories that aim to make the reader reflect on certain behaviors or situations. For instance, in a story about a difficult moral choice, the use of 'you' makes the reader consider what they would do in that situation more deeply, as they are put in the shoes of the character facing the choice.

One characteristic is a strong sense of the narrator's voice. In 'The Cask of Amontillado' by Edgar Allan Poe, the narrator's cold and vengeful voice draws the reader in. Another is a focus on personal experiences or emotions. 'A Good Man Is Hard to Find' by Flannery O'Connor shows the grandmother's personal journey and her complex emotions. Also, these stories often have a unique perspective, like in 'The Metamorphosis' by Franz Kafka, where the narrator wakes up as a giant insect, giving a very different view of the world.

It's usually concise and focused, with a limited number of characters and a straightforward plot. It aims to tell a complete story in a short space.

A good personal narrative story often has a clear and engaging plot. It should have a beginning that grabs the reader's attention, like starting with an interesting event or a thought - provoking statement. For example, starting with 'I'll never forget the day I got lost in the big city.' Also, it needs strong characters, which in a personal narrative are usually the author themselves and the people they interact with. These characters should be well - developed, showing their emotions, motives, and personalities. And it should have a theme that the reader can relate to, such as growth, friendship, or facing challenges.

Exposition and narrative were two different literary styles with the following characteristics: 1. Different ways of expression: the main purpose of an explanatory essay is to introduce knowledge, things, principles, etc. It mainly explains the contents of the introduction through text narration, explanation, analysis, etc., while the main purpose of a narrative essay is to describe people, events, scenery, etc. The main purpose is to express the content described through narration, description, lyricism, etc. 2. Different content structure: the narrative is generally organized in the order of time, space, and object, and the content is coherent and clear; while the narrative is often organized in the order of time, space, and emotion. The story is complicated and the plot is complicated. 3. Different writing techniques: Expressionists mainly use lists, comparisons, examples, abstractions, generalizations, and other techniques to explain to achieve clear, accurate, and comprehensive effects, while narrations mainly use descriptions, lyricism, imagination, and other techniques to express to achieve vivid, profound, and touching effects. 4. Different language styles: the language of an explanatory essay is generally concise, easy to understand, organized, vivid, and so on; while the narrative is generally vivid, delicate, subtle, and euphemistic.