Short Stories and Poetry

Short Stories and Poetry

There are many different forms of writing that all fall under the name literature. These different ways to create literature are often categorized into specific genres. Some of the genres have more in common with each other than others. Two genres, the short story and the poem, share many similar aspects. Both the short story and the poem can successfully send powerful messages or tell complex stories in a very short amount of words. Both genres contain carefully manipulated language that quickly yet effectively establishes the meaning of the short story or poem. Point of view is a prominent aspect in controlling short stories and poetry. The works are thus often told in the first person. By making the narrator a character, authors are able to quickly engage the reader and intensify the emotionality of the story or poem. They do not always, however, use this tactic to accomplish the same objective. Still, authors of short stories and poems usually achieve similar goals when using similar devices. Writers of the two genres also frequently take advantage of the use of symbolism and metaphor. These literary devices allow the authors to create works that deliver more than one meaning or message while only stating one thing. The short story author or poet also successfully creates a complete story or poem in minimal words with the use of irony. Ironic scenarios or statements add shock to the writing and can significantly strengthen the emotional power of the story. Both the writers of the short story and the poem often use similar literary devices to achieve their goals.

The use of the first person narrator is frequently seen in both short stories and poetry. It is especially he...

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...course, don’t use all of the aforementioned devices. Still, these literary tactics are consistently seen throughout short stories and poems. Some authors use all of the devices in one work while others don’t use any at all. Similar methods can also be used to accomplish different objectives. It is, however, important to distinguish both the short story and the poem from all other literary genres. These two genres are very similar in their ability to contain a complex, emotional, intelligent, deep, and sometimes shocking work of literature within the boundaries of length. The authors of both the short story and the poem use similar devices to manipulate the language into presenting a comprehensive work of art.

Bibliography:

Barnet, Sylvan, et al., ed. Literature: Thinking, Reading & Writing Critically –

Second Edition. New York: Longman, 1997.