Short Stories

[shortstoryfan]

Thanks, Virgil. You seem nice.

I really think this site is maybe more exclusively geared to earlier literature than I first thought, and I am really more interested in contemporary stuff. I understand the importance of all those Russian guys, and the French dudes, and all that stuff, but I really think that later work is just as important, if not more important.

I finished "A Jury of Her Peers" today, and it was amazing. It had great social commentaries on the roles of women at an earlier time in history, and was very psychologically driven for its time (1917). It is filled with subtle nuances between the two female characters. There is also some great symbolism used. I just want to know what people FEEL about different stories. I'm totally willing to read other stories and discuss those if people would like. I just don't want to waste my time here if everyone is just reading literature that I'm really not reading right now.

[PabloQ]

My point was that contemporary short stories are less likely to be published on the site because they would still be under copyright. They certainly can be discussed.

[Virgil]

My point was that contemporary short stories are less likely to be published on the site because they would still be under copyright. They certainly can be discussed.

Oh yes, they would not be part of the library here. That is true.

[Virgil]

Thanks, Virgil. You seem nice.

I really think this site is maybe more exclusively geared to earlier literature than I first thought, and I am really more interested in contemporary stuff. I understand the importance of all those Russian guys, and the French dudes, and all that stuff, but I really think that later work is just as important, if not more important.

I finished "A Jury of Her Peers" today, and it was amazing. It had great social commentaries on the roles of women at an earlier time in history, and was very psychologically driven for its time (1917). It is filled with subtle nuances between the two female characters. There is also some great symbolism used. I just want to know what people FEEL about different stories. I'm totally willing to read other stories and discuss those if people would like. I just don't want to waste my time here if everyone is just reading literature that I'm really not reading right now.

First thank you on your compliment. I try to be nice, though some may question it.

Now I had never heard of that story, but I did find it electronically, here: http://www.learner.org/interactives/.../fulltext.html.

If you give me a few days I will read it and we can discuss it. The way you describe the story has caught my interest. How about you give me by Monday night and I will be ready to discuss it? Will you come back for the discussion?

[shortstoryfan]

Sure, that would be great. I really don't know why the short story isn't here...it's very famous. I had heard about it sometime in high school, or maybe even before, and I'm not very well read at all. And I went to a horrible school...so, I don't know. Anyway, it's great, I hope you enjoy it, and thank you very much.

[mayneverhave]

The one contemporary anthology I own is "The Vintage Book of Contemporary American Short Stories" edited by Tobias Wolff, which, aside from a handful of stories, is relatively blah.

There appears to be a tendency to veer to the sensational, or at least to go out of your way to be controversial. There are at least 5 stories that involve either bank robberies, stalkers, or drug abuse. Very little attention seems to be paid to the actual writing.

[Emil Miller]

Welcome shortstoryfan,

Don't worry about the high-flown rhetoric by students and academics, there are plenty of communications from people such as myself who also went to a horrible school and had to educate himself. Stay with us and you will soon see that scholastic students of literature can be pretty short on grammar when it comes to presenting their views. Even allowing for a natural tendency to make typing errors and the difference between English and its American variant, there is some pretty dire spelling on the forum.
Please don't think yourself an idiot with nothing to say, the very fact that you have taken an interest in this forum shows it isn't true.
You work in a restaurant, so what? The kind of work you do has nothing to do with improving your mind and you can learn quite a lot from joining in discussions on this web site; apart from which, there is also a General Chat Forum which discusses all sorts things other than literature and is a lot of fun in its own right.

[Virgil]

Hey ShortStory. I've read half the story and I'm enjoying it very much. Perhaps I can finish tomorrow and get back here. I haven't forgotten, just been busy.

[JBI]

Some of you may be interested in this: http://www.amazon.com/Art-Short-Stor...9474752&sr=8-1

It has a good selection of short stories, by many of the major players, and has essays to give different perspectives on the writing and nature of short stories.

[Joreads]

I only just saw this I will read the story also and I am happy to discuss it. Stick around SSF I am sure you will enjoy it

[shortstoryfan]

Great, Virgil. I'm really excited to hear everyone's thoughts on the story.

Thanks for the suggestion for reading, JBI. Since I know so little about literature, I'm not sure how much I'll be able to gleam from the essays, but the book seems to have many of those authors I've already tried so hard to avoid, so maybe it will be a good thing to purchase, so you know, I can be enlightened.

And to Joreads, I'm glad that you found this thread. I'm excited that more people are finding the subject interesting, and hope many others will do the same and discuss this story, and hopefully others (provided we all don't disagree so much that we stop talking to each other).

I must admit that this entire thread is rather egocentric and self-servicing, so I appreciate everyone trying to appease the desires of such a brat.

[Joreads]

Great, Virgil. I'm really excited to hear everyone's thoughts on the story.

Thanks for the suggestion for reading, JBI. Since I know so little about literature, I'm not sure how much I'll be able to gleam from the essays, but the book seems to have many of those authors I've already tried so hard to avoid, so maybe it will be a good thing to purchase, so you know, I can be enlightened.

And to Joreads, I'm glad that you found this thread. I'm excited that more people are finding the subject interesting, and hope many others will do the same and discuss this story, and hopefully others (provided we all don't disagree so much that we stop talking to each other).

I must admit that this entire thread is rather egocentric and self-servicing, so I appreciate everyone trying to appease the desires of such a brat.

I started to read it today at lunch so I will try and finish it tonight.



Jo is fine by the way.

[Joreads]

I have to say I loved this story. I have never thought of myself as a short story person I am not sure why. Spoilers below if you want to read on.





The first thing that struck me about this story is that Mrs Hale and Mrs Peters taken along by the men to collect things for Minnie Foster. The men never considered for one second that the strange things that the women noticed might actually have a bearing on the case. While the men were busy going over the crime scene the women took the time to look through Minnies eyes at the life that she must have lead. They noticed the queer stitching and even the broken bird cage and the dead bird, which as it happens is the evidence that is needed to prove Minnie’s guilt.
It is there understanding of the type of colorless life that Minnie must have, and the simple joy that having a singing bird would have brought here. The run down kitchen and the difficult husband all ultimately lead both women to hide what they know from the police and helping Minnies case.

I guess the question is do you think that if the women would have explained what they suspected the men would have listened or would they have dismissed it? Also at the time the story was written women were not allowed to sit on jury’s would the dead singing bird have made an impact with an all male jury any way? What do you guys think. (I have to say I am not sure I would convict on a dead bird!)

I love the idea of this how about we do a short story once a month?


Jo

[Virgil]

I have to say I loved this story. I have never thought of myself as a short story person I am not sure why. Spoilers below if you want to read on.

I finished it last night and I really enjoyed it too.

The first thing that struck me about this story is that Mrs Hale and Mrs Peters taken along by the men to collect things for Minnie Foster. The men never considered for one second that the strange things that the women noticed might actually have a bearing on the case. While the men were busy going over the crime scene the women took the time to look through Minnies eyes at the life that she must have lead. They noticed the queer stitching and even the broken bird cage and the dead bird, which as it happens is the evidence that is needed to prove Minnie’s guilt.

Yes it's definitely a story of a men's versus woman's perspective. Are we absolutely sure that Minnie actually committed the murder? I would say i'm 80% sure, but I do have a doubt. But I think the story would fall flat if Minnie had not committed the murder, so i would have to say she did.

It is there understanding of the type of colorless life that Minnie must have, and the simple joy that having a singing bird would have brought here. The run down kitchen and the difficult husband all ultimately lead both women to hide what they know from the police and helping Minnies case.

Yes Minnie must have had a hard and "colorless" life as you say. It is the life of people on the outskirts of civilization. These are farmers on the frontier. Farming was a hard life and it must have been hard on a woman who was without children. That bird was the color of her life.

I guess the question is do you think that if the women would have explained what they suspected the men would have listened or would they have dismissed it? Also at the time the story was written women were not allowed to sit on jury’s would the dead singing bird have made an impact with an all male jury any way? What do you guys think. (I have to say I am not sure I would convict on a dead bird!)

I think if the women explained about the bird, the men would have understood. The women hide the dead bird because it would convict Minnie. By the end of the story the women are in complete sympathy with Minnie and understand her predicament. They hide the motive for the murder.

I love the idea of this how about we do a short story once a month?

I have advocated this in the past. But I'm already involved in too many threads and not sure if I could participate every month. But I wold love to do it on a ongoing basis. Actually Jo I participate in the DH Lawrence short story thread where we do a Lawrence story every month or two.

[Joreads]

I have advocated this in the past. But I'm already involved in too many threads and not sure if I could participate every month. But I wold love to do it on a ongoing basis. Actually Jo I participate in the DH Lawrence short story thread where we do a Lawrence story every month or two.

You are right of course Virgil. I am not at uni for a few months and I tend to forget how busy I get when I am there as well as working. I will check out the Lawrenece thread maybe I can get involved in that?