Academic Studies English - Reading Comprehension: The Short Story

The short story is a narrative which has the following characteristics:

1. It is short. The length is usually less than 15, 000 words; it can be read in one sitting.

2. It has unity. Short stories are so tightly organized that they can focus on only one defining moment in the life of one character, one event in time, one setting, or mood.

3. It is concise. No words are wasted; no incident is unimportant. Small details, which may seem trivial, all serve a purpose.