Short Story: its Principles and Structure by Evelyn May Albright

 

 

Short Story: its Principles and Structure 

 

by Evelyn May Albright

 

 (1907)

 

 

The aim of this book is not to trace the origin or the development of the short-story, but to set forth some standards of appreciation of what is good in storywriting, illustrating by the practice of the masters as contrasted with amateurish failures : this with the view of rousing the student to a more lively interest in his eading, and of awakening such a wholesome spirit of self-criticism as shall enable him to improve his own workmanship, should he feel called to write. It is expected that one who undertakes to study or to write short-stories will become acquainted at first hand with the masterpieces of this art. With this in view, a reading-list has been appended, roughly classified in parallel arrangement with the topics studied in the text. The list includes, besides a number of stories generally recognized as great, a fairly representative selection from recent magazines. It is the author's belief that not only the masterpiece but the story which is moderately good can be made a profitable study in construction for the beginner. But it has been the aim to lay due stress, within the text, on those elements of greatness which distinguish the masterpiece from the average short-story. 

I. Introductory  

II. Gathering Material 

III. The Motive as the Source op Plot 

IV. Plot 

V. Mechanism 

VI. Unity of Impression 

VII. The Title 

VIII. Characterization 

IX. Dialogue 

X. The Setting 

XI. The Realistic Movement 

XII. The Element of Fantasy 

XIII. The Emotional Element 

XIV. The Spirit of the Author

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