Chapter 1: Types of Short Fiction

Question 1

Fable

Answer 1

A brief, often humorous narrative told to illustrate a moral. The characters in fables are traditionally animals whose personality traits symbolize human traits.

Question 2

Parable

Answer 2

A brief, usually allegorical narrative that teaches a moral. In parables, unlike fables (where the moral is explicitly stated within the narrative), the moral themes are implicit and can often be interpreted in several ways.

Question 3

Tale

Answer 3

A short narrative without a complex plot. Tales are an ancient form of narrative found in folklore, and traditional tales often contain supernatural elements. A tale differs from a short story by its tendency toward lesser-developed characters and linear plotting.

Question 4

Tall Tale

Answer 4

A humorous short narrative that provides a wildly exaggerated version of events. Originally an oral form, the tall tale usually assumes that its audience knows the narrator is distorting the events. The form is often associated with the American frontier.

Question 5

Fairy Tale / Folktale

Answer 5

A traditional form of short narrative folklore, originally transmitted orally, which features supernatural characters such as witches, giants, fairies, or animals with human personality traits. Fairy tales often feature a hero or heroine who strives to achieve some desirable fate-such as marrying royalty or finding great wealth.

Question 6

Short Story

Answer 6

A prose narrative too brief to be published in a separate volume-as novellas and novels frequently are. The short story is usually a focused narrative that presents one or two characters involved in a single compelling action.

Question 7

Initiation Story

Answer 7

(also called coming-of-age story) A narrative in which the main character, usually a child or adolescent, undergoes an important experience (or “rite of passage”) that prepares him or her for adulthood.