Things I like about good short stories (including Gryphon):
- the specific details of the story, such as:
a) setting (place and time/historical setting/social setting/cultural setting)
b) the development of the main characters in terms of developing a more rounded understanding of the world and people around them and well as themselves
c) the development of tension/conflict through plot
d) perspective and tone (3rd person/cynical, 1st person/whimsical, past tense 1st person/stoic, etc.)
- the creativity of the of the story, i.e. it better be original
- the range of grasp (emotions, culture, subject, theme, etc.)
- structure/hierarchy of detail
Given, this is merely an overview, and my overview at that, so it's definitely subjective. Whatever good is found is always good as long as it isn't used up.
Also, I don't think stories should be read in regards to why we like them as readers. Part of the fun of short stories for me is reading them as a writer.
What I especially like about Gryphon are all the subtle details. The school setting, the otherness of the substitute teacher, children as characters and the focus on their relationships with adults, the tension in discomfort, the non-judgmental, descriptive tone of the narrator, the mythology and lore, all these things make Gryphon fun to read.
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1 comment:
I really like all of your insights, comments, and feedback on peoples stories but how can I read it as a writer if I am not a professional just a beginning / amateur writer? That is why I find it hard in class to give feedback because what one person thinks is well written about a story; someone seems to think the opposite – so how can you get past that?
Like in Gryphon I was completely distracted by not knowing what the point of the story was. I think I read it superficially and didn’t get into any of the other aspects. If you have a chance would you mind giving me some tips on how to do this?
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