About This Volume Michael Cocchiarale and Scott D. Emmert
)/$6+²OLNHDOLJKWQLQJEROWDYHU\VKRUWVWRU\FDQÀDUHLQWHQVHO\ and linger in the mind’s eye, stunning the senses and imprinting itself upon the memory. Although very short stories have a long KLVWRU\DQGKDYHDSSHDUHGXQGHUDQXPEHURIODEHOVÀDVK¿FWLRQLV now the preferred term, one that describes an established genre that FRQWLQXHVWRJURZLQSRSXODULW\7RGDWHKRZHYHUUHODWLYHO\OLWWOH VFKRODUVKLSKDVEHHQSXEOLVKHGRQLW7KHSUHVHQWYROXPHVHHNVWR DGGUHVVWKDWGH¿FLHQF\ZKLOHLQWURGXFLQJVWXGHQWVDQGWHDFKHUVWR the JHQUHDQGWRDQXPEHURILWV¿QHVWSUDFWLWLRQHUV $IWHU RXU LQWURGXFWRU\ HVVD\ ³2Q )ODVK )LFWLRQ´ ZKLFK VHWV out some of the JHQUH¶VKLVWRU\DQGGHYHORSPHQWWKHYROXPHR൵HUV four Critical Contexts chapters to deepen this background. Pamelyn Casto provides an extensive recounting of the major anthologies of ÀDVK¿FWLRQIURPWKH VWRWKHSUHVHQW$ORQJWKHZD\VKHDOVR LQWURGXFHVUHDGHUVWRDQXPEHURIUHFHQWPXVLFLDQVDQG¿OPPDNHUV ZKRKDYHDGDSWHGÀDVK¿FWLRQSLHFHVIRUDQHYHUH[SDQGLQJDXGLHQFH 7KHVFKRODUO\UHVSRQVHWRÀDVKLVWKHQWDNHQXSLQ5DQGDOO%URZQ¶V essay, which delineates how writers and theorists have grappled ZLWKWKHZRUNLQJVRIYHU\VKRUWVWRULHVWRGH¿QHÀDVKDVGLVWLQFWLYH IURPORQJHU¿FWLRQZKRVHQDUUDWLYHFRQYHQWLRQVGRQRWDOZD\VDSSO\ WRÀDVKVWRULHV.ULVWHQ)LJJLQVWKHQH[DPLQHVFRQWHPSRUDU\ÀDVK ¿FWLRQWKURXJKWKHFULWLFDOOHQVRIWKHIDEOHZKLFKR൵HUVQDUUDWLYH FRQYHQWLRQVVLPLODUWRWKRVHIRXQGLQÀDVK¿FWLRQ)LJJLQVDUJXHV FRQYLQFLQJO\ WKDW ZULWHUV RI ÀDVK KDYH ERUURZHG IURP IDEOHV D QXPEHURIVWRU\WHOOLQJWHFKQLTXHVWR³TXLFNO\DQGH൶FLHQWO\D൵HFW WKHUHDGHU´0HJDQ*LGGLQJVFRQWLQXHVWKHGLVFXVVLRQRIQDUUDWLYH WHFKQLTXHLQÀDVKE\FRPSDULQJDÀDVKSLHFHE\Donald Barthelme, DFDQRQLFDOÀDVKZULWHUDQGAmelia Gray, a talented contemporary DXWKRU *LGGLQJV GLVFXVVHV KRZ ¿UVW SHUVRQ point of view and tense help each writer to compress narrative time while amplifying suggested meanings.
vii Following the context chapters, the volume turns to ten essays WKDWWDNHXSLQGLYLGXDOÀDVK¿FWLRQDXWKRUV7KHVH&ULWLFDO5HDGLQJV FKDSWHUV UHYHDO QRW RQO\ ÀDVK ¿FWLRQ¶V H[WUDRUGLQDU\ UDQJH examining a remarkable array of authors with diverse themes and styles, but also its long history as an international phenomenon. In WKH¿UVWRIWKHVHHVVD\V5REHUW&(YDQVGLVFXVVHVKate Chopin, ZKRVHYHU\VKRUWVWRULHVVXFKDV³7KH6WRU\RIDQ+RXU´DQG³5LSH )LJV´ DUH RIWHQ DVVLJQHG LQ KLJK VFKRRO DQG FROOHJH OLWHUDWXUH courses. However, the careful structure of Chopin’s very short stories may be less well studied. Evans grounds his insights on &KRSLQ¶VIRUPDOPDVWHU\LQÀDVK¿FWLRQWKHRU\DQGXSRQGHIWFORVH readings of selected stories to demonstrate fully their “impressive moral and artistic FRPSOH[LW\´ 7KHQH[WWKUHHFKDSWHUVIRFXVRQVLJQL¿FDQWLQWHUQDWLRQDOZULWHUV RIÀDVK¿FWLRQ,Q³$JDLQVW6KRUW$WWHQWLRQ6SDQV µ)UDJPHQWDU\¶ )LFWLRQIRUµ)UDJPHQWDU\¶/LYHV´6DQWLQR3ULQ]LGLVFXVVHVWKHÀDVK ¿FWLRQ RI WZR :HVWHUQ (XURSHDQ ZULWHUV²)UDQ] .DIND DQG KLV early twentieth-century contemporary 5REHUW:DOVHU²WRFKDOOHQJH the dismissive criticism that very short stories appeal to very short DWWHQWLRQVSDQV2QWKHFRQWUDU\3ULQ]LDUJXHVIURPWKHH[DPSOHVRI .DINDDQG:DOVHUWKDWÀDVKVWRULHVHQJDJHUHDGHUVLQDSDUWLFXODUZD\ one that “complements, rather than diminishes, our contemporary OLIHVW\OHV´ 1H[W (ULF 6WHUOLQJ VWXGLHV YHU\ VKRUW VWRULHV E\Isaac Babel, who employed a minimalist style to represent the oppression RI-HZVLQ5XVVLDERWKEHIRUHDQGDIWHUWKHFRPPXQLVWUHYROXWLRQ RI ,QWHQVH DQG RSHQHQGHG %DEHO¶V ÀDVK ¿FWLRQ UDLVHG D voice against anti-Semitism in Russia, but as Sterling’s moving essay shows, these subtly brief stories were still too loud for the Russian authorities, who murdered Babel to silence him. In the next HVVD\/DXUD+DWU\FRQWLQXHVWKHIRFXVRQLQWHUQDWLRQDOÀDVK¿FWLRQ VKLQLQJFRQVLGHUDEOHOLJKWRQÀDVKE\WKH$UJHQWLQLDQZULWHUV-XOLR &RUWi]DUDQG/XLVD9DOHQ]XHOD+DWU\GHWDLOVKRZWKHVHLQQRYDWLYH ZULWHUVKDYHFUHDWHGPHPRUDEOHÀDVKVWRULHVE\GHSOR\LQJDEVXUGLVW humor and witty wordplay and, in the process, pushed the entire genre in new, delightful directions.
viii Critical Insights 7KH¿QDOVL[FKDSWHUVGHOLJKWLQWKHDUWLVWU\RIVRPHRIÀDVK ¿FWLRQ¶VPRVWDXGDFLRXVFRQWHPSRUDU\SUDFWLWLRQHUV3HUKDSVPRVW prominent among these is Lydia Davis, the subject of a searching HVVD\E\-XOLH7DQQHU7DQQHUWUDFHV'DYLV¶VGHYHORSPHQWDVDÀDVK ¿FWLRQ ZULWHU ZKR ¿QGV WKHPDWLF DQG HPRWLRQDO OLEHUDWLRQ LQ WKLV shortest form, one that rewards her considerable linguistic skill. ,Q WKH HVVD\ WKDW IROORZV /DXUD 7DQVOH\ SURYLGHV HTXDOO\ DVWXWH REVHUYDWLRQVDERXWWKHZRUNRIÀDVKZULWHU$P\+HPSHO7DQVOH\ GHPRQVWUDWHVKRZWKHEUHYLW\RI+HPSHO¶VÀDVKVWRULHVGHHSHQVRXU understanding of human motivations and character by focusing on the inner lives of female characters and the suggestive possibilities RIZKDWWKH\GRQRWRUFDQQRWWKLQN7KHLOOXPLQDWLRQRIFKDUDFWHU LVDOVRWKHIRFXVRI0DWWKHZ'X൵XV¶VHVVD\RQWKHPDVWHUIXOÀDVK writer 'LDQH:LOOLDPV'X൵XVH[SODLQVKRZ:LOOLDPV¶VÀDVKVWRULHV “elicit emotional responses from readers at the same time that they refuse to provide easy solutions to the problems [her characters] HQFRXQWHU´ In the next essay, Randall Brown revels in the artistry of LQÀXHQWLDOÀDVK¿FWLRQZULWHU.DWK\)LVK:LWKFRQVLGHUDEOHLQVLJKW Brown demonstrates how Fish employs and refashions traditional QDUUDWLYHVWUDWHJLHVWRFUHDWHFRQGHQVHGVWRULHVZLWKLQWHQVHFRQÀLFWV high stakes, and deep meanings. In the essay that follows this, 'DYLG6ZDQQH[SOLFDWHVWKHFRPSOH[ÀDVK¿FWLRQRIMary Robison, D ZULWHU ZKR GD]]OHV ZLWK ³SURVH >WKDW@ KDV EHHQ GLVWLOOHG WR LWV HVVHQFH´6ZDQQH[SODLQVKRZ5RELVRQFUHDWHVGUDPDE\UHVLVWLQJ hero-worshipping plots to better value characters that are “damaged DQGYXOQHUDEOH´,QWKH¿QDOHVVD\RIWKHYROXPH-DUUHOO':ULJKW H[SORUHVWKHOLPLWVRIÀDVK¿FWLRQE\LPDJLQLQJDSRLQWDWZKLFKD VWRU\PD\EHWRRFRQGHQVHGWREHFRQVLGHUHGOLWHUDWXUH:ULJKWWKHQ demonstrates how /RX%HDFKLQKLV³QDQR¿FWLRQV´FDQÀLUWZLWKWKLV limit and still convey psychological complexity. 7KLV YROXPH WKHQ SURYLGHV DQ LQIRUPHG LQWURGXFWLRQ WR DQ exciting and vibrant literary genre, and it covers a number of the PRVW LPSRUWDQW ÀDVK ¿FWLRQ ZULWHUV 7HDFKHUV DQG VWXGHQWV ZLOO DOVREHQH¿WIURPDQH[WHQVLYHOLVWRIÀDVKZULWHUVFROOHFWLRQVDQG anthologies, literary journals, and writing guides that concludes the
About This Volume ix YROXPH$VWHDFKHUVDQGUHDGHUVRIÀDVK¿FWLRQZHKRSHWKHSUHVHQW volume is both illuminating and memorable, encouraging greater readership and inspiring further study. :HWKDQN5DQGDOO%URZQDQG$VKOH\&KDQWOHUIRUWKHLUKHOS ZLWKWKHELEOLRJUDSK\DQG7DUD0DVLKIRUKHUDGYLFHDQGLGHDVDWWKH early stage of this project.
x Critical Insights Kate Chopin’s Flash Fiction and Flash Fiction Theory Robert C. Evans
Kate Chopin is arguably one of the most important American writers RIÀDVK¿FWLRQ RIWHQGH¿QHGDVWH[WVRIURXJKO\DWKRXVDQGZRUGV or less). It is hard to think of another important American author (until, perhaps, very recently) who wrote more very short-short stories than she did. At least two examples of stories by Chopin WKDWFRXOGQRZEHFDOOHGÀDVK¿FWLRQ²³7KH6WRU\RIDQ+RXU´DQG ³5LSH)LJV´²DUHIUHTXHQWO\DQWKRORJL]HGDQGURXWLQHO\WDXJKW+HU HDUOLHVW VXUYLYLQJ SLHFH RI ¿FWLRQ ³(PDQFLSDWLRQ$ /LIH )DEOH´ ZDVDOVRRQHRIKHUVKRUWHVWDQGVKHFRQWLQXHGWRZULWHÀDVK¿FWLRQ throughout her career. My purposes here are several. First, I will examine how &KRSLQ¶V ÀDVK ¿FWLRQ KHOSV LOOXPLQDWH²DQG FDQ EH LOOXPLQDWHG E\²FHUWDLQLGHDVDERXWÀDVK¿FWLRQSURSRVHGE\YDULRXVDXWKRUV and literary theorists. My essay is as much an introduction to (and VXUYH\RI ÀDVK¿FWLRQWKHRU\DVLWLVDGLVFXVVLRQRI&KRSLQ¶VRZQ brief tales. Secondly, the essay examines several Chopin stories PRUHVSHFL¿FDOO\IRFXVLQJSDUWLFXODUO\RQWKHWUDLWVWKDWPDNHVRPH H൵HFWLYHDQGVRPHOHVVH൵HFWLYH)LQDOO\WKHHVVD\H[SORUHVYDULRXV WKHPHVDQGPHWKRGVWKDWUXQWKURXJKRXW&KRSLQ¶VFDUHHUDVDÀDVK ¿FWLRQZULWHU$VWKLVH[SORUDWLRQZLOOUHYHDO&KRSLQ¶VYHU\VKRUW stories are among her most artistically and morally complex works RI¿FWLRQ $ FRQVHUYDWLYH OLVWLQJ RI &KRSLQ¶V ÀDVK ¿FWLRQ ZLWK ZRUG FRXQWVLQSDUHQWKHVHV ZRXOGLQFOXGH³$5HÀHFWLRQ´ ³5LSH )LJV´ ³7KH1LJKW&DPH6ORZO\´ ³2OG$XQW3HJJ\´ ³(PDQFLSDWLRQ $ /LIH )DEOH´ ³$Q ,GOH )HOORZ´ ³'RFWRU &KHYDOLHU¶V /LH´ ³$ /LWWOH )UHH0XODWWR´ ³$+DUELQJHU´ ³%RXO{WDQG%RXORWWH´ ³&URTXH 0LWDLQH´ ³$9HU\)LQH )LGGOH´ ³7ZR6XPPHUV DQG 7ZR6RXOV´ ³$7XUNH\+XQW´ ³7KH%rQLWRXV¶6ODYH´
Kate Chopin’s Flash Fiction 69 ³9DJDERQGV´ ³7KH %OLQG 0DQ´ ³-XDQLWD´ ³&DOLQH´ ³7KH:KLWH(DJOH´ ³7KH6WRU\RIDQ +RXU´ ³7KH.LVV´ DQG³)HGRUD´ ,QDGGLWLRQ &KRSLQZURWHPDQ\RWKHUVWRULHVWKDWPLJKWEHFRQVLGHUHG³ÀDVK´ RUSHUKDSV³VXGGHQ´ ¿FWLRQLIWKHUHTXLVLWHZRUGFRXQWLVOLPLWHGWR roughly 2000 words or less. Such stories include “Madame Celestin’s 'LYRUFH´ ³7KH 5HFRYHU\´ ³$9LVLW WR$YR\HOOHV´ ³$5HVSHFWDEOH:RPDQ´ ³/D%HOOH=RUDLGH´ ³5HJUHW´ ³2GDOLH0LVVHV0DVV´ ³7KH/LOLHV´ ³$3DLURI6LON6WRFNLQJV´ DQG³'HVLUHH¶V%DE\´ WR mention just a few. However, although Chopin was often invested in the idea of writing short stories that were truly short, this aspect of her writing has not been much explored.
Chopin’s Flash Fiction and Flash Fiction Theory 'HVSLWHWKHUHFHQWLQWHUHVWLQÀDVK¿FWLRQDQGLQORQJHUZRUNVRIWHQ FDOOHGVXGGHQ¿FWLRQVXUSULVLQJO\OLWWOHFULWLFLVPKDVEHHQSXEOLVKHG DERXWLW2QH¿QHEXWEULHIJXLGHWRWKHgenre appears in various ³$IWHUZRUGV´SXEOLVKHGLQSudden Fiction: American Short-Short Stories, edited by Robert Shapard and -DPHV7KRPDV 7KLV ERRNDQHDUO\DQGLQÀXHQWLDODQWKRORJ\¿UVWDSSHDUHGLQ ,Q the thirty years since then, no comparable survey of commentary has EHHQLVVXHG)ODVK¿FWLRQLWVHOIKDVEHHQSXEOLVKHGLQDEXQGDQFH but no one has yet succeeded in collecting comments on the form DVZHOODV6KDSDUGDQG7KRPDVGLG KHUHDIWHUDEEUHYLDWHG³6 7´ 1 Many comments they collected (usually only a paragraph long) FDQSURYLGHKHOSIXOLQVLJKWVLQWRWKHQDWXUHDQGH൵HFWLYHQHVVRIKate &KRSLQ¶VÀDVK¿FWLRQ7KHZULWHU)UHG&KDSSHOOIRULQVWDQFHDUJXHV that the “short-short story can take as many shapes and moods as the ORQJHUVKRUWVWRU\FDQPDQDJH´)ODVK¿FWLRQKHFRQWLQXHVLV³QRW necessarily limited to reminiscence, it is not constrained to cover a very brief period of time, [and] it can be voiced in almost any known mode: UHDOLVP QDWXUDOLVP IDQWDV\ DOOHJRU\ SDUDEOH DQHFGRWH´ 6 7 &HUWDLQO\WKHVHFRPPHQWVDSSO\WR&KRSLQ¶VÀDVKWH[WV Although many of the stories listed above are realistic, some (such DV³'RFWRU&KHYDOLHU¶V/LH´ YHHUWRZDUGQDWXUDOLVPZKLOHRWKHUV²
70 Critical Insights VXFKDV³(PDQFLSDWLRQ´DQG³$Q,GOH)HOORZ´²DUHHLWKHURSHQO\ or implicitly symbolic, allegorical, or parabolic. Many of Chopin’s VPDOOHVW ¿FWLRQV VXFK DV ³5LSH )LJV´ HPSKDVL]H WKH DQHFGRWDO while other relevant categories include meditative essays, character VWXGLHVORFDOFRORUVWRULHVDQGWDOHVHQGLQJZLWKD¿QDOLURQLFWZLVW RUDVLQ³7KH.LVV´DQG³7ZR6XPPHUVDQG7ZR6RXOV´GRXEOH twists). 7KHWRQHRI&KRSLQ¶VVKRUWHVWVWRULHVLVRIWHQVO\O\ZKLPVLFDO and subtly humorous. If her shortest tales reveal a common thread, it is a keen, sympathetic, amused, and often amusing sense of human foibles and complexities. Challenging the mistaken criticism that ÀDVK¿FWLRQODFNVQXDQFHGFKDUDFWHUL]DWLRQ&KRSLQ¶VEULHIHVWZRUNV often grant insight into the lives of real, complicated human beings, QRWPDQLNLQVVWXFNWRJHWKHUWR¿OORXWDVKRUWHSLVRGH+HUEHVWVKRUW short stories thus satisfy another of Chappell’s criteria: they imply a ODUJHUZRUOGWKHVWRU\RQO\EULHÀ\ EXWH൵HFWLYHO\ VXJJHVWV 6 7 227). Sometimes, in fact, Chopin’s shorter works have more power WKDQKHUORQJHUPRUHHODERUDWHVWRULHV7KHVKHHUFRQFHQWUDWLRQRI ³7KH6WRU\RIDQ+RXU´IRULQVWDQFHKDVPDGHLWDFODVVURRPDQG SRSXODUIDYRULWH)HZSHRSOHZKRKDYHUHDGLWHYHUIRUJHWLW7KH VDPHPLJKWEHVDLGRI³'HVLUpH¶V%DE\´DQGQXPHURXVRWKHUEULHI works by Chopin. Kate Chopin’s Flash Fiction 71 ¿UVWSDLUVRIVKRHV RU³5LSH)LJV´ ZLWKLWVZLVHROGZRPDQDQG LPSDWLHQW \RXQJ JLUO RU ³&URTXH0LWDLQH´ ZLWK LWV FUHGXORXV \RXQJVWHUDIUDLGRIWKHERRJH\PDQ ,I&KRSLQ¶VVKRUWHVW¿FWLRQLV DQ\LQGLFDWLRQLWVHHPVEHVWWRDYRLGGHPDQGLQJLQÀH[LEOHVLQJOH H൵HFWVIURPHYHU\VKRUWVKRUWWDOH 3DXO7KHURX[¶VGRXEOHFODLPWKDWDJRRGEULHIWDOHVKRXOG³QRW EH PLVWDNHQ IRU DQ DQHFGRWH´ EXW VKRXOG EH ³KLJKO\ FDOFXODWHG´ LQ ³H൵HFWV´ DQG ³WLPLQJ´ FHUWDLQO\ VHHPV DSSOLFDEOH WR WKH EHVW H[DPSOHVRI&KRSLQ¶VÀDVK¿FWLRQ6RWRRGRHVKLVDVVHUWLRQWKDWDQ H൵HFWLYHVKRUWVKRUWVWRU\³FRQWDLQVDQRYHO´ 6 7 ³&DOLQH´ about a young rural girl’s disillusioning visit to a city, could easily have been expanded both into the past and into the future. Caline FRXOG ZHOO EH WKH FHQWUDO ¿JXUH LQ DQ LQWULJXLQJ QRYHO 6R FRXOG WKH WLWOH FKDUDFWHU RI ³'RFWRU &KHYDOLHU¶V /LH´$ FRPSDVVLRQDWH physician in a rough part of town, he risks his own social standing to DLGWKHGRZQWURGGHQ7KHHSLVRGH&KRSLQUHFRXQWVFRXOGHDVLO\EH just one chapter in a much longer book. And it goes without saying WKDWWKH³EDFNVWRU\´WRWKHPDUULDJHRI/RXLVHDQG%UHQWOH\0DOODUG LQ³7KH6WRU\RIDQ+RXU´ZRXOGPDNHDQDEVRUELQJQRYHO$OOWKH ZRUNV MXVW PHQWLRQHG DOVR VDWLVI\ DQRWKHU RI 7KHURX[¶V FULWHULD like most of Chopin’s best brief works, they are exceptionally well GHVLJQHG7KH\PD\EHVKRUWEXWWKH\DUHQRWVLPSOH -RKQ /¶+HXUHX[¶V VWDWHPHQWV LQ WKH 6KDSDUG DQG 7KRPDV DQWKRORJ\DOVR¿WPDQ\RI&KRSLQ¶VEULHIHVWWDOHV:RUNVVXFKDV ³7KH%rQLWRXV¶6ODYH´DQG³2OG$XQW3HJJ\´ ERWKDERXWIRUPHU VODYHV OLYLQJ QRVWDOJLFDOO\ DIWHU GH¿QLWHO\ DQG PHPRUDEO\ ³DQDWRPL]HDFKDUDFWHU´ 6 7 DVGRVXFKVWRULHVDV³-XDQLWD´ DERXWDP\VWHULRXVO\DWWUDFWLYHXQDWWUDFWLYHZRPDQ ³7KH.LVV´ DERXW D ZRPDQ ¿QDOO\ OHVV FOHYHU WKDQ VKH DVVXPHV DQG ³7KH :KLWH (DJOH´ DERXW DQ LPDJLQDWLYH \RXQJ JLUO ZKR EHFRPHV D lonely old woman). Practically all of Chopin’s briefest tales are the kind of stories that, according to L’Heureux, “we can’t help reading IDVW DQG WKHQ UHUHDGLQJ DJDLQ´ HYHQ WKRXJK ³QR PDWWHU KRZ PDQ\WLPHVZHUHDG>WKHP@ZH¶UHQRWTXLWHWKURXJK´ 6 7 &KRSLQ¶VPRVWREYLRXVO\FRPLFWDOHVVXFKDV³%RXO{WDQG%RXORWWH´ DQG³&URTXH0LWDLQH´FDQSHUKDSVEHIXOO\GLJHVWHGDWRQHVLWWLQJ 72 Critical Insights But most of her other very short works both stimulate and repay repeated re-reading. 7KHIUHTXHQWH൵HFWLYHQHVVRI&KRSLQ¶VÀDVK¿FWLRQLVDOOWKH PRUHLPSUHVVLYHLQOLJKWRI*RUGRQ:HDYHU¶VFODLPWKDW³WKHVKRUWHU WKH¿FWLRQWKHJUHDWHUEHFRPHWKHRGGVDJDLQVWVXFFHVV´ 6 7 Anyone who has read hundreds of short-short stories might agree ZLWK:HDYHU+HDUJXHVLQIDFWWKDW³PRVWVKRUWVKRUWVIDLO´ 6 7 229). Perhaps it is better to say that few achieve their full potential. %XW WKLV LV WUXH RI SUDFWLFDOO\ DOO ZULWLQJ DQG ÀDVK ¿FWLRQ LV QR H[FHSWLRQ (YHQ &KRSLQ RFFDVLRQDOO\ IDOOV ÀDW ³(PDQFLSDWLRQ´ seems too obviously simple and too relentlessly didactic. (It was, DIWHUDOODYHU\HDUO\ZRUN ³$5HÀHFWLRQ´VHHPVPRUHDK\SHGXS romantic essay than an exercise in the subtle irony Chopin so often elsewhere employs. Aside from these two works, however—and perhaps I am being too hard even on them—I would willingly read and re-read any of Chopin’s other shortest tales. As the enthusiastic responses of my students suggest, Chopin truly mastered the form.2 2QHHVSHFLDOO\H൵HFWLYHDVSHFWRIKHUYHU\EULHI¿FWLRQLVKHU XVHRIVXGGHQFRQFOXGLQJWZLVWV7KHVHZHUHRIWHQIRUPXODLFLQKHU GD\HVSHFLDOO\LQZULWLQJLQÀXHQFHGE\Guy de Maupassant. But Chopin frequently manages to surprise us even when we anticipate a surprise. In some stories, in fact, she piles one surprise on top of DQRWKHU,Q³7KH.LVV´IRULQVWDQFHDZRPDQWULHVWRPDQLSXODWHD man into marrying her even though she only wants his money, not KLP:KHQEHIRUHWKHLUPDUULDJHKHDFFLGHQWDOO\ZLWQHVVHVDQRWKHU man enthusiastically kiss her, we assume that her matrimonial schemes will collapse. She manages to convince him, however, that the other man is just an overly familiar friend of her brother. So the duped target not only forgives her but even encourages the brother’s friend to kiss her at their wedding. Apparently, then, the woman has doubly triumphed, winning both a rich husband and a continuing VH[XDOD൵DLU&KRSLQWKXVFUHDWHVWZRVXUSULVHV WKHZHGGLQJLWVHOI and the kiss the groom not only allows but proposes. Yet Chopin saves the biggest surprise for the very end: the brother’s friend resolutely refuses to kiss her, apparently tired of her games. Here LVDVWRU\WKDWFRXOGHDVLO\KDYHEHHQLQÀDWHGLQWRDQRYHOE\Henry Kate Chopin’s Flash Fiction 73 -DPHV %\ EHLQJ VR FRQFLVH &KRSLQ JDLQV LPPHGLDF\ RI LPSDFW H൵HFWLYHHPSKDVLVRQVWDUWOLQJirony, and appeal to a broad range of possible readers. &KRSLQ¶VEHVWÀDVK¿FWLRQH[HPSOL¿HVPDQ\RWKHUWUDLWVRIWKH ÀDVK¿FWLRQJHQUHPHQWLRQHGLQWKH6KDSDUGDQG7KRPDVYROXPH *RRGÀDVK¿FWLRQ VD\VLydia Davis) has a literal presence: “You GRQ¶WKDYHWLPHWRJHWXVHGWRLW IRUJHWLW DV\RXUHDG´ 6 7 Certainly this is true of many of Chopin’s best short-short tales. Her FKDUDFWHUVOLNHPDQ\SHRSOHLQÀDVK¿FWLRQWHQGWREH LQ'DYLV¶V ZRUGV ³XQKHURLF´²WKDW LV FRPPRQ UHDOLVWLF HYHU\GD\ SHUVRQV 6 7 'DYLVVXJJHVWVWKDWÀDVK¿FWLRQLVHVSHFLDOO\DSSURSULDWH IRUGHDOLQJZLWKVXFKFKDUDFWHUVDQG&KRSLQ¶VEULHIHVWWDOHVFRQ¿UP this claim. But Chopin’s best works contradict negative assertions about ÀDVK¿FWLRQPDGHE\+()UDQFLV)UDQFLVDUJXHVWKDWLQYHU\EULHI works, “characters approach anonymity, setting nears irrelevance, VLWXDWLRQ KRZHYHUÀLPV\ DOPRVWLQYDULDEO\SUHVLGHVRUWRQH7RQH DQGVLWXDWLRQDUHWKHSULPDGRQQDV´ 6 7 )UDQFLVFRQWLQXHV ³7KHIRUPPDWFKHVWKHLQVWDQW¶VSHUFHSWLRQ7KHbrevity is the joy, the Roman candle thrust, burst,—Ahhh!—and darkness. As a too- IUHTXHQWH[SHULHQFHWKH\ERUH,VHOGRP¿QGRQHZKLFKEHDUVUH UHDGLQJ´ 6 7 :K\)UDQFLVVKRXOGIHHOWKLVZD\LVKDUGWRXQGHUVWDQG$IWHU all, some of the greatest, most resonant, most thought-provoking OLWHUDU\ZRUNVDUHEULHISRHPV:K\VKRXOGDIHZZRUGVDUUDQJHG in one form be innately more (or less) interesting than a few words arranged in another? Few people tire of reading good, brief lyrics in succession; why should they tire of reading successive short-short VWRULHV"7KHSUREOHPLVQRWZLWKDQ\form itselfEXWZLWKVSHFL¿F H[DPSOHV 5HDGLQJ D VHULHV RI ¿QH SRHPV FDQ EH H[FHSWLRQDOO\ VDWLVI\LQJ UHDGLQJDVHULHVRI¿QHVKRUWVKRUWVWRULHVFDQEHWRR Chopin’s Flash Fiction: Individual Examples Chopin, of course, wrote some less-than-fully-impressive, short- short tales. Here, however, I want to concentrate on the varied successes she achieved in some of her briefest works. “Ripe 74 Critical Insights )LJV´IRULQVWDQFHGHVSLWHEHLQJRQO\ZRUGVORQJLVRQHRI KHUPRVWIUHTXHQWO\DQWKRORJL]HGVWRULHV,WLVUHSULQWHGVRZLGHO\ precisely because it is brief. However, unlike other stories such as ³$5HÀHFWLRQ´ ZKLFKLVUDUHO\UHDGWKRXJKLWLVHYHQEULHIHU ³5LSH )LJV´ LV DQ H[WUDRUGLQDULO\ ULFK ³ÀDVK´ ZRUN WKDW UHSD\V IUHTXHQW re-reading. Precisely because this story is so short, perhaps it is worth reprinting in full: 0DPDQ1DLQDLQHVDLGWKDWZKHQWKH¿JVZHUHULSH%DEHWWHPLJKWJR to visit her cousins down on the Bayou-Boeuf where the sugar cane JURZV1RWWKDWWKHULSHQLQJRI¿JVKDGWKHOHDVWWKLQJWRGRZLWKLW but that is the way Maman-Nainaine was. It seemed to Babette a very long time to wait; for the leaves upon WKH WUHHV ZHUH WHQGHU \HW DQG WKH ¿JV ZHUH OLNH OLWWOH KDUG JUHHQ marbles. But warm rains came along and plenty of strong sunshine, and though Maman-Nainaine was as patient as the statue of la Madone, DQG%DEHWWHDVUHVWOHVVDVDKXPPLQJELUGWKH¿UVWWKLQJWKH\ERWK knew it was hot summer-time. Every day Babette danced out to where WKH¿JWUHHVZHUHLQDORQJOLQHDJDLQVWWKHIHQFH6KHZDONHGVORZO\ beneath them, carefully peering between the gnarled, spreading EUDQFKHV %XW HDFK WLPH VKH FDPH GLVFRQVRODWH DZD\ DJDLQ:KDW VKHVDZWKHUH¿QDOO\ZDVVRPHWKLQJWKDWPDGHKHUVLQJDQGGDQFHWKH whole day long. :KHQ0DPDQ1DLQDLQHVDWGRZQLQKHUVWDWHO\ZD\WREUHDNIDVW the following morning, her muslin cap standing like an aureole about her white, placid face, Babette approached. She bore a dainty porcelain platter, which she set down before her godmother. It FRQWDLQHGDGR]HQSXUSOH¿JVIULQJHGDURXQGZLWKWKHLUULFKJUHHQ leaves. ³$K´VDLG0DPDQ1DLQDLQHDUFKLQJKHUH\HEURZV³KRZHDUO\ WKH¿JVKDYHULSHQHGWKLV\HDU´ ³2K´VDLG%DEHWWH³,WKLQNWKH\KDYHULSHQHGYHU\ODWH´ ³%DEHWWH´ FRQWLQXHG 0DPDQ1DLQDLQH DV VKH SHHOHG WKH YHU\ SOXPSHVW¿JVZLWKKHUSRLQWHGVLOYHUIUXLWNQLIH³\RXZLOOFDUU\P\ ORYHWRWKHPDOOGRZQRQ%D\RX%RHXI$QGWHOO\RXU7DQWH)URVLQH ,VKDOOORRNIRUKHUDW7RXVVDLQW²ZKHQWKHFKU\VDQWKHPXPVDUHLQ EORRP´ &KRSLQ³5LSH)LJV´ Kate Chopin’s Flash Fiction 75 Additional Works of Flash Fiction Collections Aciman, Alexander, and Emmett Rensin. Twitterature: The World’s Greatest Books Retold Through Twitter. Penguin, 2009. Allen, Roberta. Certain People&R൵HH+RXVH3UHVV Almond, Steve. The Evil B. B. Chow and Other Stories. Algonquin Books, 2006. ______. My Life in Heavy Metal: Stories9LQWDJH Alwin, Gail, Four Buses: A Collection of Short Stories and Flash Fiction. Arial, 2012. $UQ]HQ0LFKDHO$100 Jolts: Shockingly Short Stories. Raw Dog Screaming Press, 2004. Atwood, Margaret. Good Bones9LUDJR ______. Murder in the Dark: Short Fictions and Prose Poems. 9LUDJR ______. The Tent. Bloomsbury, 2007. Barnes, Rusty. Breaking It Down. Sunnyoutside Press, 2007. Barthelme, Donald. 60 Stories. Penguin, 1993. Beach, Lou, 420 Characters+RXJKWRQ0L൷LQ+DUFRXUW Beckman, Paul. Peek%LJ7DEOH %HUQKDUG7KRPDVThe Voice Imitator8RI&KLFDJR3 %RUJHV-RUJH/XLVCollected Fictions7UDQVODWHGE\$QGUHZ+XUOH\ Penguin, 1998. ______. The Book of Imaginary Beings7UDQVODWHGE\1RUPDQ 7KRPDVGL*LRYDQQL'XWWRQ Brautigan, Richard. Revenge of the Lawn, Stories 1962–1970. Simon & Schuster, 1971. Brown, Fredric. Nightmares and Geezenstacks: 47 Stories. Bantam, 1961. Brown, Randall. Mad to Live. PS Books, 2011. Butler, Robert Olen. Intercourse: Stories. Chronicle Books, 2008. 223 About the Editors Michael CocchiaraleLVDQDVVRFLDWHSURIHVVRURI(QJOLVKDW:LGHQHU 8QLYHUVLW\ ZKHUH KH WHDFKHV$PHULFDQ OLWHUDWXUH FUHDWLYH ZULWLQJ DQG FRPSRVLWLRQ :LWK 6FRWW ' (PPHUW KH LV FRHGLWRU RI Upon Further Review: Sports in American Literature (2004), Critical Insights: American Sports Fiction (2013), and Critical Insights: American Short Story (2015). He is also the author of Still Time (2012), a collection of short stories. Scott D. Emmert LV D SURIHVVRU RI (QJOLVK DW WKH 8QLYHUVLW\ RI :LVFRQVLQ²)R[ 9DOOH\ ZKHUH KH WHDFKHV FRPSRVLWLRQ OLWHUDWXUH DQG ¿OP:LWK0LFKDHO&RFFKLDUDOHKHLVFRHGLWRURIUpon Further Review: Sports in American Literature (2004), Critical Insights: American Sports Fiction (2013), and Critical Insights: American Short Story :LWK 6WHYHQ7URXWKHFRHGLWHGWorld War I in American Fiction: An Anthology of Short Stories (2014). 239