Short Story Discussion Guide Contents

Introduction 3

How to become a better reader 4

How to read a short story 5

What makes a good short story? 6–7

Put what you have learned into practise 8

Previous winners: discussion points 9–13

The Sweet Sop by Ingrid Persaud 9

The Edge of the Shoal by Cynan Jones 10

Disappearances by K J Orr 11

Kilifi Creek by Lionel Shriver 12

The Not-Dead and the Saved by Kate Clanchy 13

What next? Key dates 14

BBC Student Critics’ Award 2019 with First Story and Cambridge University 2 Introduction

The BBC National Short Story The judges announce their shortlist The 2019 shortlist Award with Cambridge University for the 2019 award on Friday 6 is one of the most prestigious September, and the winner on Then you’ll be ready to move awards for a single short story, Tuesday 1 October during a special onto the five stories shortlisted with the winning author receiving edition of BBC Radio 4’s Front Row for the 2019 award, which will be £15,000. live from BBC Broadcasting House announced on 6 September. in central London. If you’re one of the groups Over its 14-year history, the award selected to officially take part in has celebrated established writers Student critics the BBC Student Critics’ Award such as Lionel Shriver, Hilary with First Story and Cambridge Mantel, Zadie Smith, Deborah Now, it’s your turn to be part of University, you’ll receive your Levy, Sarah Hall, Jackie Kay, Jon the awards. gratis anthologies in the post from McGregor and William Trevor, and The BBC Student Critics’ Award with Monday 9 September. The second new stars such as Jenny Fagan, First Story and Cambridge University resource with summaries and Lisa Blower, Francesca Rhydderch encourages 16 – 18 year olds to pointers to frame your discussion and Lucy Wood. read critically and build confidence will also be available to download from 9 September, and you can Expert judging in expressing opinions. You can take part by reading and/or listening to listen to or podcast the stories and Each year, the award is judged by the five stories shortlisted for the an interview with each writer from five expert judges. The judges 2019 award, and discussing the 6 – 12 September 2019 at select a shortlist of five stories stories with your friends. www.bbc.co.uk/nssa from approximately 1,000 entries, We’ve designed this resource to considering the originality and Join in! guide you through the process; excellence of the prose, the story using it will give you: If you are not a group officially structure and the overall impact participating in the BBC Student of the story on the reader (for full • A better understanding of the Critics’ Award with First Story judging guidelines, see page 6). elements of the short story form – and Cambridge University, you for example: structure, characters In 2019, broadcaster Nikki Bedi is can purchase copies of the BBC and imagery, and what makes a chairing the judging panel. Nikki is National Short Story Award with good short story. a television and radio broadcaster Cambridge University anthology* or who writes and presents The Arts • Tips on how you can become a listen to the stories on BBC Radio 4. Hour on BBC World Service and better reader. Why not organise a debate in your BBC Radio London. She is joined class or reading group? • Suggestions on how to formulate by novelist and writer of narrative your opinions and communicate You will be able to download the non-fiction,Richard Beard; short them whilst being open to shortlist discussion guide from story writer, novelist and youngest other points of view, and always 9 September 2019 at author to be shortlisted for the respecting the writer’s endeavour. www.bbc.co.uk/nssa Man Booker Prize, Daisy Johnson; screenwriter, novelist and 2017 • Discussion topics around previous *Anthologies are available to purchase BBC National Short Story Award winners of the BBC National Short for £7.99 from any good bookshop. winner, Cynan Jones; and returning Story Award. judge, Di Speirs, Books Editor at BBC Radio.

BBC Student Critics’ Award 2019 with First Story and Cambridge University 3 How to become a better reader

Here are our top ten tips for how to become a better reader. 1) Get comfy 1) Get comfy. Let the body rest so 5) Note down key quotations – 9) Express your opinions, but also the mind can work. Always have but add your own thoughts and listen to others. It’s important to your feet up and your defences comments with every quotation articulate your thoughts and be able down as you read. so that you have a record of your back them up, but hearing other thoughts and experiences. people’s ideas – particularly those 2) Read twice. Once for affect, contrary to your own – will open you once for analysis. And then a 6) Read A LOT. The more you read up to healthy debate. Reading is third time just to see what else the better you get. Libraries and subjective and every reader’s point happens… This technique works bookshops are great places for of view is valid. particularly well for close reading inspiration and recommendations. of short stories; the judges of the BBC National Short Story Award will usually read each story four or five times. 3) Look things up. Everything. 6) Read a lot This is quicker if you read digitally, but there’s something very 7) Ignore received opinion and 10) Respect the work. Getting satisfying about discovering the literary snobbery. Read what you anything published is tough – so meaning of a word in a dictionary, want to read. Study what moves before you begin to decimate a and tracing its etymology or you. The benefit of academic study book or story, think about its author translating it into another language of texts is demonstrated by the and the hours they spent writing for a deeper understanding of it quality of the criticism rather than it. And consider recalibrating your and its application. perceived prejudices about the appraisal into a more measured 4) Go beyond character and theme. quality of the material. critique. Think of books as machines; 8) Discuss what you’ve read. of reading as figuring out how Join a book group or find your herd the machines work and the role on social media (there’s so much their different parts play. You’ll be #bookchat on YouTube, Twitter surprised how quickly you build and Instagram) to reach beyond up knowledge of literature, for your own reading experience and instance, knowing how to scan connect with others. poetry, recognise rhetorical tropes, identify style and analyse narrative devices.

BBC Student Critics’ Award 2019 with First Story and Cambridge University 4 How to read a short story

Close reading is a way to get to 3) Put the brakes on. Slow down: It’s important to consider other know short stories. It’s like making read a paragraph once. Read it points of view and understand that friendships: there aren’t any rules, again. Note down your thoughts different readers will have different and how it goes depends on you after each time and see how they responses to texts that may and the story, each time. But here change and develop. Sometimes contradict your own. are some ways to make good you may arrive at a completely Listen and take stock: have they friends with stories that you could different idea to the one with which presented their argument well? Has try out. you began. Write notes around the what they said changed your mind, words on the page, underline them: or can you at least see some merit Experiment get your fingers inky. in their points? Close reading isn’t a science but it 4) Compare. Think of an image As well as listening to other can be fun to pretend it is. Trying (a painting or photograph) that you perspectives, it’s good practise out the following experiments helps could look at alongside the story. when critiquing a short story (in you think creatively about stories Think of a song, melody or lyric fact this principle applies to most and gets you closer to the ways that this story brings to mind. pieces of ‘art’), to ensure that there they work. Or even draw that picture or is some balance in your argument. compose that song. This can 1) Imagine you have a microscope. If a piece of writing doesn’t speak help you to place your feelings Hold it over sentences, words, even to you personally or ring true, you about a story, to analyse its tone, punctuation marks, and observe. are entitled to your opinion but you atmosphere and power. When you zoom in to make up should always respect the writer’s your mind about a small bit of a Engage endeavour – the time and energy text, it can look very different to they have put into the writing and what you expected, just like cells Once you’ve worked out what you getting it published. When you under a microscope. Some words think and feel about a story, then are discussing a short story with turn out to have several meanings, you need to work out how to let friends, imagine that the author is in or no obvious meaning. Some other people know this. There the room listening. quiet-looking commas are actually are many different ways to shape teeming with life. good critical argument. You might Example tell a story of your own about your 2) Read aloud. How do the words Being able to cite specific examples reading experience. You might try sound when you speak them? from the literary work in question to persuade others by presenting Does the dialogue sound like will help support your argument. a case, like a lawyer in court. Think conversation overheard? Do you Make sure you note down particular carefully about the shape and style notice rhythms? Is the prose phrases from the work, or you might of your argument, and how you want musical? What do you learn about start with a quotation, like you’re a others to respond. the pace or tempo? Where are the scientist presenting data. pauses and how long do they last?

BBC Student Critics’ Award 2019 with First Story and Cambridge University 5 What makes a good short story?

Although there’s no rule about In order to answer the question of The start of the story should be how long a short story should be why a story starts and ends where it intriguing and perhaps form a – some are 20 pages, some only does, you might want to think about thematic link to the end. two paragraphs – they all have far who is telling the story, and why? Is Rising action means that the story fewer words to play with than a it told in the first person (by an ‘I’) gets more involved. The action novel does. or the third person (telling us about doesn’t have to be epic, but the ‘he’ or ‘she’) or perhaps even in the The short story writer then has to situation evolves. second person (imagining what make every word count. In other ‘you’ might do)? Do we trust the Climax is the ‘top’ of the story, and words, they need to think carefully storyteller or do we suspect they can be where the main character about what each scene, character have a particular agenda in telling faces whatever has been building or image is contributing to the their tale? up in the rising action. Alternatively, story. In thinking about the point of the climax can involve an epiphany the story, and judging whether it is Here is more detail on the different or realisation for the main character. successful, you also need want to elements to consider when you are be alert to all these things. Reading critiquing short stories: Falling action is where the story short stories teaches you to read starts to wind down. If the main attentively; it’s easier to notice Structure character has made a decision, every detail in 10 pages than it is it shows the consequences. Not all short stories will necessarily in 100. You’ll be surprised by how follow the same format, but a The resolution is the conclusion much you can get from the close standard short story structure is of the story. Here, the conflicts are reading of a text. below. The main point to note is the resolved, many (if not all) loose Short stories rarely try to present climax, or epiphany, that happens ends are tied up, and the story the whole of a character’s life, but towards the end of the story. finishes either with a satisfying instead focus on some break in Tensions break, truths are told, sense of closure or a more the routine or a moment of crisis big things happen. ambiguous end. that can be a turning point for Exposition is the start of the story. a character. Perhaps the most The writer should quickly set important question to ask about a the scene, giving a sense of the short story then is why the author location and feel of the story, and has started it and finished it where introduce the main character/s. they have. Why is this particular moment or observation the starting point? And then, why stop right now? Do you feel the story has come to a satisfying end? That doesn’t mean there has to be a twist in the tale, or a punchline like in a joke, or a great revelation. But the stop, like the start, has to feel meaningful.

BBC Student Critics’ Award 2019 with First Story and Cambridge University 6 What makes a good short story? [continued]

Characters Dialogue Short stories tend to feature one Dialogue in short stories should or two main characters with a few work to push stories forward and other background, sketched-in reflect the developing tensions characters if the writer needs them and drama between characters. to make events happen. Main Dialogue should show the reader characters need to be represented what characters are like instead of vividly but briefly, so that the the writer having to describe them reader gets a feel for who they are at length. It should also be short without it taking up too much space and to the point. Dialogue doesn’t on the page. have to be written in short, choppy sentences, but it should be spare Imagery and not contain anything it doesn’t absolutely need to. Short stories often employ vivid imagery that sets the scene quickly, describes a character or makes us feel something distinct. There’s no time for flabby description, and good short stories include punchy What to look out for similes or metaphors or sensual The judging guidelines for the • Does the writing serve narrative detail to describe characters, BBC National Short Story Award and characters, and act integrally moods and locations. with Cambridge University within the overall scheme of the Timescale are listed below. These aren’t story? exhaustive but you can use these • Does the story conjure a cogent Short stories tend to cover a small general pointers to frame your world out of limited elements period of time – a day, a week, even discussion around short stories. (without the need to explain an hour or less, and if they spread • Originality of prose and narrative everything or be comprehensive over a longer period of, say, a few voice in detail) and is the scheme of weeks, the relevant parts of the the story clear? story still focus in on key moments • Does the opening suggest in that timeline. Short stories throw potential, and does it bear a • Has something happened either light on the short moments of relationship to the end? within the story or between understanding or illumination that writer and reader and was this • Does the story have structure occur in people’s lives – sometimes achieved effectively? and are the characters credible? these are dramatic and lifechanging, sometimes they are more subtle.

BBC Student Critics’ Award 2019 with First Story and Cambridge University 7 Now you understand how to approach close reading and critiquing, and the different elements of short stories, put what you have learned into practise. Read and/or listen to these winning stories from the BBC National Short Story Award, using our guide to support you. We’ve included questions and discussion points for each story.

If you’re an official group taking part in the BBC Student Critics’ Award with First Story and Cambridge University, you’ll have been sent the text and audio files for the stories. Take photos, film your chats with your friends on your phone (make sure you have their If you’re not an official group, permission) or write some notes on what it the text is available in the means to you to be a reader and how you’re award anthologies from any approaching texts differently. good bookshop and the audio is available at: We’d love you to share these with us at www.bbc.co.uk/nssa [email protected]

BBC Student Critics’ Award 2019 with First Story and Cambridge University 8 Previous winners

2018 The Sweet Sop by Ingrid Persaud

Summary What fatherly wisdom does he What does she want for herself offer Victor, and what elements and for Victor? What did she want A young man makes peace with of his character are unpleasant? when she was a young girl and his estranged father through the How much of his character when married Reggie? How did her life medium of chocolate. Victor knows him might be a result and her expectations change? You of his illness, and what was he like could use a diary format and write Questions in the past? one entry when she meets Reggie, What makes a good father? Is one on her wedding day and one Reggie a good father, and is Victor What to look out for contemporary entry at the time that Persaud’s story starts. Or, for a good son? The Trinidadian cadences, rhythm a longer piece, write more entries and slang of the narrator and Why is Victor only eating Nutella on that chart Moms’ experiences of characters. bread at the start of the story? growing disillusionment. Well-drawn, idiosyncratic and What are the most effective scenes You’ll have heard the phrase, honest characters. showing Reggie’s character? How is ‘history repeats itself’, particularly Reggie’s character established? Dynamic dialogue that develops a related to behavioural patterns What role does food play in the relationship and reveals character. within families. Do you think this is true? Do you think it’s possible story? How does the author Was your experience of the story to self-determine your future and use it as a device? What is your different when reading it on the be who you want to be, or is it relationship with food like, and does page and listening to it? Why? inevitable that you will play out what it change in different situations or How did this make you feel about you have learned as a child from with different emotions? reading? those closest to you? Visualise Discussion points Next steps what type of father Victor might be in the future. If there is divided In this engaging story about The plot in a story is usually defined opinion in your group, split into fathers and sons, we learn that by what the characters want: two and each brainstorm words on there are two sides to every story, Reggie is an absent father, but he a large piece of paper, using the and sometimes villains are not still wants Victor to recognise him as character references from the story, necessarily as bad or as evil as his Dad. Despite Reggie’s absence, to contribute to an image or scene we were told. What are Reggie’s Victor still wants a relationship with of Victor as Dad. strengths and weaknesses? his father. Write the story from the point of view of Moms.

BBC Student Critics’ Award 2019 with First Story and Cambridge University 9 Previous winners

2017 The Edge of the Shoal by Cynan Jones

Summary Discussion points A heady sense of fear and danger: the appearance of the sunfish fin, A man sets out on a kayak to scatter Jones evokes an incredible sense with all its connotations of horror his father’s ashes. Yet when a storm of tension in his story with short for the modern reader, is a masterly hits, he has to survive brutal days sentences that echo the gasping, moment that ramps tension up even and nights at sea. panicky breath of a man marooned higher than it was before. on his kayak, attacked by the Questions elements and at the mercy of Next steps nature. Discuss how different the How does the sea in the story mirror story would feel if the sentences Write a story in which a character the main character’s grief? How were longer and more flowing. How has a positive experience at sea. does the sea become a metaphor would you feel about the character’s Use Cynan Jones’ techniques of for the violence – and apparent predicament then? The intense, visceral, physical description, but, randomness – of loss? Think about unforgiving power of nature is also in your story, use them to indicate words like adrift, shipwrecked, a strong presence in the story, with a character’s love of the water. You drowning, tortured, pain. the sea almost its own character. might still reference the changeable How is dying described? Is the Discuss how the setting of the story and awesome power of nature and passage about the man wanting is evoked, and how the sea itself its ambivalence to humans, but to tell his partner about how to changes from one mood to another. perhaps introduce a triumphant work the pilot light on the boiler ending: a productive fishing trip, a surprisingly domestic? What to look out for sailing race, etc. See if you can take a character through the highs and How do fish operate in the story? Intense description of the physical: lows of an adventure at sea rather What about the sunfish, and the salt, blood, ash, fish scales, flesh than a disaster. fish that the main character catches and bone, veins like trees, a finger at the beginning of the story? stripped of flesh. Do they prefigure death or act as Themes of confinement and protection against it? Or, is there freedom: the man is mostly within an ambivalence present in all the the kayak, but the prison-like kayak depictions of nature – the sea, the floats on the fathomless sea. He storm and the fish? almost reaches freedom a couple of times, but the boat both protects him and puts him in danger.

BBC Student Critics’ Award 2019 with First Story and Cambridge University 10 Previous winners

2016 Disappearances by K J Orr

Summary symbolically, he does not belong Next steps to that established order of perfect A retired plastic surgeon learns to beauty anymore. He looks only at Portrait artists often say that appreciate true beauty. the façade for a few moments every they prefer depicting faces with morning before finding the café, ‘character’ rather than very young Questions a less grand place which he has and beautiful ones, which are hard to capture: faces with lines, Consider the relevance of the title previously never noticed. Inside, expression and imperfections are to the story, and its play on the he finds Beatriz, whose beauty much better. Write a descriptive word ‘appearance’ – during the is not the bland and symmetrical piece focusing on the imperfections story, what emerges/appears and kind he has spent his career present in something or someone what recedes/disappears into the creating on women’s faces, but he you find beautiful: someone you past? What has Julio spent a career is nonetheless entranced by her know, a famous person, a friend making appear and disappear? and the scars on her hands. What is beauty? How is it expressed and or relative, or something in the What function do Irene and thought about in the story? natural or built world. What are the Valentina play in the story? Are they particular things that are beautiful beautiful or ugly characters? What to look out for about them that are grounded in imperfection? – lines on a face, Who is Julio? There is a sense that A highly detailed description of graffiti on the walls of a building, he is a chameleon-like character. Beatriz’s face at the end of the a falling down wall held up by ivy, How is this expressed? story: the kind of detail that a plastic a tremor in a voice, a familiar surgeon would notice. Discussion points smell of mothballs or sweat? Use Show, don’t tell: Orr shows Irene’s all the senses in your writing, if you Consider the relevance of faces, character in her interaction with can: sight, touch/texture, smell, facades and interiors in the story Beatriz. taste, sound. in relation to ideas of beauty. Julio begins the story by visiting the The natural beauty of sunlight and beautiful art museum that his family the flowers in the park interacting paid for, but he cannot go in – with the symmetrical black and white floor in the café.

BBC Student Critics’ Award 2019 with First Story and Cambridge University 11 Previous winners

2014 Kilifi Creek by Lionel Shriver

Summary Discussion points The evocation of a life in miniature, crossing continents A young and thoughtless gap year Think about the themes of youth and generations; we are in the traveller outstays her welcome as and experience, assumption and moment with Liana, yet there is a a house guest in Kenya and has a knowledge in this story. Liana feels masterly meditation throughout on brief encounter with mortality in a she knows better than Regent and something much grander at work treacherous African river. Beano and other people already in – what life might have in store for Africa about swimming in the creek, us, and how we can lean into it or Questions and about Africa generally. When narrowly escape it. she observes the bright beauty of How does Shriver use scientific the landscape she wonders why description in the story? How does Next steps Regent only photographs in black assessing Liana’s swim in the creek and white, thinking Africa was Reflection with time brings Liana and her fall in terms of mass and wasted on the woman. Later, in to an acute understanding of her geometry make you feel about her New York, Liana revisits the lesson own mortality and the danger that experiences? of the creek and learns, finally, to she found herself in. Think about a What does Regent and Beano’s understand her limitations. time earlier in your life – it could be conversation about Liana reveal of a period of difficulty, or a moment their experience of living in Africa, What to look out for of regret, and write a letter to that as opposed to Liana’s naïve point younger self. What advice would The contrasting language outlining of view? you want to hear? What words Liana in Africa and Liana in New would support you? We can have How is the theme of colonialism and York. a tendency to be kinder to others expat living explored in the story? How Shriver builds tension and than ourselves, so thinking about And how do Liana’s assumptions gives the reader clues that imply your younger self as someone else, about Africa relate to her Liana will be in danger. as if you are talking to a friend or American identity? How are sibling, may help. expats described?

BBC Student Critics’ Award 2019 with First Story and Cambridge University 12 Previous winners

2009 The Not-Dead and the Saved by Kate Clanchy

Summary because of his illness. His father, Next steps who seemed to be a great parent A mother and son endure his illness when he was young, left him and Write a diary entry as Jonathon. as he grows from a teenager to a his mother. Later, Jonathan joins You could write about his hospital young man. an ambiguous cult led by a man stays, or write about other things who seems to represent a father that are part of a teenage boy’s Questions figure. Last we learn the mother’s life: music, friends, TV, hopes and fears for the future. Does he have How does Kate Clanchy describe name as a final detail; her identity much of a social life? How does he the feeling of maternal love? Is this as a woman is second to that of a feel about his mum, his dad that different from what you imagine? mother. Discuss this family; are they realistic? Are they happy? How hard left? Alternatively, write a manifesto Is Jonathon’s wife a good parent, do you think it is to depict families for The Saved, the group he later bringing up her child in a cult? in short stories, given their limitation becomes involved in. What do What makes a good parent? of space? they believe in? What are their rules for life? How does the description of the not-dead baby refer to Jonathon? What to look out for Dark, resonant imagery: the tumour, Discussion points the disabled baby. Think about the theme of being a Strong internal monologue from the parent – and the identity of parents mother character and a convincing – in this story. This isn’t a traditional teen voice in Jonathon. happy family picture; there is great strain on Jonathon and his mother Epiphany: what Julia learns about death.

BBC Student Critics’ Award 2019 with First Story and Cambridge University 13 What next?

Further reading Madame Zero by Sarah Hall Key dates If you’d like to explore some other short Fen stories, here are some Daisy Johnson 6 September 2019 recommendations from The Assassination of Tune into Front Row on BBC Radio 4 from the award’s shortlisted Margaret Thatcher 7.15 – 7.45pm to hear the 2019 award writers and previous by Hilary Mantel shortlist announced. You can also listen to judges. each of the shortlisted writers interviewed This Isn’t the Sort of on Front Row from 6 – 11 September 2019. Thing that Happens to Someone Like You 9 September 2019 by Jon McGregor Tune in to hear or podcast the stories Light Box shortlisted for the BBC National Short Story by K J Orr Award with Cambridge University. They Property will run on BBC Radio 4 ‘from Monday 9 to by Lionel Shriver Friday 13 September 2019 from 2.30 – 4pm. The award anthology and the discussion What is Not Yours is not guide for the 2010 shortlist will be available. Yours by Helen Oyeyemi 1 October 2019 The Sing of the Shore Tune into the special short story edition by Lucy Wood of Front Row on BBC Radio 4 from 7.15 – 7.45pm, broadcast live from Cambridge. The winners of the 2018 BBC National Short Story Award with Cambridge University and the BBC Young Writers’ Award with First Next year... Story and Cambridge University will be To register your interest to participate in the 2020 announced as part of the show. BBC Student Critics’ Award with First Story and Cambridge University, please email [email protected] Or if you have been inspired by these short stories Keep up to date with the Awards at: and would like to share some of your writing, visit www.bbc.co.uk/nssa and www.bbc.co.uk/ywa to learn more about the www.bbc.co.uk/ywa BBC Young Writers’ Award with First Story and On Twitter via #BBCNSSA #BBCYWA Cambridge University, for 14 – 18 year olds. #shortstories

BBC Student Critics’ Award 2019 with First Story and Cambridge University 14