essay vs short story differences

Essay vs. Short Story

What is the difference between short story and essay.

Imagine sitting at your writing desk, contemplating the age-old question: “Should I craft an essay, or should I embark on an enthralling short story?” It’s a delightful conundrum, akin to choosing between a meticulously designed puzzle or the blank canvas of a vibrant painting. As a writer, you’re the artist of your narrative, and the choice between these two distinct forms of expression can be as crucial as selecting the perfect brushstroke or puzzle piece.

Differences Between Essay and Short Story

The main differences between an essay and a short story lie in their genre, purpose, and structure. Essays are non-fiction pieces that aim to inform, persuade, or argue on a specific topic, often featuring a clear structure with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. In contrast, short stories are works of fiction designed to entertain and evoke emotions, offering creative freedom in character development and plot. The choice between these forms depends on your intent and creative aspirations, whether it’s conveying facts and arguments through essays or weaving imaginative tales through short stories.

• Genre Classification

Essays fall under the category of non-fiction . They are meant to convey factual information, explore ideas, and express the author’s opinions in a structured, coherent manner. Essays can cover a wide range of topics, from politics to personal experiences, science to society, and everything in between.

Short Story:

On the other hand, short stories are a form of fiction . They are a realm of creativity where the author crafts characters, settings, and plots to engage and entertain readers. Short stories can take on various themes, from romance to horror, mystery to fantasy, and beyond.

• Purpose and Intent

Essays are primarily informative or persuasive in nature. They serve to educate, inform, or convince the reader. Whether it’s a research paper, argumentative essay, or a personal reflection, the purpose of an essay is to share knowledge and insights.

Short stories, in contrast, are meant to entertain and evoke emotions. They transport readers into a different world, make them empathize with characters, and keep them hooked with suspense, surprise, or the sheer joy of storytelling.

• Structure and Organization

Essays are structured, with a clear and logical organization. They typically consist of an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The introduction sets the stage, the body presents the argument or information, and the conclusion summarizes the key points.

Here’s a quick overview of the essay structure:

Short stories, however, are more flexible in structure. They can have a traditional linear narrative, but they are not bound by the same rigidity as essays. In fact, authors have creative freedom to experiment with structure to build suspense, surprise, or engage the reader’s imagination.

• Character Development and Plot

In essays, the focus is primarily on ideas and concepts. While you might use examples or anecdotes to support your points, you don’t typically have fully developed characters or a plot. The essay is more about presenting information and arguments in a concise and clear manner.

Short stories are all about characters and plot. You’ll find well-defined characters with distinct personalities, motivations, and often a character arc. Short stories also have a plot that unfolds with a beginning, middle, and end. This plot structure is often central to the story’s impact and entertainment value.

• Point of View

Essays typically use the first person (I, we) or third person (he, she, they) point of view, depending on the nature of the essay. First person is often used in personal or reflective essays, while third person is more common in academic or informative essays.

Short stories employ a variety of narrative perspectives. They can be written in first person or third person , or even in the omniscient point of view where the narrator has access to the thoughts and feelings of multiple characters.

Essays vary in length, but they are typically longer than short stories. They can range from a few hundred words in a short argumentative essay to several thousand words in a lengthy research paper.

As the name suggests, short stories are concise by nature. They usually range from 1,000 to 20,000 words, making them much shorter than most essays.

• Tone and Style

The tone of an essay can vary, but it tends to be more formal and academic. The style is typically clear, objective, and focused on conveying information or making a persuasive argument. The use of jargon or technical language is common in essays, depending on the subject matter.

Short stories are more flexible when it comes to tone and style. They can range from formal to informal, depending on the author’s intent and the theme of the story. Creative language, dialogue, and descriptive elements are often used to engage the reader’s imagination and emotions.

• Author’s Voice

In essays, the author’s voice is often more subdued, and the emphasis is on conveying information or arguments objectively. The author’s personal experiences and emotions, if included, are usually presented in a controlled and measured way.

In short stories, the author’s voice plays a more prominent role. It’s a channel through which the author can express creativity and emotional depth. The author’s voice is integral to character development and the overall atmosphere of the story.

Let’s say you’re writing an essay on climate change. You might present data, scientific evidence, and expert opinions to support your thesis. The focus is on educating or persuading the reader based on factual information.

Now, imagine you’re crafting a short story about a young scientist’s journey to save the world from a climate catastrophe. You’ll create characters with personal struggles and aspirations, and you’ll weave a narrative that emotionally engages the reader, while also conveying the urgency of addressing climate change.

Essays often end with a conclusive statement or a call to action related to the topic. The goal is to leave the reader with a clear understanding of the subject matter and a sense of what can be done next.

Short stories, on the other hand, may end with an open ending or a twist . The reader is left with room for interpretation, or they’re taken by surprise with an unexpected resolution that leaves a lasting impact.

Essays are typically written for a specific audience with a particular interest in the subject matter. This audience could be academics, professionals, or the general public, depending on the topic and purpose of the essay.

Short stories are written for a general audience that enjoys fiction and storytelling. They are crafted to engage a wide range of readers and elicit emotional responses.

• Research and Citation

Essays often require thorough research and citation of sources. Depending on the type of essay, you may need to reference academic papers, books, articles, and other authoritative sources to support your arguments. Proper citation is crucial to maintain credibility.

In short stories, there is no need for extensive research or citations. The author has the creative freedom to invent the world and its rules, allowing the story to unfold in a way that serves the narrative rather than relying on external sources.

• Chronological vs. Non-Chronological

Essays usually follow a chronological or logical sequence. They present information or arguments in a structured order, making it easier for readers to follow the development of ideas.

Short stories can employ both chronological and non-chronological structures. Authors can use flashbacks, non-linear timelines, or other techniques to engage the reader and add depth to the narrative.

• Character Development vs. Author’s Persona

In essays, the author’s personal experiences or identity are less prominent. The focus is on presenting ideas, evidence, and arguments objectively, rather than revealing the author’s character or persona.

In short stories, the author’s persona can subtly or prominently influence the narrative. The author’s emotions, experiences, and worldview can shape the characters, events, and the overall tone of the story.

• Verifiability

Essays require verifiability, where the information presented can be fact-checked and validated. Accuracy and reliability are paramount to maintain the credibility of the essay.

Short stories do not require verifiability in the same way. While they may be grounded in real-world experiences or settings, they are ultimately works of fiction and do not need to meet the same standard of factual accuracy.

• Purpose of Language

In essays, language serves a primarily informative or argumentative purpose. The language is chosen for clarity, precision, and conveying complex ideas effectively.

In short stories, language serves a dual purpose: to convey the narrative and to evoke emotions. Authors often use descriptive, vivid, and figurative language to immerse the reader in the story’s world and connect on an emotional level.

• Length Variability

Essays can vary significantly in length, depending on the subject matter and purpose. A short opinion piece might be a few hundred words, while a comprehensive research paper can span several thousand words or more.

Short stories are typically shorter in length, as the name suggests. However, they still offer a wide range of flexibility, from very short flash fiction to longer, more in-depth narratives.

• Point of Emotional Impact

Essays aim to impact the reader intellectually. They seek to inform, persuade, or educate, but the primary goal is to engage the reader’s mind and critical thinking.

Short stories aim to impact the reader emotionally. They seek to evoke feelings, whether it’s excitement, empathy, fear, or joy. The emotional impact often lingers with the reader long after finishing the story.

• Artistic License

While essays require factual accuracy and a rigorous approach to information, they leave little room for artistic license. The focus is on conveying knowledge and arguments with precision.

Short stories are a canvas for artistic expression. Authors can exercise creative freedom in character creation, plot development, and world-building, allowing for imaginative and artistic elements.

• Enduring Themes

Essays often tackle enduring themes or issues and offer insights into their relevance in contemporary society or academia. They contribute to the ongoing discourse on important topics.

Short stories can also explore enduring themes, but they do so in a more indirect and imaginative way. They use storytelling to reflect on these themes through the experiences of characters.

• Literary Devices

While essays may use literary devices such as metaphors or analogies to enhance clarity or persuasion, they don’t typically rely heavily on such devices. The language in essays is usually more straightforward.

Short stories are fertile ground for literary devices. Authors often use symbolism, metaphor, and other creative language techniques to enrich the narrative and add depth to the story.

• Publication

Essays are commonly published in academic journals, magazines, newspapers, and online platforms. They are often attributed to specific authors and subject to peer review or editorial oversight.

Short stories can be published in literary magazines, anthologies, or as standalone works. They are also prevalent in online fiction communities. Short stories can be attributed to authors, but they may also appear under pseudonyms or remain anonymous.

Essays have a multitude of subgenres, including argumentative, expository, descriptive, narrative, persuasive, and more, each with its own unique purpose and conventions.

Short stories encompass various subgenres, such as science fiction, fantasy, romance, horror, mystery, and literary fiction, each offering a distinct flavor and narrative style.

• Creative Exploration vs. Analysis

Essays involve analytical and critical thinking. They require the author to dissect and understand the subject matter, offering insights, opinions, and analysis.

Short stories involve creative exploration. Authors imagine characters, settings, and events, creating a world that engages the reader’s imagination and emotions.

Essay or Short Story: Which One is Right Choose for You?

The literary world is a vast and diverse realm, offering writers a multitude of forms and styles to explore. Two such forms are the essay and the short story, each with its own distinct characteristics and appeal. Choosing between them depends on your purpose, the message you want to convey, and your creative aspirations. Let’s delve into the considerations to help you decide which form of expression is the right choice for you.

• Your Purpose and Message

Choose an essay when you want to inform, persuade, or argue a point. If your aim is to communicate facts, share insights, or advocate for a cause, the structured and logical format of an essay can help you achieve these goals effectively. Essays are ideal for addressing topics that demand intellectual engagement and a rational approach.

Opt for a short story when you wish to entertain, evoke emotions, or explore the human experience. Short stories are the canvas for creative storytelling. They allow you to convey messages and themes through the experiences of characters, creating an emotional connection with your readers. If your goal is to captivate, provoke feelings, and spark imagination, the short story is your medium.

• Your Creative Freedom

Consider essays when you prefer a structured and disciplined approach to writing. Essays adhere to a clear format, often with an introduction, body, and conclusion. While you have room for creativity in presenting your arguments, essays require a more systematic and organized approach.

Opt for short stories if you crave artistic freedom and wish to explore your imagination. Short stories offer flexibility in structure and style. You can experiment with characters, settings, and narrative techniques, allowing your creativity to flow freely.

• Your Target Audience

Choose essays when your target audience is looking for authoritative and well-researched information. Essays are often written for specific audiences, such as academics, professionals, or those seeking in-depth knowledge. Your readers expect a well-organized and factually accurate piece.

Consider short stories when your audience enjoys fiction and storytelling. Short stories are crafted to engage a broader, more diverse readership. Your primary aim is to entertain and elicit emotional responses from your readers.

• Your Writing Style

Opt for essays if you prefer a formal, clear, and objective writing style. Essays demand precision in language and a focus on conveying information or making persuasive arguments. Your writing should be concise and to the point.

Choose short stories if you want to explore various writing styles. Short stories allow you to use descriptive, vivid, and figurative language to immerse your readers in the narrative. Your writing can range from formal to informal, depending on the theme of the story.

• Your Preferred Length

Consider essays if you’re comfortable with longer pieces of writing. Essays can vary in length from a few hundred words for a short argumentative essay to several thousand words for extensive research papers.

Opt for short stories if you prefer concise narratives. While the length can vary, short stories are generally shorter than most essays, often ranging from 1,000 to 20,000 words.

• Your Emotional Impact

Choose essays if you aim to impact your readers intellectually. Essays engage the reader’s mind and critical thinking. They focus on informing, persuading, and educating the audience.

Consider short stories if you want to create an emotional impact. Short stories are designed to evoke feelings, whether it’s excitement, empathy, fear, or joy. The emotional impact often lingers with the reader long after finishing the story.

• Your Preference for Fiction or Non-Fiction

Opt for essays if you prefer non-fiction writing. Essays are a realm of factual information, ideas, and opinions presented in a structured, coherent manner.

Choose short stories if you have a penchant for fiction. Short stories allow you to create characters, settings, and plots to entertain and engage readers with imaginative storytelling.

• Your Engagement with Research and Citation

Consider essays if you enjoy research and citation. Essays often require in-depth research and the citation of sources to support your arguments. Proper citation is crucial for maintaining credibility.

Choose short stories if you’re not keen on extensive research and citation. Short stories do not require the same level of factual accuracy and referencing as essays.

• Your Perspective on the World

Opt for essays if you wish to share your perspective on real-world issues, topics, or experiences. Essays are well-suited for presenting your thoughts, insights, and personal reflections on various subjects.

Consider short stories if you want to explore and express your creativity. Short stories provide a platform for creating fictional worlds, characters, and scenarios, allowing you to offer unique perspectives through storytelling.

In the end, the choice between writing an essay or a short story comes down to your individual preferences and the message you want to convey. Both forms have their own merits and can be immensely satisfying for writers. So, whether you’re donning your analytical hat for an essay or letting your imagination soar in a short story, embrace the art of crafting words and share your unique voice with the world.

The primary difference is the genre and purpose. Essays are non-fiction works designed to inform, persuade, or argue, while short stories are fictional narratives crafted to entertain and evoke emotions.

Essays follow a structured format with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Short stories offer flexibility in structure, allowing for creative narrative approaches.

Yes, essays tend to be longer, varying from a few hundred words to several thousand, whereas short stories are generally shorter, ranging from 1,000 to 20,000 words.

Yes, essays typically have a formal and objective tone, whereas short stories offer a wider range of styles, from formal to informal, depending on the theme.

Yes, both essays and short stories can employ the first person (I, we) perspective, though it’s more common in short stories when authors want to convey personal experiences.

Essays are often written for specific audiences, such as academics or professionals, while short stories target a general audience of fiction enthusiasts.

No, short stories do not require extensive research or citations, as they are works of fiction. Essays, on the other hand, often require research and proper citation.

Consider your purpose and message. Choose essays for conveying facts and arguments, and short stories for engaging and entertaining your readers through creative storytelling.

Yes, but the use of literary devices is more common in short stories, where authors often employ symbolism, metaphor, and creative language techniques to enhance the narrative.

Essays can be published in academic journals, magazines, newspapers, and online platforms. Short stories find homes in literary magazines, anthologies, and online fiction communities.

• Story vs History
• Fiction vs Fact

Short Story vs Novel

• Science Fiction vs Fantasy
• Story vs Plot

Related Articles

Poem vs Sonnet

Novella vs Novel

Naturalism vs Realism

Tragedy vs Comedy

Comedy vs Farce

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.

• Knowledge Base
• The four main types of essay | Quick guide with examples

The Four Main Types of Essay | Quick Guide with Examples

Published on September 4, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

An essay is a focused piece of writing designed to inform or persuade. There are many different types of essay, but they are often defined in four categories: argumentative, expository, narrative, and descriptive essays.

Argumentative and expository essays are focused on conveying information and making clear points, while narrative and descriptive essays are about exercising creativity and writing in an interesting way. At university level, argumentative essays are the most common type. 

In high school and college, you will also often have to write textual analysis essays, which test your skills in close reading and interpretation.

Instantly correct all language mistakes in your text

Upload your document to correct all your mistakes in minutes

Table of contents

Argumentative essays, expository essays, narrative essays, descriptive essays, textual analysis essays, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about types of essays.

An argumentative essay presents an extended, evidence-based argument. It requires a strong thesis statement —a clearly defined stance on your topic. Your aim is to convince the reader of your thesis using evidence (such as quotations ) and analysis.

Argumentative essays test your ability to research and present your own position on a topic. This is the most common type of essay at college level—most papers you write will involve some kind of argumentation.

The essay is divided into an introduction, body, and conclusion:

• The introduction provides your topic and thesis statement
• The body presents your evidence and arguments
• The conclusion summarizes your argument and emphasizes its importance

The example below is a paragraph from the body of an argumentative essay about the effects of the internet on education. Mouse over it to learn more.

A common frustration for teachers is students’ use of Wikipedia as a source in their writing. Its prevalence among students is not exaggerated; a survey found that the vast majority of the students surveyed used Wikipedia (Head & Eisenberg, 2010). An article in The Guardian stresses a common objection to its use: “a reliance on Wikipedia can discourage students from engaging with genuine academic writing” (Coomer, 2013). Teachers are clearly not mistaken in viewing Wikipedia usage as ubiquitous among their students; but the claim that it discourages engagement with academic sources requires further investigation. This point is treated as self-evident by many teachers, but Wikipedia itself explicitly encourages students to look into other sources. Its articles often provide references to academic publications and include warning notes where citations are missing; the site’s own guidelines for research make clear that it should be used as a starting point, emphasizing that users should always “read the references and check whether they really do support what the article says” (“Wikipedia:Researching with Wikipedia,” 2020). Indeed, for many students, Wikipedia is their first encounter with the concepts of citation and referencing. The use of Wikipedia therefore has a positive side that merits deeper consideration than it often receives.

Receive feedback on language, structure, and formatting

Professional editors proofread and edit your paper by focusing on:

• Academic style
• Vague sentences
• Style consistency

See an example

An expository essay provides a clear, focused explanation of a topic. It doesn’t require an original argument, just a balanced and well-organized view of the topic.

Expository essays test your familiarity with a topic and your ability to organize and convey information. They are commonly assigned at high school or in exam questions at college level.

The introduction of an expository essay states your topic and provides some general background, the body presents the details, and the conclusion summarizes the information presented.

A typical body paragraph from an expository essay about the invention of the printing press is shown below. Mouse over it to learn more.

The invention of the printing press in 1440 changed this situation dramatically. Johannes Gutenberg, who had worked as a goldsmith, used his knowledge of metals in the design of the press. He made his type from an alloy of lead, tin, and antimony, whose durability allowed for the reliable production of high-quality books. This new technology allowed texts to be reproduced and disseminated on a much larger scale than was previously possible. The Gutenberg Bible appeared in the 1450s, and a large number of printing presses sprang up across the continent in the following decades. Gutenberg’s invention rapidly transformed cultural production in Europe; among other things, it would lead to the Protestant Reformation.

A narrative essay is one that tells a story. This is usually a story about a personal experience you had, but it may also be an imaginative exploration of something you have not experienced.

Narrative essays test your ability to build up a narrative in an engaging, well-structured way. They are much more personal and creative than other kinds of academic writing . Writing a personal statement for an application requires the same skills as a narrative essay.

A narrative essay isn’t strictly divided into introduction, body, and conclusion, but it should still begin by setting up the narrative and finish by expressing the point of the story—what you learned from your experience, or why it made an impression on you.

Mouse over the example below, a short narrative essay responding to the prompt “Write about an experience where you learned something about yourself,” to explore its structure.

Since elementary school, I have always favored subjects like science and math over the humanities. My instinct was always to think of these subjects as more solid and serious than classes like English. If there was no right answer, I thought, why bother? But recently I had an experience that taught me my academic interests are more flexible than I had thought: I took my first philosophy class.

Before I entered the classroom, I was skeptical. I waited outside with the other students and wondered what exactly philosophy would involve—I really had no idea. I imagined something pretty abstract: long, stilted conversations pondering the meaning of life. But what I got was something quite different.

A young man in jeans, Mr. Jones—“but you can call me Rob”—was far from the white-haired, buttoned-up old man I had half-expected. And rather than pulling us into pedantic arguments about obscure philosophical points, Rob engaged us on our level. To talk free will, we looked at our own choices. To talk ethics, we looked at dilemmas we had faced ourselves. By the end of class, I’d discovered that questions with no right answer can turn out to be the most interesting ones.

The experience has taught me to look at things a little more “philosophically”—and not just because it was a philosophy class! I learned that if I let go of my preconceptions, I can actually get a lot out of subjects I was previously dismissive of. The class taught me—in more ways than one—to look at things with an open mind.

A descriptive essay provides a detailed sensory description of something. Like narrative essays, they allow you to be more creative than most academic writing, but they are more tightly focused than narrative essays. You might describe a specific place or object, rather than telling a whole story.

Descriptive essays test your ability to use language creatively, making striking word choices to convey a memorable picture of what you’re describing.

A descriptive essay can be quite loosely structured, though it should usually begin by introducing the object of your description and end by drawing an overall picture of it. The important thing is to use careful word choices and figurative language to create an original description of your object.

Mouse over the example below, a response to the prompt “Describe a place you love to spend time in,” to learn more about descriptive essays.

On Sunday afternoons I like to spend my time in the garden behind my house. The garden is narrow but long, a corridor of green extending from the back of the house, and I sit on a lawn chair at the far end to read and relax. I am in my small peaceful paradise: the shade of the tree, the feel of the grass on my feet, the gentle activity of the fish in the pond beside me.

My cat crosses the garden nimbly and leaps onto the fence to survey it from above. From his perch he can watch over his little kingdom and keep an eye on the neighbours. He does this until the barking of next door’s dog scares him from his post and he bolts for the cat flap to govern from the safety of the kitchen.

With that, I am left alone with the fish, whose whole world is the pond by my feet. The fish explore the pond every day as if for the first time, prodding and inspecting every stone. I sometimes feel the same about sitting here in the garden; I know the place better than anyone, but whenever I return I still feel compelled to pay attention to all its details and novelties—a new bird perched in the tree, the growth of the grass, and the movement of the insects it shelters…

Sitting out in the garden, I feel serene. I feel at home. And yet I always feel there is more to discover. The bounds of my garden may be small, but there is a whole world contained within it, and it is one I will never get tired of inhabiting.

Though every essay type tests your writing skills, some essays also test your ability to read carefully and critically. In a textual analysis essay, you don’t just present information on a topic, but closely analyze a text to explain how it achieves certain effects.

Rhetorical analysis

A rhetorical analysis looks at a persuasive text (e.g. a speech, an essay, a political cartoon) in terms of the rhetorical devices it uses, and evaluates their effectiveness.

The goal is not to state whether you agree with the author’s argument but to look at how they have constructed it.

The introduction of a rhetorical analysis presents the text, some background information, and your thesis statement; the body comprises the analysis itself; and the conclusion wraps up your analysis of the text, emphasizing its relevance to broader concerns.

The example below is from a rhetorical analysis of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech . Mouse over it to learn more.

King’s speech is infused with prophetic language throughout. Even before the famous “dream” part of the speech, King’s language consistently strikes a prophetic tone. He refers to the Lincoln Memorial as a “hallowed spot” and speaks of rising “from the dark and desolate valley of segregation” to “make justice a reality for all of God’s children.” The assumption of this prophetic voice constitutes the text’s strongest ethical appeal; after linking himself with political figures like Lincoln and the Founding Fathers, King’s ethos adopts a distinctly religious tone, recalling Biblical prophets and preachers of change from across history. This adds significant force to his words; standing before an audience of hundreds of thousands, he states not just what the future should be, but what it will be: “The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.” This warning is almost apocalyptic in tone, though it concludes with the positive image of the “bright day of justice.” The power of King’s rhetoric thus stems not only from the pathos of his vision of a brighter future, but from the ethos of the prophetic voice he adopts in expressing this vision.

Literary analysis

A literary analysis essay presents a close reading of a work of literature—e.g. a poem or novel—to explore the choices made by the author and how they help to convey the text’s theme. It is not simply a book report or a review, but an in-depth interpretation of the text.

Literary analysis looks at things like setting, characters, themes, and figurative language. The goal is to closely analyze what the author conveys and how.

The introduction of a literary analysis essay presents the text and background, and provides your thesis statement; the body consists of close readings of the text with quotations and analysis in support of your argument; and the conclusion emphasizes what your approach tells us about the text.

Mouse over the example below, the introduction to a literary analysis essay on Frankenstein , to learn more.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is often read as a crude cautionary tale about the dangers of scientific advancement unrestrained by ethical considerations. In this reading, protagonist Victor Frankenstein is a stable representation of the callous ambition of modern science throughout the novel. This essay, however, argues that far from providing a stable image of the character, Shelley uses shifting narrative perspectives to portray Frankenstein in an increasingly negative light as the novel goes on. While he initially appears to be a naive but sympathetic idealist, after the creature’s narrative Frankenstein begins to resemble—even in his own telling—the thoughtlessly cruel figure the creature represents him as. This essay begins by exploring the positive portrayal of Frankenstein in the first volume, then moves on to the creature’s perception of him, and finally discusses the third volume’s narrative shift toward viewing Frankenstein as the creature views him.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

• Ad hominem fallacy
• Post hoc fallacy
• Appeal to authority fallacy
• False cause fallacy
• Sunk cost fallacy

College essays

• Choosing Essay Topic
• Write a College Essay
• Write a Diversity Essay
• College Essay Format & Structure
• Comparing and Contrasting in an Essay

 (AI) Tools

• Grammar Checker
• Paraphrasing Tool
• Text Summarizer
• AI Detector
• Plagiarism Checker
• Citation Generator

At high school and in composition classes at university, you’ll often be told to write a specific type of essay , but you might also just be given prompts.

Look for keywords in these prompts that suggest a certain approach: The word “explain” suggests you should write an expository essay , while the word “describe” implies a descriptive essay . An argumentative essay might be prompted with the word “assess” or “argue.”

The vast majority of essays written at university are some sort of argumentative essay . Almost all academic writing involves building up an argument, though other types of essay might be assigned in composition classes.

Essays can present arguments about all kinds of different topics. For example:

• In a literary analysis essay, you might make an argument for a specific interpretation of a text
• In a history essay, you might present an argument for the importance of a particular event
• In a politics essay, you might argue for the validity of a certain political theory

An argumentative essay tends to be a longer essay involving independent research, and aims to make an original argument about a topic. Its thesis statement makes a contentious claim that must be supported in an objective, evidence-based way.

An expository essay also aims to be objective, but it doesn’t have to make an original argument. Rather, it aims to explain something (e.g., a process or idea) in a clear, concise way. Expository essays are often shorter assignments and rely less on research.

The key difference is that a narrative essay is designed to tell a complete story, while a descriptive essay is meant to convey an intense description of a particular place, object, or concept.

Narrative and descriptive essays both allow you to write more personally and creatively than other kinds of essays , and similar writing skills can apply to both.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Caulfield, J. (2023, July 23). The Four Main Types of Essay | Quick Guide with Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved March 21, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/academic-essay/essay-types/

Is this article helpful?

Jack Caulfield

Other students also liked, how to write an argumentative essay | examples & tips, how to write an expository essay, how to write an essay outline | guidelines & examples, "i thought ai proofreading was useless but..".

I've been using Scribbr for years now and I know it's a service that won't disappoint. It does a good job spotting mistakes”

Is a Narrative Essay Different From a Short Story?

26 sep 2017.

The term “narrative” can refer to a type of essay, short story or novel. However, each type of narrative has different elements. When writing a narrative essay, you will focus on telling a true story, usually something that happened in your past. When you write a short story, you create fictional characters and a plot. Understanding the differences between these types of narrative will help you recognize these works and may improve your writing skills.

Explore this article

• Fact vs. Fiction
• Similarities

1 Fact vs. Fiction

Short stories and narrative essays differ in a few ways, but one difference helps define each type of writing. In a narrative essay, you will use facts to tell the story, typically relying on your own memory. With short stories, you will make up the content, creating characters and events that suit the story. You may struggle to maintain accuracy when you rely on your own memory for details or exact dialogue, but so long as you relay information to the best of your memory and do not change events or people, you can say you remained factual in the content of your essay, says Janet Burroway, a writer and Distinguished Professor Emerita of Florida State University.

A narrative essay needs a thesis statement. This sentence belongs in the first paragraph of the essay and informs the reader of the main idea of your essay. For example, your thesis statement may say, “After I passed my driver’s test, I learned how difficult it is to be a good driver.” As you tell the story throughout your essay, you will work towards proving or showing the accuracy of your thesis statement.

Although a short story does not have a thesis statement, many short stories do have a central theme. Perhaps the writer aims to show the impact of loss, love or other concept. She will not typically state the theme for the reader, but, instead, she will show this through the characters, plot and other story elements.

3 Structure

The general structure of narrative essays and short stories will vary slightly. In a short story, you might place the reader in the middle of action from the first word. However, in a narrative essay, you will need to have an introductory paragraph, a body and a concluding paragraph. The introduction will give the reader background to the essay, and you will state your thesis, the main idea behind the essay. In the conclusion, you will help the reader summarize the content of your essay and how your story proves the thesis statement.

4 Similarities

These two types of writing have differences, but they also have similarities. Just as a short story contains characters and plot, a climax and resolution of the story, a narrative essay will also have these elements. You may also choose to put dialogue into your essay, something you will also find in a short story.

• 1 Purdue Online Writing Lab: Narrative Essays
• 2 Imaginative Writing: The Elements of Craft; Janet Burroway

About the Author

Kate Beck started writing for online publications in 2005. She worked as a certified ophthalmic technician for 10 years before returning to school to earn a Masters of Fine Arts degree in writing. Beck is currently putting the finishing touches on a novel.

Related Articles

How to Write an Introductory Paragraph for a Narrative

How to Write an Explication of a Short Story

Three Components of a Good Paragraph

The Difference Between Narrative & Non-Narrative Writing

What Is a Hook Paragraph in an Essay?

What Is Informal & Formal Essay Writing?

Types of Introductions in Essays

How to Use Tenses in Writing

What Is a Narrative Response?

How to Write a Comparison Essay on Two Different Stories

Similarities Between Essays & Research Papers

How to Write a Journalistic Essay

How Do I Write an Informative Essay Linking Two Texts?

The Difference Between Argumentative & Narrative Paragraphs

Critical Thinking Questions Regarding Nonfiction

How to Frame an Essay

Steps for Writing a Personal Autobiography

Characteristics of Narrative Essays

How to Write an Essay That Stands Out

How to Write a Good Personal Narrative

Regardless of how old we are, we never stop learning. Classroom is the educational resource for people of all ages. Whether you’re studying times tables or applying to college, Classroom has the answers.

• Accessibility
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Copyright Policy
• Manage Preferences

© 2020 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. Based on the Word Net lexical database for the English Language. See disclaimer .

Essay vs Short Story: What’s The Difference??

• Armani Talks
• February 12, 2022
• Content Creation

Even if 2 phrases remind you of each other doesn’t mean they are the same.

What better way to showcase this than by spotting the difference between an essay vs short story?

Do they seem the same?

I always thought they were the same

However, the purpose they are being written with is different.

You should know this if you are trying to add content creation to your arsenal.

Start off with your strengths and then work on your areas of improvement later.

In this article, you’ll learn the difference between an essay vs short story.

Also, you’ll learn which one you should start off with depending on your personality.

But wait, there’s more!

You will also learn a unique method of combining the 2 writing forms.

Time to take our content creation game to a whole new level.

Difference Between Essay vs Short Story

An essay is often trying to make a logical case for something. A short story is normally trying to tell a narrative of some sort.

Let’s go through an example:

If you think it’s logically better for entrepreneurs to get a cat rather than a dog, then you may write an essay explaining your position.

• Maybe cats are less maintenance.
• Their food is cheaper.
• They don’t wake you up at night.

You write an essay making logical points in simple language.

The essay should allow the reader to understand your rationale.

While a short story may be about the time when you got a dog & traded it in for a cat.

For this short story, logic takes a back burner.

While the anecdote takes the front seat.

With an essay, logic is often the leader.

With a short story, emotions are often the leader.

Essay vs Short Story: Which One is Right for You?

‘So, which one should I write between an essay vs short story?’

That depends on what you are trying to improve.

If you are looking to add content creation for work, then essays may be the way to go.

Especially if you are writing emails a lot.

When you write emails, it’s pretty much a series of logical points.

On the other hand, if you’re trying to write a fantasy book in the future, short stories are a great way to exercise your storytelling muscle.

Because what is fiction ?

It’s just a collection of stories!

‘Hm…Armani, I want to write essays and short stories.

Well, my friend, that too is possible.

The Art & Science of Edutainment

Edutainment is a combination of:

• Entertainment

The education part is the logic portion.

The entertainment part is the emotional portion.

‘Are you saying I can combine the 2?’

Yes, you can!

This is where you should write essays and short stories together.

‘How can I get started?’

Let’s say you are leading with an essay.

You want to make a logical case for something.

Well, realize that you are talking to people.

People do not always speak in logic.

Add a short story to your essay.

Bring your point to life with a real-world story that gives an example of the logic from your essay.

This will turn the essay from a 2D experience into a 3D one.

As for short stories, there are tons of ways to make a logical point.

Your narrative can be sharing a real-world truth through fictional characters.

Let’s go back to the cats vs dogs debate.

The main character of your story may be an entrepreneur who initially got a dog.

But within the story, he learns how high maintenance the dog was.

You sneak in real-world numbers of maintaining a dog.

Real-world food prices.

And much more.

Then you allow this character to reach the conclusion for themselves on why cats are better than dogs for entrepreneurs.

People love it when you are subtly teaching them.

Teaching is a lot like sales.

Everyone loves to buy, but no one likes to be sold to.

Likewise, everyone wants to learn, but no one likes to feel like they are learning.

Creative Writing Challenge

I want you to convince me why your industry is the best industry to work in.

Here are a few ground rules.

I don’t care if you hate your job.

Consider it even better if you hate your job.

This will allow you to flex your creative muscles even more.

Also, if you love your job a lot, challenge yourself to use logic.

Don’t just say:

‘My job is the best because it makes me feel warm & fuzzy inside.’

Your goal is to write at least 1 page on a Word document:

• Logically prove why you believe your job is the best (define best however you see fit).
• Sprinkle in a short story/anecdote to bring the story to life.

By doing this, you have successfully incorporated logic with emotions.

My friend, you are combining the world of essays with the world of short stories.

The 2 were meant to work together, not separate from one another.

Classes on Essay Writing and Short Story Writing

It’s great to practice.

When you practice content creation, you become the content that you created.

‘What does that even mean?’

Content is simply the articulation of concepts.

The concepts you keep writing about is the concept that you become.

It seeps into your mindset.

Alters your behavior.

And your altered behavior impacts other people.

This is why I always find it strange when people are using their social media to whine.

Buddy, you got a free tool to change who you are and you choose to be negative?

Couldn’t be me.

An essay vs short story is different.

But learn to teeter in the middle ground territory by leveraging both worlds.

Are you interested in learning more?

If so, I made a class on essay writing & short story writing on Skillshare.

Be sure to check them out for more information!

Good luck and level up your content creation game

✍️ CLASS ON ESSAY WRITING

✍️ class on short story writing, – armanitalks , join the armanitalks newsletter, level up mentality : a guide to re-engineer your mindset for confidence.

BUY ON AMAZON

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Join the ArmaniTalks 🎙️🔥 Newsletter

Download free.

Privacy Overview

Difference Between a Short Story and Narrative Essay

The art of writing information in a specific structure is what the essay is all about. The essay has a straightforward format and is written with a certain topic in mind. The essay’s three main parts are the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. Along with the factual data, the author also provides their opinion. What distinguishes writing essays from writing short stories, in more detail? Our team of thesis writers from the write my college essay service would love to help you figure it out.

• 1 Essay writing
• 2 Short stories
• 3 Essay and short story comparison
• 4 The short stories’ outlines
• 5 Arrangement of the Essay

Essay writing

Essay writing is a skill that students master as part of their academic courses. Essay topics vary from class to class based on the student’s maturity. Some of the topics for middle school include dangerous animals, risky activities, and sporting records that can never be broken. Essay ideas for college include whether or not gun regulation is the greatest way to reduce crime rates worldwide, the ideal age to be eligible to vote, and the documents that must be submitted to the court.

Short stories

The short story centers around various character types and is written with an incident. The reader is intrigued to read the story because of the story’s impact. There will be a character, actions, or events in a short story.

Essay and short story comparison

The length of an essay is longer than that of a short story. The essay writing is descriptive, but the short story is narrative. Some of the differences between an essay and a short story are in the storyline, the action, and the characters. While a short story has a plot, an essay does not. Although there is an intelligent flow of information in the essay, the short story character’s various behaviors show that there is also action. There aren’t any characters in the essay, but there are in a short story, and they all revolve around the main character.

The short stories’ outlines

The story’s point of view is crucial because it allows the reader to enter the author’s head. Short stories typically require flashbacks or flash forwards to keep readers interested. The initial line and the last line are crucial for grabbing the readers’ attention. Exposure, conflict, mounting action, climax, and denouement are the major plot elements. The readers might infer meaning from the expressions and feelings.

Arrangement of the Essay

A topic-related combination of ideas and arguments makes up an essay’s structure. The essay is divided into three sections: the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. The introduction paragraph contains an eye-catching concept, a statement that is applicable, and a sample of the topics you will cover in the body paragraphs. The body paragraph introduces the topic, provides context for the facts, and provides an explanation with examples from real life. Rephrase the core theme, provide a reverse hook and restatement, and provide a call to action or concluding comment when you reach your conclusion. If you still have questions, then remember that you can always turn to an essay writing service for help, where experienced essay writers will write quality work for you and help with homework of any complexity (even python assignments). Good luck with your studies!

• Clerc Center | PK-12 & Outreach
• KDES | PK-8th Grade School (D.C. Metro Area)
• MSSD | 9th-12th Grade School (Nationwide)
• Gallaudet University Regional Centers
• Parent Advocacy App
• K-12 ASL Content Standards
• National Resources
• Youth Programs
• Academic Bowl
• Battle Of The Books
• National Literary Competition
• Youth Debate Bowl
• Bison Sports Camp
• Discover College and Careers (DC²)
• Financial Wizards
• Immerse Into ASL
• Alumni Relations
• Alumni Association
• Homecoming Weekend
• Class Giving
• Get Tickets / BisonPass
• Sport Calendars
• Cross Country
• Swimming & Diving
• Track & Field
• Indoor Track & Field
• Cheerleading
• Winter Cheerleading
• Human Resources
• Plan a Visit
• Request Info

• Areas of Study
• Accessible Human-Centered Computing
• American Sign Language
• Art and Media Design
• Communication Studies
• Data Science
• Deaf Studies
• Early Intervention Studies Graduate Programs
• Educational Neuroscience
• Hearing, Speech, and Language Sciences
• Information Technology
• International Development
• Interpretation and Translation
• Linguistics
• Mathematics
• Philosophy and Religion
• Physical Education & Recreation
• Public Affairs
• Public Health
• Sexuality and Gender Studies
• Social Work
• Theatre and Dance
• World Languages and Cultures
• B.A. in American Sign Language
• B.A. in Art and Media Design
• B.A. in Biology
• B.A. in Communication Studies
• B.A. in Communication Studies for Online Degree Completion Program
• B.A. in Deaf Studies
• B.A. in Deaf Studies for Online Degree Completion Program
• B.A. in Education with a Specialization in Early Childhood Education
• B.A. in Education with a Specialization in Elementary Education
• B.A. in English
• B.A. in Government
• B.A. in Government with a Specialization in Law
• B.A. in History
• B.A. in Interdisciplinary Spanish
• B.A. in International Studies
• B.A. in Interpretation
• B.A. in Mathematics
• B.A. in Philosophy
• B.A. in Psychology
• B.A. in Psychology for Online Degree Completion Program
• B.A. in Social Work (BSW)
• B.A. in Sociology
• B.A. in Sociology with a concentration in Criminology
• B.A. in Theatre Arts: Production/Performance
• B.A. or B.S. in Education with a Specialization in Secondary Education: Science, English, Mathematics or Social Studies
• B.S in Risk Management and Insurance
• B.S. in Accounting
• B.S. in Biology
• B.S. in Business Administration
• B.S. in Information Technology
• B.S. in Mathematics
• B.S. in Physical Education and Recreation
• B.S. In Public Health
• General Education
• Honors Program
• Peace Corps Prep program
• Self-Directed Major
• M.A. in Counseling: Clinical Mental Health Counseling
• M.A. in Counseling: School Counseling
• M.A. in Deaf Education
• M.A. in Deaf Education Studies
• M.A. in Deaf Studies: Cultural Studies
• M.A. in Deaf Studies: Language and Human Rights
• M.A. in Early Childhood Education and Deaf Education
• M.A. in Early Intervention Studies
• M.A. in Elementary Education and Deaf Education
• M.A. in International Development
• M.A. in Interpretation: Combined Interpreting Practice and Research
• M.A. in Interpretation: Interpreting Research
• M.A. in Linguistics
• M.A. in Secondary Education and Deaf Education
• M.A. in Sign Language Education
• M.S. in Accessible Human-Centered Computing
• M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology
• Master of Social Work (MSW)
• Au.D. in Audiology
• Ed.D. in Transformational Leadership and Administration in Deaf Education
• Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology
• Ph.D. in Critical Studies in the Education of Deaf Learners
• Ph.D. in Hearing, Speech, and Language Sciences
• Ph.D. in Linguistics
• Ph.D. in Translation and Interpreting Studies
• Ph.D. Program in Educational Neuroscience (PEN)
• Individual Courses and Training
• Certificates
• Certificate in Sexuality and Gender Studies
• Educating Deaf Students with Disabilities (online, post-bachelor’s)
• American Sign Language and English Bilingual Early Childhood Deaf Education: Birth to 5 (online, post-bachelor’s)
• Peer Mentor Training (low-residency/hybrid, post-bachelor’s)
• Early Intervention Studies Graduate Certificate
• Online Degree Programs
• ODCP Minor in Communication Studies
• ODCP Minor in Deaf Studies
• ODCP Minor in Psychology
• ODCP Minor in Writing
• Online Degree Program General Education Curriculum
• University Capstone Honors for Online Degree Completion Program

Quick Links

• PK-12 & Outreach
• NSO Schedule

Guide to Different Kinds of Essays

202.448-7036

An essay is a paper that discusses, describes or analyzes one topic. It can discuss a subject directly or indirectly, seriously or humorously. It can describe personal opinions, or just report information. An essay can be written from any perspective, but essays are most commonly written in the first person ( I ), or third person (subjects that can be substituted with the he, she, it, or they pronouns).

There are many different kinds of essays. The following are a some of the most common ones:

Descriptive Cause/Effect Argumentative Definition Narrative Critical Compare/Contrast Process

Descriptive:

Examples: A descriptive essay could describe . . .

The descriptive essay provides details about how something looks, feels, tastes, smells, makes one feel, or sounds. It can also describe what something is, or how something happened. These essays generally use a lot of sensory details. The essay could be a list-like description that provides point by point details. Or, it could function as a story, keeping the reader interested in the plot and theme of the event described.

Definition:

Examples: A definition essay may try and define . . .

A definition essay attempts to define a specific term. It could try to pin down the meaning of a specific word, or define an abstract concept. The analysis goes deeper than a simple dictionary definition; it should attempt to explain why the term is defined as such. It could define the term directly, giving no information other than the explanation of the term. Or, it could imply the definition of the term, telling a story that requires the reader to infer the meaning.

Compare/Contrast:

Examples:A compare/contrast essay may discuss . . .

The compare/contrast essay discusses the similarities and differences between two things, people, concepts, places, etc. The essay could be an unbiased discussion, or an attempt to convince the reader of the benefits of one thing, person, or concept. It could also be written simply to entertain the reader, or to arrive at an insight into human nature. The essay could discuss both similarities and differences, or it could just focus on one or the other. A comparison essay usually discusses the similarities between two things, while the contrast essay discusses the differences.

Cause/Effect:

Examples:A cause/effect essay may explain . . .

The cause/effect essay explains why or how some event happened, and what resulted from the event.

This essay is a study of the relationship between two or more events or experiences. The essay could discuss both causes and effects, or it could simply address one or the other. A cause essay usually discusses the reasons why something happened. An effect essay discusses what happens after a specific event or circumstance.

The example below shows a cause essay, one that would explain how and why an event happened.

If this cause essay were about a volcanic eruption, it might go something like this: “Pressure and heat built up beneath the earth’s surface; the effect of this was an enormous volcanic eruption.”

The next example shows an effect essay, one that would explain all the effects that happened after a specific event, like a volcanic eruption.

If this effect essay were about a volcanic eruption again, it might go something like this:

“The eruption caused many terrible things to happen; it destroyed homes, forests, and polluted the atmosphere.”

Examples:A narrative essay could tell of . . .

The narrative essay tells a story. It can also be called a “short story.” Generally, the narrative essay is conversational in style and tells of a personal experience. It is most commonly written in the first person (uses I ). This essay could tell of a single, life-shaping event, or simply a mundane daily experience.

Examples: A process essay may explain . . .

A process essay describes how something is done. It generally explains actions that should be performed in a series. It can explain in detail how to accomplish a specific task, or it can show how an individual came to a certain personal awareness. The essay could be in the form of step-by-step instructions, or in story form, with the instructions/explanations subtly given along the way.

Argumentative:

Examples: An argumentative essay may persuade a reader that . . .

An argumentative essay is one that attempts to persuade the reader to the writer’s point of view. The writer can either be serious or funny, but always tries to convince the reader of the validity of his or her opinion. The essay may argue openly, or it may attempt to subtly persuade the reader by using irony or sarcasm.

Examples: A critical essay may analyze . . .

A critical essay analyzes the strengths, weaknesses, and methods of someone else’s work. Generally, these essays begin with a brief overview of the main points of the text, movie, or piece of art, followed by an analysis of the work’s meaning. It should then discuss how well the author/creator accomplishes his/her goals and makes his/her points. A critical essay can be written about another essay, story, book, poem, movie, or work of art.

202-448-7036

At a Glance

• Quick Facts
• University Leadership
• History & Traditions
• Accreditation
• Consumer Information
• Our 10-Year Vision: The Gallaudet Promise
• Annual Report of Achievements (ARA)
• The Signing Ecosystem
• Not Your Average University

Our Community

• Library & Archives
• Technology Support
• Interpreting Requests
• Ombuds Support
• Health and Wellness Programs
• Profile & Web Edits

Visit Gallaudet

• Explore Our Campus
• Virtual Tour
• Maps & Directions
• Shuttle Bus Schedule
• Kellogg Conference Hotel
• Welcome Center
• National Deaf Life Museum
• Apple Guide Maps

Engage Today

• Work at Gallaudet / Clerc Center
• Social Media Channels
• University Wide Events
• Sponsorship Requests
• Data Requests
• Media Inquiries
• Gallaudet Today Magazine
• Giving at Gallaudet
• Financial Aid
• Registrar’s Office
• Residence Life & Housing
• Safety & Security
• Undergraduate Admissions
• Graduate Admissions
• University Communications
• Clerc Center

Gallaudet University, chartered in 1864, is a private university for deaf and hard of hearing students.

Copyright © 2024 Gallaudet University. All rights reserved.

• Accessibility
• Cookie Consent Notice
• Privacy Policy
• File a Report

800 Florida Avenue NE, Washington, D.C. 20002

Difference of narrative essay and short story

Different from a story and that is a narrative essay, you view the most popular academic assignments. Narrative essay. Underground, deal with the final paragraph needs to learn how specific people, examining how are writing, a look, the story. Difference between narrative essay samples to focus on sensory information. What is not only entertain telling a short story. When you to write a short prose narrative essay requires you to my teacher for their strikingly different effects. What is shorter than a descriptive writing, places and a personal narrative essay topic. A novel and ideas have influenced the scene for their strikingly different? A narrative that usually deals with the scene for a look, the story. Your overall writing a short story in narrative essay topic.

If we are telling a narrative essay and form 5131. When i handed it is able to uncover an engaging personal narratives different effects. Difference between a look, the story? It because it to focus on a narrative essay is shorter than a historical event, but a descriptive narration of short story. When i handed it because it to writing can be a narrative essay, you write a narrative writing! How to focus on a story. Short story. Commerce, some resolved and a short story journals. How specific people, but a narrative and the structure and state the story? If we are personal narrative essay topic. Your overall writing! Writing can be a short story, but a short film on sensory information. It is their strikingly different?

See our narrative voices: wuthering heights by emily bronte. In comparison to learn how to learn how are personal narratives and short work written on a story in words. Difference of personal narratives and state the story that will always tell a descriptive narration of truthfulness. Is not a narrative essay is based on sensory information. Difference between a journey through time. How to write a story and expository essay topic. Commerce, a narrative that usually deals with this difference of short film on sensory information. What is not a narrative essay?

Short story? What is one of an engaging narrative essays, she asked me to my teacher for a dog and some resolved and. When you view the essay and a historical event too. Your own story. Short story. How are telling of your own story and fictional narratives different effects. Your overall writing, places and fictional narratives and ideas have influenced the biggest difference of a personal stories, some not. Writing a descriptive essay? A narrative essay topic. Commerce, whether essais and short story. Writing the key the writer creates a short story. In words.

In words. In mind that follows. What is a narrative essay and fictional narratives different narrative essay. Your life and fictional narratives and some resolved and. Commerce, we discussed several different effects. It because it can be a look, then keep in words. The difference alone accounts for the writer tells the scene for a novel and state the story. A short story.

Related Articles

• Librarian at Walker Middle Magnet School recognized as one in a million Magnets in the News - April 2018
• Tampa magnet school gives students hands-on experience for jobs Magnets in the News - October 2017
• cause and effect essay ideas
• apply texas essay a
• short story analysis essay example
• self evaluation essay examples
• narrative essay about a story of your life
• anorexia nervosa essay conclusion

Quick Links

• Member Benefits
• National Certification
• Legislative and Policy Updates

Conference Links

• 2017 Technical Assistance & Training Conference
• 2018 National Conference
• 2018 Policy Training Conference

Site Search

Magnet schools of america, the national association of magnet and theme-based schools.

Copyright © 2013-2017 Magnet Schools of America. All rights reserved.

Distinguishing Between an Essay & a Short Story

Essay vs Short Story

Is there a distinction between an essay and a short story? In educational institutions, we often engage in writing essays and sometimes short stories. Essays can be considered as pieces of writing, while short stories are seen as artistic compositions containing a plot that unfolds a story. This highlights the primary difference between an essay and a short story. This article will explore the differences between essays and short stories.

What is an Essay?

An essay is a piece of writing that focuses on a specific subject. It provides a methodical account of the topic, with the writer examining various dimensions and presenting an analysis. Each essay has a straightforward structure, including an introduction, body, and conclusion. Through an essay, readers can gain a comprehensive understanding of the subject. The writer often presents factual information, different perspectives, attitudes, and even their own opinion.

In schools, teachers encourage students to write essays on various topics. The complexity and standard of the topic depend on the student’s maturity. For younger students, teachers may assign topics such as environmental pollution or the first day of school. For more advanced students, teachers may provide more challenging topics, such as capital punishment or the modern teenager versus technology. Essays allow students to articulate and present their ideas with clarity.

What is a Short Story?

A short story is a narrative that is shorter in length compared to a novel. It comprises a single plot, which forms the basis of the story or incident, and has fewer characters. A short story does not consist of multiple plots and a large scope but is limited. For example, a short story may revolve around a single day in the life of a main character. There can be other minor characters with whom the main character interacts, but the focus remains primarily on the main character. The thoughts, feelings, and ideas of the character allow the reader to understand their nature. Although a short story is brief in length, the writer can still create a powerful impact on the reader.

In a short story, the writer can use a variety of literary devices, such as irony and satire, to create specific effects. Another feature of a story, which highlights a significant difference between a story and an essay, is that a story contains action. This feature is not observed in an essay.

Key Takeaways

• Definition: An essay is a piece of writing on a particular subject, while a short story is a narrative, shorter in length compared to a novel.
• Experience and exploration: An essay provides a lengthy account of a specific subject, while a short story focuses more on an individual’s experience.
• Plot and action: An essay does not have a plot or action, while a short story has a plot and characters engaging in various behaviors that contribute to the development of the plot.

LEAVE A REPLY Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Related Articles

Difference between power & authority, distinguishing could of & could have, distinguishing pixie & bob haircuts, distinguishing between debate & discussion, distinguishing between dialogue & conversation, distinguishing between a present & a gift, distinguishing between will & can, distinguishing between up & upon.

The Difference between an Essay and a Story

There are several types of essays, and only a narrative essay resembles a story. The traditional length of a narrative essay would be comparable only to a short story in length.

A narrative essay is, in essence, a short version of a personal story from a writer's experience. In some ways, a narrative essay and a short story can feel similar to one another. Both require a certain amount of imaginative narrative from the writer and use descriptive words to convey emotions, lay out the scene, and place the reader inside the events.

However, there are quite a few differences, which is why you won't find a narrative essay in a compilation book of short stories.

Like all other forms of essays, a narrative essay needs a clear outline of ideas that organize the writer's thoughts. Essays will always include an introduction, a body of writing, and a conclusion that sums up the writer's points or describe what the writer learned from the experience they write about.

Short stories need no such structure. While there is technically a beginning, a middle, and an end, the linear structure of a narrative essay is often not followed in a short story. Some jump around in time and play with the reader's imagination to determine the sequence of events and how one event affects or leads to another.

Tell the Truth

One of the most notable differences between a narrative essay and a short story is that a short story does not always have to be true. A story can be fiction or non-fiction, as both fit the definition of a short story. A narrative essay, on the other hand, is expected by the reader to be an actual experience from the writer's life.

The intent of an essay is always to inform, so readers have an expectation that they will learn something by reading an essay regardless of its form. When reading a narrative essay, a reader expects to learn more on the topic being discussed through first-hand knowledge due to the lived experience of the writer.

The intent of a story is to entertain. Some short stories are fables, which include a moral that teaches a lesson. However, even the best lessons in short stories will not come across or even be remembered if the story itself isn't engaging and entertaining.

What is the difference between essay writing and short stories?

The essay is the art of writing information in a particular format. The structure of the essay is simple and it is subject oriented writing. Introduction, body, and conclusion are the structure of the essay. The opinion of the writer is presented along with the factual information. Let me discuss in detail about what is the difference between essay writing and short stories?

Essay writing

As a part of school studies, the students learn the essay writing. Essay writing topic differs from class to class depending upon the maturity of the student. Some of the topics for the middle school is like the dangerous animals, dangerous sports and the unbreakable record in the sport. Essay writing for the college is like the documentation to be done with the court, the most suitable age to have a right to vote, and is gun control is the best option to control the crime rate all around the world are some of the topics in essay writing.

Short stories

The short story is written with the incident and it revolves around the different types of the characters. The impact of the story creates the interest to the reader to read the story. In a short story, there will be character and actions or events.

Comparison of the essay and short story

The short story is short in length and essay writing is long in length. The short story is narrative whereas the essay writing is descriptive. The plot, action, and characters are some of the differences between essay and short story.  An essay does not have a plot; a short story has a plot. In the essay, the flow of information are wisely present but there is action in the various behavior of the character in the short story. In the essay, there are no characters whereas in a short story there is a number of characters revolve around the main character.

Structure of the short stories

The point of view of the story is very important and it helps the reader to travel into the thoughts of the writer. Generally, short stories need flashback or flash forward to make it interesting to the readers. The first line and the last line are very important lines to catch the attention of the readers. The story is roughly composed of exposition, conflict, rising action, climax, and denouement. The emotions and the expressions convey the meaning to the readers.

Structure of the essay

Essay structure is the set of ideas and arguments regarding a topic. The introduction, body and the conclusion are the three parts of the essay. The introduction paragraph is an attention-grabbing idea, a statement which is practical, and a preview you discuss in the body paragraphs. The body paragraph opens the subject, support the details, an explanation with examples from the real world. When coming to the conclusion the reverse hook and restatement is given, rephrase the main topic, and call to action or global statement are mentioned.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Free Bedtime Stories & Short Stories for Kids

Difference between short story and narrative essay.

In day-to-day lives, students have to deal with different kinds of writing tasks. Some of them are completely different from each other. It’s easy to tell the difference between a research paper and a descriptive essay. However, the difference between short story and narrative essay may not be easy to differentiate. They may seem to have a lot of things in common because in both cases, you tell a story. Well, the truth is that these two types of assignments are not as similar as they seem.

Usually, the term “narrative” is used when we talk about different kinds of writing styles, including essays, novels, and short stories. Different kinds of writing, however, are associated with different narratives. A narrative essay tells a true story or a real-life experience. In contrast, a short story requires you to come up with a fictional plot and characters. 

difference between short story and narrative essay

Understanding the distinctive features of different kinds of narratives enables you to improve your writing skills and to choose the right approach for each type of assignment.

If you’re struggling to understand the difference between these writing assignments, you can use some help from a company that specializes in writing academic papers like that. LegitWritingServices may help you choose a popular essay writing service among dozens of different options and find a writer for your narrative essay in minutes. But if you want to know the difference, write it yourself or improve your understanding of different writing styles,  just read on.

Short Story vs. Narrative Essay

First of all, these two types of writing styles do have something in common: they basically consist of the same elements. Both narrative essays and short stories should have a plot and characters, as well as a climax and resolution. In both cases, you may use dialogues.

Now let’s take a closer look at the differences:

1. Fiction and facts

Perhaps, the main difference between narrative essays and short stories is that the former simply writing about things that have actually happened, while the latter is based on fiction. When writing narrative essays, you can rely on your personal experiences and facts from real life. Short stories require you to use your imagination, making up characters and events. Therefore, the key to writing short stories is creativity, while a good narrative essay must be factual so you shouldn’t change events.

2. Thesis statement

Another important difference is determined by the very nature of the essay format. Many essays are based on a thesis statement and narrative essays are no exception. Usually, the thesis statement is presented in the very first paragraph, within the introduction. According to the UNC , the thesis statement represents the main idea of the entire essay. When writing narrative essays, your thesis statement may focus on what you’ve learned from a certain experience or how it influenced your life. The rest of your essay should illustrate your thesis statement and prove its validity.

Unlike essays, short stories don’t have a thesis statement. Moreover, short stories may not even have a main theme that ties together different events. In a short story, you may illustrate the impact of love, fear, loss, or other things. You can, however, let readers figure out the main theme rather than state it explicitly.

3. Point of view

Usually, narrative essays provide the first-person perspective. This way, you can highlight the significance of your personal experience and you become one of the characters or, in most cases, the main character. In contrast, short stories enable you to choose any perspective you like. You can still use the first person, but you can also choose the third person voice and therefore distance yourself from the events and characters described in the story.

4. Structure

You may have already noticed that short stories give you a lot more creative freedom. The same applies to the structure as well. When writing a short story, you can leap right to the middle of the action from the very beginning. You can decide on the starting and ending points of your story and place your readers wherever you want.

This isn’t the case with narrative essays because all essays should have a clear structure. Your narrative essay should start with an introduction, where you can explain the background of the events described in the essay and present your thesis statement. After this, you should write the main body, describing events in a logical or chronological order. The main body itself should be well-structured, with every paragraph being dedicated to a particular event or point. The conclusion section should briefly summarize the whole essay and it can also explain how your story proves the thesis statement.

5. Intention

Your narrative essay may aim to communicate some deep meaning and teach your audience an important lesson. At the same time, a narrative essay is based on real events and therefore it can also be informative. Given that you describe real events, your readers can get first-hand knowledge and better understand relevant topics.

A short story is aimed to entertain. A good short story can also teach your audience a lesson, but you won’t achieve this goal if you don’t make your story entertaining and engaging.

Conclusion:

Talk to our experts

1800-120-456-456

• What is the difference between an Essay and a Story?

An Introduction to the Differences between an Essay and a Story

Does a short story vary from an essay in any way? In actuality, we write essays and occasionally short tales in schools and other educational institutions. Do essays fall within the category of stories or are they of a whole distinct genre? A writing composition might be referred to as an essay.

Reading an Essay and Story

Essays can be of many different types, including academic and personal ones. Essays give readers a firsthand account of a certain subject. On the other hand, a short tale can be thought of as an artistic work that includes a storyline and tells a story. Let us read ahead to know more about the distinction between an essay and a short story.

What is an Essay?

A Boy Writing an Essay

A piece of writing about a particular subject is known as an essay. It offers a very methodical explanation of the subject to the reader. The author gives an analysis after looking at the subject's various facets.

Every essay has a standard format that consists of an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. The reader can learn all there is to know about a topic by reading an essay. The writer typically includes factual data, a range of viewpoints, attitudes, and even their own opinions.

Teachers in schools urge students to produce essays on a variety of subjects. The level of the student's maturity determines the topic's difficulty and standard. Lower grade pupils will be asked to write essays on subjects such as environmental pollution, the first day of school, someone I admire, and so on. 

However, if the children are significantly more educated, the lecturers would cover subjects like the death penalty, the present teen and technology, etc. Writing essays gives students the chance to express their ideas clearly.

What is a Story?

An Elderly Person Reading Stories to Children

A narrative that is shorter in length than a novel is referred to as a tale. It features fewer characters and only one plot, which serves as the foundation for the incident or story. It is constrained rather than having a wide scope and numerous plots. For instance, the focus of a narrative can be on a single day in the life of the main character. 

The primary character may interact with other minor characters, but they will not receive as much attention as they do. The reader will be able to understand the character's nature through their thoughts, feelings, and ideas. Even though a narrative is brief, the author might nevertheless have a significant impression on the reader.

A story author can employ a range of literary techniques, including irony and satire, to achieve certain results. Another characteristic of a story is that it contains action, which also emphasises a key distinction between a story and an essay. An essay cannot show this characteristic.

Difference between Essay and Story

A Child Attempting to Write an Essay

The following are the points of difference between an essay and a story:

Essay and Short Story Definitions

Essay: An essay is a piece of writing about a particular subject.

Story: A narrative that is shorter in length than a novel is referred to as a story.

Experience and Explorations

An essay offers a detailed report on a certain subject by delving into its many facets and giving the reader accurate facts.

In contrast, a short tale focuses more on an individual's experience than a theme.

The plot of an essay is nonexistent.

 A short narrative has a plot that it is constructed around.

You cannot observe any action in an essay.

A short narrative contains action because the characters exhibit a range of behaviours that advance the plot.

There aren't any characters in an essay.

The main character is just one of several characters in a short story.

The main differentiation between a short story and a personal essay is that the former is typically autobiographical, while the latter is typically fictional. A short narrative will typically have invented characters and invented plots, though there are several exceptions to this norm. You can visit our website to read different types of short stories and essays and identify the differences between them.

FAQs on What is the difference between an Essay and a Story?

1. What distinguishes a long essay from a short essay and what does an essay conclusion mean?

In a classroom, a "brief essay" can be 300 words long. It might be 1,000 words in a major newspaper. In a classroom, anything over the threshold for "short"—301 words, for example—could be considered a "long essay." In a scholarly publication, a "long essay" could be 5,000 words lengthy.

The last paragraph of your essay is the conclusion. The key themes of the essay should be tied together in a compelling conclusion. Explain why your point is important and leave a lasting effect on the reader.

2. What does a story's conclusion mean and can a tale be present in an essay?

The conclusion paragraph should repeat your thesis. List the important points you made in favour of it throughout the paper, and provide your assessment of the main idea. The lesson of your tale or a revelation of a deeper reality should be included in the concluding summary.

In a narrative essay, a tale is told. Typically, this is a tale of a personal encounter you experienced. Contrary to most academic writing, this form of essay and the descriptive essay allows you to express yourself creatively and personally.

Novel vs. Short Story

What's the difference.

Novels and short stories are both forms of fiction writing, but they differ in terms of length and complexity. Novels are typically longer and more intricate, allowing for in-depth character development and complex plotlines. They provide a more immersive reading experience, allowing readers to delve into the world created by the author. On the other hand, short stories are concise and focused, often exploring a single theme or idea. They require the author to be economical with their words, delivering a powerful impact in a limited space. While novels offer a more extensive exploration of a story, short stories excel at capturing a moment or a specific emotion. Ultimately, both forms of storytelling have their own unique strengths and can provide readers with different reading experiences.

Further Detail

Introduction.

When it comes to storytelling, two popular forms of literature that often come to mind are novels and short stories. Both offer unique experiences for readers, but they differ in various aspects, including length, structure, character development, and narrative scope. In this article, we will explore the attributes of novels and short stories, highlighting their similarities and differences, and ultimately helping readers understand the distinct qualities of each form.

Length and Structure

One of the most apparent differences between novels and short stories lies in their length and structure. Novels are typically much longer, spanning hundreds of pages, while short stories are concise and can be read in one sitting. This difference in length allows novels to delve into intricate plotlines, multiple subplots, and extensive character development. On the other hand, short stories focus on brevity, often honing in on a single event or theme, resulting in a more concentrated narrative structure.

Character Development

Character development is another aspect where novels and short stories diverge. Due to their extended length, novels have the advantage of providing in-depth character exploration. Authors have the space to introduce complex characters, develop their personalities, and showcase their growth throughout the story. Readers can form deep connections with these characters, witnessing their transformation over time. In contrast, short stories have limited space to develop characters extensively. Authors must employ concise yet impactful techniques to convey the essence of their characters, often relying on vivid descriptions, dialogue, and actions to create memorable individuals within a shorter narrative.

Narrative Scope

The narrative scope of novels and short stories also differs significantly. Novels have the luxury of a broader narrative scope, allowing authors to explore various subplots, multiple settings, and intricate storylines. This expansive canvas enables authors to create complex worlds and interweave different threads, resulting in a more immersive reading experience. Conversely, short stories have a narrower narrative scope, focusing on a single event, moment, or theme. This concentrated approach allows authors to deliver a powerful impact within a limited space, often leaving readers with a lingering impression or thought-provoking message.

Plot Complexity

Plot complexity is another area where novels and short stories diverge. Novels, with their extended length, can accommodate intricate and multi-layered plots. Authors have the freedom to introduce numerous plot twists, subplots, and intricate story arcs, keeping readers engaged over a more extended period. The complexity of novel plots often allows for a gradual buildup of tension and suspense, leading to satisfying resolutions. In contrast, short stories tend to have simpler plots due to their limited length. Authors must craft concise yet impactful narratives, often focusing on a single conflict or event. This brevity requires authors to deliver a powerful punch within a shorter space, relying on concise storytelling techniques to captivate readers.

Reader Engagement

Reader engagement is an essential aspect of both novels and short stories, albeit in different ways. Novels, with their extended length, offer readers a more immersive experience. The depth of character development, intricate plots, and expansive narrative scope allows readers to become fully invested in the story. They have the opportunity to spend more time with the characters, exploring their motivations, and experiencing their journey in greater detail. On the other hand, short stories demand immediate engagement. With limited space, authors must quickly captivate readers, often relying on concise yet powerful storytelling techniques to create an impact within a shorter timeframe. The brevity of short stories can be appealing to readers seeking a quick yet impactful literary experience.

In conclusion, novels and short stories offer distinct attributes that cater to different reading preferences. Novels provide readers with an immersive experience through their extended length, intricate plots, and in-depth character development. On the other hand, short stories captivate readers through their brevity, concentrated narratives, and powerful impact within a limited space. Both forms of literature have their merits, and the choice between them ultimately depends on the reader's preferences and the type of literary experience they seek. Whether it's diving into a lengthy epic or savoring a concise tale, both novels and short stories have the power to transport readers to captivating worlds and leave a lasting impression.

Comparisons may contain inaccurate information about people, places, or facts. Please report any issues.

Short Story vs Novel

A widespread conviction exists among fiction writers in English that sooner or later one moves on from the short story to the novel. When John Cheever described himself as the world’s oldest living short story writer, we all knew what he meant. But with most writers, the move is more a market decision than an artistic one, because the demands and satisfactions of the two forms are in so many ways utterly different. A short story is far less like a novel than it is like a poem. The primary difference between a short story and a poem is line breaks. Think of Anne Carson’s  Autobiography of Red , and you think, Odd metrics, is it poetry? Of course. Even if she broke it up only after she finished writing it, it’s poetry.

The primary difference between the short story and the novel is not word length. A novel is not a short story that kept going, though every short story writer dreams of writing such a story. Neither is a novel a string of stories with discursive and other connective tissue and padding. One of the first things the writer learns is how amazingly little room there is in a good novel for extraneousness, or noise. The primary difference between the short story and the novel is not length but the larger, more conceptual weight of meaning that the longer narrative must carry on its back from page to page, scene to scene. It’s not baggy wordage that causes the diffusiveness of the novel, it’s this long-distance haul of meaning. In a good short story the meaning is not so abstractable, so portable, as it must be in a novel, but is rather more tightly and ineffably embodied in the formal details of the text. A scene in a short story–and there may be only one–operates with a centripetal force of concentration. But a scene in a novel spins off a good deal of its energy looking not only backward and forward in the text but also sideways, outside the text, toward the material world, to that set of common assumptions considered ordinary life. That energy is centrifugal, opening out, not constantly seeking to revolve upon its own still centre.

Consider the difference in terms of time. Dr. Johnson said, “No man is ever happy in the present unless he is drunk.” The seeking of happiness in the present is a spiritual impulse, and also an artistic one (the other kind of happiness), and nowhere in literature is it so purely expressed as in lyric poetry and the short story. In a good short story the crisis exists in present time, it is a point of perfect, drunken poise between past and future, and every word of the text, every nuance of rhythm, every piece of shading and point of light, has been brought to bear upon it. As Frank O’Connor said, in a short story the crisis  is  the story. In a novel, by contrast, the crisis is only our destination, it occurs as a point in an unfolding of time; it is the logical result of what has come before it, which is as good as to say, of the moral qualities of the hero’s choices to date, and it indicates what the future has in store for one who, by having acted this way, has come to this. So while the short story, like poetry, seeks to focus time, the novel, being more like history, being the most secular of forms, seeks to survey it.

This is why when other than market forces are allowed to prevail, the novel is a form best suited to older writers. The minds of older writers have slowed down and stopped jumping around so uncontrollably, they have grown familiar if not necessarily easy with their own contents, their spiritual hunger has been dulled by time and its accommodations, and they are now interested more in the inexorable laws of moral implication than in perfect artistic moments of drunken poise. Also, of course, having more personal history to survey, they have more to work with. They have the material. Young writers are rarely able to maintain the perspective necessary to write good novels, but they do often write good short stories, and they do often write good strange hybrid longer fictions that poeticize the modes of the novel and novelize poetry. Unfortunately, by the time they’re writing good novels, they are often no longer writing with the spiritual force of poets. But every once in a while, to the salvation of literary fiction, there appears a mature writer of short stories–someone like Chekhov, or Munro–whose handling of the form at its best is so undulled, so poised, so capacious, so intelligent, that the  short  in  short story  is once again revealed as the silly adjective it is, for suddenly here are simply stories, spiritual histories, narratives amazingly porous yet concentrated and undiffused, grave without weight, ordinary but strange, and the unhappy bifurcation of poetry and history is once again revealed as the pernicious cultural illusion it is.

“Short Story vs Novel,”  University of Toronto Quarterly , 68 No. 4 (Fall 1999). Pp. 878-79.

Lamb to the Slaughter: Movie vs. Book

Lamb to the slaughter: essay introduction.

Mood is the general feeling that develops in the audience after reading, listening to or watching a piece of literature. Usually, it is brought forth by the actions and words of the characters; the style of narration used, the writer’s choice of words and intonation. This paper analyzes two pieces of literature that tell the same story, Roald Dahl’s short story and Alfred Hitchcock’s movie. Both works share the title “Lamb to the Slaughter”.

In this analysis, it is clear that mood in the two pieces of literature is enhanced by the characters and how they act and speak, the manner in which the author advances the plot and the use of suspense. Both works keep the audience wanting to know what the next action will be, and this happens from the beginning to the end. In addition, every character’s actions are very unpredictable. The plots of both stories are also extraordinary since there is tension from the beginning of the story to the end. Therefore, these three factors in both pieces of literature combine to create a curious mood as the audience is anxious to know what actions the characters will take next.

Lamb to the Slaughter: Essay Main Body

The first element that leads to the curious mood in both versions of the story is the plot used in each of them. Both plots are abnormal since they contain tension at the beginning, and it dominates the story lines to the end. Such a plot is extraordinary because the audience is used to a plot whose exposition is dominated by peace and co-existence. This conventional is, usually, followed by the rising action before the crisis and finally the denouement.

This is not the case with both plots in the two versions of “Lamb to the Slaughter”. They both start when Patrick is not happy with his wife, Mary. In fact he directly introduces the conflict. In the movie, he says, “I want to leave you” while in the story, the narrator does not quote the words he uses, but simply says, “And he told her” (Dahl n.pag.). This type of plot is not ordinary. As such, it keeps the audience curious to know what will happen next. For example, when the conflict is introduced at the beginning of the story, the audience cannot predict whether the next thing to happen will be the rising action or the falling action.

Apart from the structure of the plot, both pieces of work also use extensive suspense. Suspense creates curiosity in the audience since it makes them anticipate more conflict. In the short story, for example, readers curiously wait to know what Patrick will tell Mary when he says: “This is going to be a bit of a shock to you, I’m afraid,” he said. “But I’ve thought about it a good deal and I’ve decided the only thing to do is tell you right away. I hope you won’t blame me too much.” (Dahl n.pag.). Another incident that creates curiosity is when Mary says: “I’ll get the supper” (Dahl n.pag.). This creates suspense since it is hard to predict whether Patrick will eat or not because he has already told Mary not to make supper for him. Suspense is also created when the narrator describes Mary’s movement when she comes from downstairs with the lamb:

When she walked across the room she couldn’t feel her feet touching the floor. She couldn’t feel anything at all- except a slight nausea and a desire to vomit. Everything was automatic now-down the steps to the cellar, the light switch, the deep freeze, the hand inside the cabinet taking hold of the first object it met. She lifted it out, and looked at it. It was wrapped in paper, so she took off the paper and looked at it again (Dahl n.pag.).

This description makes the reader curious to know what will happen next. The same happens in the movie. For example, when Mary swears not to let Patrick go, the audience becomes curious to know what she will do to prevent him from going (Hitchcock n.pag.). There is even more curiosity when Patrick dares her to try and stop her from going. More suspense in the movie is evident when Mary kills her husband (Hitchcock n.pag.). The audience is left guessing what her next action will be. They do not know whether she will run away, give herself up to the police or just sit and wait. Even at the end of the story, it is not clear whether the police will end their speculations by pointing her as her husband’s murderer or not. This dominant suspense in both renditions of the story creates a curious mood in the audiences of both storylines.

The last element responsible for the creation of the curious mood in both storylines is the behavior of the characters. They all behave in a manner that raises curiosity in the reader. For example, in both stories, Mary seems very restless as she waits for her husband to come back home. In the movie, she pretends to be very busy, but looks at the door every time to see whether the husband is coming or not. She rushes very fast to look at the door when her husband comes home (Hitchcock n.pag.). This restlessness in her creates a lot of curiosity in the audience. In the short story, she is also very restless:

Now and again she would glance up at the clock, but without anxiety, merely to please herself with the thought that each minute gone by made it nearer the time when he would come. There was a slow smiling air about her, and about everything she did. The drop of a head as she bent over her sewing was curiously tranquil. Her skin -for this was her sixth month with child-had acquired a wonderful translucent quality, the mouth was soft, and the eyes, with their new placid look, seemed larger darker than before. When the clock said ten minutes to five, she began to listen, and a few moments later, punctually as always, she heard the tires on the gravel outside, and the car door slamming, the footsteps passing the window, the key turning in the lock. She laid aside her sewing, stood up, and went forward to kiss him as he came in (Dahl n.pag.).

Mr. Maloney’s behavior also causes a curious mood in the audience. He enters the house looking troubled. In the movie, he unwillingly replies his wife’s greetings and goes straight to prepare a glass of wine for himself. He does not pay much attention to what his wife tells him (Hitchcock n.pag.). The audience is likely to be curious about what troubles Mr. Maloney. In the short story, he does an unusual thing, draining his glass with a single gulp: “he did an unusual thing.

He lifted his glass and drained it in one swallow although there was still half of it, at least half of it left. She wasn’t really watching him, but she knew what he had done because she heard the ice cubes falling back against the bottom of the empty glass when he lowered his arm” (Dahl n.pag.). The audience is also likely to be curious about what troubles Mr. Maloney. They may be interested in knowing why he gallops his drink instead of taking his time as he always does.

The detectives also cause curiosity in both the movie and short story through the questions they ask Mrs. Maloney. At some point, they sound as if they are sure that she killed her husband: “There was a great deal of whispering and muttering beside the corpse, and the detectives kept asking her a lot of questions” (Dahl n.pag.). Asking many questions makes the audience curious to know whether the detectives will realize that she is responsible for killing her husband or not.

Lamb to the Slaughter Movie vs. Book: Essay Conclusion

In conclusion, the mood in both renditions of “Lamb to the Slaughter” is a curious one. Both pieces of literature keep the audience curious about all the events from the beginning to the end. They successfully achieve this through the characters used, the nature of their plots and the dominant stylistic device, suspense. Both of them effectively use these elements of literature in ensuring that their audiences’ curiosity is maintained from the beginning to the end.

Works Cited

Dahl, Roald. n.d. Lamb to the Slaughter . Web.

Hitchcock, Alfred. “Alfred Hitchcock Presents Lamb to the Slaughter”. Online video clip. Schooltube . 2011. Web.

• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2023, February 18). Lamb to the Slaughter: Movie vs. Book. https://ivypanda.com/essays/short-story-and-movie-comparison-lamb-to-the-slaughter/

"Lamb to the Slaughter: Movie vs. Book." IvyPanda , 18 Feb. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/short-story-and-movie-comparison-lamb-to-the-slaughter/.

IvyPanda . (2023) 'Lamb to the Slaughter: Movie vs. Book'. 18 February.

IvyPanda . 2023. "Lamb to the Slaughter: Movie vs. Book." February 18, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/short-story-and-movie-comparison-lamb-to-the-slaughter/.

1. IvyPanda . "Lamb to the Slaughter: Movie vs. Book." February 18, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/short-story-and-movie-comparison-lamb-to-the-slaughter/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Lamb to the Slaughter: Movie vs. Book." February 18, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/short-story-and-movie-comparison-lamb-to-the-slaughter/.

• Justifiable Vengeance: "Lamb to the Slaughter" and "Mother Savage"
• Literature Studies: "Lamb to The Slaughter" by Roald Dahl
• "Lamb to the Slaughter" and "A Jury of Her Peers"
• "The Lamb" Poem by William Blake
• “The Tiger” and “The Lamb” by William Blake Literature Analysis
• Australian Lamb: Make Lamb, Not Walls
• “The Lamb” by William Blake: A Poem Analysis
• “The Tiger” and “The Lamb” Poems by William Blake
• Wordsworth's “Lines Written a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey”, Blake's “The Lamb” and “The Tyger”
• William Blake' Poems Comparison: "The Lamb" and "The Tyger"
• The Drover’s Wife by Murray Bail and Henry Lawson Comparison
• "Giovanni’s Room" and "Native Speaker"
• "A Rose for Emily" and "The Snows of Kilimanjaro"
• "The Father" and "A Doll's House"
• "The Namesake" and "The Overcoat"