Elements of Short Fiction in Two Caribbean Short Stories

1990 Words8 Pages
The stories “Some People Are meant To Live Alone” and “Journey to the Seed” are well written Caribbean short stories written by pioneers Frank Collymore and Alejo Carpienter. The two stories were analyzed and the characteristics of modern short fiction that were found include: 1. Protagonist 2. Antagonist 3. First person narrator 4. Limited omniscient narrator 5. Round character 6. Flat character 7. Dialogue 8. Realistic short story 9. Non-realistic short story Below will follow discussions on each element. Protagonist and Antagonist The protagonist in the story “Some People Are Meant To Live Alone” written by Frank Collymore is Uncle Arthur. He is the main character and he was described by the writer as being rather anti-social and having a mysterious personality. At first other characters of the story and even the reader are confused and somewhat pity Uncle Arthur and his behavior, but as the story progresses and he tells of the tales that make up his life perceptions and likings change. Uncle Arthur’s life story consists of divorce, abuse, murder, failed relationships, rejection and ridicule. These hidden secrets have contributed to Uncle Arthur’s mystery and his behavior towards family and community members. Like the story discussed above, “Journey to the Seed” by Alejo Carpentier also has a protagonist. The protagonist is the character Don Marcial. In the story he is a man of high status who has received titles and honors. The reader journeys with Don Marcial as he goes back throughout his life. As the story progresses the reader relives experiences of his life. Don Marcial, the main character, experiences much in his lifetime; love, romance, abuse, death, grief and sickness. his character is was portrayed as cold, spoilt, manipulative in one instance and caring and loving in another. Antagonist The
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