Flash Fiction Dissection for THBs 1
Dissection of five flash fiction pieces today. For potential thumbnail sketches structure to steal.
Where Are You?
By Joyce Carol Oates
Word Count: 523
Link: https://www.newyorker.com/books/flash-fiction/where-are-you
- POV1 has to deal with an annoying/strange ritual/game
- POV2 explains via MECH why this ritual/game is happening
- POV1 refuses to play the ritual/game, but it goes horribly wrong
MECH: Husband hates wearing hearing aid and calls for wife to show up until she does
CDA: There are hidden costs to breaking established ritual/games even if they’re annoying and dumb
War of the Clowns
By Mia Couto
Word Count: 571
Link: https://www.massreview.org/sites/default/files/Couto,%20Mia.pdf
- A seemingly harmless but interesting spectacle is happening. The audience watches in amusement. THe spectacle increases in danger.
- As the danger increases, some of the audience begins to wonder if they should be worried. They are told it’s nothing… until something really bad happens (gets hurt, death)
- It escalates to open violence. It reaches a destructive end. The seemingly harmless thing is the only survivor, gets up, and leaves.
MECH: Two clowns are arguing/fighting/killing each other, collateral damage incites escalating violence
CDA: Underestimating small acts of violence will lead to greater acts until everything is destroyed
Unnecessary Things
By Tatyana Tolstaya
Word Count: 677
Link: https://www.newyorker.com/books/flash-fiction/unnecessary-things
- POV is visiting a place from the past, rummaging around and finds something really meaningful
- POV takes the meaningful item/relic/memory back home (a new place)
- THe meaningful item/relic/memory doesn’t fit or work in their new life. It vanishes (magical realism), or it’s throw away/gotten rid of
MECH: A teddy bear that was anti-pragmatic/commercial/useful taken home, but reminds POV of how holding on to past is bad
CDA: Sometimes our past doesn’t serve us well
This Is How You Fail to Ghost Him
By Victoria McCurdy
Word Count: 959
Link: http://monkeybicycle.net/this-is-how-you-fail-to-ghost-him/
- POV sets up a meeting with a stranger - wary, figuring them out
- The meeting is generic/routine. POV starts lying/trolling/pranking.
- Back home, sadness/loneliness but it’s revealed stranger knew they were lying/trolling/pranking and still wants to connect again. Hope.
MECH: A date where you’re bored and you start lying/doing the unusual, but they see through you
CDA: We are worthy of connection even when we’ve given up
The Visitor
By Lydia Davis
Word Count: 342
Link: https://mastersreview.com/featured-fiction/the-visitor-by-lydia-davis/
- A strange ritual/situation/visitor is about to happen. Don’t know who/what, but know details.
- Interesting example one / Interesting example two
- Wrap up with more details of this ritual/situation/visitor. Add surprising perspective.
MECH: Father with Alzheimer’s moving in?
CDA: We take care of family even if they’ve become complete dependent strangers