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.
Guilherme Mazui
- What is the Difference Between Essay and Short Story?
The main difference between an essay and a short story lies in their purpose, structure, and content. Here are the key differences:
- Purpose : Essays are generally argumentative, informative, or narrative, aiming to provide an account of a specific subject or topic. Short stories, on the other hand, are pieces of fiction that tell a story with a narrative structure, including exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.
- Structure : Essays typically follow a formal structure, including an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Short stories, while they may have some elements of structure in common with essays, do not require the same level of organization or formal structure.
- Content : Essays focus on a topic or academic issue and usually provide an analysis or exploration of the subject. Short stories, in contrast, are artistic compositions that unfold a story with a plot and characters. They often include action and can use various literary devices such as irony and satire.
- Language : Essays generally use more formal language and adhere to academic norms, avoiding contractions, phrasal verbs, and personal pronouns. Short stories can use more creative and descriptive language to engage the reader and develop the characters and plot.
- Genre : Essays belong to the non-fiction genre, while short stories can be either fiction or non-fiction. However, a narrative essay, a type of essay, can resemble a short story in that it tells a personal experience from the writer's life.
Comparative Table: Essay vs Short Story
Here is a table comparing the differences between an essay and a short story:
The main difference between essays and short stories is that essays are nonfiction and based on real-life experiences, facts, or arguments, while short stories are fiction and focus on imaginative and entertaining narratives. However, both essays and short stories share some similarities, such as being comparable in length and often including characters, settings, plots, and themes.
- Novel vs Short Story
- Article vs Essay
- Report vs Essay
- Narrative vs Story
- Essay vs Research Paper
- Essay vs Composition
- Narrative vs Descriptive Essay
- Plot vs Story
- History vs Story
- Literature vs Fiction
- Novel vs Fiction
- Argumentative vs Expository Essay
- Story vs Script
- Fiction vs Nonfiction
- Article Writing vs Report Writing
- Showing vs Telling in Writing
- Novel vs Novella
- Journalism vs Creative Writing
- Expository vs Narrative
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