In this interview with Edozie Udeze, Folu Agoi of the Lagos State College of Education talks about the resurgence of the short fiction genre in the academic programmes of tertiary institutions across the world.
How long ago did short story become a serious literary material?
Short prose fiction or short story is as old as humanity, when one considers the history of society, with special attention to the role of folklore, particularly folktales, including mythological stories, legends, fables and so on. Short fiction dates back to the period of oral traditions – in fact, it has been with man since creation, long before literacy or formal education. It has been there since humans began to employ language in their day-to-day interactions.
However, the short story as a genre acquired the status of a distinct literary form, with its distinctive characterisation, in the 19th century, though it did not attract much critical attention until the latter part of the 20th century.
When you teach it, what literary elements do you look out for?
A short story must be short, naturally. It must be such that can be read in one sitting, according to a popular definition of the genre. Besides, it must focus on a single plot. The basic elements of short stories are exposition or introduction of setting, situation and main characters, intrigue or complication, which leads to the conflict, rising action, crisis, climax, also called the point of no return, and denouement or resolution. Some short stories may, however, not feature some of these elements, because of their length. The focus of a short story is on a single effect achieved with the aid of just one – or a few – substantial episodes. Short stories actually manifest the traditional characteristics of folktales or prose fiction, though not to a high degree. Many short stories feature between 1,000 and 4,000 words, though some have more. Stories of less than 1,000 words are sometimes called short short stories or flash fiction.
What constitutes its literary appreciation?
A short story is a prose narrative that is shorter than a novel, featuring a few characters, usually with more attention to the mood rather than plot. The basic literary ingredients of a short story are: setting, plot, theme, conflict, character, and point of view. A short story is expected to manifest a simple plot, economy of setting, succinct narrative, and flat characters. The strength of a short story lies in its capacity to offer an adequate treatment of its theme and characters.
Do you have enough materials for your students to stay glued to it?
Yes, although one can’t say there is much coming from the local literary scene, particularly if the reference is to well-written stories presented in well-edited publications. Editing is still a big issue in this environment; and indigenous literature is no longer popular in Nigeria – not as popular as it should be.
Who are best known authors in this genre, home and abroad?
Leo Tolstoy, Voltaire, Guy de Maupassant, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Alexander Pushkin, Mark Twain, Virginia Woolf, George Orwell, Oscar Wilde, Ernest Hemingway, Ben Okri, Chinua Achebe, Molara Wood, Toni Kan and several others.
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