The short story is one of the most enjoyable and underrated genres in literature. It is fast and easy to read, delivers great impact in a short space, and makes its point without reams of tedious description. Being short, it can be read through without losing the train of thought, and this adds to the impact. A good short story has tremendous impact, generally in the form of a surprise ending or offbeat plot. An excellent device employed in some short stories, such as ôThe Yellow Wallpaper,ö is increasing revelation. When the story begins, the reader is acquainted with only the basics about the characters, but as it progresses, truths are increasingly revealed that add to the fascination or horror of the plot. Finally, although a short story must have excellent description, the description is part of the storyÆs point, not description for the sake of adding unnecessary detail. In a short story, every element of description should lead to a revelation that is key to the denouement. This is precisely the case with ôThe Yellow Wallpaper,ö in which the increasing revelation enables the reader to first suspect, and then know for a certainty, that the character is insane.
In ôThe Yellow Wallpaper,ö the sentences are fairly short, almost conversational, which enhances its ease of reading. The story itself is only 12 pages long, so the author had to set up the plot, gradually uncover the characterÆs madness, and reach the denouement in short order. This brevity heightens the storyÆs intrigue, because the reader must progress as quickly as the story does in reaching the conclusion that the woman is mad.
To deliver a great impact in a short space, ôThe Yellow Wallpaperö is written from the point of view of the madwoman. Since everything in her world seems logical and explicable to her, the reader does not at first suspect her madness. In the beginning, the more likely explanation is that the womanÆs hu
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