Can "This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona" even be called a short story?
According to literary critic Brander Matthews, it can't. If you were to ask Matthews what the definition of a short story was, he would tell you that the short story “shows one action, in one place, on one day” and “deals with a single character, a single event, a single emotion, or the series of emotions called forth by a single situation.” While there are many short stories that fit this strict definition, a notable exception to this rule is Sherman Alexie’s “This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona”. Despite the fact that Alexie’s story is much shorter than traditional novels and would be referred to by many as a “short story”, Matthews would argue that it cannot be classified this way as it not only focuses on two characters, but the relationship of said characters is a result of several events that occurred in the past. However, I would argue that Alexie’s story is in fact a short story and that Matthews’ definition for short stories is far too narrow. If “This Is What It...