Vignette: A Short Story That's Blog
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We'll have a look at vignettes, including features of this particular short form of writing and how they differ from traditional short stories and a few well-known examples of vignettes within literature , and even beyond.
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What is What is a Vignette?
The vignette definition comes from the French word that means "little grapevine." At first they had nothing to do with writing. do with writing at all; they were decorative designs made of branches and leaves that were found in the corners or the front of book pages.
Some examples of Vignette
A notable example of vignettes in literature is Margaret Atwood's The Female Body. The seven vignettes that make part of this collection are short reflections on the objectification of women's bodies and the differences between men and women. Certain are longer than others, however they can be read as a stand-alone piece or form one of the pieces in the entire collection.
Vignettes are also a common feature in movies and TV shows. These are usually in the form of flashbacks, especially when the information presented to the viewers isn't contributing anything to the plot.
The television show Orange Is The New Black offers plenty of vignette examples on-screen. The flashbacks of the individual characters provide more insight into who that person is the person they are, what their story is, or their perspective on their world. They don't advance the main narrative, rather they aid in understanding of each persona.
Similarly, there are momentary vignettes within The moment when Harry Met Sally where interviews with real couples telling their story about their relationship are interspersed into the plot of the film. Interviews don't help develop the story, but rather contribute to the overall sense of love that the film conveys.
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Literary Vignettes
The House of Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
Though it's the length of a novel, Cisneros's work is actually a collection of vignettes. While descriptive and enjoyable on their own, it's only when they're combined into a greater collection that we get the entire picture in this Chicago area.
The protagonist, Esperanza, narrates her thoughts and experiences from her time in Mango Street:
"But the home on Mango Street is not the one they described in any way. It's small and red with high steps and windows so small it's as if they held their breath. The bricks are cracking everywhere, and the front door is so large that you need to press hard to open it. ."
In Our Time by Ernest Hemingway
"Nick was sitting against the wall in the church. They were dragging him to stay free of gunfire in the street. Both legs stuck out awkwardly. The man was hit on the back. His face was hot and filthy. The sun shined on his face. The day was very hot...The pink walls of the opposite house was missing from its roof. an iron bedstead hung twisted to the road. ."
Vignette vs. Short Story
The vignettes, on the other hand they are merely a brief snapshot in the time. They do not have to adhere to a typical narrative structure because there's no story being told--it's all description and images.
Vignette vs. Flash Fiction
Flash fiction is often as short as a vignette at under 1,000 words, but these works can be more like miniature short tale.
Although they may be informative, vignettes don't conform to this narrative structure and usually contain more images as opposed to actual plot.
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