Dorothy Parker’s stuff, of course, great. Trying though, to consider the story in contemporary time. Once rewrote an Atwood story into a prior century version as my peers couldn’t relate to the thinking of the story time. No doubt about it, Parker’s cynicism hints at the future in her treatment of relationships of her time, yet the story’s are exquisite in writing style but dated in event.
How much does this affect the reader’s enjoyment and evaluation of a story when he cannot understand nor empathize with the characters? I believe that while the classics can survive, the short story must be extraordinary to endure. The novel has time on its side–time to allow a slow slipping into the period. But the short story must be more immediately comfortable to the reader, I would think, because details have been eliminated. There is no time to get used to place, space, time of an era one is not familiar with.
But then again, sci fi and such is not relative or easily settled into.
Interesting questions. I must read more, and concurrently interweave the generations.
The Lost Children: A Charity Anthology