Many popular sad short stories have a bittersweet element. There might be a moment of beauty or hope in the middle of the sadness. Like in a story where a dying person has a beautiful moment of connection with someone before passing away. This contrast between the sad overall tone and the brief moment of something positive makes the story even more poignant.
Sad published short stories often deal with themes like loss, whether it's the loss of a loved one, a dream, or a sense of self. For example, in many of these stories, characters experience the death of a family member or the end of a relationship. Another characteristic is a sense of isolation. The characters may be physically alone or feel emotionally detached from others.
A common characteristic is the sense of helplessness. The characters are often in situations they can't easily change. For example, in a story about a terminally ill person, they are helpless against the disease, and this powerlessness adds to the sadness of the narrative.
Sad fiction short stories often have characters who experience loss. It could be the loss of a loved one, like in many stories where a character mourns the death of a family member or a friend. Another characteristic is a sense of hopelessness. The characters may be in difficult situations with no clear way out.
Often, the stories on Tumblr are very relatable. For sad short stories, they usually focus on themes like loss, whether it's the loss of a loved one, a relationship, or a dream. For example, a story about a person who had to give up their artistic dreams due to family pressure is quite common. Another characteristic is that they can be very emotional in a short space. They quickly draw you in with a simple yet powerful scenario, like a child realizing their parents' marriage is falling apart just by the way they interact at the dinner table.
One characteristic is the use of bittersweet endings. For example, in some stories, the main character may experience a moment of great love or connection, but then it's quickly followed by loss. Another characteristic is the strong emotional contrast. They often start with a seemingly ordinary situation that gradually builds up the sad elements while still having some sweet moments like a kind gesture or a beautiful memory in between.
One characteristic is that they can make the reader feel a range of emotions in a short span. In a story about a family losing their home in a fire, they are sad. But then the community comes together to build them a new home. The family is happy again. These stories often rely on simple yet powerful situations to create that emotional shift from happy to sad or vice versa. They might also end on a positive or bittersweet note to leave an impact on the reader.
They often involve a sense of loss. For example, in 'The Dead' by James Joyce, the main character experiences a kind of spiritual loss as he realizes the hollowness in his relationships. This loss is a key element that makes the story sad.
They probably had relatable characters. Since these were popular, the characters must have been easy for readers to connect with, whether they were ordinary people facing everyday problems or extraordinary characters in unique situations. These characters' emotions and experiences would resonate with a wide range of readers. Also, the themes would be relevant. Themes like love, loss, friendship, and the search for identity are common and always attract readers. In 2014, short stories with these themes could have easily gained popularity.
Sad short novels frequently explore themes of mortality. They make the readers aware of the transient nature of life. The characters may face death or be haunted by the inevitability of it. The use of foreshadowing also plays a role. It gives hints about the sad events that are going to occur, creating a sense of impending doom. And often, there is a lack of resolution or a bittersweet resolution at best. The problems or situations in the story are not fully resolved in a happy way.
One characteristic is their brevity. Since they are short short stories, they convey a complete idea or story in very few words. For example, they might be able to create a vivid character or a unique situation in just a page or two.