SOURCE: "The Short-Story Writer," in John Galsworthy, Twayne Publishers, 1987, pp. 87-100.

Sternlicht is an American educator, critic, and poet. In the following excerpt, he traces the development in Galsworthy's short fiction from the earlier influence of French naturalism to a greater use of symbolism and references to classical mythology.

John Galsworthy considered the long short story to be "one of the best of all forms of fiction; it is the magic vehicle for atmospheric drama. In this form the writer . . . comes nearest to the poet, the painter, the musician. The tale rises, swells and closes, like some movement of a symphony" [Leon Schalit, John Galsworthy: A Survey, 1929]. The shorter story was a quick-flashing effort "over almost before form is thought of." Galsworthy wrote long short stories, short stories, and sketches, fairly brief descriptions of individuals representing a type or class of people, or personifying an idea, an ideal...