Prose:
* The broader category: Prose is any writing that is not poetry. This includes novels, short stories, essays, articles, biographies, and even scripts.
* Focus on structure: Prose generally follows a straightforward sentence structure, relying on paragraphs and punctuation to convey meaning.
Short Stories:
* A specific type of prose: A short story is a piece of narrative fiction. It's a story that is, well, short!
* Focused narrative: Short stories tend to focus on a single event or a limited number of characters. They typically have a clear beginning, middle, and end.
* Themes and symbolism: Short stories often explore themes and ideas in a concentrated way, often using symbolism and figurative language to create impact.
In summary:
* All short stories are prose, but not all prose is a short story.
* Think of prose as the umbrella, and short stories as one type of writing that falls under that umbrella.
It's also worth noting:
* Length is subjective: What's considered a "short story" can vary. Some sources define it as anything under 7,500 words, while others use 10,000 words as the limit.
* There's overlap: Some short stories might also have characteristics of other prose genres, like essays or even poetry.
Hopefully, this explanation is helpful!