Slice of life story

A slice of life story is a category for a story that portrays a "cut-out" sequence of events in a character's life. It may or may not contain any real plot, and often has no exposition, action, conflict, or denouement, with an open ending. It usually tries to depict the every-day life of ordinary people. The term slice of life is actually a (more or less) dead metaphor: it often seems as if the author had taken a knife and cut out a slice of the lives of some characters, apparently not bothering at all where the cuts were made. It is sometimes called tranche de vie, from the French.

It has also been defined as an "episode of actual experience represented realistically and with little alteration in a dramatic, fictional, or journalistic work." (cp. Answers.com).

See also Vignette (literature) and happy ending.

Examples

• James Joyce, Dubliners - (short story collection)
• Jack London, The Sun-Dog Trail - (short story)
• Kiyohiko Azuma, Azumanga Daioh - (comic series, animated series)
• Chris de Burgh, The Traveller - (pop song)
• Walter de la Mare, The Listeners - (poem)
• Jim Jarmusch, Night on Earth - (movie)
• Suzanne Vega, Tom's Diner - (pop song)
• Hitoshi Ashinano, Yokohama Kaidashi Kikō - (comic series)
• Jeph Jacques, Questionable Content - (webcomic)

Weblinks: Texts

• "The Listeners" by Walter de la Mare (complete text of the poem)
• "The Sun-Dog Trail" by Jack London (complete short story)

Criticism

• Night on Earth: The New York episode as a slice of life story
• Green Man review of Dubliners