What genre is characterized by a minimal depiction of events, boiling down the story to its essentials?

The genre defined by a minimal depiction of events, focusing on distilling the narrative to its most essential elements, is indeed minimalism. In minimalist literature, the style often involves a straightforward and unembellished narrative technique, emphasizing clarity and economy of language.

Minimalism strips away unnecessary details and elaborate descriptions, allowing readers to interpret the deeper meanings and emotions behind the sparse dialogues and actions. This technique can create an impactful reading experience by relying on implication and subtext rather than overt storytelling. Authors associated with this genre often prioritize brevity and simplicity, reshaping how stories are told and experienced. Such an approach encourages readers to engage more actively with the text, filling in emotional and contextual gaps themselves.

In contrast, realism aims to depict life and society as accurately as possible, exploring complex characters and their interactions. Expressionism focuses on representing emotional experience rather than physical reality, often exaggerating certain elements to convey feelings. Surrealism seeks to challenge the conventional perception of reality through bizarre or dream-like imagery. Each of these genres has a distinct focus that diverges from the core principles of minimalism, which centers on essentialism in storytelling.