Featured Stories

Zebra

Zebra: Short story by Chaim PotokThe major theme of this inspirational story by Chaim Potok is healing. Zebra (aka Adam) is hit by a car while pursuing his passion for running. His physical injuries are slowly healing, but he is depressed over the prospect of never being able to run as well again. When John Wilson, a volunteer art teacher who lost an arm in Vietnam, comes into his life, Zebra learns that it is possible to live a full and meaningful life despite physical limitations. Wilson deals with his emotional pain through his art. Perhaps Zebra can as well! Other themes: loss, friendship, understanding.

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The Butler

The Butler: Short story by Roald DahlThis story by Roald Dahl is about a newly rich man who tries to buy his way up the social ladder. He employs an expensive butler and French chef and hosts many lavish dinner parties. To impress his guests, he buys some of the world’s best wines and learns a lot about them. What he doesn’t learn about are the things that should and shouldn’t be served with fine wine and how to enjoy it. The butler takes advantage of this, and in so doing puts an end to the rich man’s high society hopes.

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That Evening Sun (Go Down)

That Evening Sun (Go Down): Short story by William FaulknerIn this story by William Faulkner, a man recalls his parents’ callous indifference to the fate of an African-American woman who had washed the family’s clothes for many years. The woman makes extra money by allowing white men to “visit” her at home, and thinks her violent husband is planning to kill her for carrying a white man’s child. One night, she panics and tricks the family’s three children into staying with her. When their father takes them home, we are left wondering if she will survive the night. Themes: coming of age, racism, sexual exploitation, violence, fear, inhumanity.

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Tuesday of the Other June

Tuesday of the Other June: Short story by Norma Fox MazerBullying exists all over the world, and can surface in almost any situation where people gather (school, the playground, work, sport etc.) This story from Norma Fox Mazer addresses the difficult question of whether the best approach for the victim is passive acceptance, assertiveness (standing up for oneself), or fighting back. Here, a mother’s advice is to turn the other cheek, smile at the world, and the world’ll surely smile back, while her daughter dreams of kicking, punching, and biting her (the bully) like a dog. Themes: mother-daughter relationships, bullying, fear, the courage to say “Enough!”

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The Last Question

The Last Question: Short story by Isaac AsimovIn commenting on this story, Isaac Asimov once wrote: This is by far my favorite story of all those I have written. After all, I undertook to tell several trillion years of human history in the space of a short story…. I also undertook another task, but I won’t tell you what that was lest I spoil the story for you. Although there is very little character development or action, the ending is so powerful that almost everyone who reads it remembers it. Themes include technological change, the search for knowledge, entropy and the fate of mankind, religion (omniscience, creation).

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The Red Convertible

The Red Convertible: Short story by Louise ErdrichThe titular car in this confronting coming of age story by Louise Erdrich symbolizes freedom and the youthful bonding of Native-American half-brothers Lyman and Henry. Lyman is good with money and responsible. Henry is older, stronger, and more impulsive. On buying the car, they take a summer road-trip through the wilds of Montana before picking up a hitchhiker and driving her all the way home to Alaska. Upon their return, Henry is drafted and sent to Vietnam. He comes back a changed man, suffering a downward spiral of depression and despair. Themes: brotherhood, youth, freedom, PTSD, alienation, suicide, loss.

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One Thousand Dollars

One Thousand Dollars: Short story by O. HenryThe twist ending in this O. Henry story has most readers believing that, after receiving an inheritance of $1,000 from an uncle and canvassing various options, the protagonist sees the error of his spendthrift ways. He then tells his uncle’s ward, who he loves and was left very little, that the money was left to her. And later, despite his profession of love being rejected, he contrives for her to receive an additional $50,000 to which he becomes entitled. Is this a story of selfless sacrifice, or could there be a further twist? Themes include change, deception, selflessness, generosity, love.

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The Queen of Spades

The Queen of Spades: Short story by Alexander PushkinThis entertaining, quite witty story from Alexander Pushkin shows how greed can overcome our better judgement when presented with a seemingly easy way to make money. A young soldier spends hours watching his fellow officers gamble at cards. He never joins in because he can’t afford to risk his small savings. When he learns that an old socialite knows a secret strategy that always wins at faro, he devises a heartless plan to learn it. He begins to gamble using her information, winning and doubling the bet each time. Unfortunately for him, the old socialite has the last laugh.

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