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STUDENTANDINSTRUCTORRESOURCESFORTHESTORYANDITSWRITER

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BRIEFCONTENTS

Preface

Introduction:TheStoryandItsWriter

PartOne:Stories

Onehundredandtwelvestorieswithaccompanyingbiographicalheadnotesforeachauthor

PartTwo:Commentaries

Fiftycommentariesbywritersontheirownworkandtheworksofothers

PartThree:Casebooks

Sixcasebookscompiledoftwenty-ninecommentaries,images,andcontextualdocuments,affordingin-depthstudyofimportant authorsandworks

PartFour:Appendices

Sixhelpfulappendicesfocusedonreading,thinkingcritically,andwritingaboutshortstories

Acknowledgments

IndexofAuthorsandTitlesofStoriesandCommentaries

Preface

BriefContents

Contents

ChronologicalListingofAuthorsandStories

ThematicIndextotheStoriesandGuidetotheCommentaries

Introduction:WhyReadLiterature?

PartOne:Stories

ShermanAlexie,TheLoneRangerandTontoFistfightinHeaven SherwoodAnderson,Hands

RELATEDCOMMENTARY:SherwoodAnderson,Form,NotPlot,intheShortStory MargaretAtwood,HappyEndings

RELATEDCOMMENTARY:MargaretAtwood,ReadingBlind

MaryAustin,TheReturnofMr.Wills

RELATEDSTORY:WashingtonIrving,RipVanWinkle

IsaacBabel,GuydeMaupassant

RELATEDSTORY:GuydeMaupassant,TheNecklace

JamesBaldwin,Sonny’sBlues

RELATEDSTORY:ZadieSmith,CrazyTheyCallMe RELATEDCASEBOOK:JamesBaldwin,AutobiographicalNotes

KeithEByerman,WordsandMusic:NarrativeAmbiguityin“Sonny’sBlues” KennethAMcClane,“Sonny’sBlues”SavedMyLife ToniCadeBambara,TheLesson RELATEDSTORIES:DonaldBarthelme,TheSchool ZZPacker,Brownies

LyndaBarry,TwoQuestions[graphicstory]

DonaldBarthelme,TheSchool

RELATEDSTORY:ToniCadeBambara,TheLesson RELATEDCOMMENTARY:GeorgeSaunders,ThePerfectGerbil:ReadingBarthelme’s“TheSchool” AlisonBechdel,TheFellowship[graphicstory]

LuciaBerlin,MyJockey

RELATEDSTORY:FranzKafka,TheWishtobecomeanAmericanIndian RELATEDCASEBOOK:ShortShortsorFlashFiction

AmbroseBierce,AnOccurrenceatOwlCreekBridge

RobertoBolaño,TheInsufferableGaucho

RELATEDSTORY:JorgeLuisBorges,TheSouth

JorgeLuisBorges,TheSouth RELATEDSTORY:RobertoBolaño,TheInsufferableGaucho RELATEDCOMMENTARIES:JorgeLuisBorges,BorgesandI LuisLeal,MagicalRealisminSpanishAmericanLiterature MarioVargasLlosa,TheProseStyleofJorgeLuisBorgesandGabrielGarcíaMárquez RayBradbury,August2026:ThereWillComeSoftRains RELATEDSTORY:WalterVanTilsburgClark,ThePortablePhonograph FrederickBusch,RalphtheDuck AlejoCarpentier,JourneytotheSeed RELATEDCOMMENTARY:LuisLeal,MagicalRealisminSpanishAmericanLiterature AngelaCarter,TheCompanyofWolves RELATEDCOMMENTARY:JoanAcocella,HowAngelaCarterBecameFeminism’sGreatMythologist RaymondCarver,Cathedral RaymondCarver,PopularMechanics RELATEDSTORY:TheJudgmentofSolomon RELATEDCASEBOOK:ShortShortsorFlashFiction RaymondCarver,WhatWeTalkAboutWhenWeTalkAboutLove RELATEDCASEBOOK:RaymondCarver,CreativeWriting101 TomJenks,TheOriginof“Cathedral” ArthurMSaltzman,AReadingof“WhatWeTalkAboutWhenWeTalkAboutLove” AOScott,LookingforRaymondCarver WillaCather,Paul’sCase RELATEDSTORY:AnthonyDoerr,TheDeep JohnCheever,TheSwimmer

RELATEDCOMMENTARY:JohnCheever,WhyIWriteShortStories AntonChekhov,TheDarling RELATEDCOMMENTARY:LeoTolstoy,Chekhov’sIntentin“TheDarling” AntonChekhov,TheLadywiththeDog RELATEDSTORY:JoyceCarolOates,TheLadywiththePetDog RELATEDCOMMENTARIES:AntonChekhov,TechniqueinWritingtheShortStory MatthewC Brennan,PlottingagainstChekhov:JoyceCarolOatesand“TheLadywiththePetDog” VladimirNabokov,AReadingofChekhov’s“TheLadywiththeLittleDog”

LeoTolstoy,Chekhov’sIntentin“TheDarling”

KateChopin,Désirée’sBaby

KateChopin,TheStoryofanHour

RELATEDCOMMENTARY:KateChopin,HowIStumbleduponMaupassant SandraCisneros,Barbie-Q

WalterVanTilburgClark,ThePortablePhonograph

RELATEDSTORY:RayBradbury,August2026:ThereWillComeSoftRains JulioCortázar,AContinuityofParks

RELATEDCOMMENTARY:LuisLeal,MagicalRealisminSpanishAmericanLiterature

StephenCrane,TheOpenBoat RELATEDCOMMENTARY:StephenCrane,TheSinkingoftheCommodore LydiaDavis,Pouchet’sWife

LydiaDavis,TheFuneral

LydiaDavis,TheMother RELATEDSTORY:JamaicaKincaid,Girl

RELATEDCASEBOOK:Aesop,TheFoxandtheGrapes FélixFénéon,ToDieLikeJoanofArc! FélixFénéon,DischargedTuesday FranzKafka,TheWishtobecomeanAmericanIndian JohnBarth,AFewWordsAboutMinimalism

CharlesBaxter,OntheVeryShortStory JoyceCarolOates,OnVeryShortFictions LydiaDavis,ReadingShortShorts DonDeLillo,HumanMomentsinWorldWarIII JunotDíaz,HowtoDateaBrowngirl,Blackgirl,Whitegirl,orHalfie AnthonyDoerr,TheDeep RELATEDSTORY:WillaCather,Paul’sCase RELATEDCOMMENTARY:AnthonyDoerr,OnReadingTheStoryandItsWriter RalphEllison,BattleRoyal RELATEDCOMMENTARY:RalphEllison,TheInfluenceofFolkloreon“BattleRoyal” LouiseErdrich,TheRedConvertible WilliamFaulkner,ARoseforEmily WilliamFaulkner,ThatEveningSun RELATEDCOMMENTARY:WilliamFaulkner,TheMeaningof“ARoseforEmily” CarolynForché,TheColonel RELATEDCASEBOOK:ShortShortsorFlashFiction GabrielGarcíaMárquez,AVeryOldManwithEnormousWings RELATEDCOMMENTARIES:LuisLeal,MagicalRealisminSpanishAmericanLiterature MarioVargasLlosa,TheProseStyleofJorgeLuisBorgesandGabrielGarcíaMárquez CharlottePerkinsGilman,TheYellowWallpaper RELATEDCASEBOOK:CharlottePerkinsGilman,WhyIWrote“TheYellowWallpaper” CharlottePerkinsGilman,UndergoingtheCureforNervousProstration SandraMGilbertandSusanGubar,AFeministReadingofGilman’s“TheYellowWallpaper” SWeirMitchell,From“EvolutionoftheRestTreatment” ElaineShowalter,On“TheYellowWallpaper” NathanielHawthorne,YoungGoodmanBrown RELATEDCOMMENTARIES:HermanMelville,BlacknessinHawthorne’s“YoungGoodmanBrown” EdgarAllanPoe,TheImportanceoftheSingleEffectinaProseTale BessieHead,LookingforaRain-God ErnestHemingway,HillsLikeWhiteElephants ZoraNealeHurston,Sweat

RELATEDCOMMENTARIES:ZoraNealeHurston,HowItFeelstoBeColoredMe AliceWalker,ZoraNealeHurston:ACautionaryTaleandaPartisanView WashingtonIrving,RipVanWinkle

RELATEDSTORY:MaryAustin,TheReturnofMr Wills

RELATEDCOMMENTARY:JC C Nachitgal,PeterKlaustheGoatherd ShirleyJackson,TheLottery

RELATEDCOMMENTARY:ShirleyJackson,TheMorningofJune28,1948,and“TheLottery” SarahOrneJewett,AWhiteHeron

RELATEDCOMMENTARY:SarahOrneJewett,LookingBackonGirlhood

JamesJoyce,Araby

RELATEDSTORY:JohnUpdike,A&P

JamesJoyce,TheDead

RELATEDCOMMENTARIES:RichardEllmann,ABiographicalPerspectiveonJoyce’s“TheDead” MirandaJuly,TheSwimTeam

FranzKafka,AHungerArtist

FranzKafka,TheMetamorphosis

RELATEDSTORY:FranzKafka,TheWishtobecomeanAmericanIndian RELATEDCOMMENTARIES:AnnCharters,TranslatingKafka GustavJanouch,Kafka’sViewof“TheMetamorphosis”

YasunariKawabata,TheGrasshopperandtheBellCricket

RELATEDCASEBOOK:ShortShortsorFlashFiction JackKerouac,OctoberintheRailroadEarth

RELATEDCOMMENTARY:JackKerouac,TheEssentialsofSpontaneousProse JamaicaKincaid,Girl

RELATEDSTORY:LydiaDavis,TheMother

RELATEDCOMMENTARY:JamaicaKincaid,On“Girl” JhumpaLahiri,InterpreterofMaladies

RELATEDCOMMENTARY:SimonLewis,Lahiri’s“InterpreterofMaladies” D.H.Lawrence,OdourofChrysanthemums

RELATEDSTORY:JohnSteinbeck,TheChrysanthemums

D.H.Lawrence,TheRocking-HorseWinner RELATEDCOMMENTARIES:D HLawrence,On“TheFalloftheHouseofUsher”and“TheCaskofAmontillado” JaniceHHarris,LevelsofMeaninginLawrence’s“TheRocking-HorseWinner” JayParini,Lawrence’sandSteinbeck’s“Chrysanthemums” UrsulaKLeGuin,TheOnesWhoWalkAwayfromOmelas RELATEDCOMMENTARY:UrsulaKLeGuin,TheScapegoatinOmelas ClariceLispector,TheSmallestWomanintheWorld JackLondon,ToBuildaFire

RELATEDCOMMENTARY:JackLondon,LettertotheEditoron“ToBuildaFire”

KatherineMansfield,TheGarden-Party RELATEDSTORY:GeorgeSaunders,Puppy

RELATEDCOMMENTARY:KatherineMansfield,ReviewofWoolf’s“KewGardens” GuydeMaupassant,TheNecklace RELATEDSTORY:IsaacBabel,GuydeMaupassant RELATEDCOMMENTARIES:GuydeMaupassant,TheWriter’sGoal KateChopin,HowIStumbleduponMaupassant LeoTolstoy,TheWorksofGuydeMaupassant HermanMelville,Bartleby,theScrivener RELATEDCOMMENTARIES:HermanMelville,BlacknessinHawthorne’s“YoungGoodmanBrown” J.HillisMiller,ADeconstructiveReadingofMelville’s“Bartleby,theScrivener”

LorrieMoore,HowtoBecomeaWriter

AliceMunro,Dimensions

RELATEDCOMMENTARY:AliceMunro,HowIWriteShortStories

KeijiNakazawa,FromBarefootGen[graphicfiction]

JoyceCarolOates,TheLadywiththePetDog RELATEDSTORY:AntonChekhov,TheLadywiththeDog RELATEDCOMMENTARIES:MatthewC Brennan,PlottingagainstChekhov:JoyceCarolOatesand“TheLadywiththe Dog”

JoyceCarolOates,WhereAreYouGoing,WhereHaveYouBeen? RELATEDCASEBOOKS:JoyceCarolOates,TheParablesofFlanneryO’Connor JoyceCarolOates,OnVeryShortFiction CasebookonJoyceCarolOates,WhereAreYouGoing,WhereHaveYouBeen? JoyceCarolOates,StoriesThatDefineMe:TheMakingofaWriter JoyceCarolOates,SmoothTalk:ShortStoryintoFilm DonMoser,ThePiedPiperofTucson:HeCruisedinaGoldenCar,LookingfortheAction TimO’Brien,TheThingsTheyCarried RELATEDSTORY:SaïdSayrafiezadeh,ABriefEncounterwiththeEnemy RELATEDCOMMENTARIES:TimO’Brien,AlphaCompany MattSteinglass,ReadingTimO’BrieninHanoi FlanneryO’Connor,EverythingThatRisesMustConverge FlanneryO’Connor,GoodCountryPeople FlanneryO’Connor,AGoodManIsHardtoFind

RELATEDCASEBOOK:FlanneryO’Connor,FromLetters,1954–55 FlanneryO’Connor,WritingShortStories FlanneryO’Connor,AReasonableUseoftheUnreasonable JoyceCarolOates,TheParablesofFlanneryO’Connor WayneC Booth,ARhetoricalReadingofO’Connor’s“EverythingThatRisesMustConverge” DorothyTuckMcFarland,On“GoodCountryPeople” TillieOlsen,IStandHereIroning CynthiaOzick,TheShawl ZZPacker,Brownies

RELATEDSTORY:ToniCadeBambara,TheLesson GracePaley,AConversationwithMyFather

RELATEDSTORY:GracePaley,Samuel

RELATEDCOMMENTARY:GracePaley,AConversationwithAnnCharters EdgarAllanPoe,TheCaskofAmontillado EdgarAllanPoe,TheFalloftheHouseofUsher

RELATEDCOMMENTARIES:EdgarAllanPoe,TheImportanceoftheSingleEffectinaProseTale

D HLawrence,On“TheFalloftheHouseofUsher”and“TheCaskofAmontillado” CleanthBrooksandRobertPennWarren,ANewCriticalReadingof“TheFalloftheHouseofUsher” WilliamSydneyPorter(OHenry),TheGiftoftheMagi

AnnieProulx,TheBloodBay

PhilipRoth,TheConversionoftheJews

JoeSacco,FromPalestine:“Refugeeland”[graphicstory]

RELATEDCOMMENTARY:JoeSacco,SomeReflectionsonPalestine MarjaneSatrapi,FromPersepolis:“TheVeil”[graphicstory]

RELATEDCOMMENTARY:SydneyPlum,Reading“TheVeil”byMarjaneSatrapi GeorgeSaunders,Puppy

RELATEDSTORY:KatherineMansfield,TheGarden-Party

RELATEDCOMMENTARY:GeorgeSaunders,ThePerfectGerbil:ReadingBarthelme’s“TheSchool” SaïdSayrafiezadeh,ABriefEncounterwiththeEnemy

RELATEDSTORY:TimO’Brien,TheThingsTheyCarried LeslieMarmonSilko,YellowWoman

RELATEDCOMMENTARIES:LeslieMarmonSilko,LanguageandLiteraturefromaPuebloIndianPerspective PaulaGunnAllen,WhirlwindManStealsYellowWoman ZadieSmith,CrazyTheyCallMe

RELATEDSTORY:JamesBaldwin,Sonny’sBlues

ArtSpiegelman,PrisonerontheHellPlanet:ACaseHistory[graphicstory] JohnSteinbeck,TheChrysanthemums

RELATEDSTORY:D HLawrence,“OdourofChrysanthemums”

RELATEDCOMMENTARY:JayParini,Lawrence’sandSteinbeck’s“Chrysanthemums” TatyanaTolstaya,Aspic

LeoTolstoy,TheDeathofIvanIlych

RELATEDCOMMENTARIES:LeoTolstoy,Chekhov’sIntentin“TheDarling” LeoTolstoy,TheWorksofGuydeMaupassant JohnUpdike,A&P

RELATEDSTORY:JamesJoyce,Araby

LuisaValenzuela,VisionOutoftheCornerofOneEye

RELATEDCASEBOOK:OnShortShortsorFlashFiction

HelenaMaríaViramontes,TheMoths

KurtVonnegutJr.,HarrisonBergeron

AliceWalker,EverydayUse

RELATEDCOMMENTARY:AliceWalker,ZoraNealeHurston:ACautionaryTaleandaPartisanView

DavidFosterWallace,EverythingIsGreen

EudoraWelty,AWornPath

RELATEDCOMMENTARY:EudoraWelty,IsPhoenixJackson’sGrandsonReallyDead?

WilliamCarlosWilliams,TheUseofForce

TobiasWolff,SayYes

VirginiaWoolf,KewGardens

RELATEDCOMMENTARY:KatherineMansfield,ReviewofWoolf’s“KewGardens”

RichardWright,TheManWhoWasAlmostaMan PartTwo:Commentaries

JoanAcocella,HowAngelaCarterBecameFeminism’sGreatMythologist PaulaGunnAllen,WhirlwindManStealsYellowWoman SherwoodAnderson,Form,NotPlot,intheShortStory

MargaretAtwood,ReadingBlind JorgeLuisBorges,BorgesandI

MatthewC.Brennan,PlottingagainstChekhov:JoyceCarolOatesand“TheLadywiththeDog” CleanthBrooksandRobertPennWarren,ANewCriticalReadingof“TheFalloftheHouseofUsher” AnnCharters,TranslatingKafka

JohnCheever,WhyIWriteShortStories

AntonChekhov,TechniqueinWritingtheShortStory

KateChopin,HowIStumbleduponMaupassant

StephenCrane,TheSinkingoftheCommodore

AnthonyDoerr,OnReadingTheStoryandItsWriter

TerryEagleton,HowtoReadLiterature

RalphEllison,TheInfluenceofFolkloreon“BattleRoyal”

RichardEllmann,ABiographicalPerspectiveonJoyce’s“TheDead” WilliamFaulkner,TheMeaningof“ARoseforEmily”

JaniceHHarris,LevelsofMeaninginLawrence’s“TheRocking-HorseWinner” ZoraNealeHurston,HowItFeelstoBeColoredMe

ShirleyJackson,TheMorningofJune28,1948and“TheLottery” GustavJanouch,Kafka’sViewof“TheMetamorphosis”

SarahOrneJewett,LookingBackonGirlhood

JackKerouac,TheEssentialsofSpontaneousProse

JamaicaKincaid,On“Girl”

D.H.Lawrence,On“TheFalloftheHouseofUsher”and“TheCaskofAmontillado”

UrsulaKLeGuin,TheScapegoatinOmelas

LuisLeal,MagicalRealisminSpanishAmericanLiterature

SimonLewis,Lahiri’s“InterpreterofMaladies”

MarioVargasLlosa,TheProseStyleofJorgeLuisBorgeandGabrielGarcíaMárquez

JackLondon,LettertotheEditoron“ToBuildaFire”

KatherineMansfield,ReviewofWoolf’s“KewGardens” GuydeMaupassant,TheWriter’sGoal

HermanMelville,BlacknessinHawthorne’s“YoungGoodmanBrown” J.HillisMiller,ADeconstructiveReadingofMelville’s“Bartleby,theScrivener” AliceMunro,HowIWriteShortStories

VladimirNabokov,AReadingofChekhov’s“TheLadywiththeLittleDog” J.C.C.Nachtigal,PeterKlaustheGoatherd

TimO’Brien,AlphaCompany

GracePaley,AConversationwithAnnCharters

JayParini,Lawrence’sandSteinbeck’s“Chrysanthemums” SydneyPlum,Reading“TheVeil”byMarjaneSatrapi

EdgarAllanPoe,TheImportanceoftheSingleEffectinaProseTale

JoeSacco,SomeReflectionsonPalestine

GeorgeSaunders,ThePerfectGerbil:ReadingBarthelme’s“TheSchool” LeslieMarmonSilko,LanguageandLiteraturefromaPuebloIndianPerspective MattSteinglass,ReadingTimO’BrieninHanoi

LeoTolstoy,Chekhov’sIntentin“TheDarling” LeoTolstoy,TheWorksofGuydeMaupassant

AliceWalker,ZoraNealeHurston:ACautionaryTaleandaPartisanView

EudoraWelty,IsPhoenixJackson’sGrandsonReallyDead?

PartThree:Casebooks

CASEBOOKONE:ShortShortsorFlashFiction

Aesop,TheFoxandtheGrapes FélixFénéon,ToDieLikeJoanofArc! FélixFénéon,DischargedTuesday FranzKafka,TheWishtobecomeanAmericanIndian JohnBarth,AFewWordsAboutMinimalism CharlesBaxter,OntheVeryShortStory JoyceCarolOates,OnVeryShortFictions LydiaDavis,ReadingShortStories

CASEBOOKTWO:JamesBaldwin’s“Sonny’sBlues” JamesBaldwin,AutobiographicalNotes

KeithE.Byerman,WordsandMusic:NarrativeAmbiguityin“Sonny’sBlues” KennethAMcClane,“Sonny’sBlues”SavedMyLife CASEBOOKTHREE:RaymondCarver RaymondCarver,CreativeWriting101 TomJenks,TheOriginof“Cathedral” ArthurMSaltzman,AReadingof“WhatWeTalkAboutWhenWeTalkAboutLove” A.O.Scott,LookingforRaymondCarver CASEBOOKFOUR:CharlottePerkinsGilman’s“TheYellowWallpaper” CharlottePerkinsGilman,WhyIWrote“TheYellowWallpaper” CharlottePerkinsGilman,UndergoingtheCureforNervousProstration SandraM.GilbertandSusanGubar,AFeministReadingofGilman’s“TheYellowWallpaper” SWeirMitchell,From“TheEvolutionoftheRestTreatment” ElaineShowalter,On“TheYellowWallpaper” CASEBOOKFIVE:FlanneryO’Connor FlanneryO’Connor,FromLetters,1954–55 FlanneryO’Connor,WritingShortStories FlanneryO’Connor,AReasonableUseoftheUnreasonable JoyceCarolOates,TheParablesofFlanneryO’Connor WayneCBooth,ARhetoricalReadingofO’Connor’s“EverythingThatRisesMustConverge” DorothyTuckMcFarland,On“GoodCountryPeople” CASEBOOKSIX:JoyceCarolOates’s“WhereAreYouGoing,WhereHaveYouBeen?” JoyceCarolOates,StoriesThatDefineMe:TheMakingofaWriter JoyceCarolOates,SmoothTalk:ShortStoryintoFilm DonMoser,ThePiedPiperofTucson:HeCruisedinaGoldenCar,LookingfortheAction PartFour:Appendices 1ReadingShortStories GracePaley,Samuel CloseReadingShortFiction GuidelinesforCloseReadingShortFiction SampleCloseReading:GracePaley,Samuel,1968 CriticalThinkingAboutShortFiction

2TheElementsofFiction Plot

Plot

Character

Setting

PointofView

Style

Theme

3ABriefHistoryoftheShortStory

4WritingAboutShortStories

KeepingaShortStoryJournal

UsingtheCommentariesandCasebooks

WritingthePaper

TypesofLiteraryPapers

StudentEssay:Explication:“TheDevil’sTricksinHawthorne’s‘YoungGoodmanBrown’” StudentEssay:Analysis:“ThePathtowardEvil”[on“YoungGoodmanBrown”] StudentEssay:ComparisonandContrast:“BringingFictiontoLife:FromFolktaletoShortStoryin‘PeterKlausthe Goatherd’and‘RipVanWinkle’”

WritingabouttheContextandtheStories

OtherPerspectives

StudentEssay:“AntonChekhov’s‘TheDarling’inRussianandEnglishTranslation”

WritingtheResearchPaper

StudentEssay:ResearchPaper:“LostLetters:Gilman’sAchievementin‘TheYellowWallpaper’”

RevisingYourResearchPaper

5.LiteraryTheoryandCriticalPerspectives

FormalistCriticism

BiographicalCriticism

PsychologicalCriticism

HistoricalCriticism

Reader-ResponseCriticism

PoststructuralistandDeconstructionistCriticism

GenderCriticism

CulturalCriticism

SelectedBibliography

6GlossaryofLiteraryTerms

Acknowledgments

IndexofAuthorsandTitles

CHRONOLOGICALLISTINGOFAUTHORSANDSTORIES

WashingtonIrving(1783–1859)

RipVanWinkle(1819–20)

NathanielHawthorne(1804–1864)

YoungGoodmanBrown(1835)

EdgarAllanPoe(1809–1849)

TheFalloftheHouseofUsher(1839)

TheCaskofAmontillado(1846)

HermanMelville(1819–1891)

Bartleby,theScrivener(1853)

LeoTolstoy(1828–1910)

TheDeathofIvanIlych(1886)

AmbroseBierce(1842–1914?)

AnOccurrenceatOwlCreekBridge(1891)

SarahOrneJewett(1849–1909)

AWhiteHeron(1886)

GuydeMaupassant(1850–1893)

TheNecklace(1884)

KateChopin(1851–1904)

Désirée’sBaby(1892)

TheStoryofanHour(1894)

AntonChekhov(1860–1904)

TheDarling(1899)

TheLadywiththeDog(1899)

CharlottePerkinsGilman(1860–1935)

TheYellowWallpaper(1892)

WilliamSydneyPorter(OHenry)(1862–1910)

TheGiftoftheMagi(1906)

MaryAustin(1868–1934)

TheReturnofMrWills(1907)

StephenCrane(1871–1900)

TheOpenBoat(1897)

WillaCather(1873–1947)

Paul’sCase(1905)

SherwoodAnderson(1876–1941)

Hands(1919)

JackLondon(1876–1916)

ToBuildaFire(1908)

JamesJoyce(1882–1941)

Araby(1914)

TheDead(1914)

VirginiaWoolf(1882–1941)

KewGardens(1919)

FranzKafka(1883–1924)

TheMetamorphosis(1915)

TheWishtobecomeanAmericanIndian(1919)

AHungerArtist(1924)

WilliamCarlosWilliams(1883–1963)

TheUseofForce(1938)

D.H.Lawrence(1885–1930)

OdourofChrysanthemums(1909)

TheRocking-HorseWinner(1926)

KatherineMansfield(1888–1923)

TheGarden-Party(1921)

ZoraNealeHurston(1891–1960)

Sweat(1926)

IsaacBabel(1894–1940)

GuydeMaupassant(1932)

WilliamFaulkner(1897–1962)

ARoseforEmily(1931)

ThatEveningSun(1931)

YasunariKawabata(1899–1972)

TheGrasshopperandtheBellCricket(1924)

JorgeLuisBorges(1899–1986)

TheSouth(1944)

ErnestHemingway(1899–1961)

HillsLikeWhiteElephants(1927)

JohnSteinbeck(1902–1968)

TheChrysanthemums(1938)

AlejoCarpentier(1904–1980)

JourneytotheSeed(1954)

RichardWright(1908–1960)

TheManWhoWasAlmostaMan(1961)

WalterVanTilburgClark(1909–1971)

ThePortablePhonograph(1941)

EudoraWelty(1909–2001)

AWornPath(1941)

JohnCheever(1912–1982)

TheSwimmer(1964)

TillieOlsen(1913–2007)

IStandHereIroning(1961)

JulioCortázar(1914–1984)

AContinuityofParks(1965)

RalphEllison(1914–1994)

BattleRoyal(1952)

ShirleyJackson(1919–1965)

TheLottery(1948)

RayBradbury(1920–2012)

August2026:ThereWillComeSoftRains(1950)

JackKerouac(1922–1969)

OctoberintheRailroadEarth(1957)

GracePaley(1922–2007)

Samuel(1968)

AConversationwithMyFather(1974)

KurtVonnegutJr(1922–2007)

HarrisonBergeron(1961)

JamesBaldwin(1924–1987)

Sonny’sBlues(1957)

ClariceLispector(1925–1977)

TheSmallestWomanintheWorld(1960)

FlanneryO’Connor(1925–1964)

GoodCountryPeople(1955)

AGoodManIsHardtoFind(1955)

EverythingThatRisesMustConverge(1965)

GabrielGarcíaMárquez(1928–2014)

AVeryOldManwithEnormousWings(1955)

CynthiaOzick(b1928)

TheShawl(1980)

UrsulaKLeGuin(1929–2018)

TheOnesWhoWalkAwayfromOmelas(1976)

DonaldBarthelme(1931–1989)

TheSchool(1975)

AliceMunro(b1931)

Dimensions(2009)

JohnUpdike(1932–2009)

A&P(1961)

PhilipRoth(b1933)

TheConversionoftheJews(1959)

AnnieProulx(b1935)

TheBloodBay(1999)

LuciaBerlin(1936–2004)

MyJockey(1985)

BessieHead(1937–1986)

LookingforaRain-God(1966)

RaymondCarver(1938–1988)

Cathedral(1981)

WhatWeTalkAboutWhenWeTalkAboutLove(1981)

PopularMechanics(1974)

JoyceCarolOates(b1938)

WhereAreYouGoing,WhereHaveYouBeen?(1966)

TheLadywiththePetDog(1972)

LuisaValenzuela(b1938)

VisionOutoftheCornerofOneEye(1979)

MargaretAtwood(b1939)

HappyEndings(1983)

ToniCadeBambara(1939–1995)

TheLesson(1972)

KeijiNakazawa(1939–2012)

FromBarefootGen(1972)

AngelaCarter(1940–1992)

TheCompanyofWolves(1977)

FrederickBusch(1941–2006)

RalphtheDuck(2014)

AliceWalker(b1944)

EverydayUse(1973)

TobiasWolff(b1945)

SayYes(1985)

TimO’Brien(b1946)

TheThingsTheyCarried(1986)

LydiaDavis(b1947)

TheMother(2010)

TheFuneral(2014)

Pouchet’sWife(2014)

LeslieMarmonSilko(b1948)

YellowWoman(1974)

ArtSpiegelman(b1948)

PrisonerontheHellPlanet:ACaseHistory(1972)

JamaicaKincaid(b1949)

Girl(1978)

CarolynForché(b1950)

TheColonel(1981)

TatyanaTolstaya(b1951)

Aspic(2016)

RobertoBolaño(1953–2003)

TheInsufferableGaucho(2003)

SandraCisneros(b1954)

Barbie-Q(1991)

LouiseErdrich(b1954)

TheRedConvertible(1984)

HelenaMaríaViramontes(b1954)

TheMoths(1985)

LyndaBarry(b1956)

TwoQuestions(2008)

LorrieMoore(b1957)

HowtoBecomeaWriter(1985)

GeorgeSaunders(b1958)

Puppy(2007)

AlisonBechdel(b1960)

TheFellowship(2016)

JoeSacco(b1960)

FromPalestine:“Refugeeland”(1995)

DavidFosterWallace(1962–2008)

EverythingIsGreen(1989)

ShermanAlexie(b1966)

TheLoneRangerandTontoFistfightinHeaven(1993)

JhumpaLahiri(b1967)

InterpreterofMaladies(1999)

JunotDíaz(b1968)

HowtoDateaBrowngirl,Blackgirl, Whitegirl,orHalfie(1996)

SaïdSayrafiezadeh(b1968)

BriefEncounterwiththeEnemy(2012)

MarjaneSatrapi(b1969)

FromPersepolis:“TheVeil”(2013)

ZZPacker(b1973)

Brownies(1999)

AnthonyDoerr(b1973)

TheDeep(2011)

MirandaJuly(b1974)

TheSwimTeam(2007)

ZadieSmith(b1975)

CrazyTheyCallMe(2017)

Joyce,ArabyandUpdike,A&P Kafka,TheMetamorphosisandKafka,TheWishtobecomeanAmericanIndian Lawrence,OdourofChrysanthemumsandSteinbeck,TheChrysanthemums Mansfield,TheGarden-PartyandSaunders,Puppy O’Brien,TheThingsTheyCarriedandSayrafiezadeh,ABriefEncounterwiththeEnemy Paley,AConversationwithMyFatherandPaley,Samuel

EXPERIMENTALFICTION

Atwood,HappyEndings

Babel,GuydeMaupassant Barthelme,TheSchool Carpentier,JourneytotheSeed Joyce,TheDead July,TheSwimTeam Kerouac,OctoberintheRailroadEarth Moore,HowtoBecomeaWriter Paley,AConversationwithMyFather Saunders,Puppy VonnegutJr.,HarrisonBergeron Woolf,KewGardens

FANTASYANDTHESUPERNATURAL

Borges,TheSouth Bradbury,August2026:ThereWillComeSoftRains Carpentier,JourneytotheSeed Carter,TheCompanyofWolves Cheever,TheSwimmer Clark,ThePortablePhonograph Cortazar,AContinuityofParks GarcíaMárquez,AVeryOldManwithEnormousWings Gilman,TheYellowWallpaper Hawthorne,YoungGoodmanBrown Irving,RipVanWinkle Jackson,TheLottery Kafka,AHungerArtist Kafka,TheMetamorphosis

Lawrence,TheRocking-HorseWinner LeGuin,TheOnesWhoWalkAwayfromOmelas Lispector,TheSmallestWomanintheWorld Poe,TheFalloftheHouseofUsher Silko,YellowWoman

VonnegutJr.,HarrisonBergeron

CHILDHOOD

Bambara,TheLesson Barry,TwoQuestions

Barthelme,TheSchool

Carpentier,JourneytotheSeed

Cisneros,Barbie-Q

Doerr,TheDeep

Faulkner,ThatEveningSun

Jewett,AWhiteHeron

Kawabata,TheGrasshopperandtheBellCricket

Lawrence,TheRocking-HorseWinner

Packer,Brownies

Satrapi,FromPersepolis:“TheVeil”

Williams,TheUseofForce

ADOLESCENCEANDINITIATION

Anderson,Hands

Cather,Paul’sCase

Díaz,HowtoDateaBrowngirl,Blackgirl

Doerr,TheDeep

Ellison,BattleRoyal

Erdrich,TheRedConvertible

Joyce,Araby

Kincaid,Girl

Oates,WhereAreYouGoing,WhereHaveYouBeen?

Roth,TheConversionoftheJews

Spiegelman,PrisonerontheHellPlanet

Updike,A&P

Wright,TheManWhoWasAlmostaMan

IDENTITYANDRENEWAL

Alexie,TheLoneRangerandTontoFistfightinHeaven

Baldwin,Sonny’sBlues

Bechdel,TheFellowship

Carpentier,JourneytotheSeed

Carver,WhatWeTalkAboutWhenWeTalkAboutLove

Cather,Paul’sCase

Cheever,TheSwimmer

Chopin,Désirée’sBaby

Chopin,TheStoryofanHour

GarcíaMárquez,AVeryOldManwithEnormousWings

Hawthorne,YoungGoodmanBrown

Jewett,AWhiteHeron

Kafka,TheMetamorphosis

Kincaid,Girl

Maupassant,TheNecklace

Nakazawa,FromBarefootGen

Oates,WhereAreYouGoing,WhereHaveYouBeen?

O’Brien,TheThingsTheyCarried

FlanneryO’Connor,EverythingThatRisesMustConverge

FlanneryO’Connor,GoodCountryPeople

FlanneryO’Connor,AGoodManIsHardtoFind

Roth,TheConversionoftheJews

Silko,YellowWoman

Smith,CrazyTheyCallMe

Wright,TheManWhoWasAlmostaMan

LOVE,MARRIAGE,ANDINFIDELITY

Alexie,TheLoneRangerandTontoFistfightinHeaven

Atwood,HappyEndings

Austin,TheReturnofMr.Wills

Busch,RalphtheDuck

Carver,PopularMechanics

Carver,WhatWeTalkAboutWhenWeTalkAboutLove

Chekhov,TheDarling

Chekhov,TheLadywiththeDog

Chopin,Désirée’sBaby

Chopin,TheStoryofanHour

Faulkner,ARoseforEmily

Gilman,TheYellowWallpaper

Hawthorne,YoungGoodmanBrown

Hemingway,HillsLikeWhiteElephants

Hurston,Sweat

Joyce,TheDead

Lahiri,InterpreterofMaladies

Lawrence,OdourofChrysanthemums

Maupassant,TheNecklace Munro,Dimensions

Oates,TheLadywiththePetDog Porter(O.Henry),TheGiftoftheMagi

Silko,YellowWoman

Steinbeck,TheChrysanthemums

Wallace,EverythingIsGreen

PARENTSANDCHILDREN

Carver,PopularMechanics

Cather,Paul’sCase

Cisneros,Barbie-Q Davis,TheMother

Doerr,TheDeep

Faulkner,ThatEveningSun

Kafka,TheMetamorphosis

Kincaid,Girl

Lawrence,TheRocking-HorseWinner

FlanneryO’Connor,EverythingThatRisesMustConverge

Olsen,IStandHereIroning

Ozick,TheShawl

Paley,AConversationwithMyFather

Roth,TheConversionoftheJews

Saunders,Puppy

Spiegelman,PrisonerontheHellPlanet:ACaseHistory

Vonnegut,HarrisonBergeron

Walker,EverydayUse Wright,TheManWhoWasAlmostaMan

WORK

Anderson,Hands

Baldwin,Sonny’sBlues

Barry,TwoQuestions

Berlin,MyJockey

Bolaño,TheInsufferableGaucho

Busch,RalphtheDuck

Carver,WhatWeTalkAboutWhenWeTalkAboutLove

Crane,TheOpenBoat

Ellison,BattleRoyal

Faulkner,ThatEveningSun

Hurston,Sweat

Irving,RipVanWinkle Jewett,AWhiteHeron

July,TheSwimTeam Kafka,AHungerArtist

Kerouac,OctoberintheRailroadEarth Lahiri,InterpreterofMaladies

Lawrence,OdourofChrysanthemums

Melville,Bartleby,theScrivener O’Brien,TheThingsTheyCarried

FlanneryO’Connor,GoodCountryPeople

Olsen,IStandHereIroning

Sayrafiezadeh,ABriefEncounterwiththeEnemy

Tolstoy,TheDeathofIvanIlych

Updike,A&P

Williams,TheUseofForce Wright,TheManWhoWasAlmostaMan

Bierce,AnOccurrenceatOwlCreekBridge

Clark,ThePortablePhonograph

DeLillo,HumanMomentsinWorldWarIII

Erdrich,TheRedConvertible Forché,TheColonel

Nakazawa,FromBarefootGen O’Brien,TheThingsTheyCarried Ozick,TheShawl

Sacco,FromPalestine:“Refugeeland” Satrapi,FromPersepolis:“TheVeil” Sayrafiezadeh,ABriefEncounterwiththeEnemy VonnegutJr,HarrisonBergeron

LIFEANDDEATH

Alexie,TheLoneRangerandTontoFistfightinHeaven

Baldwin,Sonny’sBlues

Bierce,AnOccurrenceatOwlCreekBridge

Borges,TheSouth Bradbury,August2026:ThereWillComeSoftRains

Carpentier,JourneytotheSeed

Carver,Cathedral

Carver,WhatWeTalkAboutWhenWeTalkAboutLove

Cheever,TheSwimmer

Crane,TheOpenBoat Faulkner,ThatEveningSun Hemingway,HillsLikeWhiteElephants

Jackson,TheLottery

Joyce,TheDead

Kafka,AHungerArtist

Kafka,TheMetamorphosis

LeGuin,TheOnesWhoWalkAwayfromOmelas London,ToBuildaFire

Maupassant,TheNecklace Melville,Bartleby,theScrivener Nakazawa,FromBarefootGen FlanneryO’Connor,EverythingThatRisesMustConverge FlanneryO’Connor,AGoodManIsHardtoFind Ozick,TheShawl

Paley,AConversationwithMyFather Poe,TheCaskofAmontillado Poe,TheFalloftheHouseofUsher Proulx,TheBloodBay Roth,TheConversionoftheJews

Sacco,FromPalestine:“Refugeeland” Sayrafiezadeh,ABriefEncounterwiththeEnemy Spiegelman,PrisonerontheHellPlanet:ACaseHistory Tolstaya,Aspic

Tolstoy,TheDeathofIvanIlych Viramontes,TheMoths Vonnegut,HarrisonBergeron Williams,TheUseofForce

GuidetotheCommentaries

WRITERSONWRITING

Anderson,Form,NotPlot,intheShortStory

Atwood,ReadingBlind

Baldwin,AutobiographicalNotes Barth,AFewWordsaboutMinimalism

Baxter,OntheVeryShortStory Borges,BorgesandI Carver,CreativeWriting101 Cheever,WhyIWriteShortStories Chekhov,TechniqueinWritingtheShortStory

Ellison,TheInfluenceofFolkloreon“BattleRoyal” Faulkner,TheMeaningof“ARoseforEmily” Gilman,WhyIWrote“TheYellowWallpaper” Jackson,TheMorningofJune28,1948,and“TheLottery” Jewett,LookingBackonGirlhood Kerouac,EssentialsofSpontaneousProse

Kincaid,On“Girl”

LeGuin,TheScapegoatinOmelas

London,LettertotheEditoron“ToBuildaFire” Maupassant,TheWriter’sGoal

Munro,HowIWriteShortStories

Oates,StoriesThatDefineMe:TheMakingofaWriter;SmoothTalk:ShortStoryintoFilm;OnVeryShortFictions FlanneryO’Connor,WritingShortStories;AReasonableUseoftheUnreasonable Paley,AConversationwithAnnCharters

Poe,TheImportanceoftheSingleEffectinaProseTale

Sacco,SomeReflectionsonPalestine Saunders,ThePerfectGerbil:ReadingBarthelme’s“TheSchool” Silko,LanguageandLiteraturefromaPuebloIndianPerspective Welty,IsPhoenixJackson’sGrandsonReallyDead?

WRITERSONOTHERWRITERS

Chopin,HowIStumbleduponMaupassant Davis,ReadingShortShorts

Doerr,OnReadingTheStoryandItsWriter

Lawrence,On“TheFalloftheHouseofUsher”and“TheCaskofAmontillado” Mansfield,ReviewofWoolf’s“KewGardens”

Melville,BlacknessinHawthorne’s“YoungGoodmanBrown” Nabokov,AReadingofChekhov’s“TheLadywiththeLittleDog” Oates,TheParablesofFlanneryO’Connor Saunders,ThePerfectGerbil:ReadingBarthleme’s“TheSchool” Tolstoy,Chekhov’sIntentin“TheDarling” Tolstoy,TheWorksofGuydeMaupassant

Walker,ZoraNealeHurston:ACautionaryTaleandaPartisanView

BIOGRAPHICALANDHISTORICALCONTEXTS

Acocella,HowAngelaCarterBecameFeminism’sGreatMythologist

Allen,WhirlwindManStealsYellowWoman Baldwin,AutobiographicalNotes Carver,CreativeWriting101 Charters,TranslatingKafka Crane,TheSinkingoftheCommodore Ellison,TheInfluenceofFolkloreon“BattleRoyal” Ellmann,ABiographicalPerspectiveonJoyce’s“TheDead” Gilman,WhyIWrote“TheYellowWallpaper”;UndergoingtheCureforNervousProstration Hurston,HowItFeelstoBeColoredMe Jenks,TheOriginof“Cathedral” Jewett,LookingBackonGirlhood Kincaid,On“Girl”

Leal,MagicalRealisminSpanishAmericanLiterature London,LettertotheEditoron“ToBuildaFire” Mitchell,From“TheEvolutionoftheRestTreatment” Moser,ThePiedPiperofTucson Nachtigal,PeterKlaustheGoatherd O’Brien,AlphaCompany FlanneryO’Connor,FromLetters,1954–1955

Sacco,SomeReflectionsonPalestine Silko,LanguageandLiteraturefromaPuebloIndianPerspective Steinglass,ReadingTimO’BrieninHanoi

CRITICSONWRITERS

Booth,ARhetoricalReadingofO’Connor’s“EverythingThatRisesMustConverge” Brennan,PlottingagainstChekhov:JoyceCarolOatesand“TheLadywiththeDog” BrooksandWarren,ANewCriticalReadingof“TheFalloftheHouseofUsher” Byerman,WordsandMusic:NarrativeAmbiguityin“Sonny’sBlues” Eagleton,HowToReadLiterature

GilbertandGubar,AFeministReadingofGilman’s“TheYellowWallpaper” Harris,LevelsofMeaninginLawrence’s“TheRocking-HorseWinner” Janouch,Kafka’sViewof“TheMetamorphosis” Lewis,Lahiri’s“InterpreterofMaladies” McClane,“Sonny’sBlues”SavedMyLife McFarland,On“GoodCountryPeople” Miller,ADeconstructiveReadingof“Bartleby,theScrivener” Parini,Lawrence’sandSteinbeck’s“Chrysanthemums” Plum,Reading“TheVeil”byMarjaneSatrapi Saltzman,AReadingof“WhatWeTalkAboutWhenWeTalkAboutLove” Scott,LookingforRaymondCarver Showalter,On“TheYellowWallpaper”

INTRODUCTION

THESTORYANDITSWRITER

WhyReadLiterature?

Agoodstoryinspiresuswiththesenseofanecessaryconnectiontotheouterworld,breakingdownthewallsthatcankeepusfeelingisolated fromoneanotherHence,thesenseofurgencytopassagoodstoryfromfriendtofriend,orevenstrangertostrangerShortfictionisamedicine thatweknowcansaveothersasitdidourselvesTodayweeventakeforgrantedtheluxuryofsharingourfavoritestoriesGiftedauthors,both classicalandcontemporary,aresoimportanttousthatwehavemadethemavailablefreeontheInternetandinlibrariesforeveryonetoenjoy Youdon’thavetobebornintoaprivilegedeconomicstatustoreadthemThat’sbecauseliteratureisoneofthemostvaluabletreasuresavailable tousinourculturalinheritanceashumanbeings

Perhapsamorerelevantquestioniswhyreadliteratureforacollegecourse?Whystudy notmerelyread thestoriesandthecommentaries collectedinthistentheditionofTheStoryandItsWriter?Literatureconnectsustoourbroaderplaceinhumanity,butnotalwayseffortlessly Somegreatstoriesopenmostfullytouswhenwehaveaguidetohelpusplacethemculturallyorhistorically,orwhenwearegiventoolsto engagewithwriterswhoseliterarystyleisantiquatedorinsomeotherwaydistancingSomestoriesgainmoresavorwhenawriter,instructor,or classmatecanrevealforustheartistryinthemthatwehadformerlyoverlookedThemoreskillfullywecanreadliterature,themoreweareableto recognizethetruthaboutlifethatitrevealsandunderstandwhereourownstoriesarecontainedinthepagesbeforeus

Studyingtheshortstoriesinthisanthology,welearntobecomebetterreadersbygivingourfullattentiontoeachnarrativeandreawakeningits reflectionoflifeinourownimaginationStudyingliteratureentailsnotmerelyreadinganindividualstorybutalsothinkingandsometimeswriting aboutitTheheadnotesandcommentariesassembledhereinthetentheditionofTheStoryandItsWritercanhelpyouIntheprocess,your criticalreadingandthinkingabilitieswilldevelopAsyougrowmoreappreciativeofthegoodwritinginthisanthology,youwillalsobecomemore sensitivetopoorwriting,andthisawarenesswillhelpyoutoimproveyourownwritingskills

“Youbeginbyreadingliteratureforthepleasureofit,”ErnestHemingwayoncetoldaninterviewer,adding“Whateverelseyoufindwillbethe measureofwhatyoubroughttothereading”Thestoriesinthisanthologyrepresentarangeofgreatshortfictionwrittenbyauthorsfromallover theworldIhopeyouwillfindthemapleasuretoreadWeallhavedifferentpersonalitiesandcomefromdifferentbackgrounds,butwealllook forwardtobeingentertainedwhenweturntoastoryWhatyouasanindividualbringtothestorywhenyoureaditcloselyiswhatmattersmost whenyoustudyshortfiction

Readingstoriesattentivelyandimaginativelypromisesenlightenmentaswellasfurtherpleasure theenjoymentofhowthestorytelleruses languagetocreatethatmiraclecalledaworkofartThiswayofreadingbringsusclosertounderstandingtheachievementoftheauthorsinthis anthologyLiteratureisinvention,andstorytellersareinventors,whethertheyappearintheguiseofentertainers,teachers,orenchantersThe authorswhosestoriesarecollectedhereareexpertsatinvention Theydelightusmostcompletelywhenweapprehendthegeniusoftheirartby studyinghowtheyselectthedetailsandshapethepatternsoftheirfiction

WhatIsaShortStory?

Theliteraryformshortstoryisusuallydefinedasabrieffictionalprosenarrative,mostofteninvolvingoneunifiedepisodeEarlyinthenineteenth centurytheAmericanwriterEdgarAllanPoewasoneofthefirsttoattemptananalysisoftheshortstory’saestheticpropertiesHestressedunity ofeffectasthestory’smostcharacteristicfeatureSincethefloodofeventsweexperienceinlifeisrarelyunifiedbyasingleimpression,ina senseallfiction whethershortstory,longstory,ornovel is“lies”Paradoxically,however,themeasureofsuccessforallfictionishowtrueit istoouremotions,howaccuratelyitreflectsthelifewealllive

Theshortstoryisaconcentratedform,dependentforitssuccessonfeelingandsuggestionWhenreadersunderstandthewaysanauthoruses languagetocreateafictionalworld,thestory’sunityhasanevengreaterimpactTheneverydetailofthenarrativeaddstoourenjoymentofits finalimpressionWritersofshortstoriesmustforgothecomprehensivenessofthenovel,buttheyoftengainastrikingcompressionbyusing languagewiththeforceofpoetryLikepoets,shortstorywriterscanimpressuponustheunityoftheirvisionoflifebyfocusingonasingleeffect Therangeandqualityofthewriter’smindaretheonlylimitationsonastory’sshapeAuthorscreatenarrativesusingdifferentelementsoffiction Amongtheirmostimportantresourcesareplot,thesequenceofrelatedeventscomposingthenarrative,andcharacters,thepersonswhoplay theirpartsinthenarrative.Theauthor’schoiceofsetting,theplaceandtimeinwhichtheactionoccurs,helpstogivethestoryverisimilitude.The pointofviewestablishesaconsistentperspectiveonthecharactersandtheiractionsasthenarrativeunfoldsTheauthor’sliterarystyle,theway heorsheusesthemultifariousresourcesoflanguage,alsoshapestheexpressionofastoryFinally,theauthorisguidedbyhisorherperception oftheme,theunifyingideasuggestingthevaluesofthewriterthatbringstolifealltheotherelementsoffiction

Withouthumanunderstanding,experienceis“theworstkindofemptiness,”wrotetheshortstoryauthorEudoraWeltyinheressay“Wordsinto Fiction”Allstoriesembodyapersonalvisionwhentheelementsofplot,character,setting,pointofview,style,andthemearesetinmotionbythe writer’sperceptionofthemysteryandmagicofeverydaylifeAuthorsoffictionarefreetoinventandshapeexperiencetothefullestextentoftheir imaginations

Humanunderstandingisnottheexclusiveprivilegeofthewriter,ofcourseItfunctionsinthereadertooFictioncreatedbytheimaginationofthe writerfortheimaginationofthereaderisanillusioncomefullcircleIfthestoryiswelltold,ourimaginationswillbeinvolvedinitIfthestoryisa success,ourimaginationswillbeignited

Formostreaders,thebasicappealofstorytellingliesintheunityofthenarrativepattern,suggestingconnectionsandcoherenceinexperience Whenwritersgobeyondthisappealandigniteourimaginations,theydosobytouchingusintellectuallyandemotionallythroughlanguageUsing theelementsoffiction,theyenchantusbyevokingourthoughtsandfeelingsaboutthemysteriesofhumanexperienceThenwecatchaglimpse ofwhatlifeislikefromitsreflectioninthestory

ReadingShortStories

Themeaningofthestory(itstruth,vision,orreflectionoftheworld)is,inpart,aresultofthereader’sresponsetoitAsHemingwaysaid,read literatureforthepleasureitbringsAnythingelse,youmustbringtothereadingAstorybecomesmoremeaningfulwhenyoureadactively, relatingtheauthor’spersonalvisionembodiedintheformandcontentofthenarrativetoyourownexperienceoflifeandthequestionsyouaskof it

Whatisthebestwaytoreadashortstory?ThewriterVladimirNabokovoncesuggestedthattheidealreadershoulddevelop“acombinationof theartisticandthescientific[temperament].Theenthusiasticartistaloneisapttobetoosubjectiveinhisattitudetowardsabook,andsoa scientificcoolnessofjudgmentwilltempertheintuitiveheat.”Readastorythefirsttimeforpleasure;bringoutyour“scientificcoolness”whenyou studyitthesecondtime.

Thefirsttimeyoureadastory,youmayfindyourselfconcernedprimarilywitharrivingattheendofthenarrative,seeinghowtheauthorresolves theplotThesecondtime,however,youcanfocusongettingthere,seeinghowtheauthorinventsandshapesthenarrativebyusingtheelements offictionStudyeachstorycloselyAsthenovelistJohnGardnerstatesinhisTheArtofFiction, Formostreaders,completeemotionalgraspofagoodpieceoffictiondoesnotcomeautomaticallyThechiefreasonisthatthe inexperiencedreaderoftentakestoomuchofthestoryforgrantedHefailstobepleasedbyexcellenttouchesincharacterization becauseheacceptsuncriticallyallcharacterization,competentorincompetent,whereverhefindsit;andhefailstoempathizewith charactersbecausehehasmissedcharacterizationandthusdoesnotknowhowthecharactersfeel Inthebeginning,thereader muststudystoriescloselyandopen-mindedlyandmustdisciplinehimselftocatchemotionalqualitieswhetherornotthestoryseems atfirstglancetodeservesuchstudy

Ideally,youshouldkeepalittlealoof,alittledetachedwhenreadingforthesecondtimeCherishthedetailsofthestory’spatternEnjoythe pleasureofbeginningtounderstanditsmagicbytakingnotesonyourresponsestotheauthor’suseofthedifferentelementsoffiction

Thebestwaytogiveshortstoriesachancetoenchantyouistositdown,preferablywithadictionaryatyourside,andgrantthemyourfull attentionThenreadthemcarefullystraightthroughfrombeginningtoendTrytoavoidwhattheauthorWilliamGassdescribedin“OnReadingto Oneself”as“thesullennessofinattention,theannoyingstaticofdistraction”Concentratesothatthewordsofthestorycanlivewithinyou Understand,asGassrecognized,thatthewordsofawriterinastorymoveonlyasthereadermovesthem:“Itislikecycling,readingisCanyou feeltheair,thepurepassageofthespiritpasttheexposedskin?”

Unlessyougivethestoriesyourcompleteattention,themagicoftheirartistrywillneverhavethechancetomakeyoucareaboutthemAs readers,wecanparticipateinthecreativeprocessofstorytellingThecriticAlexandraSchwartzanalyzedtheintimacybetween“therealmind”of thereaderand“theinventedmind”ofthefictionalcharactersShefoundthatourcloseattentiontothetextenablesus“tobeentirelyincorporated intotheirwayoftakingmeasureoftheworld,tobecomesoguidedbytheirconsciousnessthatitcomestofeel,strangely,inadvertently,without warning,nearlyasfamiliar”asourownShebelievedthatourtotalabsorptioninastoryis“whyanyonebotherstoreadfictionatall:tobemadeto seedifferently,tofindourselves,ifonlyforamoment,goingthroughtheworldassomeoneelse”PerhapsthestorytellerTC Boyledefinedthe reader’staskmostsuccinctlywhenhesaid,“MyjobistoputyouinthesituationYourjobistoexperienceit”

HowThisBookIsOrganized

TheStoryandItsWriterisorganizedinfourpartsInthefirstthestoriesthemselvesappear,introducedbyheadnotesabouttheauthorsthat highlighttheirpersonalandintellectualbackgroundsandtheirintentionsaswritersofshortfictionThedateprecedingeachstoryistheyearitwas publishedTomakeiteasierforyoutofindparticularstories,theyarepresentedalphabeticallybytheirauthors’namesThetableofcontentshas alistingofstoriesandtherelatedcommentaries,stories,andcasebooksfoundwithinthisbook

Thesecondpart,thecommentaries,gathersstatementsbyauthorsabouttheirpracticeandtheoryofwritingshortfiction,includingdiscussionof themeaningsofsomeindividualstoriesDifferentcriticalapproachestostimulateyourresponsestothestoriesarealsoincludedhere,alongwith twocommentariesaboutreadingliterature(seeRelatedCommentaries)

Thethirdpartconsistsofcasebooksgroupingseveralcommentariesonimportantgenres,writers,andstories:JamesBaldwin’s“Sonny’sBlues”, RaymondCarver;CharlottePerkinsGilman’s“TheYellowWallpaper”,FlanneryO’Connor,andJoyceCarolOates’s“WhereAreYouGoing, WhereHaveYouBeen?”Thispartbeginswithacasebookonshortshorts,orflashfiction,includingfourauthorcommentariesandfivestories

Thefourthpartoftheanthologypresentsanappendixonreadingshortstories,ananalysisoftheelementsoffiction,abriefhistoryoftheshort story,anexplanationofvariouswaystowritepapersaboutshortstories,aconcisediscussionofliterarytheoryandcriticalperspectives,anda glossaryofimportantliteraryterms

RELATEDCOMMENTARIES

AnthonyDoerr,“OnReadingTheStoryandItsWriter”;TerryEagleton,“HowtoReadLiterature”

PARTONESTORIES

ShermanAlexie

ShermanAlexie(b1966)wasborninSpokane,WashingtonAregisteredmemberoftheSpokanetribethroughhismother,heattended grammarschoolontheSpokanereservationinWellpinit,WashingtonAtWashingtonStateUniversity,hewasinspiredtowritepoetrybyan anthologyofIndianpoetrydiscoveredinhisfirstliteratureclass,andfoundthatwomenwerepayingmoreattentiontohim“AlltheseyearsI thoughtbasketballwoulddoit,”hesayshumorously.“Ishouldhavebeenwritingpoemsallalong.”AfterAlexietookacreativewritingcoursewith AlexKuo,hebegantopublishinmagazinessuchasTheBeloitPoetryJournal,TheJournalofEthnicStudies,NewYorkQuarterly, Ploughshares,andZyzzyva In1991hewasawardedapoetryfellowshipfromtheWashingtonStateArtsCommission;thefollowingyearhe receivedapoetryfellowshipfromtheNationalEndowmentfortheArts

In1992Alexiepublishedhisfirsttwobooks,IWouldStealHorsesandTheBusinessofFancydancing:StoriesandPoems.Severalmoretitles followedinrapidorder,includingTheLoneRangerandTontoFistfightinHeaven(1993),whichreceivedaPEN/HemingwayAwardforbestfirst bookoffictionAlexiealsowontheAmericanBookAwardforhisnovelReservationBlues(1995),inwhichheimaginedwhatwouldhappenifthe legendarybluesmanRobertJohnsonwereresurrectedontheSpokaneIndianReservation.HisfilmSmokeSignalswonprizesattheSundance FilmFestival.In2007hewasawardedtheWesternLiteratureAssociation’sDistinguishedAchievementAward.

Alexiehasstated,“IamaSpokane/Coeurd’AleneIndianfromWellpinit,Washington,whereIliveontheSpokaneIndianReservation.EverythingI donow,writingandotherwise,hasitsorigininthat.”Hisshortfiction,like“TheLoneRangerandTontoFistfightinHeaven,”reflectshisuseofthe iconsofpopularculture radioandtelevisionprograms,7-Elevenstores,theneonpromiseofadvertising tofacilitatearapidcrossover betweenthestorytellerandthereaderAsthecriticSusanBBrillhasnoticed,“LittleeverchangesinthelivesofAlexie’scharactersCommodity food,alcoholism,anddesperationareconstantsinthestories”TenLittleIndians(2003),WarDances(2009),andBlasphemy:Newand SelectedStories(2012)areotherstorycollections

TheLoneRangerandTontoFistfightinHeaven

TOOHOTTOSLEEPsoIwalkeddowntotheThirdAvenue7-11foraCreamsicleandthecompanyofagraveyard-shiftcashierIknowthatgameI workedgraveyardforaSeattle7-11andgotrobbedoncetoooftenThelasttimethebastardlockedmeinthecoolerHeeventookmymoney andbasketballshoes

Thegraveyard-shiftworkerintheThirdAvenue7-11lookedliketheyalldoAcnescarsandabadhaircut,workpantsthatshowedoffhiswhite socks,andthosecheapblackshoesthathavenosupportMyarchesstillachefrommyyearattheSeattle7-11

“Hello,”heaskedwhenIwalkedintohisstore“Howyoudoing?”

Igavehimahalf-waveasIheadedbacktothefreezerHelookedmeoversohecoulddescribemetothepolicelaterIknewthelookOneofmy oldgirlfriendssaidIstartedtolookatherthatway,tooSheleftmenotlongafterthatNo,Ileftheranddon’tblameherforanythingThat’showit happenedWhenonepersonstartstolookatanotherlikeacriminal,thentheloveisoverIt’slogical

“Idon’ttrustyou,”shesaidtome“Yougettooangry”

ShewaswhiteandIlivedwithherinSeattleSomenightswefoughtsobadthatIwouldjustgetinmycaranddriveallnight,onlystoptofillupon gasInfact,IworkedthegraveyardshifttospendasmuchtimeawayfromheraspossibleButIlearnedallaboutSeattlethatway,drivingitsback waysanddirtyalleys

Sometimes,though,IwouldforgetwhereIwasandgetlostI’ddriveforhours,searchingforsomethingfamiliarSeemslikeI’dspentmywholelife thatway,lookingforanythingIrecognizedOnce,Iendedupinaniceresidentialneighborhoodandsomebodymusthavebeenworriedbecause thepoliceshowedupandpulledmeover.

“Whatareyoudoingouthere?”thepoliceofficeraskedmeashelookedovermylicenseandregistration.

“I’mlost”

“Well,whereareyousupposedtobe?”heaskedme,andIknewtherewereplentyofplacesIwantedtobe,butnonewhereIwassupposedtobe “Igotinafightwithmygirlfriend,”Isaid“Iwasjustdrivingaround,blowingoffsteam,youknow?”

“Well,youshouldbemorecarefulwhereyoudrive,”theofficersaid“You’remakingpeoplenervousYoudon’tfittheprofileoftheneighborhood” IwantedtotellhimthatIdidn’treallyfittheprofileofthecountrybutIknewitwouldjustgetmeintotrouble

“CanIhelpyou?”the7-11clerkaskedmeloudly,searchingforsomeresponsethatwouldreassurehimthatIwasn’tanarmedrobberHeknew thisdarkskinandlong,blackhairofminewasdangerousIhadpotential

“JustgettingaCreamsicle,”IsaidafteralongintervalItwasasicktwisttopullontheguy,butitwaslateandIwasboredIgrabbedmy Creamsicleandwalkedbacktothecounterslowly,scannedtheaislesforeffectIwantedtowhistlelowandmenacinglybutIneverlearnedto whistle

“Prettyhotouttonight?”heasked,thatoldrhetoricalweatherbullshitquestiondesignedtoputusbothatease

“Hotenoughtomakeyougocrazy,”IsaidandsmiledHeswallowedhardlikeawhitemandoesinthosesituationsIlookedhimoverSameold green,red,andwhite7-11jacketandthickglassesButhewasn’tugly,justmisplacedandmarkedbylonelinessIfhewasn’tworkingtherethat night,he’dbeathomealone,flippingthroughchannelsandwishinghecouldaffordHBOorShowtime

“Willthisbeall?”heaskedme,inthatcompanyefforttomakemedosomeimpulseshoppingLikeaddingaclauseontoatreaty We’lltake

WashingtonandOregon,andyougetsixpinetreesandabrand-newChryslerCordoba Iknewhowtomakeandbreakpromises “No,”Isaidandpaused“GivemeaCherrySlushie,too”

“Whatsize?”heasked,relieved

“Large,”Isaid,andheturnedhisbacktometomakethedrinkHerealizedhismistakebutitwastoolateHestiffened,readyforthegunshotor theblowbehindtheearWhenitdidn’tcome,heturnedbacktome

“I’msorry,”hesaid“Whatsizedidyousay?”

“Small,”Isaidandchangedthestory

“ButIthoughtyousaidlarge”

“IfyouknewIwantedalarge,thenwhydidyouaskmeagain?”IaskedhimandlaughedHelookedatme,couldn’tdecideifIwasgivinghim seriousshitorjustgoofingTherewassomethingabouthimIliked,evenifitwasthreeinthemorningandhewaswhite “Hey,”Isaid.“ForgettheSlushie.WhatIwanttoknowisifyouknowallthewordstothethemefrom‘TheBradyBunch’?”

Helookedatme,confusedatfirst,thenlaughed.

“Shit,”hesaid“Iwashopingyouweren’tcrazyYouwerescaringme”

“Well,I’mgoingtogetcrazyifyoudon’tknowthewords”

Helaughedloudlythen,toldmetotaketheCreamsicleforfreeHewasthegraveyard-shiftmanagerandthoselittledemonstrationsofpower tickledhimAllseventy-fivecentsofitIknewhowmucheverythingcost

“Thanks,”IsaidtohimandwalkedoutthedoorItookmytimewalkinghome,lettheheatofthenightmelttheCreamsicleallovermyhandAt threeinthemorningIcouldactjustasyoungasIwantedtoactTherewasnoonearoundtoaskmetogrowup

InSeattle,IbrokelampsSheandIwouldargueandI’dbreakalamp,justpickitupandthrowitdownAtfirstshe’dbuyreplacementlamps, expensiveandbeautifulButafterawhileshe’dbuylampsfromGoodwillorgaragesalesThenshejustgaveuptheideaentirelyandwe’dargue inthedark

“You’rejustlikeyourbrother,”she’dyell“Drunkallthetimeandstupid”

“Mybrotherdon’tdrinkthatmuch”

SheandInevertriedtohurteachotherphysicallyIdidloveher,afterall,andshelovedmeButthoseargumentswerejustasdamagingasafist Wordscanbelikethat,youknow?WheneverIgetintoargumentsnow,IrememberherandIalsorememberMuhammadAli Heknewthepower ofhisfistsbut,moreimportantly,heknewthepowerofhiswords,tooEventhoughheonlyhadanIQof80orso,AliwasageniusAndshewasa genius,tooSheknewexactlywhattosaytocausemethemostpain

Butdon’tgetmewrongIwalkedthroughthatrelationshipwithanexecutioner’shoodOrmoreappropriately,withwarpaintandsharparrows ShewasakindergartenteacherandIcontinuallyinsultedherforthat

“Hey,schoolmarm,”Iasked“Didyourkidsteachyouanythingnewtoday?”

AndIalwayshadcrazydreamsIalwayshavehadthem,butitseemedtheybecamenightmaresmoreofteninSeattle

Inonedream,shewasamissionary’swifeandIwasaminorwarchief.Wefellinloveandtriedtokeepitsecret.Butthemissionarycaughtus fuckinginthebarnandshotme.AsIlaydying,mytribelearnedoftheshootingandattackedthewhitesallacrossthereservation.Idiedandmy souldriftedabovethereservation.

Disembodied,Icouldseeeverythingthatwashappening.WhiteskillingIndiansandIndianskillingwhites.Atfirstitwassmall,justmytribeandthe fewwhiteswholivedthere.Butmydreamgrew,intensified.Othertribesarrivedonhorsebacktocontinuetheslaughterofwhites,andtheUnited StatesCavalryrodeintobattle.

ThemostvividimageofthatdreamstayswithmeThreemountedsoldiersplayedpolowithadeadIndianwoman’sheadWhenIfirstdreamedit, IthoughtitwasjustaproductofmyangerandimaginationButsincethen,I’vereadsimilaraccountsofthatkindofevilintheoldWestEvenmore terrifying,though,isthefactthatthosekindsofbrutalthingsarehappeningtodayinplaceslikeElSalvador

AllIknowforsure,though,isthatIwokefromthatdreaminterror,packedupallmypossessions,andleftSeattleinthemiddleofthenight “Iloveyou,”shesaidasIlefther“Anddon’tevercomeback”

Idrovethroughthenight,overtheCascades,downintotheplainsofcentralWashington,andbackhometotheSpokaneIndianReservation WhenIfinishedtheCreamsiclethatthe7-11clerkgaveme,IheldthewoodenstickupintotheairandshoutedoutveryloudlyAcouplelights flashedoninwindowsandapolicecarcruisedbymeafewminuteslaterIwavedtothemeninblueandtheywavedbackaccidentallyWhenI gothomeitwasstilltoohottosleepsoIpickedupaweek-oldnewspaperfromthefloorandread

Therewasanothercivilwar,anotherterroristbombexploded,andonemoreplanecrashedandallaboardwerepresumeddeadThecrimerate wasrisingineverycitywithpopulationslargerthan100,000,andafarmerinIowashothisbankerafterforeclosureonhis1,000acres AkidfromSpokanewonthelocalspellingbeebyspellingthewordrhinoceros

WhenIgotbacktothereservation,myfamilywasn’tsurprisedtoseeme.They’dbeenexpectingmebacksincethedayIleftforSeattle.There’s

anoldIndianpoetwhosaidthatIndianscanresideinthecity,buttheycanneverlivethereThat’sasclosetotruthasanyofuscanget MostlyIwatchedtelevisionForweeksIflippedthroughchannels,searchedforanswersinthegameshowsandsoapoperasMymotherwould circlethewantadsinredandhandthepapertome

“Whatareyougoingtodowiththerestofyourlife?”sheasked

“Don’tknow,”Isaid,andnormally,foralmostanyotherIndianinthecountry,thatwouldhavebeenaperfectlyfineanswerButIwasspecial,a formercollegestudent,asmartkidIwasoneofthoseIndianswhowassupposedtomakeit,toriseabovetherestofthereservationlikea fuckingeagleorsomethingIwasthenewkindofwarrior

ForafewmonthsIdidn’tevenlookatthewantadsmymothercircled,justleftthenewspaperwhereshehadsetitdownAfterawhile,though,I gottiredoftelevisionandstartedtoplaybasketballagainI’dbeenagoodplayerinhighschool,nearlygreat,andalmostplayedatthecollegeI attendedforacoupleyearsButI’dbeentoooutofshapefromdrinkingandsadnesstoeverbegoodagainStill,Ilikedthewaytheballfeltinmy handsandthewaymyfeetfeltinsidemyshoes

AtfirstIjustshotbasketsbymyselfItwasselfish,andIalsowantedtolearnthegameagainbeforeIplayedagainstanybodyelseSinceIhad beengoodbeforeandembarrassedfellowtribalmembers,IknewtheywouldwanttotakerevengeonmeForgetaboutthecowboysversus IndiansbusinessThemostintensecompetitiononanyreservationisIndiansversusIndians

ButonthenightIwasreadytoplayforreal,therewasthiswhiteguyatthegym,playingwithalltheIndians

“Whoisthat?”IaskedJimmySeyler

“He’sthenewBIA1chief’skid”

“Canheplay?”

“Oh,yeah”

AndhecouldplayHeplayedIndianball,fastandloose,betterthanalltheIndiansthere

“Howlong’shebeenplayinghere?”Iasked “Longenough.”

Istretchedmymuscles,andeverybodywatchedmeAlltheseIndianswatchedoneoftheiroldanddustyheroesEventhoughIhadplayedmost ofmyballatthewhitehighschoolIwentto,IwasstillallIndian,youknow?IwasIndianwhenitcounted,andthisBIAkidneededtobebeatenby anIndian,anyIndian

IjumpedintothegameandplayedwellforalittlewhileItfeltgoodIhitafewshots,grabbedareboundortwo,playedenoughdefensetokeep theotherteamhonestThenthatwhitekidtookoverthegameHewastoogoodLater,he’dplaycollegeballbackEastandwouldnearlymake theKnicksteamacoupleyearsonButwedidn’tknowanyofthatwouldhappenWejustknewhewasbetterthatdayandeveryotherday

ThenextmorningIwokeuptiredandhungry,soIgrabbedthewantads,foundajobIwanted,anddrovetoSpokanetogetitI’vebeenworkingat thehighschoolexchangeprogrameversince,typingandansweringphonesSometimesIwonderifthepeopleontheotherendofthelineknow thatI’mIndianandiftheirvoiceswouldchangeiftheydidknow

OnedayIpickedupthephoneanditwasher,callingfromSeattle

“Igotyournumberfromyourmom,”shesaid“I’mgladyou’reworking” “Yeah,nothinglikearegularpaycheck”

“Areyoudrinking?”

“No,I’vebeenonthewagonforalmostayear” “Good”

TheconnectionwasgoodIcouldhearherbreathinginthespacesbetweenourwordsHowdoyoutalktotherealpersonwhoseghosthas hauntedyou?Howdoyoutellthedifferencebetweenthetwo?

“Listen,”Isaid“I’msorryforeverything” “Me,too”

“What’sgoingtohappentous?”IaskedherandwishedIhadtheanswerformyself. “Idon’tknow,”shesaid.“Iwanttochangetheworld.”

Thesedays,livingaloneinSpokane,IwishIlivedclosertotheriver,tothefallswhereghostsofsalmonjumpIwishIcouldsleepIputdownmy paperorbookandturnoffallthelights,liequietlyinthedarkItmaytakehours,evenyears,formetosleepagainThere’snothingsurprisingor disappointinginthat Iknowhowallmydreamsendanyway

SherwoodAnderson

SherwoodAnderson(1876–1941)wasbornthesonofajack-of-all-tradesfatherinCamden,OhioHedidnotpublishhisfirstbookuntilhewas overfortyyearsold,afterworkingformanyyearsasanewsboy,farmlaborer,stableboy,factoryhand,andadvertisingcopywriterDissatisfied withthecommercialspiritoftheadvertisingbusiness,AndersonmadefriendswithwritersinChicagoandbegantopublishhisownpoetryand fictionThepoetCarlSandburgencouragedhim,butAnderson’sliterarystylewasmostinfluencedbyThreeLives(1909),anexperimentalbook ofstoriesbytheexpatriateAmericanwriterGertrudeStein,whichhefeltrevolutionizedthelanguageofnarrative In1916Andersonpublishedhisfirstnovel,WindyMcPherson’sSon Hefolloweditwithanothernovelandavolumeofpoetry,buthedidnot receivewiderecognitionuntil1919,withthebookWinesburg,Ohio.Thiswasacollectionofrelatedstories,including“Hands,”aboutlifeina smalltownthatexploredthedevastatingconsequencesoftherepressiveconventionsofaprovincialsociety.Itwasfollowedbyotherimportant collectionsofstories:TheTriumphoftheEgg(1921),HorsesandMen(1923),andDeathintheWoodsandOtherStories(1933)Inhistime AndersonwasastronginfluenceonErnestHemingway,WilliamFaulkner,RichardWright,andJohnSteinbeckIn1941theeditorMarthaFoley describedthisinfluence:

SherwoodAndersonsetoutonnewpathsatatimewhentheAmericanshortstoryseemeddoomedtoaformula-ridden,conventionalized,mechanized,and commercializedconcept WhenWinesburg,Ohioappearedin1919itwasintenselyinfluentialonwriterswhoeitherhadlostheartorhadnotyetfoundtheir way Hisvisionwashisown;hischaracterswerepeopleintowhoseheartsandmindsheseemedintuitivelytopeer;hisprosewassimple,deceptivelysimple, sensuous,rich,andevocative

Asliterarycriticshaveobserved,thecharacteristictoneofAnderson’sshortfictionismelancholyreminiscenceAnderson’simportanceinour literatureissuggestedbyRichardWright’sacknowledgmentthatAnderson’sstoriesmadehimthinkthatthroughthepowersoffiction,“America couldbeshapednearertotheheartsofthosewholivedinit”

RELATEDCOMMENTARY

SherwoodAnderson,“Form,NotPlot,intheShortStory”

Hands

UPONTHEHALFDECAYEDVERANDAofasmallframehousethatstoodneartheedgeofaravinenearthetownofWinesburg,Ohio,afatlittleold manwalkednervouslyupanddownAcrossalongfieldthathadbeenseededforcloverbutthathadproducedonlyadensecropofyellow mustardweeds,hecouldseethepublichighwayalongwhichwentawagonfilledwithberrypickersreturningfromthefieldsTheberrypickers, youthsandmaidens,laughedandshoutedboisterouslyAboycladinablueshirtleapedfromthewagonandattemptedtodragafterhimoneof themaidenswhoscreamedandprotestedshrilly.Thefeetoftheboyintheroadkickedupacloudofdustthatfloatedacrossthefaceofthe departingsun.Overthelongfieldcameathingirlishvoice.“Oh,youWingBiddlebaum,combyourhair,it’sfallingintoyoureyes,”commandedthe voicetotheman,whowasbaldandwhosenervouslittlehandsfiddledaboutthebarewhiteforeheadasthougharrangingamassoftangled locks.

WingBiddlebaum,foreverfrightenedandbesetbyaghostlybandofdoubts,didnotthinkofhimselfasinanywayapartofthelifeofthetown wherehehadlivedfortwentyyearsAmongallthepeopleofWinesburgbutonehadcomeclosetohimWithGeorgeWillard,sonofTomWillard, theproprietorofthenewWillardHouse,hehadformedsomethinglikeafriendshipGeorgeWillardwasthereporterontheWinesburgEagleand sometimesintheeveningshewalkedoutalongthehighwaytoWingBiddlebaum’shouseNowastheoldmanwalkedupanddownonthe veranda,hishandsmovingnervouslyabout,hewashopingthatGeorgeWillardwouldcomeandspendtheeveningwithhimAfterthewagon containingtheberrypickershadpassed,hewentacrossthefieldthroughthetallmustardweedsandclimbingarailfencepeeredanxiouslyalong theroadtothetownForamomenthestoodthus,rubbinghishandstogetherandlookingupanddowntheroad,andthen,fearovercominghim, ranbacktowalkagainupontheporchofhisownhouse

InthepresenceofGeorgeWillard,WingBiddlebaum,whofortwentyyearshadbeenthetownmystery,lostsomethingofhistimidity,andhis shadowypersonality,submergedinaseaofdoubts,cameforthtolookattheworldWiththeyoungreporterathisside,heventuredinthelightof dayintoMainStreetorstrodeupanddownonthericketyfrontporchofhisownhouse,talkingexcitedlyThevoicethathadbeenlowand tremblingbecameshrillandloudThebentfigurestraightenedWithakindofwriggle,likeafishreturnedtothebrookbythefisherman, Biddlebaumthesilentbegantotalk,strivingtoputintowordstheideasthathadbeenaccumulatedbyhismindduringlongyearsofsilence WingBiddlebaumtalkedmuchwithhishandsTheslenderexpressivefingers,foreveractive,foreverstrivingtoconcealthemselvesinhispockets orbehindhisback,cameforthandbecamethepistonrodsofhismachineryofexpression

ThestoryofWingBiddlebaumisastoryofhandsTheirrestlessactivity,likeuntothebeatingofthewingsofanimprisonedbird,hadgivenhim hisnameSomeobscurepoetofthetownhadthoughtofitThehandsalarmedtheirownerHewantedtokeepthemhiddenawayandlooked withamazementatthequietinexpressivehandsofothermenwhoworkedbesidehiminthefields,orpassed,drivingsleepyteamsoncountry roads

WhenhetalkedtoGeorgeWillard,WingBiddlebaumclosedhisfistsandbeatwiththemuponatableoronthewallsofhishouseTheaction madehimmorecomfortableIfthedesiretotalkcametohimwhenthetwowerewalkinginthefields,hesoughtoutastumporthetopboardofa fenceandwithhishandspoundingbusilytalkedwithrenewedease

ThestoryofWingBiddlebaum’shandsisworthabookitselfSympatheticallysetforthitwouldtapmanystrange,beautifulqualitiesinobscure menItisajobforapoetInWinesburgthehandshadattractedattentionmerelybecauseoftheiractivityWiththemWingBiddlebaumhad pickedashighasahundredandfortyquartsofstrawberriesinadayTheybecamehisdistinguishingfeature,thesourceofhisfameAlsothey mademoregrotesqueanalreadygrotesqueandelusiveindividualityWinesburgwasproudofthehandsofWingBiddlebauminthesamespirit inwhichitwasproudofBankerWhite’snewstonehouseandWesleyMoyer’sbaystallion,TonyTip,thathadwonthetwo-fifteentrotatthefall racesinCleveland

AsforGeorgeWillard,hehadmanytimeswantedtoaskaboutthehandsAttimesanalmostoverwhelmingcuriosityhadtakenholdofhimHe feltthattheremustbeareasonfortheirstrangeactivityandtheirinclinationtokeephiddenawayandonlyagrowingrespectforWing Biddlebaumkepthimfromblurtingoutthequestionsthatwereofteninhismind

OncehehadbeenonthepointofaskingThetwowerewalkinginthefieldsonasummerafternoonandhadstoppedtosituponagrassybank AllafternoonWingBiddlebaumhadtalkedasoneinspiredByafencehehadstoppedandbeatinglikeagiantwoodpeckeruponthetopboard hadshoutedatGeorgeWillard,condemninghistendencytobetoomuchinfluencedbythepeopleabouthim“Youaredestroyingyourself,”he cried

“YouhavetheinclinationtobealoneandtodreamandyouareafraidofdreamsYouwanttobelikeothersintownhereYouhearthemtalkand youtrytoimitatethem”

OnthegrassybankWingBiddlebaumhadtriedagaintodrivehispointhomeHisvoicebecamesoftandreminiscent,andwithasighof contentmenthelaunchedintoalongramblingtalk,speakingasonelostinadream

OutofthedreamWingBiddlebaummadeapictureforGeorgeWillardInthepicturemenlivedagaininakindofpastoralgoldenageAcrossa greenopencountrycameclean-limbedyoungmen,someafoot,somemounteduponhorsesIncrowdstheyoungmencametogatheraboutthe feetofanoldmanwhosatbeneathatreeinatinygardenandwhotalkedtothem

WingBiddlebaumbecamewhollyinspiredForonceheforgotthehandsSlowlytheystoleforthandlayuponGeorgeWillard’sshoulders Somethingnewandboldcameintothevoicethattalked“Youmusttrytoforgetallyouhavelearned,”saidtheoldman“Youmustbegintodream Fromthistimeonyoumustshutyourearstotheroaringofthevoices”

Pausinginhisspeech,WingBiddlebaumlookedlongandearnestlyatGeorgeWillardHiseyesglowedAgainheraisedthehandstocaressthe boyandthenalookofhorrorsweptoverhisface

Withaconvulsivemovementofhisbody,WingBiddlebaumsprangtohisfeetandthrusthishandsdeepintohistrouserspocketsTearscameto hiseyes“ImustbegettingalonghomeIcantalknomorewithyou,”hesaidnervously

Withoutlookingback,theoldmanhadhurrieddownthehillsideandacrossameadow,leavingGeorgeWillardperplexedandfrighteneduponthe grassyslopeWithashiverofdreadtheboyaroseandwentalongtheroadtowardtown“I’llnotaskhimabouthishands,”hethought,touchedby thememoryoftheterrorhehadseenintheman’seyes“There’ssomethingwrong,butIdon’twanttoknowwhatitisHishandshavesomething todowithhisfearofmeandofeveryone”

AndGeorgeWillardwasrightLetuslookbrieflyintothestoryofthehandsPerhapsourtalkingofthemwillarousethepoetwhowilltellthe hiddenwonderstoryoftheinfluenceforwhichthehandswerebutflutteringpennantsofpromise

InhisyouthWingBiddlebaumhadbeenaschoolteacherinatowninPennsylvaniaHewasnotthenknownasWingBiddlebaum,butwentbythe lesseuphonicnameofAdolphMyersAsAdolphMyershewasmuchlovedbytheboysofhisschool

AdolphMyerswasmeantbynaturetobearareteacherofyouth.Hewasoneofthoserare,little-understoodmenwhorulebyapowersogentle thatitpassesasalovableweakness.Intheirfeelingfortheboysundertheirchargesuchmenarenotunlikethefinersortofwomenintheirloveof men.

AndyetthatisbutcrudelystatedItneedsthepoetthereWiththeboysofhisschool,AdolphMyershadwalkedintheeveningorhadsattalking untilduskupontheschoolhousestepslostinakindofdreamHereandtherewenthishands,caressingtheshouldersoftheboys,playingabout thetousledheadsAshetalkedhisvoicebecamesoftandmusicalTherewasacaressinthatalsoInawaythevoiceandthehands,the strokingoftheshouldersandthetouchingofthehairwasapartoftheschoolmaster’sefforttocarryadreamintotheyoungmindsBythecaress thatwasinhisfingersheexpressedhimselfHewasoneofthosemeninwhomtheforcethatcreateslifeisdiffused,notcentralizedUnderthe caressofhishandsdoubtanddisbeliefwentoutofthemindsoftheboysandtheybeganalsotodream

AndthenthetragedyAhalf-wittedboyoftheschoolbecameenamoredoftheyoungmasterInhisbedatnightheimaginedunspeakablethings andinthemorningwentforthtotellhisdreamsasfactsStrange,hideousaccusationsfellfromhisloose-hunglipsThroughthePennsylvania townwentashiverHidden,shadowydoubtsthathadbeeninmen’smindsconcerningAdolphMyersweregalvanizedintobeliefs

ThetragedydidnotlingerTremblingladswerejerkedoutofbedandquestioned“Heputhisarmsaboutme,”saidone“Hisfingerswerealways playinginmyhair,”saidanother

Oneafternoonamanofthetown,HenryBradford,whokeptasaloon,cametotheschoolhousedoorCallingAdolphMyersintotheschoolyard hebegantobeathimwithhisfistsAshishardknucklesbeatdownintothefrightenedfaceoftheschoolmaster,hiswrathbecamemoreand moreterribleScreamingwithdismay,thechildrenranhereandtherelikedisturbedinsects“I’llteachyoutoputyourhandsonmyboy,you beast,”roaredthesaloonkeeper,who,tiredofbeatingthemaster,hadbeguntokickhimabouttheyard

AdolphMyerswasdrivenfromthePennsylvaniatowninthenightWithlanternsintheirhandsadozenmencametothedoorofthehousewhere helivedaloneandcommandedthathedressandcomeforthItwasrainingandoneofthemenhadaropeinhishandsTheyhadintendedto hangtheschoolmaster,butsomethinginhisfigure,sosmall,white,andpitiful,touchedtheirheartsandtheylethimescapeAsheranawayinto thedarknesstheyrepentedoftheirweaknessandranafterhim,swearingandthrowingsticksandgreatballsofsoftmudatthefigurethat screamedandranfasterandfasterintothedarkness

FortwentyyearsAdolphMyershadlivedaloneinWinesburgHewasbutfortybutlookedsixty-fiveThenameBiddlebaumhegotfromaboxof goodsseenatafreightstationashehurriedthroughaneasternOhiotownHehadanauntinWinesburg,ablack-toothedoldwomanwhoraised chickens,andwithherheliveduntilshediedHehadbeenillforayearaftertheexperienceinPennsylvania,andafterhisrecoveryworkedasa daylaborerinthefields,goingtimidlyaboutandstrivingtoconcealhishandsAlthoughhedidnotunderstandwhathadhappenedhefeltthatthe handsmustbetoblameAgainandagainthefathersoftheboyshadtalkedofthehands“Keepyourhandstoyourself,”thesaloonkeeperhad roared,dancingwithfuryintheschoolhouseyard

Upontheverandaofhishousebytheravine,WingBiddlebaumcontinuedtowalkupanddownuntilthesunhaddisappearedandtheroad beyondthefieldwaslostinthegreyshadowsGoingintohishousehecutslicesofbreadandspreadhoneyuponthemWhentherumbleofthe