In Ambrose Bierce’s ‘‘An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge’’ (1891), Peyton Farquhar faces execution by hanging from a bridge for a military offense. The rope snaps, allowing him to escape by swimming away, and he reflects on his life’s events—all within a hallucination occurring in the moment before his death.

In Kate Chopin’s ‘‘The Story of an Hour’’ (1894), Louise Mallard learns that her husband has perished in a train accident. Without shedding tears, she retreats to her room to contemplate her married life. She realizes that his death has granted her significant personal freedom. However, when her husband unexpectedly returns home—having not been on the train—she collapses and dies. Her family and doctor believe she died from joy.

‘‘The Metamorphosis’’ by Franz Kafka, published in 1937, tells the story of Gregor Samsa’s transformation from a diligent young man into an insect. Kafka’s vivid portrayal of Gregor and his family provides insight into the facade of social norms and the desire to escape society’s oppressive roles.

Thornton Wilder’s play Our Town, written in 1938, features a central character known as the Stage Manager, who recounts the histories of various residents of Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire.

Joan Didion’s ‘‘Some Dreamers of the Golden Dream,’’ published in 1966, blends fact with fiction. It tells the true story of Lucille Marie Maxwell Miller, but through Didion’s narrative lens, exploring the idea that life can become superficial without a touch of the forbidden.

Trainspotting, published in 1993 by Irvine Welsh, is a collection of short stories that chronicle the wild and reckless behaviors of a group of boys in Edinburgh as they do everything possible to avoid the responsibilities of ‘‘growing up.’’