Student Question

Which easily-understood short stories with clear themes can be related to modern life?

Quick answer:

"The Lady or the Tiger?" explores themes of choice and consequence, while "The Interlopers" by Saki delves into conflict and reconciliation. "The Fifty-first Dragon" by Heywood Brown offers a lighter take on courage and identity. Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" presents themes of tradition and conformity, and Bret Harte's "The Outcasts of Poker Flat" examines morality and redemption. "The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry and "The Ring" by Isak Dinesen highlight sacrifice, while Ray Bradbury's "There Will Come Soft Rains" reflects on technology and isolation.

Expert Answers

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You may have already read this one, but "The Lady or the Tiger?" is a short story with several rather clear-cut themes.  Another is "The Interlopers" by Saki (H.H. Munro), and "The Fifty-first Dragon" by Heywood Brown would be a bit lighter reading with a clear theme, as well.  You have a great list here.  Happy reading!

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A great story to read that has obvious themes is The Lottery by Shirley Jackson.

The Outcasts of Poker Flat by Bret Harte is also very interesting.

If you read The Gift of the Magi, I had my students compare and contrast it with The Ring by Isak Dinesen.

I also liked There Will Come Soft Rains by Ray Bradbury.

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One short story that you could try is The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin. It is incredibly short, easy to understand, and has a strong theme...

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of marriage and the roles we play within it. I provided a link to it below.

Any of O. Henry's short stories are very easy reads, and are super entertaining. The one with the strongest theme is probably Gift of the Magi, which talks about sacrifice and love. I provided a link to a good number of his stories, and hopefully there is at least one in there that will work for you.

One last suggestion is The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant. This has powerful, almost overtly stated themes of pride, vanity and materialism, and how they lead to the downfall of a woman. I provided a link below with the text and commentary. I hope that those work for you, and good luck!

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One other story with a timeless theme is "The Piece of Yarn" by Guy de Maupassant.  The author's intense examination of the inner workings of the mind is intriguing and the theme of deceit leading to more deceit and then defeat is relevant to audiences today.

A Gothic tale that appeals to students of your age group is Lonesome Places by August Derleth which poses the idea that evil can be created in one's imagination.

Another tale, one of true adventure and danger, is The Open Boat by Stephen Crane.  This story is based upon a real incident in which Crane and two other men were stranded in a small boat for thirty hours.  It is a tale of man vs. nature, of course--one that usually appeals to male readers, especially since it is based upon reality.

Hope these help!

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