Short+Stories

=Short Stories =

=**Title: "The Laughing Man" (1949) S****hort story collection: //Nine Stories//** =

**Genre: Macabre, Frame story, allegory**


**Description:**
//The Laughing Man// starts out as a man's recollection of the pleasures of storytelling and ends with the intersection between adult need and childish innocence. A perfect blend of comedy and pathos, a story within a story. The narrator is a nine year old boy and the story of The Laughing Man is told by John Gedsudski, or the Chief as he is known to the young boys. The group of boys calls themselves the Comanches, they are sort of a Boy-Scout like group. They play sports everyday at the park when the weather is nice, or go to a museum when it rains. After their activities the Chief always tells the story, making up the story as he goes along, about a man who is kidnapped by Chinese bandits as a child and has a deformed face because of them, causing him to wear a mask. As the Chief's daily life becomes more problematic, the story becomes much more realistic and parallels the Chief's life and what he wishes it would be. It also becomes more violent, leading to a surprising and frightening ending.

**Themes****:**
 Death, memory, storytelling, loss of innocence

**Rationale:**
 Written in the first person, the comic and poignant rendering of events is told from the perspective of a nine year old boy. It is a story about storytelling. The reader is offered two separate forms and two parallel narratives, out of the collision of which he or she can read a third, synthetic tale. More than about a nine year-old’s camp experiences, or a young man’s troubled relationship, or a deformed criminal hopscotching around the globe, //The Laughing Man// is about what it //means// to tell a story, how the teller and his tale are ultimately inextricable from one another, and how subjectivity is a constant presence.

**Lexile Level:**
 None available

Media Resources:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVb9eb7jzmM&feature=related (Overview of Salinger's life)

=** Title: "The Story of an Hour" ** =

** Description: **
When the news arrives of her husband’s sudden and unexpected death, Mrs. Mallard seeks solitude and ponders her loss. As she thinks about the change in her situation, an overwhelming sense of freedom supplants her grief. Thrilled by the prospects of a new life of independence, she begins making plans for her future. Mr. Mallard, who has not died, arrives at home. Mrs. Mallard immediately dies of heart failure. ** Theme or Topic: ** <span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Feminism. Subjugation. Surprise.

** Rationale: **
<span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">“The Story of an Hour” can be quickly read in class. The story introduces themes of subjugation and feminism. The twist at the end of the tale offers students an excellent example of a surprise ending. Despite the age of the text, contemporary students are able to understand the language. The piece is valuable as an example of an older text written by an advocate for women’s rights.

**Text Complexity Rubric for Literary Texts:**
<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Layout: Simple <span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Purpose & Meaning: Somewhat Complex <span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Structure: Simple <span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Language Features: Somewhat Complex <span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Knowledge Demands Fiction: Simple

Lexile Level:
<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">1030L

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Media Resources:
http://www.slideshare.net/esalona/the-story-of-an-hour-vocabulary (vocab in story)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">** Title: “The Tell-Tale Heart” ** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">** Author: ** Edgar Allen Poe <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">** Genre: ** Thiller/Horror/Psychological

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 10pt;">

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">** Description: **
<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 10pt;">The narrator describes his mental states before, during, and after he has murdered an old man. In an attempt to prove his own innocence, the narrator exposes the addled nature of his own mind. The victim of his own fear and guilt, he is overwhelmed by a neurotic paranoia and reveals his own crime to the authorities. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">** Theme or Topic: ** <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 10pt;">Insanity. Psychological states. Murder. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">** Rationale: ** <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 10pt;">Critics have long considered Poe to be a master of the short story. “The Tell-Tale Heart” remains accessible for modern readers in spite of its date. High school readers are captivated by the narrator’s passionate yet flawed defense of his sanity.
 * Lexile Level:** 1350L

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">** Text Complexity Rubric for Literary Texts: **
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Layout: Somewhat Complex <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 10pt;">Purpose & Meaning: Somewhat Complex <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 10pt;">Structure: Somewhat Complex <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 10pt;">Language Features: Complex <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 10pt;">Knowledge Demands Fiction: Complex

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 10pt;">Media Resources:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpEIMERxgi4 (Film version of story)

=<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Title:** //**“**//**It's Bad Luck to Die” from** //**Here's Your Hat What's Your Hurry**// =

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Genre:** Short story, social commentary
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Description:**
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">“It's Bad Luck to Die” is a story about a young woman who marries a much older tattoo artist. He tattoos her extensively and she describes their relationship, her growth as an individual and the corresponding conflicts up until his death. The story begs questions of gender politics while centering on artistic and familial elements.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Themes:**
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> Gender equality, social norms, artistic expression

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Rationale:**
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">When I first read McCracken's piece it inspired one of the most heated classroom debates I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. I believe that effect was in no small part due to the simple elements of the story conspiring to problematize widely held beliefs concerning gender and society. McCracken's juxtaposition of traditional relationship elements with overt transgression of societal norms generates a rich environment for debate and critical reflection.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Text Complexity** **Rubric:**
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Layout: Very Complex <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Purpose and Meaning: Somewhat Complex <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Structure: Somewhat Complex <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Language Features: Somewhat Complex <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Knowledge Demands: Complex

=<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Title:** //**“**//**On The Rainy River” from** //**The Things They Carried**// =

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Genre:** Coming of age, short story, war story, historical fiction
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Description:**
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">“On The Rainy River” is the story of a young man struggling with the choice between accepting his draft notice for the Vietnam War or running to Canada. The tale plays out on the title river that sits on the border between the US and Canada.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Themes:**
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">The Morality of War, Responsibility, Integrity

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Rationale:**
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">The title novel of O'Brien's collection is regularly taught at the 11th and 12th grade levels, but this selection is set prior to the narrator's military action. This brings the experience closer to home for students. Rather than asking them to meditate on the choices and repercussions of military experience, this text centers on the moment of engagement of a young individual into a global conflict.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Lexile Level**:
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">880L

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Text Complexity Rubric:**
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Layout: Very Complex <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Purpose and Meaning: Somewhat Complex <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Structure: Somewhat Complex <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Language Features: Somewhat Complex <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Knowledge Demands: Somewhat Complex

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Media Resources:
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> __[]__ – A times article from the time of the collection's publication discussing O'Brien's return to Vietnam for both business and personal reasons. The article reinforces an image of the author as a real person with very real authority concerning the topics of his fiction. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> __[]__ – A PBS interview with O'Brien concerning the collection and the value of the text to himself and society.

=<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 26px;">**Title: "H** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 26px; line-height: 39px;">**arrison Bergeron"** =

** Description: **
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">This is a safe short story to use in the classroom that will probably not need to be vetted by the district or parents as it exists in a few textbooks such as the Holt Elements Of Literature series. Anyhow the story takes place in a futuristic and dystopian future where anyone with any talents are shackled or implanted with handicapping devices. The main character for example has weights on his arms and legs because he is stronger than most. So, it is a story that can be used in many different contexts but i like in the context of lesson plan or unit about Angst and Rebellion against oppression, which teens love--or at least I did when I was that age. I would be a fun story to use in a unit on Utopia/Dystopia as well.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">** Theme: **
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">Angst. Rebellion. Dystopia**/**Utopia.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">** Rationale: **
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16px;">One can find this short story in many compilations or anthologies but Welcome To The Monkey house is a must own in my opinion and there are many other short stories in it that are worth reading over and over again.

** Text Complexity: **
Qualitatively this short story and others the compilation are probably at the upper high school level because of the layers of meaning in these short stories and the complexity of the themes that are woven throughout.

** Lexile Level: **
810L

** Media Resources: **
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">** [] ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">[|A Reading Of Harrison Bergeron] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">--entry by: Ben Garcia

=<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Title: "A Private Experience" from //The Thing Around Your Neck// =

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Genre: Short Story, Fiction, African Lit
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">

Description:
Two women are caught in a violent street riot and take shelter in an abandoned shop. One is of the Igbo Christian religion, the other Muslim.

Theme:
Stereotypes, Religion, Social Class

Rationale:
This story examines the danger of stereotyping and only knowing a single story about a culture. The story is suspenseful, thought-provoking and opens the classroom to discussions about religious wars and prejudices.

Text Complexity:
This story contains flash forwards that may confuse lower level readers. It contains mature content such as death, violence and a vaguely sexual scene.

Lexile Level:
Unknown

Media Resources:
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story.html (Amazing TED video by Adichie, directly links to story)