The story “Homework” by Helen Simpsonis written in the form of a dialogue between a mother and her son and raises issues of schooling, raising children, family relationships, etc.
The son is thirteen. He comes home from school and tells his mother that he has to write an essay about an event that changed his life. The mother agrees to help him to write a story about his parents divorce.
Here is the link to the text of the story:
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2007/06/25/homework-8
“One Autumn Night” by Maxim Gorky is a story-memory. Here Gorky talks about his impressions of “women’s first kisses.” There is no condemnation of the fallen woman here.
Natasha is still too young to realize her fall. The hero feels pity for her; it is Natasha who warms his heart with her sincerity, simplicity, and sympathy. The writer does not indicate the way out, he is only bitterly aware of the fact that reality can be a “heavy and bad dream.”
Here is the link to the text of the story:
https://americanliterature.com/author/maxim-gorky/short-story/one-autumn-night
The story “The Sound Machine” by Roald Dahl told about a man who was passionate about sound. He created the theory that there are many sounds in the world, and people are unable to hear them due to high frequencies.
The author explained what would happen if a person could understand the feelings of other organisms, such as trees or flowers. The scream of a tree is worse than a human scream, because it sounds scared, monotonous, and voiceless.
Here is the link to the text of the story:
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1949/09/17/the-sound-machine
The story "The Winter Sound” by Herbert Ernest Bates tells the simple story of a woman who has entered into adulthood. The only creature close to her is a small poodle, which she trained to look at other dogs with disdain and mockery. The dog’s “snobbery” became a reflection of the owner’s internal perception of the world around her.
The author described the main character’s casual acquaintance with a man, who unexpectedly appeared at the house at the end of September.
The story is simple, unremarkable, in general, the most ordinary, without intrigue and strong shocks.
Bates is like British Chekhov: the same short, laconic phrases, detailed description of everyday scenes and an abundance of dialogues. An absence of moralizing and attempts to moralize, subtle authorial irony and dispassionate narration, devoid of any emotions.
Here is the link to the text of the story:
https://vk.com/doc19855333_676160648?hash=oyChIT0gL3ABWrfSJ4ZhYqJkP4nhmAEAZdTa2CCyGYo&dl=Ksprb02EakO8UTDEvqL4m8yT95FCR3rZ3AltfcrUJUz&api=1&no_preview=1
The story "Flood Show" by Charles Baxter includes lots of descriptions of everyday life of a small city. The narration is full of allegories such as signs related to memories of the main character.
The plot tells about a man who almost drowns trying to cross a flooded river to reunite with his ex-wife. It takes ostensibly strange turns to get to his sentimental conclusions.
Here is the link to the text of the story:
https://www.theatlantic.com/past/docs/issues/95jun/flood.htm
The story «The Skylight Room» by O. Henry masterfully condemns human callousness, egoism, which is combined with the humiliation of human dignity.
The main character is the girl who lives on the very top of the house is in a stuffy, cramped attic with sloping bare walls, so reminiscent of a coffin, and a single window. Here live people who are not able to pay much money for rent.
This girl manages to find an outlet even in such a gloomy attic. An outlet that saved her even in the most difficult moments.
Here is the link to the text of the story:
https://americanliterature.com/author/o-henry/short-story/the-skylight-room
The story “The Gentleman from San Francisco'' by Ivan Buninthe begins since a ship landes safely in Naples.
The author does not name the rich main character from San Francisco. We only know that he is 58 years old. Why? Because this is a collective image.
Here he is rather as a symbol of the material world. He is used to living in luxury, he is self-confident, self-sufficient, and he makes grandiose plans.
The story can be divided for two parts: before and after it (something) happens.
Much of the story is allegorical, the author of course invented the whole plot, but how relevant it is! It makes us think about our priorities, the choices we make, and the overall meaning of our lives.
Here is the link to the text of the story:
https://americanliterature.com/author/ivan-bunin/short-story/the-gentleman-from-san-francisco
The main character of the story “The End of Something” by Ernest Hemingway returns to the village of his childhood. This village no longer exists. The sawmill was closed, and there was no longer any need for a settlement; everyone went elsewhere. Something is over.
The main character goes fishing with his girlfriend. Their behavior and conversations shows to readers that it is the end of their relationship: one still loves, but the other is already tired of everything.
Here is the link to the text of the story:
https://americanliterature.com/author/ernest-hemingway/short-story/the-end-of-something
The story “Sonny's Blues” by James Baldwin is about two brothers from Harlem who see the world in completely different views, but at the same time do not stop loving each other and hoping that brotherly love is stronger than any problems.
The author presents in the story poverty, and the desire for people to escape, and how innocent children choose a bad fate. But Baldwin has hope for the best, at least for someone.
Here is the link to the text of the story:
https://www.ndsu.edu/pubweb/~cinichol/CreativeWriting/323Online/SonnysBlues.pdf
The story “Three Portraits” by classic Russian literature Ivan Turgenev describes the destinies of the people. The author describes the three portraits. The author brought the attention of readers to each portrait, trying to make clear what kind of life everyone has.
Events happen so quickly and unexpectedly that readers read the book in eager to know what would happen next. Readers will be shocked by the information they learn. They read and realize that they misses the mark in their judgment. And again- shock, shock.
We have here the inability to predict events, which in turn unfold in the most shocking way. This work is so emotional and rich in terms of different feelings that it is simply impossible to remain indifferent and calm.
Here is the link to the text of the story:
https://readandripe.com/three-portraits-by-ivan-turgenev/
“Does it work? Don’t touch it!”. The main character of the story Mariana by Fritz Leiber didn’t follow this advice, she was just tired of the pine trees. She was also a little clumsy and timid. In this case, it turned out to be an absolutely terrible combination.
The story is about the reality of what it is, and whether we are all in the matrix.
Here is the link to the text of the story:
https://fb2.top/the-best-of-sci-fi-5-754308/read/part-13?ysclid=lqwy2wbxpj205310096
