Short Story

You will be choosing the short story that you will use in your assignment for Paper 1. You will start to work on the assignment in Week 2. Be sure to read the Assignment carefully. It is found in the Assignments area of the bluenav bar at the top of the classroom. To help you with your selection, the stories have already been placed into general topics, as noted below.

Please note: Your papers will be on a short story that you choose from the following list. They will not be chosen from a fable (which you are reading about in Week 1). If you have any questions on this, please be sure to ask to ensure that you choose the right subject matter for your writing.

Overview of the Selection of Short Stories: The following short stories have been selected from a range of sources and writers and include classic writers as well as contemporary ones. They are also available on a PDF below. When you click on the links that lead you to the LION database of the UMUC Library, you will be able to download a PDF of the story–and thereby can use your annotation skills! For stories from websites, you may want to create a PDF of the story (if not available there) so you can annotate it.

Please keep in mind that the stories are being presented in topics or general categories. The theme of the work will present a focused exposition of that topic. For instance, the play Romeo and Juliet is about the topic of love. However, it explores themes of young love and the implications of a “first love” as well as many others.

Some stories here have been presented under different topics. Remember, one short story can be read for different topics and themes.

For Paper 1, you will be choosing one story from your chosen topic; for Paper 2, you will be choosing another short story from that same topic. You may want to read the assignments for both papers–as well as all the stories under a category–so you can be sure you can work with the stories for both papers. Pick the stories and themes that interest you and that you want to understand and know better.

Overview of the Selection of Short Stories: The following short stories have been selected from a range of sources and writers and include classic writers as well as contemporary ones. They are also available on a PDF below. When you click on the links that lead you to the LION database of the UMUC Library, you will be able to download a PDF of the story–and thereby can use your annotation skills! For stories from websites, you may want to create a PDF of the story (if not available there) so you can annotate it.

Please keep in mind that the stories are being presented in topics or general categories. The theme of the work will present a focused exposition of that topic. For instance, the play Romeo and Juliet is about the topic of love. However, it explores themes of young love and the implications of a “first love” as well as many others.

Some stories here have been presented under different topics. Remember, one short story can be read for different topics and themes.

PDF with links to all the stories:

ENGL 102 List of Short Stories

Courage: How do humans express courage? Does the expression of that virtue have any personal or societal implications on us as human? Read these stories which express a wide range of courage–and the specific theme about courage which you see in the story.

“The Signal” | Vsevolod Garshin. http://www.classicreader.com/book/2150/1/
“Beyond the Bayou” | Kate Chopin. http://americanliterature.com/author/kate-chopin/short-story/beyond-the-bayou
“The Open Boat” | Stephen Crane. http://americanenglish.state.gov/files/ae/resource_files/the-open-boat

Family: The topic of family is important in all human cultures. In your chosen story, look for the expression of family–and what it means to the characters–and thereby to us, as readers. As you read the stories, consider the “take-away” of the topic of family that the writer wants you to reflect on. The take-away/main idea can be your exploration of a more specific theme.

“A Tiny Feast” | Chris Adrian Special note: This story uses characters from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer’s Night Dream. Even if you haven’t read this story, it has much to say about the concept of family: http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2009/04/20/a-tiny-feast
“Lorry Raja” | Madhuri Vijay http://www.narrativemagazine.com/issues/winter-2012/n30b-winners/lorry-raja-madhuri-vijay. You must sign up to Narrative to read this story. Sign-up is free at https://www.narrativemagazine.com/user/register?destination=node/166856
“The Last Night of the World” | Ray Bradbury. http://www.esquire.com/entertainment/books/a14340/ray-bradbury-last-night-of-the-world-0251/

“Beyond the Bayou” | Kate Chopin. http://americanliterature.com/author/kate-chopin/short-story/beyond-the-bayou

“The Pianist in the Wal-Mart Parking Lot” | Shao Wang. http://gateway.proquest.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/openurl?ctx_ver=Z39.88-2003&xri:pqil:res_ver=0.2&res_id=xri:lion&rft_id=xri:lion:ft:journals:R04050462:0
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” | F. Scott Fitzgerald. https://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/f/fitzgerald/f_scott/jazz/chapter7.html
“The Picture of Dorian Gray” | Oscar Wilde. https://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/w/wilde/oscar/dorian/

Meaning of Life: How do we reach an understanding of the meaning of life? In these stories, look for the writers’ takes on what may be important, or not, on the topic of the meaning of life. As you read the stories, look for a theme on the meaning of life that the writer wants you to consider.

“The Last Night of the World” | Ray Bradbury. http://www.esquire.com/entertainment/books/a14340/ray-bradbury-last-night-of-the-world-0251/
“To Build a Fire” | Jack London. http://americanliterature.com/author/jack-london/short-story/to-build-a-fire
“Young Goodman Brown” | Nathaniel Hawthorne. http://americanliterature.com/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/short-story/young-goodman-brown
“The Story of a Good Brahmin” | Voltaire. http://gateway.proquest.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/openurl?ctx_ver=Z39.88-2003&xri:pqil:res_ver=0.2&res_id=xri:lion&rft_id=xri:lion:ft:pr:Z001587783:0
“The Persistence of Memory” | Rachel L. Bowden. http://gateway.proquest.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/openurl?ctx_ver=Z39.88-2003&xri:pqil:res_ver=0.2&res_id=xri:lion&rft_id=xri:lion:ft:journals:R05303383:0
“The Old Impossible.” Amy Bloom. http://literature.proquest.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/searchFulltext.do?id=R04270780&divLevel=0&area=journals&DurUrl=Yes&forward=critref_ft&accountid=145

Love: Love is a very abstract topic, and we use this word in a myriad of ways. Writers of all literary genres have tried to capture and explain what this topic means to humans. In short stories, we are often given glimpses into people’s lives and relationships to see how the characters in that story are expressing or understanding love. As you’re reading, consider how the stories give us, the readers an idea about love–that idea can be a theme.

“The Gift of the Magi. | O. Henry. http://americanliterature.com/author/o-henry/short-story/the-gift-of-the-magi
“Araby” | James Joyce. http://www.gutenberg.org/files/2814/2814-h/2814-h.htm#link2H_4_0003

“The Pianist in the Wal-Mart Parking Lot” | Shao Wang. http://gateway.proquest.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/openurl?ctx_ver=Z39.88-2003&xri:pqil:res_ver=0.2&res_id=xri:lion&rft_id=xri:lion:ft:journals:R04050462:0

Women and Relationships: These stories explore the topic of Women and Relationships. These writers grapple with women in difficult situations. As you’re reading the stories, you will be looking for a theme, a more specific statement of a specific observation on the topic of “Women and Relationships” that these writers are making.

“Desiree’s Baby” | Kate Chopin. http://www.katechopin.org/desirees-baby-text/
“A Jury of Her Peers” | Susan Glaspell. http://americanliterature.com/author/susan-glaspell/short-story/a-jury-of-her-peers
“Spunk” | Zora Neal Hurston. http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5131/

Overviewof the Selection of Short Stories: The following short stories have been selected

from a range of sources and writers and include classic writers as well as contemporary ones.

They are also available on a PDF below. When you click on the links that lead you to the LION

database of the UMUC Library, you will be able to download a PDF of the story–and thereby

can use your annotation skills! For stories from websites, you may want to create a PDF of the

story (if not available there) so you can annotate it.

Please keep in mind that the stories are being presented in topics or general categories. The

theme of the work will present a focused exposition of that topic. For instance, the play Romeo

and Juliet is about the topic of love. However, it explores themes of young love and the

implications of a “first love” as well as many others.

Some stories here have been presented under different topics. Remember, one short story can be

read for different topics and themes.

For Paper 1, you will be choosing one story from your chosen topic; for Paper 2, you will be

choosing another short story from that same topic. You may want to read the assignments for

both papers–as well as all the stories under a category–so you can be sure you can work with

the stories for both papers. Pick the stories and themes that interest you and that you want to

understand and know better.

PDF with links to all the stories: ENGL 102 List of Short Stories

Courage: How do humans express courage? Does the expression of that virtue have any

personal or societal implications on us as human? Read these stories which express a wide

range of courage–and the specific theme about courage which you see in the story.

 “The Signal” | Vsevolod Garshin. http://www.classicreader.com/book/2150/1/

 “Beyond the Bayou” | Kate Chopin. http://americanliterature.com/author/kate-

chopin/short-story/beyond-the-bayou

 “The Open Boat” | Stephen

Crane. http://americanenglish.state.gov/files/ae/resource_files/the-open-boat

Family: The topic of family is important in all human cultures. In your chosen story, look for

the expression of family–and what it means to the characters–and thereby to us, as readers. As

you read the stories, consider the “take-away” of the topic of family that the writer wants you to

reflect on. The take-away/main idea can be your exploration of a more specific theme.

 “A Tiny Feast” | Chris Adrian Special note: This story uses characters from

Shakespeare’s A Midsummer’s Night Dream. Even if you haven’t read this story, it has

much to say about the concept of

family: http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2009/04/20/a-tiny-feast

 “Lorry Raja” | Madhuri Vijay http://www.narrativemagazine.com/issues/winter-

2012/n30b-winners/lorry-raja-madhuri-vijay. You must sign up to Narrative to read this

story. Sign-up is free

/content/enforced/297137-M_003470-01-2182/102%20List%20of%20Short%20Stories%20modified%20Spring%202018

http://www.classicreader.com/book/2150/1/

http://americanliterature.com/author/kate-chopin/short-story/beyond-the-bayou

http://americanenglish.state.gov/files/ae/resource_files/the-open-boat

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2009/04/20/a-tiny-feast

http://www.narrativemagazine.com/issues/winter-2012/n30b-winners/lorry-raja-madhuri-vijay

at https://www.narrativemagazine.com/user/register?destination=node/166856

 “The Last Night of the World” | Ray Bradbury.

http://www.esquire.com/entertainment/books/a14340/ray-bradbury-last-night-of-the-

world-0251/

 “Beyond the Bayou” | Kate Chopin. http://americanliterature.com/author/kate-
chopin/short-story/beyond-the-bayou

 “The Pianist in the Wal-Mart Parking Lot” | Shao

Wang. http://gateway.proquest.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/openurl?ctx_ver=Z39.88-

2003&xri:pqil:res_ver=0.2&res_id=xri:lion&rft_id=xri:lion:ft:journals:R04050462:0

 “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” | F. Scott

Fitzgerald. https://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/f/fitzgerald/f_scott/jazz/chapter7.html

 “The Picture of Dorian Gray” | Oscar

Wilde. https://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/w/wilde/oscar/dorian/

Meaning of Life: How do we reach an understanding of the meaning of life? In these stories,

look for the writers’ takes on what may be important, or not, on the topic of the meaning of life.

As you read the stories, look for a theme on the meaning of life that the writer wants you to

consider.

 “The Last Night of the World” | Ray

Bradbury. http://www.esquire.com/entertainment/books/a14340/ray-bradbury-last-night-

of-the-world-0251/

 “To Build a Fire” | Jack London. http://americanliterature.com/author/jack-london/short-

story/to-build-a-fire

 “Young Goodman Brown” | Nathaniel

Hawthorne. http://americanliterature.com/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/short-

story/young-goodman-brown

 “The Story of a Good Brahmin” |

Voltaire. http://gateway.proquest.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/openurl?ctx_ver=Z39.88-

2003&xri:pqil:res_ver=0.2&res_id=xri:lion&rft_id=xri:lion:ft:pr:Z001587783:0

 “The Persistence of Memory” | Rachel L.

Bowden. http://gateway.proquest.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/openurl?ctx_ver=Z39.88-

2003&xri:pqil:res_ver=0.2&res_id=xri:lion&rft_id=xri:lion:ft:journals:R05303383:0

https://www.narrativemagazine.com/user/register?destination=node%2f166856

http://www.esquire.com/entertainment/books/a14340/ray-bradbury-last-night-of-the-world-0251/

http://americanliterature.com/author/kate-chopin/short-story/beyond-the-bayou

http://gateway.proquest.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/openurl?ctx_ver=Z39.88-2003&xri%3apqil%3ares_ver=0.2&res_id=xri%3alion&rft_id=xri%3alion%3aft%3ajournals%3aR04050462%3a0

https://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/f/fitzgerald/f_scott/jazz/chapter7.html

https://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/w/wilde/oscar/dorian/

http://www.esquire.com/entertainment/books/a14340/ray-bradbury-last-night-of-the-world-0251/

http://americanliterature.com/author/jack-london/short-story/to-build-a-fire

http://americanliterature.com/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/short-story/young-goodman-brown

http://gateway.proquest.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/openurl?ctx_ver=Z39.88-2003&xri%3apqil%3ares_ver=0.2&res_id=xri%3alion&rft_id=xri%3alion%3aft%3apr%3aZ001587783%3a0

http://gateway.proquest.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/openurl?ctx_ver=Z39.88-2003&xri%3apqil%3ares_ver=0.2&res_id=xri%3alion&rft_id=xri%3alion%3aft%3ajournals%3aR05303383%3a0

 “The Old Impossible.” Amy

Bloom. http://literature.proquest.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/searchFulltext.do?id=R042707

80&divLevel=0&area=journals&DurUrl=Yes&forward=critref_ft&accountid=145

Love: Love is a very abstract topic, and we use this word in a myriad of ways. Writers of all

literary genres have tried to capture and explain what this topic means to humans. In short

stories, we are often given glimpses into people’s lives and relationships to see how the

characters in that story are expressing or understanding love. As you’re reading, consider how

the stories give us, the readers an idea about love–that idea can be a theme.

 “The Gift of the Magi. | O. Henry. http://americanliterature.com/author/o-henry/short-

story/the-gift-of-the-magi

 “Araby” | James Joyce. http://www.gutenberg.org/files/2814/2814-h/2814-

h.htm#link2H_4_0003

 “The Pianist in the Wal-Mart Parking Lot” | Shao
Wang. http://gateway.proquest.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/openurl?ctx_ver=Z39.88-
2003&xri:pqil:res_ver=0.2&res_id=xri:lion&rft_id=xri:lion:ft:journals:R04050462:0

Women and Relationships: These stories explore the topic of Women and Relationships.

These writers grapple with women in difficult situations. As you’re reading the stories, you will

be looking for a theme, a more specific statement of a specific observation on the topic of

“Women and Relationships” that these writers are making.

 “Desiree’s Baby” | Kate Chopin. http://www.katechopin.org/desirees-baby-text/

 “A Jury of Her Peers” | Susan Glaspell. http://americanliterature.com/author/susan-

glaspell/short-story/a-jury-of-her-peers

 “Spunk” | Zora Neal Hurston. http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5131/

http://literature.proquest.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/searchFulltext.do?id=R04270780&divLevel=0&area=journals&DurUrl=Yes&forward=critref_ft&accountid=145

http://americanliterature.com/author/o-henry/short-story/the-gift-of-the-magi

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/2814/2814-h/2814-h.htm#link2H_4_0003

http://gateway.proquest.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/openurl?ctx_ver=Z39.88-2003&xri%3apqil%3ares_ver=0.2&res_id=xri%3alion&rft_id=xri%3alion%3aft%3ajournals%3aR04050462%3a0

“Désirée’s Baby”

http://americanliterature.com/author/susan-glaspell/short-story/a-jury-of-her-peers

http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5131/

Outline

Leslie Paz

Composition and Literature- ENGL 102

01/18/2018

I. Title

a. A Tiny Feast

II. Thesis Statement

a. Throughout the story, Titania uses her love as a symbol to show no love is greater than a mother’s love and to cherish every moment you have with the ones you truly love.

III. Introduction

a. Topic of family

i. How family is discussed throughout story

b. Summary of story

i. Boy is sick and unhappy, has leukemia

c. Theme/Thesis

i. A mother’s love is the greatest, cherish your loved ones

IV. 1st Body- Set tone

a. The faires do not know how to feel

i. Titania nor her husband really knew what guilt was

ii. The boy was very different from them

b. The boy is human

i. A gift from her husband since they always argued

ii. Titania was not always fond of boy

1. Barley paid the child any mind

V. 2nd Body- Theme

a. Titania lover her boy

i. No longer seen him as a toy but as a son

ii. She could not stand apart from the boy

b. No one should lack love

i. A feeling like that ought to be able to move mountains

c. They did not want their boy to die

i. You will do everything mortally possible to save him

VI. 3rd Body

a. The boy’s final wish

i. Mama, please. Just one little feast

ii. The boy was unable to eat due to medications

1. Titania was going to feed him chocolate but Oberon made the feast

a. Aroma called him down

b. The boys death

i. She could not do something for someone she loved

ii. Beastie mourned his death, died of grief

c. Theme is is fully displayed

i. They never celebrated or mourned a death

ii. Family will always be by your side

VII. Conclusion

a. Summarize overall tone/thesis

b. Purpose of the short story

i. Overall theme is family and the love they show

c. Restate thesis

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