English 10 Research
For this research project you will need to read three short stories by the same author. The choices below are suggestions that will make it easier for you to find secondary sources down the road. You are not limited to these options. Most of the stories on this list are available online.
Stories are color-coded by difficulty level. Easy (green) stories can be read more quickly than moderate (yellow) or advanced (red) ones, but higher level stories may give you more options at the thesis-writing and secondary source stages of the project.
Each entry on the list includes a brief tagline to give you an idea what the stories are about. You can also access an interactive selection tool by clicking on the top button below.
Stories are color-coded by difficulty level. Easy (green) stories can be read more quickly than moderate (yellow) or advanced (red) ones, but higher level stories may give you more options at the thesis-writing and secondary source stages of the project.
Each entry on the list includes a brief tagline to give you an idea what the stories are about. You can also access an interactive selection tool by clicking on the top button below.
Hans Christian Andersen
(1805-1857)
Danish folklorist, and gift that keeps on giving to the Disney Corporation.
Ray Bradbury
(1920-2012)
Master of science fiction and dystopian literature.
Bradbury's works are still under copyright, but I suggest reading
"There Will Come Soft Rains" (2,095 words) and two other stories of your choice
fromThe Martian Chronicles.
"There Will Come Soft Rains" (2,095 words) and two other stories of your choice
fromThe Martian Chronicles.
Kate Chopin
(1850-1904)
American author with a unique Southern style, who explored feminist themes before feminism was a thing.
The Story of an Hour (1,005 words)
La Belle Zoriade (2,135 words)
Desiree's Baby (2,147 words) OR The Storm (1,888 words, mature content)
La Belle Zoriade (2,135 words)
Desiree's Baby (2,147 words) OR The Storm (1,888 words, mature content)
Arthur Conan Doyle
(1859-1930)
Creator of Sherlock Holmes, father of the modern mystery genre.
The Red-Headed League (9,682 words)
A Scandal in Bohemia (9,248 words)
The Final Problem (7,488 words)
A Scandal in Bohemia (9,248 words)
The Final Problem (7,488 words)
Brothers Grimm
(1785-1863)
Disney stories with graphic violence. Need I say more?
Nathaniel Hawthorne
(1804-1864)
New Englander whose deep explorations of guilt, faith, and science allow for many avenues of interpretation.
|
Guilt Stories
Rodger Malvin's Burial (7,874 words) The Minister's Black Veil (5,155 words) Young Goodman Brown (5,242 words) |
OR |
Knowledge Stories
The Birthmark (6,455 words) Rappaccini's Daughter (11,999 words) Ethan Brand (6,383 words) |
Ernest Hemingway
(1899-1961)
Minimalist who implies more than he says. Look beneath the surface for themes of hope, courage, and masculinity/femininity.
|
Harsh Reality Stories
In Another Country (2,136 words) The Killers (2,956 words) The Snows of Kilimanjaro (9,165 words) |
OR |
Relationship Stories
In Another Country (2,136 words) Hills Like White Elephants (1,459 words) The Short and Happy Life of Francis Macomber (11,202 words) |
O. Henry
(1862-1910)
American writer famous for his plot twists, humor, and empathy toward the poor and criminal elements of society.
|
Hopeful Stories
The Gift of the Magi (2,075 words) The Trimmed Lamp (4,297 words) The Purple Dress (1,921 words) |
|
Humorous Stories
The Gift of the Magi (2,075 words) The Ransom of Red Chief (4,161 words) The Cop and the Anthem (2,264 words) |
Washington Irving
(1783-1859)
First big-shot U.S. author, who re-imagined European folk tales with American themes and settings.
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (11,928 words)
The Devil and Tom Walker (4,798 words)
Rip Van Winkle (7,569 words)
The Devil and Tom Walker (4,798 words)
Rip Van Winkle (7,569 words)
Katherine Mansfield
(1888-1923)
Modernist New Zealander, whose stories are wide-open for interpretation.
Flannery O'Connor
(1925-1964)
American Catholic interested in themes of grace, pride, prejudice, hypocrisy, and Christianity.
A Good Man is Hard to Find (6,448 words)
The Life You Save May Be Your Own (4,774 words)
Good Country People (8,630 words)
The stories above are published in the collection A Good Man is Hard to Find and Other Stories.
The book is still under copyright, but an online version is available here.
The Life You Save May Be Your Own (4,774 words)
Good Country People (8,630 words)
The stories above are published in the collection A Good Man is Hard to Find and Other Stories.
The book is still under copyright, but an online version is available here.
Edgar Allan Poe
(1809-1849)
If you can handle his expansive vocabulary, Poe's twisted tales of madness, terror, and mystery are second to none.
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Madness Stories
The Fall of the House of Usher (7,040 words) The Tell-Tale Heart (2,078 words) The Black Cat (3,848 words) |
OR |
Terror Stories
The Fall of the House of Usher (7,040 words) The Pit and the Pendulum (6,009 words) The Premature Burial (5,370 words) |
OR |
Mysteries
The Murders in the Rue Morgue (13,795 words) The Mystery of Marie Roget (19,805 words) The Purloined Letter (7,029 words) |
Saki
(1870-1916)
Kids are jerks.
Mark Twain
(1835-1910)
Humorist with a conscience.
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Stories about Truth
The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County (2,627 words) Was it Heaven, or Hell? (6,778 words) The Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg (17,668 words) |
OR |
Stories about Life
The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County (2,627 words) The Five Boons of Life (753 words) A Dog's Tale (4,111 words) |
Kurt Vonnegut
(1922-2007)
WWII veteran whose short stories probe the future of technology, human government, and political correctness.
Most of Vonnegut's stories are still under copyright. However, 2 B R 0 2 B (2,519 words) is in the public domain,
and Harrison Bergeron (2,179 words) is entirely visible in Google Books.
I recommend reading those two, plus one other story from Welcome to the Monkey House.
and Harrison Bergeron (2,179 words) is entirely visible in Google Books.
I recommend reading those two, plus one other story from Welcome to the Monkey House.
Oscar Wilde
(1854-1900)
Sarcastic Irishman whose childish tales are of no interest to adults (wink, wink).
The Nightingale and the Rose (2,323 words)
The Selfish Giant (1,658 words)
The Devoted Friend (4,329 words)
The Selfish Giant (1,658 words)
The Devoted Friend (4,329 words)