Murlin 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.
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) |
Kate Chopin
(1850-1904)
American author with a unique Southern style, who explored feminist themes before feminism was a thing.
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Frisky Wives
The Story of an Hour (1,005 words) A Pair of Silk Stockings (1,884 words) A Respectable Woman (1,446 words) OR The Storm (1,888 words, mature content) |
OR |
Clueless Husbands
The Story of an Hour (1,005 words) Desiree's Baby (2,147 words) A Respectable Woman (1,446 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)
Ernest Hemingway
(1899-1961)
Minimalist who implies more than he says. Look beneath the surface for themes of hope, courage, and masculinity/femininity.
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Harsh Reality Stories
In Another Country (2,136 words) The Killers (2,956 words) A Clean Well-Lighted Place (1,435 words) OR 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) |
Shirley Jackson
(1916-1965)
Explored the dark side of human nature in horror stories disguised as realistic fiction.
The Daemon Lover (5,827 words)
The Possibility of Evil (4,026 words)
One Ordinary Day, with Peanuts (3,780 words)
The Possibility of Evil (4,026 words)
One Ordinary Day, with Peanuts (3,780 words)
Ray Bradbury
(1920-2012)
Science fiction satirist whose stories question what it means to be human.
O. Henry
(1862-1910)
Playful New Yorker famous for his plot twists, humor, and empathy toward the poor and criminal elements of society.
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OR |
Hopeful Stories
The Gift of the Magi (2,075 words) The Trimmed Lamp (4,297 words) The Purple Dress (1,921 words) |
Jack London
(1876-1916)
Person-vs-nature is the central conflict of these three stories by an early twentieth century bestseller
Mark Twain
(1835-1910)
Humorist with a conscience.
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Stories about Life
The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County (2,627 words) What Stumped the Bluejays? (2,079 words) A Dog's Tale (4,111 words) |
OR |
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) |