Part One 3
Unit One Langston Hughes:Early Autumn 3
Key Words 3
Elements of Fiction:The Short Story 3
Text for Reading 4
Interpretation and Discussion 7
Unit Two (1) I.B.Singer:The Washwoman (2) Frank Sargeson:A Piece of Yellow Soap 9
Key Words 9
Elements of Fiction:The Author,the Narrator and the Reader 9
Text for Reading (1) 11
Text for Reading (2) 14
Interpretation and Discussion 16
Unit Three Richard Selzer:The Discus Thrower 18
Key Words 18
Elements of Fiction:The Setting and the Theme 18
Text for Reading 19
Interpretation and Discussion 23
Unit Four Somerset Maugham:Mr.Know-All 24
Key Words 24
Elements of Fiction:Character and Characterization 24
Text for Reading 25
Interpretation and Discussion 32
Unit Five Roald Dahl:The Taste 35
Key Words 35
Elements of Fiction:The Story and the Plot 35
Text for Reading 36
Interpretation and Discussion 49
Unit Six Mary Gavell:The Swing 51
Key Words 51
Elements of Fiction:Flashback and Foreshadowing 51
Text for Reading 52
Interpretation and Discussion 59
Unit Seven James Joyce:Araby 61
Key Words 61
Elements of Fiction:Style,Tone and Irony 61
Text for Reading 62
Interpretation and Discussion 68
Unit Eight Frank Stockton:The Lady,or the Tiger? 71
Key Words 71
Elements of Fiction:Type of Short Story:Romantic Fiction 71
Text for Reading 72
Interpretation and Discussion 79
Unit Nine Frank O'Connor:Guests of the Nation 81
Key Words 81
Elements of Fiction:Type of Short Story:Realistic Fiction 81
Text for Reading 82
Interpretation and Discussion 94
Unit Ten Jack London:The Law of Life 96
Key Words 96
Elements of Fiction:Type of Short Story:Naturalistic Fiction 96
Text for Reading 97
Interpretation and Discussion 104
Unit Eleven James Thurber:The Secret Life of Walter Mitty 106
Key Words 106
Elements of Fiction:Type of Short Story:Modernist Fiction 106
Text for Reading 107
Interpretation and Discussion 113
Unit Twelve Donald Barthelme:The Glass Mountain 115
Key Words 115
Elements of Fiction:Type of Short Story:Postmodernist Fiction 115
Text for Reading 116
Interpretation and Discussion 122
Part Two Additional Stories for Reading and Discussion 125
Additional Reading One Kate Chopin:The Story of an Hour 125
Meet the Author 125
Text for Reading 126
Discussion Questions 128
Additional Reading Two Rabia Ozkaya:The Present 129
Meet the Author 129
Text for Reading 129
Discussion Questions 131
Additional Reading Three Katherine Mansfield:Miss Brill 132
Meet the Author 132
Text for Reading 133
Discussion Questions 137
Additional Reading Four Gary Gildner:Sleepy Time Gal 138
Meet the Author 138
Text for Reading 138
Discussion Questions 141
Additional Reading Five Richard Jefferies:The Acorn-Gatherer 142
Meet the Author 142
Text for Reading 142
Discussion Questions 145
Additional Reading Six Sherwood Anderson:The Egg 146
Meet the Author 146
Text for Reading 146
Discussion Questions 155
Additional Reading Seven John Collier:The Chaser 156
Meet the Author 156
Text for Reading 157
Discussion Questions 159
Additional Reading Eight O.Henry:After Twenty Years 160
Meet the Author 160
Text for Reading 161
Discussion Questions 163
Vocabulary 164