Title
Upon his death in a circus cage, this title character tells the overseer he fasted only because he "couldn't find a food which tasted good to me".
Who is the "Hunger Artist"?
Her name is also a symbol for rebirth.
Who is Phoenix? ("A Worn Path")
"House of Usher"
What is Gothic Horror or Gothic Fiction?
"Paul's Case"
What is Materialism?
This symbol appears in the title but the main character never receives one.
What is a Rose?
In this 1892 short story, the narrator is forbidden by her physician husband to write, causing her to obsess over the titular room decoration.
What is "The Yellow Wallpaper"?
She kills her lover and leads a life in isolation.
Who is Emily Grierson? ("A Rose for Emily").
"My Flamboyant Grandson"
What is Addiction/Drug Use?
Bradbury ironically names the Hadley children after the protagonists of this J.M. Barrie work, symbolizing their dangerous desire to live in a "Neverland" free from parental rules.
In this story, the nuns use the "Ste. Lucy’s Method" to transform Claudette and her siblings from wolf-girls into human girls.
What is "St. Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves"?
His sister is a twin in this short story.
Who is Madeline Usher? ("The Fall of the House of Usher").
What is Climate Fiction or Naturalism?
"A&P"
Gender and Conformity
The protagonist’s name symbolically links her to this mythical bird that rises from its own ashes, representing her endurance and the "rebirth" she undergoes with each arduous journey.
What is a Phoenix?
Though its title suggests a casual event, the word "Occurrence" hides a linguistic nod to the creek below; its Latin root, currere, means "to run," mirroring the very current that the protagonist dreams of using for his escape.
A cynical, arrogant book critic who is shot in the head during a bank robbery after his sarcastic commentary irritates the criminals.
Who is Anders ("Bullet in the Brain")?
"The Story of An Hour"
What is literary fiction and early feminist literature?
"And of Clay We Are Created"
What is Media Ethics?
This windowless, dark space (the basement room) symbolizes the "abominable" truth that every citizen must eventually accept in order to live in comfort ("The Ones Who Walk-Away from Omelas").
What is the human conscience? (or the hidden cost of society)
In Jack London’s "To Build a Fire," this animal survives the Yukon cold while the man freezes.
What is the dog (Husky)?
While he does not see, he is much more intuitive than his host.
Who is Robert ("Cathedral")?
"The Intruder"
What is Literary Realism?
"Hell-Heaven"
What is Cultural Assimilation?
At the end of the story, Loomis encounters a stray dog, which many critics argue symbolizes Loomis's own sense of being this—a word reflecting his lack of a permanent home or "territory."
What is Homeless?