Short Stories That Could Change Your Mind
Some people think that short stories are not as good as novels, like charcoal sketches compared to huge oil paintings. But when written with skill and care, this type of writing can have just as much of an effect on readers as a 300-page book. Great short stories can make you cry, laugh, or even think, all in just a few pages.
“The Gift of the Magi” was written by O. Henry
If you’ve made it this far—and have faithfully followed each story—you’ve earned a refreshing and heartwarming change of pace. Many short stories end with shocking twists that leave their characters in tragic or unexpected circumstances. That’s what makes O. Henry’s classic “The Gift of the Magi” such a delight. The story’s premise is simple yet deeply moving: during Christmas, a young couple struggles to find meaningful gifts for each other despite having very little money. Their selfless love and sacrifice make the ending both touching and unforgettable.
Bierce’s “An Incident at Owl Creek Bridge”
In stark contrast, Ambrose Bierce’s “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” takes a darker turn. It follows a plantation owner who, after aiding the Confederacy, faces execution by Union soldiers on a bridge. As he appears to make a miraculous escape and begins his journey back to his family, the story shifts into a rich, stream-of-consciousness narrative, immersing readers in his thoughts and sensations. This powerful shift leads to one of the most chilling and unforgettable endings in literary history.
Raymond Carver’s short story “A Small Good Thing”
“A Small Good Thing” is one of the many amazing stories in Carver’s Cathedral. In it, a young mother and father are in shock after a hit-and-run leaves their son invisible. Even worse, a shopping mall baker keeps calling them in the middle of the night to tell them to pick up their son’s birthday cake, which might never be eaten.
John Cheever’s “The Swimmer”
John Cheever was once called “the Chekhov of the suburbs,” and his best works are about the struggles of the middle class. He was part of a generation that grew up during the Great Depression but reached adulthood during America’s post-war boom, with its picket fences, Coupe de Villes, and backyard swimming pools. And those pools are a big part of Cheever’s best-known story.
