Short Stories with Surprise Endings
We almost titled this post: Stories with endings that make you say: “Wait, what?”
Shirley Jackson’s short story “The Lottery” is an undeniable favorite of English teachers. The exposition and rising action don’t give away much, but readers can still see how exposition becomes conflict and how conflict becomes rising action, and notice each moment in the story when the tension increases. Jackson story about mob mentality and unyielding allegiance to tradition was so convincing both she and The New Yorker received letters demanding explanations, expressing hate, dismay, and curiosity about the real-life inspiration Jackson used for her story.
Students generally enjoy “The Lottery,” but once they’ve read it—they’ve read it. And we think teachers should have additional stories that will elicit the same “wait, what?” response that “The Lottery” does. Here are X of our favorites:
One Ordinary Day with Peanuts | Shirley Jackson | from Just An Ordinary Day: Stories (1996)
Mr. John Philip Johnson heads out his front door with pockets full of candy and peanuts and a heart full of goodwill and optimism. When he arrives home later that evening, readers learn something about his motivations and the extent of his altruism.
An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge | Ambrose Bierce | 1988 |
Peyton Farquhar is a southerner and unable to fight in the Civil War. After a chance meeting with a soldier, Farquhar is given an opportunity to support the Confederate Army by burning down Owl Creek Bridge. This story serves as an excellent example of the shift in American literature from Romanticism (Farquhar’s visions of his home, his wife, his cause) to Realism (the consequences of Farquhar’s actions, the abrupt ending of the story).
The Story of an Hour | Kate Chopin | 1894 |
This super-short story (just two pages long) takes place over the course of a single hour, beginning just after Mrs. Mallard is told that her husband has died in a train accident. The story tracks her emotional response to the news and comments on the psychological effects of marriage and widow-hood for women in the late 19th century.
Popular Mechanics | Raymond Carver | 1981 | Originally published as “Mine” in Furious Seasons and Other Stories (1977)
Like “Story of an Hour,” this short story is very short—less than a full page. It tracks two people: he and she, arguing over custody of their baby.
Game | Donald Barthelme | 1965 | Published in Sixty Stories (2003)
If your students are studying American History, the doomsday clock, or the Cold War, this story will fit right in. Two men, Shotwell and the unnamed narrator, are military offices locked in a bunker waiting for something to happen. They’re simultaneously bored and tense, keeping a secret and aware of what the other is keeping secret, paranoid and hopeful.