this post was submitted on 02 Aug 2025
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[–] Glitch@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 2 months ago

Copy-pasta deserves a unit in my classroom, the Russian sleep experiment

[–] protogen420@lemmy.blahaj.zone 6 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Come and See by Soviet Union

[–] RebekahWSD@lemmy.world 6 points 2 months ago (2 children)

I try to not remember The Veldt but I still liked it as a good read. I also hated Harrison Bergeron but I think I was suppose to?

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[–] Pipster@lemmy.blahaj.zone 5 points 2 months ago

Im still scarred by my english teacher enthusiastically reading certain scenes of Equus to the class.

[–] higgsboson@piefed.social 5 points 2 months ago
[–] JayDee@lemmy.sdf.org 5 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Oh man, let's talk about short stories that defined my taste in literature!

  • To Build A Fire: definitely built a fascination in me of the morbid and got me way more into survivalism than quick sand ever did. I live in a cold place too and that put it well into perspective how dangerous that can be.

  • The Sniper: This was my start into war literature, and what a good start. I keep coming back to this one when I hear people talk about a civil war in the US. It's more unsettling now than ever before.

  • The Lottery. How couldn't that be on the list?

  • Cask of Amontillado: big vibes. Poe made me goth-brained no doubt.

Our school also had us read Robert Frost. Really great way to introduce kids to the idea that 'some folks just kinda wanna die all the time'. That and why child labor laws are good and important.

[–] tgirlschierke@lemmy.blahaj.zone 5 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream. If comics count, The Enigma of Amigara Fault.

[–] rockerface@lemmy.cafe 5 points 2 months ago (1 children)
[–] LadyButterfly@piefed.blahaj.zone 5 points 2 months ago

I read that last week! God that's a good one

[–] bhamlin@lemmy.world 5 points 2 months ago (1 children)

It isn't a short story, but it might as well have been.

In my high school senior level English class, they had us read "On the Beach." The class as a whole did not like it. We told the teacher that we would not be reading further and would not be engaging on the book any more. It took a week and they moved us on to "Wuthering Heights" which was far easier to read.

[–] pinball_wizard@lemmy.zip 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

"Wuthering Heights" which was far easier to read.

Oh my!

[–] bhamlin@lemmy.world 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

In case you don't know, the plot of on the beach is that nuclear war happened and the only people still alive are in Australia. The story follows their acceptance of impending death as the fallout reaches them. I'd rather young adult angst than full on suicidal discussions. I have my own thoughts on that, thankyouverymuch. I don't need a book to slap me in the face with them for a school grade.

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[–] Dettweiler42@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Borrasca (just the original, not the add-on parts)

[–] EyeBeam@literature.cafe 4 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Asimov's Breeds There a Man ...?

A suicidal genius figures out the relationship between his brilliance and his mental health.

[–] Zorsith@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 2 months ago

The Pedestrian, Ray Bradbury.

[–] TheMcG@lemmy.ca 4 points 2 months ago

Have no clue what it was called but I remember having to read a short story that included a guy who would take the family cat into a locked room and watch porn…

[–] Lushed_Lungfish@lemmy.ca 4 points 2 months ago

It might not be disturbing, but I think that anyone that is going into the Engineering field should read Superiority by Arthur C. Clarke.

[–] Philharmonic3@lemmy.world 4 points 2 months ago

The Magic. I believe it is a short story, and I'm sorry to say I don't know the author. It's quite scary if you follow the instructions. A good lesson in the power of imagination and ritual.

[–] westingham@sh.itjust.works 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I Am The Cheese by Robert Cormier

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[–] Xerxos@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

We had to read 'Der Vorleser' in which a 15 year old boy gets into a relationship with a 36 year old woman. A strange choice to force kids about that age to read (we were a bit older than 15, I think. But still...)

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[–] Padit@feddit.org 4 points 2 months ago

"Nachts schlafen die Ratten doch" still haunts me...

[–] Formfiller@lemmy.world 4 points 2 months ago (4 children)
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[–] Nounka@lemmy.world 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

It was not in English... But we had to read the golden egg. Story about a guy who s girl is missing. He keeps looking for her. Has driems about them being close together but not seeing the other. . At the end he finds a guy who sais he can do the same to him as he did to the girlfriend. Last you know he is like burried..

[–] Crackhappy@lemmy.world 3 points 2 months ago

Did I just have a stroke?

[–] prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

I don't know about scary, but I would assign Teddy by J. D. Salinger.

Also, An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce.

Another one I really like that I feel like nobody else has ever read is: After I Was Thrown in the River and Before I Drowned by Dave Eggers (it's written from a dog's POV)

I guess this is more "short stories that I like" lol

[–] HenryDorsett@lemmy.world 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

After I Was Thrown in the River and Before I Drowned by Dave Eggars (it’s written from a dog’s POV)

Man, the title and brief synopsis has been enough to fuck up my day, thanks.

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[–] pseudo@slrpnk.net 3 points 2 months ago

Why stop at a short story? I'll go for a novel.

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