What does it mean to be human? This is a big question that Tan takes on in her dystopian tale “The Last Curiosity.” Taking place after the (self) destruction of mankind, Tan puts together a story where artificial intelligence, called The Woken, set out on a mission to understand the essence and meaning of being human. It doesn’t take long for students to start questioning how much control is too much control for any governing body to have over its people and individual freedoms. Despite being less outwardly tragic, “Amaryllis” explores a society where everything is strictly controlled by quotas, including population. While the society in this story has adjusted to a new normal, their tragedy isn’t any less dystopian. One of the more modern stories on the list, Vaughn’s dystopian tale was first published in 2010. Margot is ostracized by her peers, increasing her longing to escape and go back to Earth.Īll Summer in a Day by Ray Bradbury-Short Story Reading Comprehension Activities Enter Margot and, with her, her individual thoughts that stand in stark contrast to the uniform expectations of those around her. The story gives a glimpse into a dystopian colony on Venus forced to remain in an underground city due to extreme weather. With this story, Bradbury calls out how quick we are to band against an outsider. While this Bradbury story is a quick read, it doesn’t make the dystopian pill any easier to swallow. Will they sympathize with Layville or shun him for his attempt to override the rules of time with his time machine invention? Read the story aloud to have students feeling like they too are trapped in a pendulum of time, like the story’s imprisoned scientist, Layville. Aside from exploring dystopian themes, this short story is a compelling example of literary irony, allusion, and descriptive writing.īradbury’s 1939 short story “The Pendulum” creatively explores the costs of technological advancement. But that, my teaching friend, is just the beginning. The problem? The government has set out to ban and destroy “all the beautiful literary lies and flights of fancy,” forcing Stendahl to build a “The Fall of the House of Usher” inspired home on Mars as an act of rebellion. (I’m sure your students can relate to this theme.) Enter: William Stendahl, avid lover of literary fiction. “April 2005: Usher II” by Ray Bradburyīradbury’s “Usher II” is a dystopian tale rooted in the paradox of freedom vs. Martel satirizes the dangers of mob mentality and the impulsivity of the general public, as everyone is a little too eager to accept new technological advances without being sufficiently informed about the possible ramifications.Ī Sound of Thunder, A Ray Bradbury Short Story - Literary Analysisġ0. How you ask? Scientists put pig organs into humans! But, society is not prepared for the consequences when people impassively jump to get this surgery that dissolves their appetite for food completely. This one is a quick read (a little more than 1,000 words) and I promise every line is more disturbing than the next! A medical breakthrough cures cancer, as well as other humanitarian issues like hunger and starvation. “We Ate the Children Last” By Yann Martel.Regardless of how you plan to incorporate them into your classroom, here are 31 stellar dystopian short stories to consider adding to your syllabus. Additionally, short stories are a perfect solution if you’re simply looking to dip students’ toes into a dystopian world. While short stories are a great way to introduce a new genre, they can also serve as complementary texts to a novel study. The best dystopian short stories take something very real and magnifies it to the (sometimes frightening) extreme.ģ1 Dystopian Short Stories You Should Consider Teaching. As teachers, we have a unique opportunity to examine real fears through the guise of fiction. Throw in a 24-hour news cycle and it’s no wonder why anxiety and uncertainty are on the rise. Between growing inequalities and political tension, our students are growing up around pressing issues. Most importantly, however, dystopian literature opens the door for much-needed conversation. And that makes our job, as teachers, a whole lot easier and class much more enjoyable for all. And let’s face the facts: students are far more likely to put forth the effort to engage with and analyze a text they find intriguing. Or, at least, find it more interesting than other genres. The truth is, students (dare I say) enjoy reading this genre. Between the surge in shows like Black Mirror and The Society and movie adaptations of novels like The Hunger Games and The Divergent series, the dystopian genre is gaining a lot of traction. Luckily, there’s a genre that’s gained popularity over the recent years. I’m sure we can all agree: one of the biggest challenges ELA teachers face is finding quality literature that keeps students engaged. Why You Should Be Teaching Dystopian Short Stories ASAP.
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