Short Stories

Question 1

“An Utterly Perfect Murder” by Ray Bradbury

Characters:

Plot:

Answer 1

Characters:
Doug Spalding- protagonist
Ralph Underhill- antagonist
Doug’s wife- (static, flat, unchanging)

Plot: As a boy, piano prodigy Douglas was tormented by a gang of bullies led by Ralph. Now, fifty years later, Doug looks for closure in his life–by traveling back to his hometown and murdering Ralph

Question 2

“There Will Come Soft Rains” by Ray Bradbury

Characters:

Plot:

Answer 2

Characters:
The house
The dog
(kind of the family that lived there)

Plot: a cautionary tale of nuclear war and how technology will, in the end, not protect us.

Question 3

“The Possibility of Evil” by Shirley Jackson

Characters:

Plot:

Answer 3

haracters:
Miss Adela Strangeworth- protagonist who runs her city by keeping people gossiping

Helen & Don Crane- mother & father to baby girl

Dave Harris and Linda Steward- young dating couple

Mr. Lewis- grocer

Mrs. Martha Harper- woman Miss Strangeworth runs into at the store

Miss Strangeworth’s Grandfather- (dead) responsible for building the strangeworth residence, first house on Pleasant Street

Miss Strangeworth’s Grandmother- (dead) responsible for planting Miss strangeworths many roses

Billy Moore & his father- Billy- young boy Miss strangeworth talks to briefly/ Mr. Moore- chemestry teacher

Miss Chandler- librarian

Mr. Shelley- man accused of murder in one of Miss Strangeworth’s letters

Linda Stewart’s Parents- tries to separate the young couple

Mrs. Foster- Miss Strangeworth warns her not to do an operation that she has coming up.

Plot: Miss Strangeworth believes herself to be a kind of guardian of her town and spends her days identifying “potential badness” in others.

Question 4

“By the Waters of Babylon” by Stephen Vincent Benet

Characters:

Plot:

Answer 4

John: son of the head priest and protagonist of the story

Johns Father: head priest of the Hill People, guardian figure in the story

The Dead god: John finds the well-preserved body of the “dead god” seated at a window in one of the towers in the Land of the Gods.

Plot: The story follows John on his initiation quest, a journey he undertakes in order to be recognized by his tribe as a man and a priest.

Question 5

“The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst

Characters:

Plot:

Answer 5

Characters:
Brother: narrator of the story (never given a clear name) older brother to doodle

Doodle: younger brother of the narrator, whose real name is William Armstrong but is nicknamed doodle by his older brother. Born with a physical disability.

Doodles parents: Also referred to as Mama and Daddy who try to make Doodle feel loved, but are also disappointed that they have a “crippled” son.

Doodles doctor: (nameless) serves as a representation of the expectations and limitations that society places on people with disabilities.

Aunt Nicey: Doodle’s and Brother’s Aunt, She shares in the parents’ excitement when Doodle begins to walk.

Plot: The story is told from the narrator’s point of view, as he is looking back on his life as a boy. The narrator remembers his brother and the time they shared long ago.