Short Stories I read in 2021: My Favorites.

I read short stories consistently throughout 2021. Almost all of the stories I read, I liked. Just a couple of them didn’t live up to my expectations, but mostly it was enjoyable. These are the stories that I really liked and stayed with me.

• The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman.

The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman was a surprise for me. I didn’t know what to expect when I started reading it. It talks about mental health in such a subtle yet powerful way that it hits you. The writing and the characters flow so well together. I kept thinking about the story long after I was done reading it. I think it is a must-read.

• A Pair of Silk Stockings by Kate Chopin.

A Pair of Silk Stockings by Kate Chopin is a story that talks about escapism, burden, and responsibilities. It was a story I had heard a lot about and was on my reading list for years. The story is simple in its writing, but the way the character of Mrs. Sommers is described and dealt with is beautiful. It wasn’t as straightforward as I expected it to be, and I was wonderfully surprised by the end.

• The Angel at the Grave by Edith Wharton.

The Angel at the Grave by Edith Wharton is a beautiful short story. The story is about a girl Paulina Anson, the granddaughter of a great philosopher. The story beautifully portrays Pauline’s struggles as she tries to keep the legacy of her grandfather alive. The story is about family and legacy, and sacrifice. Personally, it is difficult to relate to Paulina as a character but it is her story. It raises a lot of questions that you are left pondering over, that’s for sure.

• The Witch by Anton Chekhov.

The Witch by Anton Chekhov is a story about a married couple. I wasn’t sure what to expect of this story, I hadn’t known about it until recently. The way the landscape and characters have been described, especially in the beginning, helps you visualize the story and adds to the plot. The story started taking a different direction after a while that I enjoyed. It is realistic yet a little dramatic, but I really liked it.

• An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce.

An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce is a short story set during the civil war. The story is bleak, and the stream of consciousness sort of writing helps it set a flow and tone from the start. There are time jumps between past and present that helped me understand the character of Peyton Farquhar. The ending is something I didn’t anticipate, although it makes sense. This story lived up to the hype I had known surrounding it.

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