Modern Fiction – Short Story and Essay

Trapped Between "Right and Wrong"

Many tragic events occured in the first half of the 20th century, and as such, many tragic stories flowed from the pens of British writers. The literature presented in this topic is no different, for both stories have tragic, disappointing endings due to mistakes made by the protagonists.

Before you explore "Araby" and "Shooting an Elephant," take a moment to reflect on important lessons that you have learned in your own life, lessons that you had to learn "the hard way." Think about a time in your life when you did something you knew was wrong, but you did it anyway. What thoughts or feelings were going on inside your head at the time? What were the deciding factors that influenced your decision? Did you feel "trapped" into making the poor decision, or was the fault entirely yours alone?