'The Monkey's Paw' by W. W. Jacobs is also well - known. A family comes into possession of a magic monkey's paw that grants wishes, but with horrible, unforeseen consequences. For example, when they wish for money, they get it in the form of compensation for their son's accidental death.
One famous one is 'Lamb to the Slaughter'. It's a story about a woman who kills her husband in a rather unexpected way and then tries to cover it up. Another is 'The Landlady' where a young man checks into a bed - and - breakfast with a very strange landlady.
Sure. 'The Black Cat' by Edgar Allan Poe is a well - known Dark Romanticism short story. It shows the protagonist's descent into madness and his disturbing relationship with a black cat. The story is filled with elements of the supernatural and a sense of impending doom. Also, 'Bartleby, the Scrivener' by Herman Melville can be considered in this genre. It explores themes of isolation, the alienation of the individual in modern society, and a kind of passive resistance that has a rather dark undertone.
A great book for 'dark dark short stories' is 'Angela Carter's The Bloody Chamber'. It reimagines classic fairy tales in a much darker and more adult way. For instance, 'The Company of Wolves' takes the Little Red Riding Hood story and turns it into a tale full of sexual tension and danger. Another book is 'Selected Stories' by H. P. Lovecraft. His stories often deal with cosmic horror, like in 'The Call of Cthulhu' where the existence of ancient and powerful beings that are beyond human comprehension is explored. And 'Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street' in its original short story form is also a very dark and gory tale.
One of the well - known dark short stories is 'The Tell - Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe. It's about a narrator who is driven mad by an old man's vulture - like eye and eventually kills him. Another is 'The Lottery' by Shirley Jackson. In this story, a small town has an annual lottery where the 'winner' is stoned to death in a disturbing display of blind tradition.
One famous dark short story is 'The Tell - Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe. It's about a narrator who tries to convince the reader of his sanity while he's actually insane and has murdered an old man because of his 'vulture - like' eye.
Sure. 'The Gift of the Magi' by O. Henry is a very famous short story. It tells the story of a young couple who are very poor but still want to give each other special Christmas gifts. Another one is 'The Necklace' by Guy de Maupassant. It's about a woman who borrows a diamond necklace to attend a party, only to lose it and spend years in poverty trying to replace it.
Sure. 'The Gift of the Magi' by O. Henry is very famous. It tells the story of a young couple who sacrifice their most precious possessions to buy gifts for each other. Another one is 'The Necklace' by Guy de Maupassant, which shows the vanity and the consequences of false pride. And 'A Sound of Thunder' by Ray Bradbury is also well - known, exploring the idea of time travel and the butterfly effect.
Sure. 'The Gift of the Magi' by O. Henry is a great one. It tells the story of a young couple who are very poor but sacrifice their most precious possessions to buy gifts for each other. Another is 'The Lottery' by Shirley Jackson. It's a disturbing story about a small town's annual lottery which has a very unexpected and cruel outcome. And 'A Good Man Is Hard to Find' by Flannery O'Connor is also famous, exploring themes of morality and grace.
One well - known 1948 short story could be 'The Lottery' by Shirley Jackson. It's a disturbing story that reveals the dark side of human nature through a seemingly ordinary village lottery.
Edgar Allan Poe. His stories like 'The Tell - Tale Heart' are full of psychological horror and a sense of impending doom. He's really a master at creating a dark and suspenseful atmosphere.