3/15/2022 Short Story Central – The Quest for Answers
- Sasha Wallace
- Mar 13, 2022
- 12 min read
In almost thirty years of living, these two brief tales captivate me the most. They have stood the test of time, their jarring perspectives & wistfulness never dulling despite knowing them almost by rote. Everyone has their comfort reads, the stories & phrases strung together like a beloved pearl necklace worn to every party. These are mine.
The first, I came across in the May 1973 edition of Analog magazine. I’d been digging in a bargain bin at a used bookstore & someone had left a dragon bookmark poking through the pages. When I opened the volume to better see the bookmark, I saw the following (minus the autograph):
That premise & the term “mistfall” sounded exciting. A few pages were missing, though, so I bought the bookmark, not the magazine, went home & read a shabby PDF online. It was love at first wraith.
The second story I encountered during my first year of teaching 6th grade. My lesson plan was bombing spectacularly because I hadn’t gotten my copies on time. I had no Plan B. Nowadays, I’m pretty good at rolling with the punches & always having a backup resource, or just making something up on the fly with the confidence of a Queen, but I was still pretty green in 2016 & I did what any rookie teacher does when faced with a crisis. I strode to my bookshelf, plucked the first textbook I saw, turned to the first short story & began to read aloud. Leap of faith? Absolutely. Did it work? Oh boy.
It was slow going, to be sure. The Lexile was way above what that particular class could easily interpret, so there was a lot of pausing & explaining, but the kiddos were enraptured by the cliffhanger ending, & a swift & passionate debate ensued that lasted the entire period. By the time my copies were printed the next day, the students made it clear they weren’t done with the story. They staged a trial. They drew a storyboard. They picked sides & CSI’d the text for evidence to support their beliefs. One girl even brought in puppets.
Three kids announced that they were going to write to the author himself to determine what really happened. They labored over a letter full of demands & admonishments, but when I informed them that Mr. Stockton had died more than a century ago, their faces scrunched up. “You mean we read something that was that old?” Instead of being upset at his passing, they were amazed at the relevancy & readability of this ancient-to-them fiction. They were so proud of that mile marker. Truthfully, other than snippets of the Bible, it was probably the oldest thing they’d ever read. The way they strutted about, bragging on this accomplishment, Sharpie-ing “I Keep It 100…Years Old!” on the skin of their arms like a tattoo cemented this tale in my trick-bag for years to come.
Short Story 1 (something unexpected)
Title: With Morning Comes Mistfall
Author: George R.R. Martin
Recommended for: Grades 8-10
Basic plot: Without giving too much away, picture a tourist trap called Wraithworld, a planet covered in mists & haunted by allegations of demonic specters. Several lives have been lost in the pursuit of the planet’s dark truths. Several enterprising individuals have vanished. Picture Castle Cloud, a hotel & sort of HQ for wraith-hunters. Picture the romance & dramatic potential of such a place. Then picture a legion of journalists & scientists, determined to prove once & for all the wraiths are merely hearsay.
Why I love it: When you hear the name George R.R. Martin, you probably think of Games of Thrones. But this story is a prize in its own right. At the time of penning it, Martin swore it was the finest thing he ever wrote. The fantasy community agreed, nominating it for Hugo, Nebula, & Locus Awards (this was Martin’s first time being nominated). Martin’s first love & career choice was journalism, & ironically, if it hadn’t been for the success of this story – where the narrator is a journalist who observes the unravelling around him – Martin would’ve pursued that interest instead of writing.
This story tackles a question I myself have struggled with in high school & college. Is truth ALWAYS the answer? Or should some things stay shrouded? The theme – just because you CAN do something, doesn’t mean you SHOULD – has dogged my conscience too many times to count. As someone who lives in a state where so many natural wonders & enigmas are being bulldozed for cookie-cutter homes & retirement communities, I can’t help but sympathize with Sanders, the hotel proprietor, & the world he is desperately trying to preserve. There’s more at stake than just businesses & hospitality industries – there’s also the race to protect one of the last great mysteries of the empire, a way of life that can’t be symbiotic with science. Grapes of wraith, anyone?
Truly, it reminds me of the Chalet Suzanne, a relic of Old Florida where their in-house canning operation sent soup to the Apollo 15 astronauts & their zany, pink-hued, mismatched décor saw the likes of Johnny Carson, Burt Reynolds, Robert Redford & Kevin Costner as guests. The Chalet opened in the 1930s & was the pride of Lake Wales, boasting its own airstrip, sought-after original recipes, & honeymoon cottages. My Dad took me here on a roadtrip back in the early 2000s & it felt like stepping out of a time capsule.
Though it closed nearly a decade ago, unable to sustain the grandeur & way of life that made it famous & unwilling to compromise on that vision, there is talk that it will reopen as a rehab refuge. One can only hope!
Where can you find it? In book form, it’s actually in a collection of short stories called Dreamsongs: A Retrospective, available in paperback from Amazon, eBay, AbeBooks & Thriftbooks (cheapest $2.16 & up, used). Some Barnes & Noble stores would have this in stock in the fantasy section. NOTE – I haven't read & therefore cannot endorse the entire anthology. It is possible some of the other work may not be appropriate for young audiences. Parent discretion is advised.
Otherwise, I recommend signing up for an archive.org account (it’s free!) & reading all 18 pages online with their user-friendly PDF viewer.
If you’re audio-minded, there’s also a wonderful reading by Claudia Black available on Audible & for purchase. You can listen to a sneak-peek on YouTube.
Extension activity: In the story, mistwine is described as “a smoky white wine with a mellow, lingering flavor”. It may be fun to have your kiddo create their own mistwine using ingredients on hand in the kitchen. You would have a mistwine tasting & tell them which concoction was best. For example, combine lemonade with coconut milk, etc.
You can also have your child draw what they think a rockcat looks like. As the rockcats disappear after colonization, have them make a generalization connecting population expansion to wildlife habitat loss. Where else do they see this process in real life? Similarly, have them sketch out a wraith.
Here are some questions I have my students do before, during & after reading:
Biography of the Author – BEFORE READING
....... Fantasy writer George R. R. Martin was born in New Jersey in 1948. He developed a love for writing early on, publishing his first novel in 1977. Martin became a bestseller for his Game of Thrones series, which is now a popular TV show. The oldest of three children, Martin liked to watch suspenseful television shows such as The Twilight Zone. In elementary school, he wrote stories and comic books about monsters and superheroes, and sold them to his classmates. In 1970, he earned a degree in journalism from Northwestern University, and continued to earn his master’s degree. After serving as a college professor in Iowa, Martin began to write science fiction short stories again and even worked on the set of “Beauty and the Beast” in Hollywood, editing scripts and directing episodes. His books have won numerous awards, including an Emmy for best original series, and he is renowned for his masterful plots, in which humans live morally complex lives and follow their own agendas. He lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with his wife.
Anticipation Guide – BEFORE READING
Indicate whether or not you agree or disagree with the following statements.
All the dark corners of the universe should be probed.
I would do whatever it takes – even making up rumors – to protect what’s mine.
Science is the only way to confirm something for sure.
There is no such thing as mythical creatures.
We need to make room for tourism and colonization, even if it means cutting down forests and parks.
Imagination is more important than knowledge.
Choose one of the statements and go in depth about why you agree/disagree.
VOCABULARY – REVIEW BEFORE READING
· wraith – a visible spirit or ghostlike creature.
· barbed – sharp and curved, like a barbed-wire fence; able to cut easily.
· stark – sheer, grim, downright, or complete.
· ramparts – a wall or strong structure to protect a building; a fortification.
· mellow – relaxed; chill; calm; easygoing; genial.
· drab – dull; cheerless; lacking in spirit; boring.
· murky – dark, gloomy, and cheerless.
· syndicate – an agency that buys stories and distributes them to newspapers.
· fanatic – a person with an extreme religious or political view.
· dingy – a dark, dull, or dirty color; not fresh; unclean.
· schism – a division, especially between two groups of people.
· cult – a particular system of religious worship with strange rites and ceremonies.
· plateau – a flat area of land, usually right next to and above deep canyons.
· tendrils – threads or strands of something.
· topography - the detailed mapping or charting of a place’s features.
· lackeys – a follower or suck-up.
· gaggle – an often noisy or disorderly group of people (or geese).
· sleek – smooth, trim and graceful; finely contoured; streamlined.
· synthetic – not real or genuine; artificial; feigned:
CONTEXT VOCAB – DURING READING
Use at least 5 of the words above in a paragraph.
EXAMPLE: Since she was raised in Apopka, Mrs. Wallace knows a lot about the city’s topography. She knows where the highest plateau is in Errol Estates, and she knows where to find alligators in the murky swamps beyond the barbed wire fences of Lake McCoy. She knows Seafood Heaven has the best fries in town, even though she is reluctant to eat them because she doesn’t like consuming the tendrils of greasy food.
3-2-1 Activity – AFTER READING
On a separate sheet of paper, and clearly labeled, CHOOSE:
3 of the following EVALUATE & CONNECT questions to answer;
2 of the INTERPRET questions to answer; and
1 of the RECALL questions to answer.
RECALL
What happens during mistfall and mistrise?
What was Dubowski trying to prove?
Why was Sanders angry at Dubowski?
What happened to Gregor and previous wraith searchers?
What happened to Wraithworld after Dubowski’s discovery?
INTERPRET
Why did everyone except Sanders support Dubowski’s research?
Why might Dubowski’s actions be considered negative?
How do you think the protagonist, the reporter, feels about Dubowski’s findings? How do you know?
What would motivate Sanders to make up the myth about the wraiths?
In your opinion, why does the story end on such a bleak and depressing note? What theme is the author trying to impart?
EVALUATE & CONNECT
The protagonist, the reporter, leaves Wraithworld to do a story about a civil war on another planet. Why does the author have this occur? How does moving the protagonist around impact the reader’s understanding of Wraithworld?
Compare a situation in your own life to the text. Was there ever a mystery you regretted solving or being told the riddle to? Explain.
Is the pursuit of scientific knowledge truly more important than imagination and myth? Or does each of these have its place? Explain.
DISCUSS WITH A PARTNER – AFTER READING
1. Even though the mystery of the wraiths was clearly solved, why might the ending of this particular text not be welcome to the reader? How does the author build suspense, only to have the resolution be less than satisfying?
2. Why was Dubowski so intent on solving the mystery of the wraiths? What did he have to personally gain from denouncing them as fictitious?
3. Do you think the wraiths are real? Or made up? Is it possible for Dubowski to have missed them, and for Sanders to be telling the truth?
4. What side is the protagonist, the newspaper reporter, on? How do you know?
Finally, urge your kiddo to think about one of today’s enduring mysteries (i.e., the Loch Ness Monster, Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, etc.). Have them write a short story in which the mystery is conclusively solved, but leaves a bitter taste in the reader’s mouth. Encourage creativity & outside-the-box thinking.
Short Story 2 (the G.O.A.T. of cliffhangers)
Title: The Lady or the Tiger?
Author: Frank R. Stockton
Recommended for: Grades 7-9
Basic plot: A princess has a forbidden romance with a man below her station. Her father, the king, gets wind of the situation & delivers justice in a way that will have you at the end of your seat. Will the princess interfere to save her lover’s life? Or will he be eaten by a voracious tiger?
Why I love it: This is such a simple plot, truly. You can almost sum it up in one sentence. But the story has so much pizzazz & fanfare. Stockton layered on the anticipation & suspense thicker than the Scream franchise. It plays on the basest of human emotions – rage, jealousy, revenge, betrayal - & it is as barbaric & primitive as it is groundbreaking. Stockton gives the princess the upper-hand, an unprecedented move in literature. A woman!? In charge!? What will she do with this power? You just want to stomp out all of the obstacles. The romantic part of you wants the lovers to be reunited. When it becomes clear that isn’t an option, you hold your breath to see where the scale tips – is envy heavier than ardor?
Where can you find it? This story is literally everywhere. In old paperback anthologies, textbooks, online PDFs, TeachersPayTeachers, etc. A quick internet search should pull up the appropriate link. Here’s my textbook printout:
In case you want something abridged & more accessible to ELLs, try this website:
There’s a great worksheet for using an abbreviated version of this text with younger ages:
Extension activity: Obviously, have your kiddo do a journal entry on their opinion – who was behind the door? Why do they think so? You can even extend this into them writing an alternate ending.
Have them define what a cliffhanger is & identify famous cliffhangers from pop culture (TV shows, films, books, etc.)
One activity my students enjoyed was called “Switch the Tiger!” They had to put something else fearsome or daunting behind the door. This was a fun 3-minute bellwork.
I actually teach both of these short stories in the same unit. So here are some test questions I do in conjunction:
EXTRA CREDIT OPPORTUNITY
Choose 3 of the themes above that you think apply to both texts. Put a star by them.
TRUE/FALSE
Decide if each of the following statements are true or false. If they are True, write “T” on the line provided. If they are False, write “F” on the line provided.
___. 11. Both the princess and her father can be described as barbaric.
___. 12. The young man feels doleful about his fate.
___. 13. A tribunal allowed Dubowski to conduct his research on the wraiths.
___. 14. Wraithworld can be described as a stark, murky wasteland.
___. 15. The reporter’s syndicate asked him to cover New Refuge civil war.
___. 16. Despite the mists, Sanders knows Wraithworld’s topography.
___. 17. Both ramparts and parapets are parts of a building’s structure.
___. 18. Both the king and Dubowski could be described as genial.
___. 19. Both the king and Dubowski could be described as impartial.
___. 20. Since they don’t exist, it’s fair to say the wraiths are synthetic.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
21. Why is Stockton’s cliffhanger approach in “The Lady or the Tiger?” effective at engaging the reader’s interest? (Choose the BEST answer).
a) It avoids choosing a side that will offend someone.
b) It allows the reader to use their imagination to come to a conclusion.
c) It is so frustrating that readers will remember it for years to come.
d) Readers can relate to the high drama of ancient times.
22. Unlike Stockton, Martin gives his story a definitive ending. How does this approach effectively portray the theme?
a) By describing Castle Cloud in ruins, Martin makes a statement about greed.
b) By describing the decline of Wraithworld, Martin shows how bleak a world without mystery is.
c) By describing mistwine and the factories, Martin shows how progress is good for Wraithworld’s economy.
d) By describing the reporter’s memories of mists, Martin shows how the reporter was guilty for not interfering.
23. What character in “The Lady or the Tiger?” does Dubowski most resemble, and why?
a) The princess, because Dubowski allowed himself to be overcome by pride and stubbornness.
b) The king, because Dubowski treated Wraithworld the same way the king treated the young man.
c) The tiger, because it was hungry for food in the same way Dubowski was hungry for scientific knowledge.
d) All of the above.
24. How do both authors build suspense and anticipation within their plot?
a) Both authors take time to flesh out each side of a conflict
b) Both authors have unrealistic settings where anything can happen
c) Stockton describes the jealousy of the princess and the ferocity of the tiger, while Martin describes ghostly encounters and doomed expeditions
d) Both A and C
25. What do both Sanders and the young man from “The Lady or the Tiger?” have in common?
a) Both have someone else deciding their fate
b) Both were motivated by love for something else
c) Both resort to lying to protect what is precious to them
d) Both A and B
SHORT RESPONSE
Refer back to the essential questions below. Choose one to answer in an academic paragraph. Use evidence from the text(s) to support your reasoning.
What emotions can overpower love?
What would a world with no mysteries be like?
Though this wasn’t a cliffhanger ending, how are the themes of “With Morning Comes Mistfall” and “The Lady or the Tiger?” similar? What are each author’s thoughts about mysteries? How do you know?
There you have it, folks. My two favorite short stories. My most fervent wish is that you love them as much as I do & that you pass them on to the next generation so that others may also savor the texts.
Thanks for tuning in! Keep the pages turning until we meet again.
Love,
Sash
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