Reference no: EM132307048

Assignment: Choose two of the assigned stories from The Seagull Book of Stories to address the prompt below.

1. William Faulkner, "A Rose for Emily" p. 154

2. Nathaniel Hawthorne, "Young Goodman Brown" p. 188

3. Edgar Allan Poe, "The Cask of Amontillado" p. 401

This week's short stories are often considered in the horror or supernatural genre of literature, and in these texts, the authors consider questions of moral ambiguity and challenge both personal and cultural ideas of right and wrong. Use two of the assigned texts to discuss the following: How does storytelling enforce what is considered normal or moral by showing the reader/listener the opposite? Do your chosen texts seem to suggest, as Hawthorne's "dark man" puts it that "Evil is the nature of mankind" (199) or do these stories illustrate that people are generally good and society corrupts? Is there a lesson to be learned from your stories or are they purely entertainment?

Be specific! Use details and at least one brief quote to support your claims and engage both of your chosen texts.