Great American Short Stories

Death, murder, fatal illness, and grief are recurring literary subjects in several classic stories.

Brief, non-gratuitous descriptions may appear in gothic stories like those by Poe.

Language is formal and period-accurate; offensive terms are generally absent or reflect historical usage.

Religious and moralistic themes are central to several works by Hawthorne and others.

Courtship, marriage, attraction, betrayal, and complicated adult relationships appear in multiple selections.

Several stories use Gothic dread, suspense, disturbing psychology, death, and frightening situations. The intensity varies across the anthology, with much of the fear conveyed through atmosphere rather than graphic scenes.

Very light, subtle implication occasionally present, consistent with the era's literary style.

Alcohol consumption is occasionally depicted as part of the social or character context.

Some stories contain atmospheric or historical violence consistent with classical literature themes.