Short stories | Lecturia

Bertolt Brecht: The unseemly old lady

“The Unseemly Old Lady” (Die unwürdige Greisin) is a short story by Bertolt Brecht, written in 1939 and first published in the collection Kalendergeschichten (1949). It recounts the life of a woman who, after her husband’s death, finds herself faced with a dilemma: whether to depend on her children or fend for herself. Against all expectations, she rejects her family’s guardianship and chooses to live alone, accepting only modest financial support. From that moment on, she begins to chart her own course through small acts of independence that bewilder her children and arouse the curiosity of the townspeople.

Harlan Ellison: All the Sounds of Fear

Harlan Ellison - Todos los sonidos del miedo

“All the Sounds of Fear” is a short story by Harlan Ellison, published in 1962 in the collection Ellison Wonderland. It recounts the extraordinary career of the actor Richard Becker, who develops a revolutionary acting technique based on total immersion in his characters—living them in reality in order to achieve absolute authenticity on stage. Over the course of twenty-four years, Becker conquers Broadway with legendary characterizations, turning down offers from Hollywood because he believes his art requires the reality of the theater. However, his extreme dedication to assuming other identities drags him toward a breaking point where the line between actor and character fades away irretrievably.

H. P. Lovecraft: The Tomb

“The Tomb,” a psychological horror story by H.P. Lovecraft, published in 1922, immerses us in the disturbing story of Jervas Dudley, a young man obsessed with an ancient family mausoleum. Narrated in the first person, the story offers a disturbing journey through the disturbed mind of Dudley, who claims to have established a supernatural connection with the ancient occupants of the tomb. As the story progresses, the line between the protagonist’s delusions and supernatural events becomes blurred, leaving the reader in a state of uncertainty about the veracity of the events narrated.

Juan Rulfo: Macario

“Macario,” a short story by Juan Rulfo included in El llano en llamas (1953), is an intimate narrative that immerses us in the world of a young man with an intellectual disability under the care of his godmother. Caught between violence and tenderness, Macario finds solace in his relationship with Felipa, an alternative maternal figure. The narration captures his daily struggle, his simple desires, and his peculiar view of life, offering a window into his deepest thoughts and his marginal existence.

María Fernanda Ampuero: Ali

“Ali” is a short story by Ecuadorian writer María Fernanda Ampuero, published in 2018 in the book Pelea de gallos. It tells the story of Ali, a kind-hearted woman who, unlike other women in her social circle, is unusually generous and attentive to those who work in her home. However, as time goes by, her behavior begins to change in a disturbing way. Through the collective voice of the workers, the story shows domestic life from the inside and gives a glimpse of how, in that everyday space, tensions and memories accumulate, destabilizing the apparent normality of the home.

Flannery O’Connor: A Good Man Is Hard to Find

“A Good Man Is Hard to Find” is a short story by Flannery O’Connor, published in 1953. A family from the southern United States embarks on a vacation trip to Florida. During the trip, the grandmother entertains her grandchildren with stories from her youth. Captivated, the children insist on taking a detour to visit an old plantation that their grandmother mentions in her stories. Despite the father’s resistance, he finally gives in to family pressure and takes a rural road suggested by his mother. This seemingly innocuous decision will lead the group to an unexpected encounter with destiny.