Ray Bradbury: The Playground. Summary and analysis

Ray Bradbury: The Playground. Summary and analysis

The Playground is a short story by Ray Bradbury, published in 1952 in the collection The Illustrated Man. The story follows Charles Underhill, a widowed man who, after the death of his wife, becomes obsessed with protecting his son Jim from the dangers of childhood. When his sister Carol decides to take the boy to a playground, Underhill visits him and is horrified by the brutality with which the children play. As his anxiety grows, he faces a disturbing decision that will lead him to question how far he is willing to go to save his son.

Ray Bradbury: The Dragon

Ray Bradbury: The Dragon

“The Dragon” is a short story by Ray Bradbury published in Esquire in August 1955. It tells the story of two men waiting by a fire in a desolate nocturnal wasteland, fearful of the presence of a legendary dragon that devours solitary travelers. The darkness and the cold increase their anxiety as they talk about the terrifying beast, described as having eyes of fire and deadly breath. As the night progresses, the men prepare for an inevitable confrontation. When the dragon appears, they don their armor and mount their horses, marching towards an inevitable clash with their destiny.

Ray Bradbury: A Careful Man Dies. Summary and analysis

Ray Bradbury: A Careful Man Dies. Summary and analysis

A Careful Man Dies is a short story by Ray Bradbury published in November 1946 in New Detective Magazine. The story follows Robert Douglas, a meticulous writer with hemophilia, a disease that can cause death from any wound. He has organized his life with extreme care to avoid risks, but everything changes when he receives a mysterious package that hides a deadly trap. He soon realizes that someone wants to kill him in a subtle and undetectable way. His world becomes a dangerous survival game as he tries to discover who is behind the attacks.

The Stories of Ray Bradbury

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Discover the best stories by Ray Bradbury, master of science fiction and fantasy. Explore unforgettable tales of the future, nostalgia and the fantastic, such as The Other Foot and There Will Come Soft Rains. Read his complete stories and immerse yourself in his unique imagination.

Ray Bradbury: The Small Assassin. Summary and analysis

Ray Bradbury: The Small Assassin. Summary and analysis

The Small Assassin, a short story by Ray Bradbury published in 1946, is a disturbing psychological horror story that explores fear and paranoia in motherhood. Alice Leiber, after a complicated delivery, develops an irrational rejection of her baby, convinced that there is something strange about him. Her husband, David, tries to help her, while Dr. Jeffers attributes her fear to an emotional disorder. However, as unexplained events occur, the sense of threat grows, and what seems like a simple obsession becomes terrifyingly real.

Ray Bradbury: The Small Assassin

Ray Bradbury: The Small Assassin

In “The Small Assassin,” a short story by Ray Bradbury published in 1946, a woman named Alice Leiber experiences an intense fear of her newborn son, convinced that the baby wants to hurt her. Despite the support of her husband and the doctors, Alice feels alone in her struggle, perceiving a sinister connection with her son that nobody else seems to notice.