Reviews of American Gothic Tales - Part Two

This is a short story review of "The Temple" by Joyce Carol Oates, "Little Things" by Raymond Carver, and "Time and Again" by Breece D'J Pancake.

They are found in the anthology titled American Gothic Tales edited by Joyce Carol Oates. If you enjoy Gothic Literature, you will enjoy this anthology.

The Temple

The main character was a woman. She heard mysterious sounds and didn't know where they were located. As she continued to search in the direction of the sounds, she finally realized where they were located. Finally, the woman started digging a hole in her yard. As she kept digging, she continued to hear the sounds. She responded to the sounds by saying that she was there and wasn't going to leave. Suddenly she hit something hard. She was shocked at what she saw. She continued to dig until she removed the hidden objects. Now, you will have to see what happened.

This was an intriguing story. If you like suspense, you will enjoy reading The Temple.

Little Things

This was a very short story, but it was interesting. It was about a couple who were arguing. The man was packing his things and his wife was yelling at him and telling him that she was glad he was leaving. Then, she picked up the baby's picture and left the room. He wanted the picture back, but she refused. After that, she picked up the baby. She didn't want her husband to take the baby. They argued about the baby. Now, you'll have to read the story to find out what happened. Who got the baby? Was it the father? Was it the mother? Did someone else enter the story and take the baby?

Both of these stories were short and easy to read. The endings were not what you would expect. That's what makes them suspenseful. You want to keep reading until you find out what happens. Now, we'll look at another short story in this anthology.

Time and Again

Time and Again was told in first person. It started out with the narrator saying that Mr. Weeks wanted him to go out again that night. He was also concerned about his son. He hadn't returned. He left the kitchen light on so his son could see when he arrived. He also had hogs on his farm. It was snowing that night, and he had to go out in his cab. The cars were backed up and some drivers were rushing around him. Throughout the story, he told what had happened, and that he picked up a boy who was hitchhiking. During their conversation, they were talking about what people found at the bottom of Lovers' Leap. Now, you'll have to read the story to find out what happened.

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