Short Story Connections

By Eleanor Bates

Cask of AmontilladoWith every year that came to pass

More clouds appeared 'til the sky went black And there was no sunlight, no sunlight And there was no sunlight, no sunlight anymore

It disappeared with the same speed As the idealistic things

I believed The optimist died inside of me

No sunlight, no sunlight

- No Sunlight by Death Cab for Cutie

The song No Sunlight by Death Cab for Cutie and the short story Cask of

Amontillado by Edgar Allen Poe are very similar. The song figuratively

represents Fortunado because whatever he may have done to Montresor is catching up to him, darkening his horizons. Also, this

literally represents him because he never saw sunlight again. Like “the

optimist died inside of me”, any hopes or dreams Fortunado had for his life died inside of him when he was left

alone to die.

Cask of Amontillado

This picture, taken by Amos Chapple, and the short story Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allen Poe are connected. This picture starts at the top bright and stretching on for miles, like Fortunado begins the story happy and with his future. However, both soon transition into darkness and shadows. The mountains represent how Fortunado cannot escape the chains he is bound in.

The Lady or the Tiger?

How can I sleep at night, there’s a war inside my head?I found a lion hidden right beneath my bedI will not hide myself from the tears that you have shedCause I am a lion and you are dead

- Lion by Hollywood Undead

Many of the feelings of the princess from The Lady or the Tiger by Frank R. Stockton can be seen in the song

Lion by Hollywood Undead. The lyrics “how can I sleep at night, there’s a war inside my head?”

directly relate to the feelings of the princess leading up to the trial since she is so conflicted. “I will not hide

myself from the tears that you have shed” is similar to how the princess

cannot hide from her lover’s fate and tears.

The Lady or the Tiger?

The Lady or the Tiger by Frank R. Stockton and this photo taken by Kevin Cook show many parallels. The boys in the photograph are like the man from the story, unable to know where they are going. The princess acts as the sun, guided them in her direction – whether that is good or bad. Like the man, the boys may think the sun will lead them to safety, but like the princess, the sun may not be as trustable as they thought.

The Most Dangerous Game

‘Cause I’m bleeding outSo if the last thing that I doIs to bring you downI’ll bleed out for youSo I bare my skinAnd I count my sinsAnd I close my eyesAnd I take it inAnd I’m bleeding outI’m bleeding out for you (for you)

When the hour is nighAnd hopelessness is sinking inAnd the wolves all cryTo fill the night with holleringWhen your eyes are redAnd emptiness is all you knowWith the darkness fedI will be your scarecrow

- Bleeding Out by Imagine Dragons

In The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell, the characters accept that one

of them will die and play a “game” which appears fair at first. But really,

General Zaroff has the advantage because he has lived there longer and

played the game before. “Hopelessness is sinking in and the wolves all cry” represents how Rainsford must feel when he is alone and can hear the general’s wolves in the distance.

“Emptiness is all you know” represents the general because he does not seem to have anyone he cares about or who

cares about him, leading him to channel all his emotion into hunting and eventually leaving him empty.

The Most Dangerous Game“Self defense is a human right.” This picture, taken by Ben Garvin,

immediately connected to The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell. In the short story, General Zaroff creates a game where self defense is not only a right, but a necessity for life. If either human does not execute self defense tactics, they will be dead quite quickly.

This picture is also interesting because it specifies self defense as a human right. Animals, like those the general killed, use self defense anyway, and, like a

human, it may just not be a good enough match for whatever poses a

threat to it. That relates to the general and Rainsford – Rainsford at first

appears like a well suited match for the general, but soon shows his intelligence

is superior to that of the general.

The Lottery

'Cause I'm broken when I'm openAnd I don't feel like I am strong enough'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesomeAnd I don't feel right when you're gone away

- Broken by Seether feat. Amy Lee

“’Cause I’m broken when I’m lonesome.” Tessie must feel broken in The Lottery by Shirley Jackson, because no one is

supporting her when she is about to die. “I don’t feel like I am strong enough.”

Tessie knows she is not strong enough to win her argument and live.

The Lottery

In The Lottery by Shirley Jackson, Tessie feels alone when she has be chosen to be stoned. In this picture taken by Dylan Martinez, the lone seagull is heading off toward the dark and gloomy horizon. Typically birds stick together, as do humans. However, in both situations the creatures are alone as they search for an escape.

Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?

In this farewellThere’s no bloodThere’s no alibi‘Cause I’ve drawn regretFrom the truthOf a thousand lies

So let mercy comeAnd wash awayWhat I’ve done

I'll face myselfTo cross out what I’ve becomeErase myselfAnd let go of what I’ve done

- What I’ve Done by Linkin Park

In the short story Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? by Joyce Oates, the main character Connie eventually leaves with

Arnold Friend without putting up a fight. She may finally realize that

her previous actions led to this, and it is her punishment. This realization

is similar to that in the song What I’ve Done by Linkin Park. “Let mercy

come and wash away what I’ve done.” Perhaps Connie thinks this

will make up for what she has done in the past.

Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?

The woman in this picture taken by Jon Gambrell seems dazed and confused just like Connie in Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been by Joyce Carol Oates. Her vision is clouded by smoke like Connie’s mind was clouded by Arnold Friend. Connie felt lost and confused after she picked up the phone so she moved toward the only thing she recognized – Arnold. This is represented in the picture by how the woman is moving toward the only thing she can see – the light.

Orientation

Say what you need to say Say what you need to say

Say what you need to saySay what you need to say

Say what you need to say Say what you need to say

Say what you need to say Say what you need to say

- Say by John Mayer

Like Orientation by Daniel Orozco, Say by John Mayer is very repeatative. The speaker in Orientation also says what

he/she needs to say for the other person to be sucessful.

Orientation

This picture is similar to Orientation by Daniel Orozco because the speaker explains everything very basically and repetitively. The information given is very black and white and easy to follow, like the pattern of the picture.