The Simpsons
In preparing for next school year, it occurs to me that the only thing worse than reading these stories, is having to teach with them. Kids, let me save you some time…
The Most Dangerous Game: Oh, please…the most dangerous game is hunting an unarmed man across a private island? Pffffft! Everyone over the age of sixteen knows that the most dangerous game on Earth is playing “Just the Tip”.
The Metamorphosis: If you turn into a giant monster, your family will throw apples at you, wait for you to die, and then take a nice train ride in the country to celebrate. It’s a pretty thin metaphor, teenagers…take note.
The Lottery: This story is actually ridiculously accurate, because, like Tessie, when you win the lottery, everyone you know is going to pelt you, only it will be with lawsuits and monetary requests, rather than stones. And, yes, kids, it IS a little like the Hunger Games…only no one is remotely sexy, so the story is shorter to make up for it.
Flowers For Algernon: Oh, a depressive two-fer!? We get to mourn an adorable animal AND a mentally disabled man? Great. Now, where did I put that katana and cyanide? I know I put it somewhere. Damn it.
The Monkey’s Paw: They wish for 200 pounds and the next day their son is killed, and they are given that exact amount of money, as a settlement. Great, now I get to cringe every single time my kids throw a penny in a fountain. Is anyone else concerned about what happened to the rest of the monkey? I bet if you hadn’t chopped off his paw, he wouldn’t be such a dick. Although, this story does have a zombie, and zombies are gold…just ask Hollywood.
The Gift of the Magi: Hey, guys, that watch is gone forever, but guess whose hair is going to grow back? Yeah, that’s right…women are smarter when it comes to shopping retail. Who’s naive now?
Fisticuffs and Shenanigans 
this is probably spot on. since I can only remember reading Flowers for Algernon (vaguely) – I have no true idea whether it is or not. but, it does remind me of a post I am going to write (sometime) about the fact that somehow boy child made AP English in which they have summer homework. he has to read ONE book and be prepared to dissect it. he had several books to choose from. we bought them all. girl 1 read all of them before he had even decided which book he would pick. she (is younger than him) has given him a short synopsis (last night she told him she would WRITE one for him) of each book to make it easier for him to choose. cheesus. does anyone else find this humorous and a bit wacky?
I think we need to get these girls together and let them Krelboyne it up. lol 🙂