Paranoia (short story)
"Paranoia" is a short story by Shirley Jackson first published on August 5, 2013 in The New Yorker long after the authors death in 1965. Jackson's children found the story in her papers in the Library of Congress.[1] It has since been reprinted in Dark Tales (2016).
Background[]
According to Jackson's son, Laurence Jackson Hyman, in an interview with The New Yorker:[1]
the story was most likely written in the early 1940s, during World War II. So there would have been a constant sense of danger and distrust in the air, both in relation to foreign countries and in relation to the U.S. government's attempts to uncover espionage at home.
Plot[]
In Manhattan, businessman Mr. Halloran Beresford, leaves his office happy and jolly after a busy day at work pleased with remembering his wife's birthday. He buys chocolates on the way home and plans to take his wife out to romantic dinner and a show. But his commute to home becomes fraught with panic as he believes someone is stalking him, as other people then seem to be part of the plot. Eventually, he manages to reach home, but then he still may not be safe...
Theme[]
The story’s title, 'Paranoia', implies that this is all in Mr Beresford’s mind, which is misinterpreting or distorting the world around him.[2]
References[]
- ^ a b Analysis of 'Paranoia' by Shirley Jackson Retrieved 16/11/2021.
- ^ 'Paranoia', by Shirley Jackson Retrieved 16/11/2021.
External links[]
- 2013 short stories
- Works originally published in The New Yorker
- Short stories by Shirley Jackson