“The Summer People” by Shirley Jackson

There is a short story that I think about a lot. This short story has aspects that I like, and I think the ending will stick with me.

Here's why "The Summer People" by Shirley Jackson will be remembered by me.

First off, I will say, this story left me feeling very uncomfortable. Which surprised me as not many stories make me scared. The ending set chills down my spine, even though nothing extreme happens. (Spoilers may occur after this point)

As the husband and wife sat in the silent dark, a couple of outcomes popped into my mind (thanks to watching horror movies, I thought of all the things that could happen). While I thought of what would come next, Jackson decided to close up her story with an open-ended ending. Who knows what happens to the couple. Did a break-in happen? Did the townspeople sabotage them to their breaking point? Or were the events that happened to the couple simply a warning?

But this is why I loved this story. I love it because the ending felt normal yet unnatural. The couple's situation, with the power shutting off and the radio dying, often happens, especially during the rainy season (creating a familiar situation). However, the way Jackson describes the scene and her timing of revealing the thought process of our two main characters makes the scene feel icky and uncomfortable. So unnatural.

If Jackson had brought these thoughts up earlier in the story, it would have had a different tone.