The fiction section from Laurence Perrine's all-time bestselling introduction to literature, this concise, authoritative text provides a complete overview of the essential elements of fiction, along with a diverse selection of stories to illustrate them. This reliable, well-written classic has introduced thousands of students to the serious study of fiction, yet it remains vital and compelling for today's readers, presenting the most important and engaging stories available in a single collection. The section on three featured writers, James Joyce, Flannery O'Connor, and Joyce Carol Oates, includes three stories by each author, as well as essays by noted critics on their works.