The Story of a Panic by E.M. Forster
The Story of a Panic is a short story written by E.M. Forster in 1927. It tells the story of a young man named George who suffers from panic attacks and anxiety disorder. The story begins with George sitting on a park bench, feeling anxious and overwhelmed. He then decides to go for a walk to try and calm himself down. As he walks through the city streets, he becomes increasingly agitated and starts to feel like he is being watched by someone or something. He eventually finds himself in a crowded marketplace where he feels even more anxious and overwhelmed. George then decides to leave the marketplace and return home, but as he walks through the city streets once again, he begins to experience another panic attack. The story ends with George sitting on his park bench, feeling exhausted and defeated by his anxiety disorder.
By E.M. Forster · Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Psychological Fiction · 3 chapters · 10,037 words
First lines
Eustace's career -- if career it can be called -- certainly dates from that afternoon in the chestnut woods above Ravello. I confess at once that I am a plain, simple man, with no pretensions to literary style. Still, I do flatter myself that I can tell a story without exaggerating, and I have therefore decided to give an unbiassed account of the extraordinary events of eight years ago.
What this Textopian page supports
The Story of a Panic is listed on Textopian as a novella by E.M. Forster, dated Date unknown.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novella
- Author: E.M. Forster
- Date: Date unknown
- Language: English
- Genres: Fantasy, Adventure, Psychological Fiction, Drama, Coming of Age
- Length: 10,037 words
- Structure: 3 chapters, 216 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Story of a Panic by E.M. Forster
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Story of a Panic?
- How does this novella by E.M. Forster fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fantasy first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Mad Dog by Dr Goldsmith
- Another Mans Wife Or The Husband Under The Bed An Extraordinary Adventure by Fyodor Dostoevsky
- The Observers by Gilbert Frankau
- The Face by Frederic Manning
- Colin by E. F. Benson
- The Pace That Kills by Edgar Saltus
Genres
- Fantasy — The novel presents an element of the supernatural with the main character becoming enamored with the mythological nymphs. This overlays a fantastical element onto an otherwise ordinary setting.
- Adventure — The narrative tells the story of a group's journey to Greece and the subsequent thrilling adventure they encounter there.
- Psychological Fiction — Much of the plot involves the characters' psychological reactions and trauma surrounding their encounter with mythological creatures.
- Drama — The novel features a series of dramatic incidents that result in character development and a deepening understanding of the protagonist's psyche.
Tags
panic · anxiety · society · human behavior · psychological · narrative · conflict · emotions · fear · tension · social commentary · character study