Can you recommend some 'man vs self short story' books?

One great man vs self short story is 'The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde' by Robert Louis Stevenson. It shows the internal struggle between Dr. Jekyll's good self and the evil Mr. Hyde within him. Another is 'A Rose for Emily' by William Faulkner, where Emily has an inner conflict related to her past and her relationship with the town. Also, 'The Yellow Wallpaper' by Charlotte Perkins Gilman depicts a woman's battle with her own mental state.

One example is in 'The Yellow Wallpaper'. The narrator is fighting her own mental state. She is restricted by society's view of women's mental health and her own lack of agency, but mainly she is in a battle with her own deteriorating mind. Another example could be a short story where a man has to choose between following his heart's passion or taking a more secure but unfulfilling career path, and he struggles internally with this decision.

In short stories, the 'man vs self' conflict often shows a character's internal struggle. For example, in 'The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde', Dr. Jekyll battles with his own dark side represented by Mr. Hyde. This internal fight can be about moral choices, self - identity, or overcoming personal fears. It makes the character more complex and the story more engaging as readers get to peek into the character's mind and see the battle within.

Another one is 'To Build a Fire' by Jack London. Although it's mainly about man vs nature, there is also an element of man vs man in a sense. The man in the story is pitted against his own pride and lack of respect for the wilderness which can be seen as an internal 'man' he is fighting against, leading to his downfall.

Sure. 'The Most Dangerous Game' is a great man vs man short story. It's about a hunter who becomes the hunted on an island. Another one is 'The Cask of Amontillado' where one man takes revenge on another in a very chilling way. Also, 'To Build a Fire' can be seen as a man vs man story in a sense, as the man battles against the unforgiving nature which can be considered as an adversary, just like another man would be.

Guilt is another common theme. Like in 'The Scarlet Letter', Hester Prynne battles with her own sense of guilt for her sin while also trying to find a way to live with herself and in society. And in 'Macbeth', Macbeth is haunted by his guilty conscience after his heinous deeds, which is a form of man vs self struggle.

Another one is 'Fight Club' by Chuck Palahniuk. The unnamed narrator is torn between his dull, conformist life and the wild, anarchic world he creates in Fight Club. He has an internal struggle with his own identity, consumerism, and masculinity, which is exacerbated by his relationship with Tyler Durden.

In many ways, it is. The pearl presents the character's internal battle with their own desires, fears, and moral choices, which makes it a man vs self story.

Sure. 'The Most Dangerous Game' is a great one. It's about a hunter who becomes the hunted on an island. Another is 'The Cask of Amontillado', where one man takes revenge on another in a very dark and creepy way. And 'To Build a Fire' shows a man's struggle against another man's overconfidence in the face of nature.

One man vs self story could be about a person trying to overcome their fear of public speaking. They constantly battle their own insecurities and self - doubt. Every time they are about to speak in public, their mind fills with negative thoughts like 'I'm going to mess up' or 'People will laugh at me'. But eventually, through self - motivation and practice, they manage to stand on the stage and deliver a great speech.