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Project Gutenberg
2016-01-04
Public domain in the USA.
193
Sheckley, Robert
1928
2005
Barbee, Phillips
Lang, Ned
O'Donnevan, Finn
Barbee, Phillip
Emshwiller, Ed
1925
1990
Emsh
Emsh, Ed
Alexander, Ed
Emshwiller, Edmund A.
Willer
EMSH
Proof of the Pudding
Produced from Galaxy Science Fiction August 1952
Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
"Proof of the Pudding" by Robert Sheckley is a science fiction short story written in the early 1950s. The narrative explores themes of creation and reality through the eyes of a man who believes he is the last human on Earth after a devastating war has obliterated life on the planet. With the newfound ability to create anything he imagines, he grapples with existential questions about existence and companionship. The story follows a nameless male protagonist who, while contemplating his existence and reflecting on humanity's destructive past, unexpectedly encounters a woman named Joan in a cave. As they form a bond, he uses his creative powers to make a lavish city and offers her a new life free from the war's memories. However, his skepticism about her reality leads to philosophical debates between them about creation and existence. Ultimately, Joan helps him confront his insecurities and offers a glimpse of hope and connection amidst the desolation, with their relationship symbolizing a new beginning in a world marked by destruction. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Reading ease score: 85.3 (6th grade). Easy to read.
en
Science fiction
Short stories
Apocalyptic fiction
PS
Text
Science Fiction
Category: Short Stories
Category: Science-Fiction & Fantasy
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