These short stories about bullying all have bullies and people being bullied. They tend to focus on younger people, but there are some that feature adults as well. While stories like this often have the bullies learning a lesson and justice getting served, be warned that not all of them are happily resolved. I hope you find a suitable short story about bullying here. See also:
Find a Short Story About Bullying
“Nemesis” by Kirsten Miller
The narrator is investigating a new client, Clea. She watches as Clea exits her school and heads for the bus stop. She rushes and looks fearful. A group of girls spot Clea and follow her. The narrator takes some pictures. Clea gets on the bus but the driver waits for the others. The narrator gets on as well. She runs a website called NEMESIS, which exposes bullies. She intends to gather the evidence she needs.
“Nemesis” is the first selection in the anthology Cornered: 14 Stories of Bullying and Defiance. Most of the story can be read in the Amazon preview.
“The Double House” by Nancy Hale
Robert is an eleven-year old who’s weak, different and unpopular at school. He gets strength from his father, a happy and encouraging man who assures him that things will improve when he gets older. (Summary)
This story can be read in the sample of Where the Light Falls: Selected Stories of Nancy Hale (55% in).
“Sunday in the Park” by Bel Kaufman
Morton and his wife sit on a park bench while their young son, Larry, plays in the sandbox with another boy. Everyone is contented and happy until the boy suddenly throws a shovel full of sand at Larry. (Summary & Theme)
“Day of the Butterfly” by Alice Munro
Helen remembers Myra, a girl from her Grade Six class. Myra is isolated and gets bullied, and doesn’t play with the other girls. One day Helen catches up with Myra as they’re walking to school. They have a little talk, and Helen thinks they’ll be friendly with each other now. (Summary)
“Hailey’s Shooting Star” by Steven Carman
Hailey’s visiting her aunt and uncle at their new house. She goes down the street to a basketball hoop that a neighbor let’s everyone use. Two boys arrive soon after. They say girls can’t play there, especially girls with one hand.
This story can be read in the preview of Tales from the Bully Box. (45% in)
“The 400-Pound CEO” by George Saunders
Jeffrey works for Humane Racoon Alternatives, a company that removes racoons from people’s property and supposedly releases them into nature far away. He’s obese and is mocked by his coworkers and boss, who’s a particularly unpleasant man. Jeffrey has feelings for Freeda, a coworker, but she’s repulsed by him. (Summary)
“The Black-Eye-of-the-Month Club” by Sherman Alexie
The narrator was born with water on the brain. He explains what this means, and outlines the wide variety of other physical difficulties and peculiarities he suffered from. He definitely stood out as different, and was treated as such.
“The Black-Eye-of-the-Month Club” is the first story in the preview of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. This amazing novel can also be read as a series of connected short stories. They’re often excerpted in this way. If you haven’t read any of it yet, you’re in for a treat.
“Marigolds” by Eugenia W. Collier
Lizabeth recalls a time when she was fourteen, in Maryland, during the Depression. A woman in her neighborhood, Miss Lottie, lives in a dilapidated home, but has a colorful marigold garden. She’s an outcast, and the children make her a target of taunts. (Summary & Analysis)
This is the first story in the preview of Breeder and Other Stories.
“Child’s Play” by Edmund Crispin
Judith has just been hired as governess at the Snyder household. She’ll be caring for the three Snyder children—Eve, Tony and Camilla—and Pamela Catesby, who’s parents were killed a month ago. Judith has misgivings about Mrs. Snyder and her children, but she likes Pamela immediately. Judith tries to help Pamela acclimate to her new home. She also wants to find out what happened to her parents.
This story can be read in the preview of Bodies in the Library 4. (13% in)
“Celia Behind Me” by Isabel Huggan
Celia is a chubby, diabetic young girl. The narrator, Elizabeth, has been ordered by her mother to be nice to Celia. Elizabeth doesn’t like Celia at all and tries to avoid being ostracized by her classmates. The mental strain escalates, bringing Elizabeth to a breaking point. (Summary)
Short Stories About Bullying, Cont’d
“Part-Time Job” by P. D. James
When the narrator was twelve years old, he vowed to kill his school bully, Keith Manston-Green. He was tormented by him for six years. When school ended, he kept track of Keith’s movements and carefully planned his revenge.
This story can be read in the preview of The Detection Collection. (22% in)
“Live This Down” by Neil Krolicki
Three girls are at a hotel, getting ready to combine the ingredients in the tub that will produce poison gas. They got it off the internet after hearing a news report about Japanese citizens using it to kill themselves. They prep the bathroom, making it as airtight as possible. They put up a sign warning the staff not to enter. Each girl has had a life-altering social experience.
This story can be read in the preview of Burnt Tongues Anthology. (32% in)
“Calved” by Sam J. Miller
A father sees his son, Thede, after being away on a job for three months. Thede has changed; he’s a teenager so he’s grown some, but more importantly his demeanor is different. His eyes are flat and joyless. They have trouble connecting. Thede’s mother says he’s having some trouble at school with bullies. The dad has a sentimental gift for Thede that he hopes will turn the tide.
This story can be read in the preview of The Best Science Fiction of the Year: Volume 1. (32% in)
“Cemetery Path” by Leonard Q. Ross
Ivan is known in his village as a timid, fearful man. When he walks home at night he goes the long way around the cemetery, even though it’s cold. One night he is challenged to cross the cemetery. (Summary & Analysis)
“Sir Hercules” by Aldous Huxley
Hercules is born very small and his growth is slow. His parents seek a cure but nothing helps. His adult height is 3 feet 2 inches. His parents die early, and at twenty-one, Hercules inherits a considerable fortune and estate. Feeling uncomfortable in the presence of full-grown people, Hercules decides to retire from public life and remodel his estate to suit his size. He replaces the large dogs his father had with small ones and finds servants of small stature to tend the household.
“In the Warehouse” by Joyce Carol Oates
Ronnie is thirteen and big for her age, while her friend Sarah is twelve and smaller. Ronnie causes trouble at school. Once she tried to get Sarah to corroborate a false story about a teacher, but she refused. Sarah does almost everything Ronnie says. Ronnie pinches her and rubs her face in the dirt. They sometimes go to an abandoned warehouse to hang out and look for things. Ronnie insists they go there now. Along the way, she says negative things about the people living in the area.
“Thoughts and Prayers” by Ken Liu
Hayley is remembered by her family. The each feel guilty and deal with her death in their own way. Her mother, who has always valued pictures, finds some solace in posting lots of pictures of her. Hayley becomes a symbol for gun control, and her mother makes public speaking appearances. With all the online material available, the trolls come out in full force.
“Trying to Save Piggy Sneed” by John Irving
The narrator became a writer because of his grandmother’s kindness and a retarded garbage collector from his neighborhood when he was young. The man was Piggy Sneed. He lived with his pigs and acted like them too. The children took pleasure in teasing and scaring him.
Read “Trying to Save Piggy Sneed”
“A Poetics For Bullies” by Stanley Elkin
A bully, known as Push, hates kids of all sorts. He knows all manner of tricks and methods for bullying. One day, Eugene, one of his regular victims, comes by to tell him about a new kid. Push forces him to drink copious amounts of water while getting the details.
“Galloping Foxley” by Roald Dahl
A man’s morning routine commute to work is disturbed by a new train passenger. He eventually identifies the newcomer as an old school mate who tormented him terribly.
“All Summer in a Day” by Ray Bradbury
Humans are living on Venus. The children are eagerly awaiting an event that scientists have confirmed: it will stop raining for two hours, the only break from rain in seven years. The kids speculate about what the sun is like. One student remembers the sun from earth, but the others don’t believe her.
I hope you found a great short story about bullying. I’ll keep adding short stories about bullying as I find more.