Aiken -

: One of his most famous short stories, exploring a child's withdrawal into a private, hallucinatory world.

Aiken's literary preoccupation with the human psyche was rooted in a horrific childhood trauma. At age 11, he discovered the bodies of his parents after his father murdered his mother and then committed suicide. This event haunted his bibliography, appearing in: : One of his most famous short stories,

: A candid 1952 autobiographical narrative where he detailed his struggles with mental health and his fear of insanity. Literary Relationships and Style : One of his most famous short stories,