A Bad Day for Vermin by Keith Laumer
"A Bad Day for Vermin" by Keith Laumer is a science fiction short story written in the early 1960s. The narrative unfolds in a small town where an extraterrestrial being makes contact, prompting a heated debate about the definition of life and human rights. Through its engaging plot, the story tackles themes of prejudice and the nature of humanity in the face of the unknown. The tale begins with Judge Carter Gateswitnessing the arrival of a friendly alien, only to have that moment shattered when a local man, Cecil Stump, shoots the creature. This act sparks an uproar among the townsfolk, leading to a contentious community meeting where the very concept of personhood is fiercely debated. As emotions run high, the townspeople strive to redefine what constitutes a “person,” ultimately deciding that a "person" is any harmless creature, whereas those who commit violent acts are deemed "vermin." The story culminates in a twist as a new exterminator arrives, leaving readers to ponder the implications of their decisions. Laumer deftly explores the complexities of morality and societal norms, making this short story thought-provoking and timely. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Laumer, Keith, 1925-1993 |
|---|---|
| Title | A Bad Day for Vermin |
| Series Title | Produced from Galaxy Science Fiction February 1964 |
| Note | Reading ease score: 85.3 (6th grade). Easy to read. |
| Credits | Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature |
| Subject | Science fiction |
| Subject | Short stories |
| Subject | Extraterrestrial beings -- Fiction |
| Subject | Human-alien encounters -- Fiction |
| Subject | United States -- Fiction |
| Subject | Ethics -- Fiction |
| Category | Text |
| EBook-No. | 51258 |
| Release Date | Feb 21, 2016 |
| Copyright Status | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 106 downloads in the last 30 days. |
| Project Gutenberg eBooks are always free! | |
