Although it was initially published on its own, "The Grave" was later published as the last in a group of stories called "The Old Order,"all of which describe the life of Miranda's family. Porter gives fuller descriptions of Miranda's grandmother, her father Harry, and her Uncle Jimbilly, who are mentioned only briefly in "The Grave," and of the family's slave-owning past. Read the stories that precede "The Grave" and see how your interpretation of the story changes. Does knowing the full family history add to your understanding of Miranda's "vague stirrings" for the past? What kind of family memories and secrets were buried in the grandmother's cemetery?

Critics frequently suggest that the character of Miranda, who appears in several of Porter's short stories, is closely related to Porter herself. Read parts of one of Porter's biographies with Miranda in mind. How...