Sure, we all love The Canterbury Tales (right?), but "The Clerk's Tale" comes as a bit of a surprise. Though not as well known as the biggies in the bunch ("The Pardoner," "The Wife of Bath," "The Miller and Reeve," and—for the highbrow—"The Knight"), the clerk spins a pretty darn good tale, though it's certainly more of a mixed bag than the others.

Why's it awesome? First off, it's a great story that's been leveraged across the ages and throughout literature: any movie/book/play/TV show that uses a decision point or a choice as the critical lever in the piece can find its roots or at least some lineage in "The Clerk's Tale." From Sophie's Choice to American Horror Story, the structure works. Most students should be able to recognize this technique.