In You Were Perfectly Fine by Dorothy Parker we have the theme of insecurity, guilt, alcoholism, escape, change, love, regret and commitment. Taken from her Complete Stories collection the reader realises after reading the story that Parker may be exploring the theme of insecurity. Peter has absolutely no memory of what has happened the night before due to him being […]

In Companions by Raja Rao we have the theme of sacrifice, torment, acceptance, control, struggle, respect and happiness. Taken from his Collected Stories collection the story is narrated in the first person by an unnamed narrator and after reading the story the reader realises that Rao may be exploring the theme of sacrifice. Moti endures a life of pain while […]

In The Open Boat by Stephen Crane we have the theme of optimism, desperation, determination, disappointment, acceptance and gratitude. The story itself is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and the reader realises after reading the story that Crane may be exploring the theme of optimism. Though some of the men in the boat feel withdrawn and […]

In The Son’s Veto by Thomas Hardy we have the theme of freedom, class, appearance, insecurity, acceptance and powerlessness. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises after reading the story that Hardy may be exploring the theme of freedom. Sophy does not have the freedom to marry Sam. Though she wishes to do so Randolph […]

In The Custody of the Pumpkin by P.G. Wodehouse we have the theme of control, class, selfishness, arrogance, prejudice, pride and change. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises after reading the story that Wodehouse may be exploring the theme of control. Emsworth does not like the fact that Freddie is courting Niagara who may […]

In B. Wordsworth by V. S. Naipaul we have the theme of admiration, identity, curiosity, friendship, control, freedom, uncertainty and coming of age. Narrated in the first person by an unnamed male the story is a memory piece and after reading the story the reader realises that Naipaul may be exploring the theme of admiration. If anything the narrator appears […]

In Report on the Threatened City by Doris Lessing we have the theme of control, power, acceptance, disillusion, change and failure. Taken from her Stories collection the story is narrated in the form of reports and after reading the story the reader realises that Lessing may be exploring the theme of control. The world that the observers/aliens find themselves in […]

In The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe we have the theme of conflict, isolation, fear, control, powerlessness and friendship. Narrated in the first person by an unnamed male narrator the reader realises after reading the story that Poe may be exploring the theme of conflict. Roderick is in conflict with himself. Which may help to […]

In Sweat by Zora Neale Hurston we have the theme of struggle, pride, acceptance, infidelity, brutality, control, independence, self-importance and freedom. Taken from her The Complete Stories collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and after reading the story the reader realises that Hurston may be exploring the theme of struggle. Delia does everything […]

In A Conversation from the Third Floor by Mohamed El-Bisatie we have the theme of conflict, connection, corruption, endurance, struggle and loss. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator it becomes clear to the reader from the beginning of the story that El-Bisatie may be exploring the theme of conflict. Though the narrator does not specifically state that […]

In The Hollow of the Three Hills by Nathaniel Hawthorne we have the theme of sacrifice, death, regret, guilt, desperation and bravery. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises after reading the story that Hawthorne may be exploring the theme of sacrifice. The woman must sacrifice her life with the evil woman if she wishes […]

In A Bag of Sweets by Agnes Sam we have the theme of change, animosity, bitterness, letting go and connection. Narrated in the first person by a young woman called Kaltoum who is incurring difficulties with the arrival of her sister back in the village. Khadija married a Christian man much to the annoyance of each member of her family […]

In The Refugee by James Appe we have the theme of appearance, hope, control, vulnerability, conflict, pride and acceptance. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises after reading the story that Appe may be exploring the theme of appearance. Margaret is not who she may seem to be or at least she is not what […]

In The Assignment by Saadat Hasan Manto we have the theme of conflict, fear, loyalty, trust, hatred and betrayal. Taken from his Selected Stories collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and from the beginning of the story the reader realises that Manto is using the setting to explore the theme of conflict. Though […]

In A Piece of News by Eudora Welty we have theme of identity, isolation, desire, control, connection, escape and paralysis. Taken from her The Collected Stories collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and after reading the story the reader realises that Welty may be exploring the theme of isolation. Ruby is isolated from […]

In An Incident in the Ghobashi Household by Alifa Rifaat we have the theme of responsibility, struggle, pride, control, shame, tradition, secrecy, appearance and sacrifice. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises after reading the story that Rifaat may be exploring the theme of responsibility. Zeinat has a responsibility to look after her family while […]

In Protista by Dambudzo Marechera we have the theme of struggle, isolation, acceptance, love and helplessness. Narrated in the first person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises from the beginning of the story that Marechera may be exploring the theme of struggle. The narrator’s environment is one of hardship. There is no water and no food available to him. […]